
RECOMMENDED TOWING WEIGHTS
WebsiteMarket
https://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/United States of America
https://www.fleet.ford.ca/towing-guides/Canada
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ESSENTIAL TOWING CHECKS
Follow these guidelines for safe towing:
•Do not tow a trailer until you drive yourvehicle at least 1,000 mi (1,600 km).
•Consult your local motor vehicle lawsfor towing a trailer.
•See the instructions included withtowing accessories for the properinstallation and adjustmentspecifications.
•Service your vehicle more frequently ifyou tow a trailer. See your scheduledmaintenance information. SeeScheduled Maintenance (page 249).
•If you use a rental trailer, follow theinstructions the rental agency givesyou.
See Load limits in the Load Carryingchapter for load specification terms foundon the tire label and Safety Compliancelabel and instructions on calculating yourvehicle's load.
Remember to account for the trailertongue weight as part of your vehicle loadwhen calculating the total vehicle weight.
Trailer Towing Connector
When attaching the trailer wiring connectorto your vehicle, only use a proper fittingconnector that works with the vehicle andtrailer functions. Some seven-positionconnectors may have the SAE J2863 logo,which confirms that it is the proper wiringconnector and works correctly with yourvehicle.
FunctionColor
Left turn signal and stop lampYellow
Ground (-)White
Electric brakesBlue
Right turn signal and stoplampGreen
Battery (+)Orange
Running lightsBrown
Reverse lightsGrey
Hitches
Do not use a hitch that either clamps ontothe bumper or attaches to the axle. Youmust distribute the load in your trailer sothat 10-15% of the total weight of thetrailer is on the tongue.
Weight-distributing Hitches
WARNING: Do not adjust the springbars so that your vehicle's rear bumperis higher than before attaching the trailer.Doing so will defeat the function of theweight-distributing hitch, which maycause unpredictable handling, and couldresult in serious personal injury.
When connecting a trailer using aweight-distributing hitch, always use thefollowing procedure:
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1.Park the loaded vehicle, without thetrailer, on a level surface.
2.Measure the height to the top of yourvehicle's front wheel opening on thefender. This is H1.
3.Attach the loaded trailer to your vehiclewithout the weight-distributing barsconnected.
4.Measure the height to the top of yourvehicle's front wheel opening on thefender a second time. This is H2.
5.Install and adjust the tension in theweight-distributing bars so that theheight of your vehicle's front wheelopening on the fender is approximatelyhalfway down from H2, toward H1.
6.Check that the trailer is level or slightlynose down toward your vehicle. If not,adjust the ball height accordingly andrepeat Steps 2-6.
When the trailer is level or slightly nosedown toward the vehicle:
•Lock the bar tension adjuster in place.
•Check that the trailer tongue securelyattaches and locks onto the hitch.
•Install safety chains, lighting and trailerbrake controls as required by law or thetrailer manufacturer.
Safety Chains
Note:Do not attach safety chains to thebumper.
Always connect the safety chains to theframe or hook retainers of your vehiclehitch.
To connect the safety chains, cross thechains under the trailer tongue and allowenough slack for turning tight corners. Donot allow the chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
WARNING: Do not connect atrailer's hydraulic brake system directlyto your vehicle's brake system. Yourvehicle may not have enough brakingpower and your chances of having acollision greatly increase.
Electric brakes and manual, automatic orsurge-type trailer brakes are safe if youinstall them properly and adjust them tothe manufacturer's specifications. Thetrailer brakes must meet local and federalregulations.
The rating for the tow vehicle's brakingsystem operation is at the gross vehicleweight rating, not the gross combinedweight rating.
Separate functioning brake systemsare required for safe control of towedvehicles and trailers weighing morethan 1500 lb (680 kg) when loaded.
Integrated Trailer Brake Controller (IfEquipped)
WARNING: Use the integratedtrailer brake controller to properly adjustthe trailer brakes and check allconnections before towing a trailer.Failure to follow this instruction couldresult in the loss of control of yourvehicle, personal injury or death.
