2023 FORD F150 four wheel drive

HOW DOES FOUR-WHEEL
DRIVE WORK - EXCLUDING:
RAPTOR
Using the Electronic Shift On theFly System (If Equipped)
This four-wheel drive system utilizes a2-speed Electronic Shift On the Fly (ESOF)transfer case which is also known as apart-time system. This system offers thedriver two-wheel drive high, four-wheeldrive high, and four-wheel drive low asavailable modes of operation. When eitherfour-wheel drive high or four-wheel drivelow are selected, the system providesmechanically locked four-wheel drivepower to both the front and rear wheelsfor use in off-road or slippery conditionssuch as deep snow, sand or mud. Selectingfour-wheel drive low also providesadditional gearing for increased torquemultiplication for conditions like deepsand, steep slopes, or pulling heavyobjects. Additionally, the system is capableof recreational flat towing by putting thetransfer case into neutral (N). SeeRecreationally Towing Your Vehicle(page 485).
There is further information on driving inunique driving conditions. See Off-RoadDriving (page 466).
Using the 2-Speed AutomaticFour-Wheel Drive System (If Equipped)
The 2-speed automatic four-wheel drivesystem utilizes an electronically controlledon-demand 2-speed transfer case. Thissystem monitors various vehicle sensoryinputs to provide an increased level ofperformance. This system offers the drivertwo-wheel drive high, four-wheel driveauto, four-wheel drive high, and four-wheeldrive low as available modes of operation.When four-wheel drive auto is selected,the system continuously varies power to
the front wheels for optimum performancefor all on-road conditions. When eitherfour-wheel drive high or four-wheel drivelow are selected, the system provideselectronically or mechanically lockedpower to the front and rear wheels for usein off-road or slippery conditions such asdeep snow, sand or mud. Selectingfour-wheel drive low also providesadditional gearing for increased torquemultiplication for conditions like deepsand, steep slopes, or pulling heavyobjects. Additionally, the system is capableof recreational flat towing by putting thetransfer case into neutral (N). SeeRecreationally Towing Your Vehicle(page 485).
There is further information on driving inunique driving conditions. See Off-RoadDriving (page 466).
HOW DOES FOUR-WHEEL
DRIVE WORK - RAPTOR
The 2-speed automatic four-wheel drivesystem utilizes an electronically controlledon-demand 2-speed transfer case. Thissystem monitors various vehicle sensoryinputs to provide an increased level ofperformance. This system offers the drivertwo-wheel drive high, four-wheel driveauto, four-wheel drive high, and four-wheeldrive low as available modes of operation.When four-wheel drive auto is selected,the system continuously varies power tothe front wheels for optimum performancefor all on-road conditions. When eitherfour-wheel drive high or four-wheel drivelow are selected, the system providesmechanically locked power to the frontand rear wheels for use in off-road orslippery conditions such as deep snow,sand or mud. Selecting four-wheel drivelow also provides additional gearing forincreased torque multiplication for
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conditions like deep sand, steep slopes, orpulling heavy objects. Additionally, thesystem is capable of recreational flattowing by putting the transfer case intoneutral (N). See Recreationally TowingYour Vehicle (page 485).
There is further information on driving inunique driving conditions. See Off-RoadDriving (page 466).
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE
PRECAUTIONS
WARNING: Vehicles with a highercenter of gravity (utility and four-wheeldrive vehicles) handle differently thanvehicles with a lower center of gravity(passenger cars). Avoid sharp turns,excessive speed and abrupt steering inthese vehicles. Failure to drive cautiouslyincreases the risk of losing control of yourvehicle, vehicle rollover, personal injuryand death.
WARNING: Do not becomeoverconfident in the ability of four-wheeldrive vehicles. Although a four-wheeldrive vehicle may accelerate better thana two-wheel drive vehicle in low tractionsituations, it won't stop any faster thantwo-wheel drive vehicles. Always driveat a safe speed.
