ESSENTIAL TOWING CHECKS
See Load limits in the Load Carrying
chapter for load specification terms found
on the tire label and Safety Compliance
label and instructions on calculating your
vehicle's load.
Remember to account for the trailer
tongue weight as part of your vehicle load
when calculating the total vehicle weight.
Hitches
Do not use a hitch that either clamps onto
the bumper or attaches to the axle. You
must distribute the load in your trailer so
that 10-15% of the total weight of the
trailer is on the tongue.
Safety Chains
Note: Do not attach safety chains to the
bumper.
Always connect the safety chains to the
frame or hook retainers of your vehicle
hitch.
To connect the safety chains, cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow
enough slack for turning tight corners. Do
not allow the chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes WARNING:
Do not connect a
trailer's hydraulic brake system directly
to your vehicle's brake system. Your
vehicle may not have enough braking
power and your chances of having a
collision greatly increase.
Electric brakes and manual, automatic or
surge-type trailer brakes are safe if you
install them properly and adjust them to
the manufacturer's specifications. The
trailer brakes must meet local and federal
regulations. The rating for the tow vehicle's braking
system operation is at the gross vehicle
weight rating, not the gross combined
weight rating.
Trailer Lamps
WARNING:
Never connect any
trailer lamp wiring to the vehicle's tail
lamp wiring; this may damage the
electrical system resulting in fire. Contact
your authorized dealer as soon as
possible for assistance in proper trailer
tow wiring installation. Additional
electrical equipment may be required.
Trailer lamps are required on most towed
vehicles. Make sure all running lights, brake
lights, turn signals and hazard lights are
working.
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing up
to get the feel of your vehicle-trailer
combination before starting on a trip.
When turning, make wider turns so the
trailer wheels clear curbs and other
obstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
• Check your hitch, electrical connections
and trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly
after you have traveled
50 mph
(80 km/h).
• When stopped in congested or heavy
traffic during hot weather, place the
transmission in park (P) or neutral (N)
to aid engine and transmission cooling
and to help air conditioning
performance.
• Turn off the speed control with heavy
loads or in hilly terrain. The speed
control may turn off automatically
when you are towing on long, steep
grades.
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Sometimes irregular tire wear can
be corrected by rotating the tires.
USING SNOW CHAINS
WARNING: Snow tires must be the
same size, load index, and speed rating
as those originally provided by Ford. Use
of any tire or wheel not recommended
by Ford can affect the safety and
performance of your vehicle, which could
result in an increased risk of loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury, and death. Additionally, the use
of non-recommended tires and wheels
could cause steering, suspension, axle,
transfer case, or power transfer unit
failure. It is also strongly advised to
follow the Ford recommended tire
inflation pressure found on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label (affixed
to either the door hinge pillar, door-latch
post, or the door edge that meets the
door-latch post, next to the driver ’s
seating position), or Tire Label which is
located on the B-Pillar or the edge of the
driver door. Failure to follow the tire
pressure recommendations can cause
uneven treadwear patterns and
adversely affect the way your vehicle
handles.
The tires on your vehicle have all-weather
treads to provide traction in rain and snow.
However, in some climates, you may need
to use snow tires and cables. If you need
to use cables, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and
specifications) be used, as cables may chip
aluminum wheels.
Note: The suspension insulation and
bumpers help prevent vehicle damage. Do
not remove these components from your
vehicle when using snow tires and chains. Follow these guidelines when using snow
tires and chains:
•
If possible, avoid fully loading your
vehicle.
• Use only SAE Class S chains.
• Install chains securely, verifying that
the chains do not touch any wiring,
brake lines or fuel lines.
• Drive cautiously. If you hear the chains
rub or bang against your vehicle, stop
and retighten the chains. If this does
not work, remove the chains to prevent
damage to your vehicle.
• Remove the tire chains when they are
no longer needed. Do not use tire
chains on dry roads.
If you have any questions regarding snow
chains or cables, please contact your
authorized dealer.
CHANGING A ROAD WHEEL
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not
apply the brake heavily. Instead, gradually
decrease your speed. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and slowly move to a safe
place on the side of the road.
Tire Change Procedure WARNING:
Do not work on your
vehicle when the jack is the only support
as your vehicle could slip off the jack.
Failure to follow this instruction could
result in personal injury or death.
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ELECTROMAGNETIC
COMPATIBILITY
WARNING: Do not place objects
or mount equipment on or near the
airbag cover, on the side of the front or
rear seatbacks, or in areas that may
come into contact with a deploying
airbag. Failure to follow these
instructions may increase the risk of
personal injury in the event of a crash. WARNING: Do not fasten antenna
cables to vehicle wiring, fuel pipes and
brake pipes. WARNING:
Keep antenna and
power cables at least 4 in (10 cm) from
any electronic modules and airbags. Note:
We test and certify your vehicle to
meet electromagnetic compatibility
legislation. It is your responsibility to make
sure that any equipment an authorized
dealer installs on your vehicle complies with
applicable local legislation and other
requirements. Installation of some
aftermarket electronic devices could
degrade the performance of vehicle
functions, which use radio frequency signals
such as broadcast radio receiver, tire
pressure monitoring system, push button
start, Bluetooth connectivity or satellite
navigation.
Note: Any radio frequency transmitter
equipment in your vehicle (such as cellular
telephones and amateur radio transmitters)
must keep to the parameters in the
following illustrations and table. We do not
provide any other special provisions or
conditions for installations or use.
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