Note:The Ford trailer brake controller hasbeen verified to be compatible with trailershaving electric-actuated drum brakes (oneto four axles) and electric-over-hydraulicbrakes. It will not activate hydraulicsurge-style trailer brakes. It is theresponsibility of the customer to ensure thatthe trailer brakes are adjusted appropriately,functioning normally and all electricconnections are properly made.
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Federal Motor Vehicle SafetyStandard No. 139. Grades B and Arepresent higher levels ofperformance on the laboratorytest wheel than the minimumrequired by law.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
*Tire label: A label showing theoriginal equipment tire sizes,recommended inflation pressureand the maximum weight thevehicle can carry.
*Tire Identification Number(TIN): A number on the sidewallof each tire providing informationabout the tire brand andmanufacturing plant, tire size anddate of manufacture. Also referredto as DOT code.
*Inflation pressure: A measureof the amount of air in a tire.
*Standard load: A class ofP-metric or Metric tires designedto carry a maximum load at setpressure. For example: ForP-metric tires 35 psi (2.4 bar) andfor Metric tires 36 psi (2.5 bar).Increasing the inflation pressurebeyond this pressure does notincrease the tire’s load carryingcapability.
*Extra load: A class of P-metricor Metric tires designed to carry aheavier maximum load at 42 psi(2.9 bar). Increasing the inflationpressure beyond this pressuredoes not increase the tire’s loadcarrying capability.
*kPa: Kilopascal, a metric unit ofair pressure.
*PSI: Pounds per square inch, astandard unit of air pressure.
*Cold tire pressure: The tirepressure when the vehicle hasbeen stationary and out of directsunlight for an hour or more andprior to the vehicle being driven for1.0 mi (1.6 km).
*Recommended inflationpressure: The cold inflationpressure found on the SafetyCompliance Certification Label(affixed to either the door hingepillar, door-latch post, or the dooredge that meets the door-latchpost, next to the driver's seatingposition), or Tire Label located onthe B-pillar or the edge of thedriver's door.
B-pillar: The structural memberat the side of the vehicle behindthe front door.
*Bead area of the tire: Area ofthe tire next to the rim.
* Sidewall of the tire: Areabetween the bead area and thetread.
*Tread area of the tire: Area ofthe perimeter of the tire thatcontacts the road when mountedon the vehicle.
*Rim: The metal support (wheel)for a tire or a tire and tubeassembly upon which the tire
beads are seated.
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Information Contained on theTire Sidewall
Both United States and CanadaFederal regulations require tiremanufacturers to placestandardized information on thesidewall of all tires. Thisinformation identifies anddescribes the fundamentalcharacteristics of the tire and alsoprovides a U.S. DOT TireIdentification Number for safetystandard certification and in caseof a recall.
Information on P Type Tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example ofa tire size, load index and speedrating. The definitions of theseitems are listed below. (Note thatthe tire size, load index and speedrating for your vehicle may bedifferent from this example.)
A.P: Indicates a tire, designatedby the Tire and Rim Association,that may be used for service oncars, sport utility vehicles,minivans and light trucks.Note: Ifyour tire size does not begin witha letter this may mean it isdesignated by either the EuropeanTire and Rim TechnicalOrganization or the Japan TireManufacturing Association.
B.215: Indicates the nominalwidth of the tire in millimetersfrom sidewall edge to sidewalledge. In general, the larger thenumber, the wider the tire.
C.65: Indicates the aspect ratiowhich gives the tire's ratio ofheight to width.
D.R: Indicates a radial type tire.
E.15: Indicates the wheel or rimdiameter in inches. If you changeyour wheel size, you have topurchase new tires to match thenew wheel diameter.
F.95: Indicates the tire's loadindex. It is an index that relates tohow much weight a tire can carry.You may find this information inyour owner’s manual. If not,contact a local tire dealer.
Note:You may not find thisinformation on all tires because itis not required by federal law.
