Ford F 250 Instruction Manual
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When Towing a Trailer • Check your hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly after you have traveled 50 mi (80 km). • Do not drive faster than 70 mph (113 km/h) during the first 500 mi (800 km). • Do not make full-throttle starts. • When stopped in congested or heavy traffic during hot weather, place the gearshift in position P to aid engine and transmission cooling and to help A/C 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. • Shift to a lower gear when driving down a long or steep hill. Do not apply the brakes continuously, as they may overheat and become less effective. • If your transmission is equipped with a Grade Assist or Tow/Haul feature, use this feature when towing. This provides engine braking and helps eliminate excessive transmission shifting for optimum fuel economy and transmission cooling. • If your vehicle is equipped with Adaptive Steering and you have enabled Tow/Haul, the Adaptive Steering system adjusts the steering response to match your vehicle ’s load. The system reduces vehicle sensitivity to steering inputs at higher vehicle speeds while it maintains the ease of parking and maneuverability at low speeds. • If your vehicle is equipped with AdvanceTrac with RSC, this system may turn on during typical cornering maneuvers with a heavily loaded trailer. This is normal. Turning the corner at a slower speed while towing may reduce this tendency. • If you are towing a trailer frequently in hot weather, hilly conditions, at the gross combined weight rating (or any combination of these factors), consider refilling your rear axle with synthetic gear lubricant (if the axle is not already filled with it). • Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached. Anticipate stops and brake gradually. • Avoid parking on a grade. However, if you must park on a grade: 1. Turn the steering wheel to point your vehicle tires away from traffic flow. 2. Set your vehicle parking brake. 3. Place the automatic transmission in position P. 4. Place wheel chocks in front and back of the trailer wheels. (Chocks not included with vehicle.) Your vehicle may be equipped with a temporary or conventional spare tire. A "temporary" spare tire is different in size (diameter or width), tread-type (All-Season or All Terrain) or is from a different manufacturer than the road tires on your vehicle. Consult information on the tire label or Safety Compliance label for limitations when using. Launching or Retrieving a Boat or Personal Watercraft (PWC) Note: Disconnect the wiring to the trailer before backing the trailer into the water. Note: Reconnect the wiring to the trailer after you remove the trailer from the water. 288 Super Duty (TFE) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Towing
When backing down a ramp during boat launching or retrieval: • Do not allow the static water level to rise above the bottom edge of the rear bumper. • Do not allow waves to break higher than 6 in (15 cm) above the bottom edge of the rear bumper. Exceeding these limits may allow water to enter vehicle components: • Causing internal damage to the components. • Affecting driveability, emissions, and reliability. Replace the rear axle lubricant anytime the rear axle has been submerged in water. Water may have contaminated the rear axle lubricant, which is not normally checked or changed unless a leak is suspected or other axle repair is required. TOWING THE VEHICLE ON FOUR WHEELS Emergency Towing If your vehicle becomes inoperable (without access to wheel dollies, car-hauling trailer, or flatbed transport vehicle), it can be flat-towed (all wheels on the ground, regardless of the powertrain and transmission configuration) under the following conditions: • Your vehicle is facing forward for towing in a forward direction. • Place the transmission in position N. If you cannot move the transmission into N , you may need to override it. See Transmission (page 205). • Maximum speed is 35 mph (56 km/h). • Maximum distance is 50 mi (80 km). WARNING If your vehicle has a steering wheel lock make sure the ignition is in the accessory or on position when being towed. Recreational Towing Note: Put your climate control system in recirculated air mode to prevent exhaust fumes from entering your vehicle. See Climate Control (page 145). Follow these guidelines if you have a need for recreational towing, such as towing your vehicle behind a motorhome. We designed these guidelines to prevent damage to your transmission. Two-wheel Drive Vehicles and Four-wheel Drive Vehicles Equipped with an Electronic-shift Transfer Case Do not tow your vehicle with any wheels on the ground, as vehicle or transmission damage may occur. It is recommended to tow your vehicle with all four (4) wheels off the ground, such as when using a car-hauling trailer. Otherwise, you cannot tow your vehicle. Four-wheel Drive Vehicles Equipped with a Manual-shift Transfer Case 1. Put the transmission in position N. 2. Put the transfer case in position N. 3. Put the hub locks in the FREE position. Always make sure that both hub locks are set to the same position. 289 Super Duty (TFE) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Towing
