2023 FORD RANGER ESP

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNING: Always fully apply theparking brake and make sure you shiftinto park (P). Failure to follow thisinstruction could result in personal injuryor death.
WARNING: Do not apply the brakepedal and accelerator pedalsimultaneously. Applying both pedalssimultaneously for more than a fewseconds will limit engine performance,which may result in difficulty maintainingspeed in traffic and could lead to seriousinjury.
Note: A cold engine has a higher idlespeed. This increases the tendency for yourvehicle to creep when you have selected adrive gear.
Transmission Selector LeverPositions
Park.P
Reverse.R
Neutral.N
Drive.D
Sport mode and manual shifting.S
To select a position, depress the button(1) then pull back on the selector lever (2)to engage reverse (R), neutral (N) or drive(D). To select sport mode, first engagedrive (D), depress button (1) and then pullback on the selector lever (2). The currentgear displays in the instrument panel.
Park (P)
Note:To move the transmission selectorlever from park (P), apply the brake withthe ignition key in position II.
Note:An audible warning sounds if youopen the driver door and you have notmoved the selector lever to park (P). Thebattery saver deactivates the audiblewarning after a period of time.
In this position, there is no powertransmitted to the driven wheels, and thetransmission locks. You can start theengine with the transmission selector leverin this position.
Reverse (R)
Shift the selector lever to reverse (R) toallow your vehicle to move backward.
Neutral (N)
In this position, there is no powertransmitted to the driven wheels, but thetransmission does not lock. You can startthe engine with the transmission selectorlever in this position.
Drive (D)
Drive (D) is the normal driving position forthe best fuel economy and smoothness.Shift the transmission selector lever todrive (D) to allow your vehicle to moveforward and shift through the forwardgears.
The transmission shifts to the appropriategear for optimum performance based onambient temperature, road slope, vehicleload and your input.
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2023 Ranger (TFG) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 10-10-2022, enUSA, Edition date: 202208, First-PrintingTransmissionE269654

Sport Mode (S)
Switch on sport mode by shifting thetransmission selector lever to sport (S). Insport (S), the transmission selects theoptimum gear for best performance. Thisgear selection is typically lower than thatof drive (D), and the shifts are faster.
Tow Mode
To switch on tow mode, pressthe button on the center consoleuntil tow mode is active. Theindicator light illuminates in the instrumentcluster when the system becomes active.
The tow mode feature:
•Moves upshifts to higher engine speedsto reduce the frequency oftransmission shifting.
•Provides engine braking in all forwardgears, which slows your vehicle andassists you in controlling your vehiclewhen descending a slope.
•Depending on driving conditions andload conditions, may downshift thetransmission, slow your vehicle andcontrol your vehicle speed whendescending a hill, without pressing theaccelerator pedal. The amount ofdownshift braking provided variesbased upon the amount you press thebrake pedal.
The tow mode feature improvestransmission operation when towing atrailer or a heavy load. All transmissiongear ranges are available when using towmode.
To switch off the tow mode feature andreturn to normal driving mode, press thebutton on the center console twice. Theindicator light turns off when the systemturns off. Tow mode also turns off whenyou power down your vehicle.
SelectShift™ AutomaticTransmission
This feature gives you the ability to changegears up or down as desired.
If the engine speed does not exceed themaximum allowable limit, the vehicleallows the downshifts. SelectShiftautomatically downshifts at low enginespeeds to prevent engine stalls.
Note:Engine damage could occur if youmaintain excessive engine revving withoutshifting.
SelectShift does not automatically upshift,even if the engine is approaching the RPMlimit.
For 10 speed transmissions - with thetransmission selector lever in sport (S)position:
•Press the (+) button on thetransmission selector lever to upshift.
•Press the (-) button on thetransmission selector lever todownshift.
To exit this mode, return the transmissionselector lever to drive (D).
When your vehicle is stationary, you canonly select the 1st and 2nd gears. Manualshifting is sequential. Therefore, youcannot skip gears.
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2023 Ranger (TFG) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 10-10-2022, enUSA, Edition date: 202208, First-PrintingTransmissionE246592 E269656