Truck and utility vehicles can differ fromsome other vehicles. Your vehicle could behigher to allow it to travel over roughterrain without getting stuck or damagingunderbody components. The differencesthat make your vehicle so versatile alsomake it handle differently than an ordinarypassenger car. Always maintain steeringwheel control, especially in rough terrain.Since sudden changes in terrain can resultin abrupt steering wheel motion, make sureyou grip the steering wheel from the
outside. Do not grip the spokes. Drivecautiously to avoid vehicle damage fromconcealed objects such as rocks andstumps. Drive slower in strong crosswindswhich can affect the normal steeringcharacteristics of your vehicle. Beextremely careful when driving onpavement made slippery by loose sand,water, gravel, snow or ice.
Note:Do not use four-wheel drive high orfour-wheel drive low mode on dry, hardsurfaced roads. Doing so can produceexcessive noise, increase tire wear and candamage drive components.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE
LIMITATIONS
Operating Four-Wheel Drive witha Spare or Mismatched Tires (If
Equipped)
On four-wheel drive vehicles, the size ofthe spare tire can affect the four-wheeldrive system. If there is a significantdifference between the size of the sparetire and the remaining tires, you could havelimited four-wheel drive functionality.When driving with the full-size dissimilarspare wheel and tire assembly, werecommend that you do not:
•Exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) with afour-wheel drive mode turned on.
•Turn on a four-wheel drive modeunless the vehicle is stationary.
•Use a four-wheel drive mode on drypavement.
Driving with the full-size dissimilar sparewheel and tire assembly can limitfour-wheel drive functionality, especiallywhen driving in a mechanically lockedfour-wheel drive mode. You can experiencethe following:
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•Additional noise from the transfer caseor other drive components.
•Difficulty shifting out of a mechanicallylocked four-wheel drive mode.
Use of a dissimilar spare wheel and tireassembly can lead to impairment of thefollowing:
•Comfort and noise.
•Winter weather driving capability.
•Wet driving capability.
•Four-wheel drive capability.
Mechanical Shift Blocking
On four-wheel drive vehicles with amechanically locked four-wheel drive highmode, the transfer case distributes torqueto the front wheels by mechanicallyinterlocking the front and rear driveshaftstogether. Various external factors canaffect shifting performance of this type ofsystem including, but not limited to:
•Vehicle acceleration.
•Dissimilar tire sizes.
•Steering input.
If the system detects a mechanical shiftblockage at speed after you selecttwo-wheel drive high, the message "4x4Unable to Disengage See Manual", coulddisplay momentarily. If this messagedisplays, one or more of the followingactions can relieve the mechanical shiftblock:
•Momentary acceleration.
•Momentary braking.
•Bringing the vehicle to a stop.
•Shifting the transmission to neutral andback to drive.
•Shifting the transmission to reverseand back to drive.
•Driving the vehicle around a tight turnat a slow speed.
SELECTING A FOUR-WHEEL
DRIVE MODE - EXCLUDING:
RAPTOR
The four-wheel drive mode control is onthe instrument panel.
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To select a four-wheel drive mode, pressthe four-wheel drive mode control buttonof the desired mode. You can selecttwo-wheel drive high (2H), four-wheeldrive high (4H), or if your vehicle hasfour-wheel drive auto (4A) at a stop orwhile driving. Once the shift is complete,the instrument cluster display will thendisplay the selected four-wheel drivemode. While shifts are in progress, thelights on the four-wheel drive controlswitch can flash and you could seemessages in the instrument cluster displayindicating that a shift is in progress or torelease the accelerator pedal to improveshift performance.
Note:Momentarily releasing the acceleratorpedal while a shift in progress messagedisplays improves engagement ordisengagement performance.
Note:Do not perform this operation whencruise control or trail control is selected andactive. The system may not shift asexpected.
Note:Do not perform this operation if therear wheels are slipping or while applyingthe accelerator pedal.
Note:You could hear some noise as thesystem shifts or engages which is normal.
If the system detects a fault, a warningmessage appears in the instrument clusterdisplay. See Four-Wheel Drive –Information Messages (page 280).
Shifting to or from Four-WheelDrive Low (4L)
To select or exit four-wheel drive low (4L):
1.Bring your vehicle to a speed of 3 mph(5 km/h) or less.
2.Place the transmission in neutral (N)
3.Press the desired four-wheel drivebutton on the four-wheel drive modecontrol switch.