BREAKING-IN You need to break in new tires for approximately 300 mi (480 km). During this time, your vehicle may exhibit some unusual driving characteristics. Avoid driving too fast during the first 1,000 mi (1,600 km) . Vary your speed frequently and change up through the gears early. Do not labor the engine. Drive your new vehicle at least 1,000 mi (1,600 km) before towing a trailer. Make sure you use the specified engine oil. See Capacities and Specifications (page 418). Do not add friction modifier compounds or special break-in oils during the first few thousand miles (kilometers) of operation. These additives may prevent piston ring seating. ECONOMICAL DRIVING Your fuel economy is affected by several things, such as how you drive, the conditions you drive under, and how you maintain your vehicle. You may improve your fuel economy by keeping these things in mind: • Accelerate and slow down in a smooth, moderate fashion. • Drive at steady speeds without stopping. • Anticipate stops; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop. • Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving. • Close the windows for high-speed driving. • Drive at reasonable speeds (traveling at 55 mph [88 km/h] uses 15% less fuel than traveling at 65 mph [105 km/h]). • Keep the tires properly inflated and use only the recommended size. • Use the recommended engine oil. • Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance. Avoid these actions; they reduce your fuel economy: • Sudden accelerations or hard accelerations. • Revving the engine before turning it off. • Idle for periods longer than one minute. • Warm up your vehicle on cold mornings. • Use the air conditioner or front defroster. • Use the speed control in hilly terrain. • Rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving. • Drive a heavily loaded vehicle or tow a trailer. • Carry unnecessary weight (approximately 1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kilogram] of weight carried). • Driving with the wheels out of alignment. Conditions • Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy at any speed. • Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug deflectors, rollbars, light bars, running boards, ski racks or luggage racks) may reduce fuel economy. • To maximize the fuel economy, drive with the tonneau cover installed (if equipped). • Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy. 290 Super Duty (TFE) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Driving Hints
• Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first 8– 10 miles (12 –16 kilometers) of driving. • Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to driving on hilly terrain. • Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal. • Four-wheel-drive operation (if equipped) is less fuel efficient than two-wheel-drive operation. • Close the windows for high-speed driving. DRIVING THROUGH WATER WARNING Do not drive through flowing or deep water as you may lose control of your vehicle. Note: Driving through standing water can cause vehicle damage. Note: Engine damage can occur if water enters the air filter. Before driving through standing water, check the depth. Never drive through water that is higher than the bottom of the wheel hubs. When driving through standing water, drive very slowly and do not stop your vehicle. Your brake performance and traction may be limited. After driving through water and as soon as it is safe to do so: • Lightly press the brake pedal to dry the brakes and to check that they work. • Check that the horn works. • Check that the exterior lights work. • Turn the steering wheel to check that the steering power assist works. FLOOR MATS WARNINGS Always use floor mats that are designed to fit the foot well of your vehicle. Only use floor mats that leave the pedal area unobstructed. Only use floor mats that are firmly secured to retention posts so that they cannot slip out of position and interfere with the pedals or impair safe operation of your vehicle in other ways. Pedals that cannot move freely can cause loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of serious personal injury. Always make sure that the floor mats are properly attached to the retention posts in the carpet that are supplied with your vehicle. Floor mats must be properly secured to both retention posts to make sure mats do not shift out of position. Never place floor mats or any other covering in the vehicle foot well that cannot be properly secured to prevent them from moving and interfering with the pedals or the ability to control the vehicle. 291 Super Duty (TFE) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Driving HintsE176913
WARNINGS Never place floor mats or any other covering on top of already installed floor mats. Floor mats should always rest on top of vehicle carpeting surface and not another floor mat or other covering. Additional floor mats or any other covering will reduce the pedal clearance and potentially interfere with pedal operation. Check attachment of floor mats on a regular basis. Always properly reinstall and secure floor mats that have been removed for cleaning or replacement. Always make sure that objects cannot fall into the driver foot well while the vehicle is moving. Objects that are loose can become trapped under the pedals causing a loss of vehicle control. Failure to properly follow floor mat installation or attachment instructions can potentially cause interference with pedal operation causing a loss of vehicle control. To install floor mats, position the floor mat so that the eyelet is over the retention post and press down to lock in. To remove the floor mat, reverse the installation procedure. SNOWPLOWING Ford recommends that the Super Duty F-Series used for snow removal include the snowplow package option. Installing the Snowplow Weight limits and guidelines for selecting and installing the snowplow are in the Ford Truck Body Builders Layout Book, snowplow section, found at www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas. A typical installation affects the following: • Certification to government safety laws such as occupant protection and airbag deployment, braking, and lighting. Look for an Alterer ’s Label on the vehicle from the snowplow installer certifying that the installation meets all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). • The Total Accessory Reserve Capacity (TARC) is on the lower right side of the vehicle ’s Safety Compliance Certification Label. This applies to Ford-completed vehicles of 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) GVWR or less. This is the weight of permanently-attached auxiliary equipment, such as snowplow frame-mounting hardware, that can be added to the vehicle and satisfy Ford compliance certification to FMVSS. Exceeding this weight may require the auxiliary equipment installer additional safety certification responsibility. The Front Accessory Reserve Capacity (FARC) is for customer convenience. • Rear ballast weight behind the rear axle may be required to prevent exceeding the FGAWR, and provide front-to-rear weight balance for proper braking and steering. 292 Super Duty (TFE) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Driving HintsE142666