Maintain steering wheel control at alltimes, especially in rough terrain. Sincesudden changes in terrain can result inabrupt steering wheel motion, make sureyou grip the steering wheel from theoutside. Do not grip the spokes of thesteering wheel.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle damagefrom concealed objects such as rocks andstumps.
Either know the terrain or examine mapsof the area before driving. Map out yourroute before driving in the area. Tomaintain steering and braking control ofyour vehicle, have all four wheels on theground and they need to be rolling, notsliding or spinning.
Driving Off-Road With Truck andUtility Vehicles
Note:Your vehicle may have a front airdam. Due to low ground clearance, you candamage it when taking your vehicle off-road.You can take the air dam off by removingthe bolts that secure it.
We design four-wheel drive vehicles fordriving on sand, snow, mud and roughterrain and they have operatingcharacteristics that are somewhatdifferent from conventional vehicles, bothon and off the road.
The transfer case supplies power to all fourwheels. On four-wheel drive vehicles, thetransfer case allows you to select different4WD modes when necessary. Becomethoroughly familiar with this informationbefore you operate your vehicle.
Four-wheel drive uses all four wheels topower your vehicle. This increases traction,enabling you to drive over terrain and roadconditions that a conventional two-wheeldrive vehicle cannot.
Basic Operating Principles
•Drive slower in strong crosswinds whichcan affect the normal steeringcharacteristics of your vehicle.
•When driving your vehicle on surfacesmade slippery by loose sand, water,gravel, snow or ice, proceed with care.
•Do not use 4H or 4L on dry, hardsurfaced roads. Doing so can produceexcessive noise, increase tire wear andcould damage drive components. Use4H or 4L modes for consistentlyslippery or loose surfaces.
If Your Vehicle Leaves the Road
If your vehicle leaves the road, reduce yourvehicle speed and avoid severe braking.When your vehicle speed decreases, easeyour vehicle back onto the road. Do notsharply turn the steering wheel whenreturning your vehicle to the road.
It may be safer to stay on the shoulder ofthe road and gradually slow down beforereturning to the road. You may lose controlif you do not slow down or if you toosharply or abruptly turn the steering wheel.
It may be less risky to strike small objects,such as freeway reflectors, with minordamage to your vehicle rather thanattempt a sudden return to the road whichcould cause your vehicle to slide sidewaysout of control or roll over. Remember, yoursafety and the safety of others should beyour primary concern.
Emergency Maneuvers
In an unavoidable emergency situationwhere you must make a sudden sharp turn,remember to avoid over-driving yourvehicle and turn the steering wheel only asrapidly and as far as required to avoid theemergency. Excessive steering can resultin loss of vehicle control. Apply smoothpressure to the accelerator pedal or brakepedal when you require changes in vehicle
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2023 Ranger (TFG) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 10-10-2022, enUSA, Edition date: 202208, First-PrintingFour-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

speed. Avoid abrupt steering, accelerationand braking. This could result in anincreased risk of vehicle roll over, loss ofvehicle control and personal injury. Use theavailable road surface to bring your vehicleto a safe direction of travel.
In the event of an emergency stop, avoidskidding the tires and do not attempt anysharp steering wheel movements.
If your vehicle goes from one type ofsurface to another, such as concrete togravel, there can be a change in the wayyour vehicle responds to a maneuver usingsteering, acceleration or braking.
Operating Four-Wheel Drive with aSpare or Mismatched Tires
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,added noise, discomfort and drivelinedamage. Due to normal tire wear, yourspare tire is not necessarily the same sizeas your on-road tires, which makes yourspare tire a dissimilar size. Use the sparetire on a limited basis only. When drivingwith a dissimilar wheel and tire assemblydo 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:
•Additional noise from the transfer caseor other drive components.
•Difficulty shifting out of a mechanicallylocked four-wheel drive mode.
•Driveline component damage.
Mechanical Shift Blocking
On vehicles with an electronicshift-on-the-fly transfer case, the transfercase distributes torque to the front wheelsby mechanically interlocking the front andrear driveshafts together. Various externalfactors can affect shifting performance ofthis type of system including, but notlimited to:
•Vehicle acceleration.
•Dissimilar tire sizes.
•High steering input.
For vehicles with an electronicshift-on-the-fly transfer case, whenshifting into two-wheel drive high on dry,hard surfaced roads, we recommend thatthe following procedure is followed toreduce the likelihood of a mechanical shiftblock:
•While driving straight, come to a stopon a flat, horizontal surface.
•Shift into park (P).
•Select 2H and wait for the 2H LED tobecome solid.
•Shift into reverse (R) and let the vehicleroll backward up to 5 ft (1 m).
•Shift into drive (D) and let the vehicleroll forward up to 5 ft (1 m).
•Driving the vehicle around a tight turnat a slow speed.
If the system is mechanically blocked, oneor more of the following actions can relievethe mechanical shift block:
•Momentary acceleration.
•Momentary braking.
•Bringing the vehicle to a stop.
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2023 Ranger (TFG) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 10-10-2022, enUSA, Edition date: 202208, First-PrintingFour-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