The instrument cluster display will displaya message indicating a four-wheel driveshift is in progress. If any of the above shiftconditions are not present, the shift willnot occur and the instrument clusterdisplay will display information guiding thedriver through the proper shiftingprocedures. If there is a transfer case toothblockage a message will display in theinstrument cluster display. To alleviate thiscondition, place the transmission in aforward gear, move your vehicle forwardapproximately 5 ft (1.5 m), and shift thetransmission back to neutral (N) to allowthe transfer case to complete the rangeshift.
Note:You could hear some noise as thesystem shifts or engages which is normal.
If the system detects a fault, a warningmessage appears in the instrument clusterdisplay. See Four-Wheel Drive –Information Messages (page 280).
SELECTING A FOUR-WHEEL
DRIVE MODE - RAPTOR
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The four-wheel drive mode control is onthe instrument panel.
To select a four-wheel drive mode, pressthe four-wheel drive mode control buttonof the desired mode. You can selecttwo-wheel drive high (2H), four-wheeldrive high (4H), or four-wheel drive auto(4A) at a stop or while driving. Once theshift is complete, the instrument clusterdisplay will then display the selectedfour-wheel drive mode. While shifts are inprogress, the lights on the four-wheel drivecontrol switch can flash and you could seemessages in the instrument cluster displayindicating that a shift is in progress or torelease the accelerator pedal to improveshift performance.
Note:Momentarily releasing the acceleratorpedal when a shift in progress messagedisplays improves engagement anddisengagement performance.
Note:Do not perform this operation whenyou have cruise control or trail controlselected and active. The system may notshift as expected.
Note:Do not perform this operation if therear wheels are slipping or while applyingthe accelerator pedal.
Note:You could hear some noise as thesystem shifts or engages, which is normal.
If the system detects a fault, a warningmessage appears in the instrument clusterdisplay. See Four-Wheel Drive –Information Messages (page 280).
Shifting to or from Four-WheelDrive Low (4L)
To select or exit four-wheel drive low (4L):
1.Bring your vehicle to a speed of 3 mph(5 km/h) or less.
2.Place the transmission in neutral (N).
3.Press the desired four-wheel drivebutton on the four-wheel drive modecontrol switch.
The instrument cluster display will displaya message indicating a four-wheel driveshift is in progress. If any of the above shiftconditions are not present, the shift doesnot occur and the instrument clusterdisplay will display information guiding thedriver through the proper shiftingprocedures. If there is a transfer case toothblockage, a message displays in theinstrument cluster display. To alleviate thiscondition, place the transmission in aforward gear, move your vehicle forwardapproximately 5 ft (1.5 m), and shift thetransmission back to neutral (N) to allowthe transfer case to complete the rangeshift.
Note:You could hear some noise as thesystem shifts or engages, which is normal.
If the system detects a fault, a warningmessage appears in the instrument clusterdisplay. See Four-Wheel Drive –Information Messages (page 280).
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE MODES
TWO-WHEEL DRIVE HIGH
Two-wheel drive high is for generalon-road driving. Power is sent to the rearwheels only.
Note:Two-wheel drive high can turn on oroff based on Drive Mode selection See DriveMode Control (page 362).
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FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE AUTO (If
Equipped)
Four-wheel drive auto provideselectronically controlled four-wheel drivepower to both the front and rear wheels,as required, for increased traction in varyingon-road conditions. The four-wheel driveauto tuning varies based on selected DriveMode. See Selecting a Drive Mode (page363).
Note:Four-wheel drive auto can turn on oroff automatically based on Drive Modeselection. See Selecting a Drive Mode(page 363).
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE HIGH -EXCLUDING: RAPTOR
Four-wheel drive high provideselectronically or mechanically lockedfour-wheel drive power to both the frontand rear wheels for use in off-road orwinter conditions such as deep snow, sandor mud. This mode is not for use on drypavement.
Note:Four-wheel drive high can turn on oroff automatically based on Drive Modeselection. See Selecting a Drive Mode(page 363).
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE HIGH -RAPTOR
Four-wheel drive high providesmechanically locked four-wheel drivepower to both the front and rear wheelsfor use in off-road or winter conditionssuch as deep snow, sand or mud. Thismode is not for use on dry pavement.
Note:Four-wheel drive high can turn on oroff automatically based on Drive Modeselection. See Selecting a Drive Mode(page 363).
