Summary of the content on the page No. 1
Table of contents
Introduction
2
Notice To 4X2 Utility Vehicle Owners
3
Vehicle Characteristics
4
Operation On The Road
6
Driving Off-Road
9
Trailer Towing 12
Tires, Replacement Requirements 13
Maintenance and Modifications 15
Hauling Cargo and Vehicle Handling 16
All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means, electronic or mechanical
including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval
system or translation in whole or part is not permitted without written
authorizatio
Summary of the content on the page No. 2
Introduction INTRODUCTION Welcome to Ford Motor Company’s world of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) and truck driving! Your new vehicle opens up a completely different and challenging world of travel unlike what you have ever experienced with a conventional car. Now, you’ll be able to travel places where roads don’t. Most importantly, you’ll be able to travel with the safety, comfort and dependability of a Ford-built vehicle. The steering and handling characteristics of vehicles may vary and you mus
Summary of the content on the page No. 3
Notice To 4X2 Utility Vehicle Owners NOTICE TO 4X2 UTILITY VEHICLE OWNERS Although this supplement is primarily directed to 4WD or AWD vehicle operators, these principles of safe driving also apply to operators of two-wheel drive utility vehicles. Even though you did not select a 4WD or AWD option for your vehicle, many of its operating characteristics are similar to those of 4WD or AWD vehicles. For this reason, Ford urges you to read and understand the contents of this supplement. 3
Summary of the content on the page No. 4
Vehicle Characteristics 4WD AND AWD SYSTEMS Your AWD or 4WD (when you select the 4WD mode) vehicle uses all four wheels to power itself. This increases traction, enabling you to drive over terrain and road conditions that a conventional two-wheel drive vehicle can not. Power is supplied to all four wheels through a transfer case or power transfer unit. 4WD vehicles allow you to select different drive modes as necessary. Information on shifting procedures and maintenance can be found in your “Own
Summary of the content on the page No. 5
Vehicle Characteristics How your vehicle differs from other vehicles SUV and truck vehicles can differ from some other vehicles in a few noticeable ways. Your 4WD or AWD may be: • Higher — to allow it to travel over rough terrain without getting hung up or damaging underbody components, and to accommodate 4WD components. • Shorter — to give it the capability to approach inclines and drive over the crest of a hill without getting hung up or damaging underbody components. A shorter wheelbase may m
Summary of the content on the page No. 6
Operation On The Road OPERATION ON THE ROAD Basic operating principles • Drive slower in strong crosswinds which can affect the normal steering characteristics of your vehicle. • Be extremely careful when driving on pavement made slippery by loose sand, water, gravel, snow or ice. • Do not use 4WD on dry, hard surfaced roads (except models equipped with Auto 4WD or AWD). This may damage the drivelines and axles. If your vehicle goes off the edge of the pavement • If your vehicle goes off the edg
Summary of the content on the page No. 7
Operation On The Road Emergency maneuvers • In an unavoidable emergency situation where a sudden sharp turn must be made, remember to avoid “over-driving” your vehicle, i.e., turn the steering wheel only as rapidly and as far as required to avoid the emergency. Avoid abrupt steering, acceleration or braking which could result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, and/or personal injury. Additionally, smooth variations of the accelerator and/or brake pedal pressure sh
Summary of the content on the page No. 8
Operation On The Road Parking Before leaving the driver’s seat, you should make sure that the gearshift is engaged in P (Park) with an automatic transmission or either 1 (First) or R (Reverse) with a manual transmission. Set the parking brake fully, shut off the ignition and remove the key. Some 4WD vehicles include a Neutral mode. When the transfer case is in the N (Neutral) position, the engine and transmission are disconnected from the rest of the driveline. Therefore, the vehicle is free to
Summary of the content on the page No. 9
Driving Off-Road DRIVING OFF-ROAD When using 4WD or AWD, maintain steering wheel control at all times, especially in rough terrain. Since sudden changes in terrain can result in abrupt steering wheel motion, make sure you grip the steering wheel from the outside. Do not grip the spokes. Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle damage from concealed objects such as rocks and stumps. You should either know the terrain or examine maps of the area before driving. Map out your route before driving in the ar
Summary of the content on the page No. 10
Driving Off-Road “Tread Lightly” is an educational program designed to increase public awareness of land-use regulations and responsibilities in our nations wilderness areas. Ford joins the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in encouraging you to help preserve our national forest and other public and private lands by “treading lightly.” Water Before driving through water, determine the depth. Avoid water higher than the bottom of the wheel hubs. Proceed slowly to avoid splashi
Summary of the content on the page No. 11
Driving Off-Road When climbing a steep slope or hill, start in a lower gear rather than downshifting to a lower gear from a higher gear once the ascent has started. This reduces strain on the engine and the possibility of stalling. If you do stall out, do not try to turn around because you might roll over. It is better to back down to a safe location. Apply just enough power to the wheels to climb the hill. Too much power will cause the tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting in loss of
Summary of the content on the page No. 12
Trailer Towing TRAILER TOWING Your vehicle may be equipped for towing trailers (or may require a trailer tow package). The combined total weight of the vehicle and trailer must be less than or equal to the recommended Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) and be properly balanced. Refer to “RV & Trailer Towing Guide,” the “Owner’s Guide” or see an authorized Ford or Lincoln/Mercury Dealer for additional information. 12
Summary of the content on the page No. 13
Tires, Replacement Requirements TIRES, REPLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS Your vehicle is equipped with tires designed to provide for safe ride and handling capability. Do not use a size and type of tire and wheel other than that originally provided by Ford because it can affect the safety and performance of your vehicle, which could lead to loss of vehicle control or rollover and serious injury. Make sure all tires and wheels on the vehicle are of the same size, type, tread design, brand and load-carryin
Summary of the content on the page No. 14
Tires, Replacement Requirements Each day before you drive, check your tires. If one looks lower than the others, use a tire gauge to check pressure of all tires, and adjust if required. Check tire pressure with a tire gauge every few weeks (including spare). Safe operation requires tires that are neither underinflated nor a vehicle which is overloaded. Periodically inspect the tire treads and remove stones, nails, glass or other objects that may be wedged in the tread grooves. Check for holes or
Summary of the content on the page No. 15
Maintenance and Modifications MAINTENANCE AND MODIFICATIONS The suspension and steering systems on your vehicle have been designed and tested to provide both reasonably safe, predictable performance whether loaded or empty and durable load carrying capability. For this reason, Ford strongly recommends that you do not make modifications such as adding or removing parts (such as lift kits or stabilizer bars) or by using replacement parts not equivalent to the original factory equipment. Any modifi
Summary of the content on the page No. 16
Hauling Cargo and Vehicle Handling HAULING CARGO AND VEHICLE HANDLING When using your vehicle to haul cargo, make sure it is properly loaded to help ensure safe handling. Cargo should be evenly distributed over the floor of the cargo area, with the heaviest cargo on the bottom and ahead of the rear axle. If you must haul cargo on the roof of the vehicle, use extra caution when driving. Cargo placed on the roof will tend to make your vehicle top heavy, causing it to lean more on corners and creat