•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.
Driving in Special Conditions withFour-Wheel Drive
Four-wheel drive vehicles are suitable fordriving on sand, snow, mud and roughroads and have operating characteristicsthat are somewhat different fromconventional vehicles, both on and off thefreeway.
When driving at slow speeds off road underhigh load conditions, use a low gear whenpossible. Low gear operation maximizesthe engine and transmission coolingcapability.
Basic Operating Principles
When driving your vehicle on surfacesmade slippery by loose sand, water, gravel,snow or ice, proceed with care.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all fourwheels on the most solid area of the trail.Shift to a lower gear and drive steadilythrough the terrain. Apply the acceleratorslowly and avoid excessive wheel slip.
Do not drive your vehicle in deep sand foran extended period of time. This can causethe system to overheat.
To resume operation, switch the ignitionoff and allow the system to cool down fora minimum of 15 minutes.
When driving at slow speeds in deep sandunder high outside temperatures, use a lowgear when possible. Low gear operationmaximizes the engine and transmissioncooling capability.
Avoid driving at excessive speeds, thiscauses vehicle momentum to work againstyou and your vehicle could become stuckto the point that you could requireassistance from another vehicle.Remember, you may be able to back outthe way you came if you proceed withcaution.
Mud and Water
Mud
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehiclespeed or direction when you are driving inmud. Even four-wheel drive vehicles canlose traction in slick mud. If your vehicledoes slide, steer in the direction of the slideuntil you regain control of your vehicle.
After driving through mud, clean off residuestuck to rotating driveshafts and tires.Excess mud stuck on tires and rotatingdriveshafts can cause an imbalance thatcould damage drive components.
Water
If you must drive through high water, driveslowly. Water may limit traction or brakecapability.
When driving through water, determine thedepth and avoid water higher than thebottom of the hubs. If the ignition systemgets wet, your vehicle could stall.
Once through water, try the brakes. Wetbrakes do not stop your vehicle aseffectively as dry brakes. Drying improvesby applying light pressure to the brakepedal when slowly moving.
Note:Driving through deep water maydamage the transmission. If you submergethe front or rear axle in water, have the axlelubricant and power transfer unit lubricantchecked, and change if necessary.
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2023 Ranger (TFG) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 10-10-2022, enUSA, Edition date: 202208, First-PrintingFour-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