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE LOW -EXCLUDING: RAPTOR
Four-wheel drive low provideselectronically or mechanically lockedfour-wheel drive power to both the frontand rear wheels for use on low tractionsurfaces, but does so with additionalgearing for increased torque multiplication.This mode is only for off-road conditionssuch as deep sand, steep slopes, or pullingheavy objects.
Note:Four-wheel drive low can turn on oroff automatically based on drive modeselection. See Selecting a Drive Mode(page 363).
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE LOW -RAPTOR
Four-Wheel Drive Low providesmechanically locked four-wheel drivepower to both the front and rear wheelsfor use on low traction surfaces, but doesso with additional gearing for increasedtorque multiplication. The intent of thismode is only for off-road conditions suchas deep sand, steep slopes, or pullingheavy objects.
Note:Four-wheel drive low can turn on oroff automatically based on drive modeselection. See Selecting a Drive Mode(page 363).
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE
INDICATORS
Two-wheel Drive High
Momentarily illuminates whentwo-wheel drive high is selected.
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Four-wheel Drive Auto (If Equipped)
Continuously illuminates whenfour-wheel drive auto is selected.
Four-wheel Drive High
Continuously illuminates whenfour-wheel drive high is selected.
Four-wheel Drive Low
Continuously illuminates whenfour-wheel drive low is selected.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE –
TROUBLESHOOTING
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE – WARNINGLAMPS
Illuminates when a four-wheeldrive or power train fault ispresent.
Note:When a system fault is present, thesystem can typically remain in whichevermode was selected prior to the faultcondition occurring. It does not default totwo-wheel drive in all circumstances. Whenthis warning is displayed, have your vehicleserviced by an authorized dealer.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE – INFORMATION MESSAGES
ActionMessage
A four-wheel drive system fault is present.Have your vehicle checked as soon aspossible.
Check 4x4
The four-wheel drive system is making ashift.4x4 Shift in Progress
Displays when you attempt to switch tofour-wheel drive low mode and you do notshift the transmission to neutral (N).
For 4x4 LOW Shift to N
Displays when you attempt to switch tofour-wheel drive low mode and yourvehicle's speed is greater than 3 mph(5 km/h).
For 4x4 LOW Slow to 3 MPH
For 4x4 LOW Slow to 5 km/h
Displays when you attempt to switch fromfour-wheel drive low mode and you do notshift the transmission to neutral (N).
To Exit 4x4 LOW Shift to N
Displays when you attempt to switch fromfour-wheel drive low mode and yourvehicle's speed is greater than 3 mph(5 km/h).
To Exit 4x4 LOW Slow to 3 MPH
To Exit 4x4 LOW Slow to 5 km/h
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ActionMessage
Displays when there is a transfer case geartooth blockage while shifting to or fromfour-wheel drive low mode or to the neutralstate. Place the transmission in a forwardgear, move your vehicle forward approxim-ately 5 ft (1.5 m), and shift the transmissionback to neutral (N) to allow the transfercase to complete the range shift.
Shift Delayed Drive Forward
Displays when the four-wheel systemdetects elevated system temperature andtemporarily stops providing power to thefront wheels. The system automaticallyresumes normal function when the systemtemperature returns to normal.
4x4 Temporarily Disabled
Displays when the four-wheel drive systemdetects a mechanical shift block whenshifting out of four-wheel drive high. SeeFour-Wheel Drive Limitations (page 275).
4x4 Unable to Disengage. See Manual
Displays when the four-wheel drive systemresumes normal function.4x4 Restored
Displays when the four-wheel drive systemdetects driving condition which temporarilyrequire greater four-wheel drive perform-ance. The system automatically resumesnormal function after the system no longerdetects these driving conditions.
4X4 Temporarily Locked
Displays when the system requires anadditional transmission shift to neutral (N)to complete a transfer case shift.
Shift to Neutral
Displays when you command a four-wheeldrive shift during conditions which arepotentially harmful to the drivelinecomponents
To Engage 4x4 Slow to 3 MPH
To Engage 4x4 Slow to 5 km/h
Displays when the four-wheel drive systemrequests that you release the acceleratorpedal to complete a four-wheel drive shift.See Selecting a Four-Wheel Drive Mode(page 276).
To Engage 4x4 Release Accelerator Pedal
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