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HIGH SPEED DRIVING CAN BEDANGEROUS
Correct inflation pressure isespecially important. However, athigh speeds, even with the correctinflation pressure, a road hazardfor example is more difficult toavoid and if contact is made, hasa greater chance of causing tiredamage than at a lower speed.Moreover, driving at high speedreduces the reaction timeavailable to avoid accidents andbring your vehicle to a safe stop.
If you see any damage to a tire orwheel, replace it with the spare atonce and visit a participating TireRetailer.
Exceeding the maximum speedsshown on the following page foreach type of tire will cause the tireto build up excessive heat whichcan cause tire damage that couldresult in sudden tire destructionand rapid air loss. Failure tocontrol a vehicle when one ormore tires experience a sudden airloss can lead to an accident.
In any case, you should notexceed reasonable speeds asindicated by the legal limitsand driving conditions.
DO NOT OVERLOAD: DRIVINGON ANY OVERLOADED TIRE ISDANGEROUS
The maximum load rating of yourtires is molded on the tire sidewall.Do not exceed this rating. Followthe loading instructions of themanufacturer of your vehicle andthis will ensure that your tires arenot overloaded. Tires which areloaded beyond their maximumallowable loads for the particularapplication will build up excessiveheat that may result in sudden tiredestruction. Do not exceed thegross axle weight rating for anyaxle on your vehicle.
TIRE ALTERATIONS
Do not make or allow to be made
any alterations on your tires.Alterations may prevent properperformance, leading to tiredamage which can result in anaccident. Tires which becomeunserviceable due to alterationssuch as truing, whitewall inlays,addition of balancing or sealantliquids, or the use of tire dressingcontaining petroleum distillatesare excluded from warrantycoverage.
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REPAIRS - WHEREVERPOSSIBLE, SEE YOUR TIRERETAILER AT ONCE
If any tire sustains a puncture,have the tire demounted andthoroughly inspected by a tireretailer for possible damage thatmay have occurred. A tread areapuncture in any passenger or lighttruck tire can be repaired providedthat the puncture hole is not morethan 1/4” in diameter, not morethan one radial cable per casingply is damaged, and the tire hasnot been damaged further by thepuncturing object or by runningunderinflated. Tire puncturesconsistent with these guidelinesshould only be repaired byfollowing the US TireManufacturers Association(USTMA) recommended repairprocedures. Plug-only repairsdone on-the-wheel are consideredimproper and therefore, notrecommended. Such repairs arenot reliable and may cause furtherdamage to the tire.
STORAGE
Tires contain waxes andemollients to protect their outersurfaces from ozone and weatherchecking. As the tire rolls andflexes, the waxes and emollientscontinually migrate to the surface,replenishing this protectionthroughout the normal use of thetire. Consequently, when tires situnused for long periods of time (amonth or more) their surfaces
become dry and more susceptibleto ozone and weather checkingand the casing becomessusceptible to flat spotting.Forthis reason, tires should alwaysbe stored in a cool, dry, clean,indoor environment. If storageis for one month or more,eliminate the weight from thetires by raising the vehicle or byremoving the tires from thevehicle. Failure to store tires inaccordance with theseinstructions could result indamage to your tires orpremature aging of the tiresand sudden tire failure.
When tires are stored, be sure theyare placed away from sources ofheat and ozone such as directsunlight, hot pipes and electricgenerators. Be sure that surfaceson which tires are stored are cleanand free from grease, gasoline orother substances, which coulddeteriorate the rubber. Failure tostore tires in accordance withthese instructions could result indamage to your tires or prematureaging of the tires and sudden tirefailure.
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VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION
NUMBER
LOCATING THE VEHICLEIDENTIFICATION NUMBER
The vehicle identification number is on theleft-hand side of the instrument panel.
Note:In the illustration, XXXX isrepresentative of your vehicle identificationnumber.
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATIONNUMBER OVERVIEW
The vehicle identification number containsthe following information:
World manufacturer identifier.A
Brake system, gross vehicleweight rating, restraint devicesand their locations.
B
Make, vehicle line, series, bodytype.C
Engine or motor type.D
Check digit.E
Model year.F
Assembly plant.G
Production sequence number.H
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