“Tread Lightly” is an educational programdesigned to increase public awareness ofland-use regulations and responsibilitiesin our nation's wilderness areas. We jointhe U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau ofLand Management in encouraging you tohelp preserve our national forest and otherpublic and private lands by “treadinglightly.”
Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Although natural obstacles may make itnecessary to travel diagonally up or downa hill or steep incline, you should drivestraight up or straight down.
Note: Avoid turning on steep slopes or hills.A danger lies in losing traction, slippingsideways and possible vehicle roll over. Donot drive over the crest of a hill withoutseeing what conditions are on the other side.Do not drive in reverse over a hill without theaid of an observer. Whenever driving on ahill, determine beforehand the route youintend to use.
When climbing a steep slope or hill, startin a lower gear rather than downshifting toa lower gear from a higher gear once theascent has started. This reduces strain onthe engine and the possibility of stalling.
If your vehicle stalls, do not try to turnaround because this could cause vehicleroll over. It is better to reverse back to asafe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels toclimb the hill. Too much power could causethe tires to slip, spin or lose traction,resulting in loss of vehicle control.
Descend a hill in the same gear you woulduse to climb up the hill to avoid excessivebrake application and brake overheating.Do not descend in neutral (N). Move thetransmission selector lever to a lower gear.When descending a steep hill, avoidsudden hard braking as you could losecontrol. Make sure the front wheels areturning so you can steer your vehicle.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, steadilyapply the brakes. Do not pump the brakes.
Driving on Snow and Ice
WARNING: If you are driving inslippery conditions that require tirechains or cables, then it is critical thatyou drive cautiously. Keep speeds down,allow for longer stopping distances andavoid aggressive steering to reduce thechances of a loss of vehicle controlwhich can lead to serious injury or death.If the rear end of your vehicle slides whilecornering, steer in the direction of theslide until you regain control of yourvehicle.
Note:Excessive tire slippage can causetransmission damage
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ELECTRONIC LOCKING
DIFFERENTIAL (IF EQUIPPED)
Note:Do not operate the system on dryhard surface roads. Doing so could lead toexcessive tire noise and wear. Use thesystem only on consistently slippery or loosesurfaces.
The system locks the left and right portionsof the rear axle together to form a soliddriving axle, resulting in increased rearwheel traction in certain conditions.
Press and hold the electronic differentiallock button for 2 seconds to activate thesystem.
Note:The lock button is on the centerconsole.
Note:Do not perform this operation whencruise control or trail control are selectedand active. The system may not engage asexpected.
The electronic differential lock can lockand unlock when the internal gears arealigned and no torque load is placed onthe differential. To aid alignment, drive thevehicle in a straight line with theaccelerator pedal released. Alternatively,drive slowly forward and backward whilemoving the steering wheel from side to sideto allow the electronic differential lock tolock.
High vehicle speed and high acceleratorpedal application inhibit the electroniclocking differential system engagement.Follow the instruction on the instrumentcluster for engagement anddisengagement.
Note:You can use the system in any drivemode 2H, 4H or 4L.
Note:When you engage the system, theElectronic Stability Program (ESP) functionssuch as Stability Control, Traction Control,Hill Descent Control, Emergency stop signal,Hill Start Assist and Trailer Sway Controlare deactivated, the ESP Off indicatorilluminates, and the HDC on indicator turnsoff.
Note:When the anti-lock braking systemis operating, the system disengages.
The electronic locking differential systemcan affect various terrain modes. SeePrinciple of Operation (page 182).
Operating Electronic LockingDifferential with Spare orMismatched Tires
The size of the spare tire can affect theperformance of the electronic lockingdifferential system. When there is asignificant size difference between the tworear tires, you could have limited electroniclocking differential functionality. If yourelectronic locking differential has difficultydisengaging, release your accelerator pedaland turn the steering wheel in the oppositedirection while rolling forward.
Note:We recommend that you engage anddisengage the electronic locking differentialwhen stopped, and a spare tire is mountedon the rear axle.
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2023 Ranger (TFG) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 10-10-2022, enUSA, Edition date: 202208, First-PrintingRear AxleE277073

Note: If the system activates, the brakepedal could pulse and may travel further.Maintain pressure on the brake pedal. Youmay also hear a noise from the system. Thisis normal.
PARKING BRAKE
WARNING: Always fully apply theparking brake and make sure you shiftinto park (P). Switch the ignition off andremove the key whenever you leave yourvehicle.
To apply the parking brake:
1.Firmly press the brake pedal.
2.Pull the parking brake lever upward toits fullest extent.
Note:Do not press the release button whenpulling the parking brake lever upward.
Note:If you park your vehicle on a hill andfacing uphill, shift into park (P) and turn thesteering wheel away from the curb.
Note:If you park your vehicle on a hill andfacing downhill, shift into park (P) and turnthe steering wheel toward the curb.
To release the parking brake:
1.Firmly press the brake pedal.
2.Slightly pull the parking brake leverupward.
3.Press the release button and push theparking brake lever downward.
HILL START ASSIST
WARNING: The system does notreplace the parking brake. When youleave your vehicle, always apply theparking brake.
WARNING: You must remain inyour vehicle when the system turns on.At all times, you are responsible forcontrolling your vehicle, supervising thesystem and intervening, if required.Failure to take care may result in the lossof control of your vehicle, seriouspersonal injury or death.
WARNING: The system will turnoff if a malfunction is apparent or if yourev the engine excessively. Failure to takecare may result in the loss of control ofyour vehicle, serious personal injury ordeath.
The system makes it easier to pull awaywhen your vehicle is on a slope without theneed to use the parking brake.
When the system is active, your vehicleremains stationary on the slope for two tothree seconds after you release the brakepedal. This allows time to move your footfrom the brake to the accelerator pedal.The system releases the brakesautomatically once the engine hasdeveloped sufficient torque to prevent yourvehicle from rolling down the slope. Thisis an advantage when pulling away on aslope, for example from a car park ramp,traffic lights or when reversing uphill intoa parking space.
The system activates on any slope thatcauses your vehicle to roll.
Note:There is no warning light to indicatethe system is either on or off.
Using Hill Start Assist
1.Press the brake pedal to bring yourvehicle to a complete standstill. Keepthe brake pedal pressed and shift intofirst gear when facing uphill or reverse(R) when facing downhill.
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2023 Ranger (TFG) Canada/United States of America, Vehicles Built From: 10-10-2022, enUSA, Edition date: 202208, First-PrintingBrakes