• Front wheel toe may require re-adjustment to prevent premature uneven tire wear. Specifications are in the Ford Workshop Manual. • Headlight aim may require re-adjustment. • The tire air pressures recommended for general driving are on the vehicle ’s Safety Certification Label. The maximum cold inflation pressure for the tire and associated load rating is on the tire sidewall. Tire air pressure may require re-adjustment within these pressure limits to accommodate the additional weight of the snowplow installation. • Federal and some local regulations require additional exterior lamps for snowplow-equipped vehicles. Consult your authorized dealer for additional information. Operating the Vehicle with the Snowplow Attached Note: Do not use your vehicle for snow removal until you have driven at least 500 mi (800 km). Ford recommends vehicle speed does not exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) when snowplowing. The attached snowplow blade restricts airflow to the radiator, and may cause the engine to run at a higher temperature: Attention to engine temperature is especially important when outside temperatures are above freezing. Angle the blade to maximize airflow to the radiator and monitor engine temperature to determine whether a left or right angle provides the best performance. Follow the severe duty schedule in your Scheduled Maintenance information for engine oil and transmission fluid change intervals. Snowplowing with your Airbag Equipped Vehicle WARNINGS Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the airbag supplemental restraint system (SRS) or its fuses. Contact an authorized dealer. Additional equipment for example snowplow equipment may affect the performance of the airbag sensors increasing the risk of injury. Please refer to the Body Builders Layout Book for instructions about the appropriate installation of additional equipment. All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always properly wear their seatbelt, even when provided with an airbag supplemental restraint system (SRS). Your vehicle is equipped with a driver and passenger airbag supplemental restraint system. The supplemental restraint system will activate in certain frontal and offset frontal collisions when the vehicle sustains sufficient frontal deceleration. Careless or high speed driving while plowing snow that results in sufficient vehicle decelerations can deploy the airbags. Such driving also increases the risk of accidents. Never remove or defeat the tripping mechanisms designed into the snow removal equipment by its manufacturer. Doing so may cause damage to the vehicle and the snow removal equipment as well as possible airbag deployment. Engine temperature while plowing When driving with a plow, your engine may run at a higher temperature than normal because the attached snowplow blade will restrict airflow to the radiator. 293 Super Duty (TFE) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Driving Hints
• If you are driving more than 15 mi (24 km) at temperatures above freezing, angle the plow blade either full left or full right to provide maximum airflow to the radiator. • If you are driving less than 15 mi (24 km) at speeds up to 45 mph (72 km/h) in cold weather, you will not need to worry about blade position to provide maximum airflow. Transmission operation while plowing WARNING Do not spin the wheels at over 34 mph (55 km/h). The tires may fail and injure a passenger or bystander. • Shift transfer case to 4L (4WD Low) when plowing in small areas at speeds below 5 mph (8 km/h). • Shift transfer case to 4H (4WD High) when plowing larger areas or light snow at higher speeds. Do not exceed 15 mph (24 km/h) . • Do not shift the transmission from a forward gear to R (Reverse) until the engine is at idle and the wheels have stopped. 294 Super Duty (TFE) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Driving Hints
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE Vehicles Sold in the United States: Getting Roadside Assistance To fully assist you should you have a vehicle concern, Ford Motor Company offers a complimentary roadside assistance program. This program is separate from the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. The service is available: • 24 hours a day, seven days a week. • For the coverage period listed on the Roadside Assistance Card included in your Owner's Manual portfolio. Roadside Assistance covers: • A flat tire change with a good spare, if provided with the vehicle (except vehicles supplied with a tire inflation kit). • Battery jump start. • Lock-out assistance (key replacement cost is the customer's responsibility). • Fuel delivery — independent service contractors, if not prohibited by state, local or municipal law, shall deliver up to 2 gal (7.6 L) of gasoline or 5 gal (18.9 L) of diesel fuel to a disabled vehicle. Roadside Assistance limits fuel delivery service to two no-charge occurrences within a 12-month period. • Winch out — available within 100 ft (30.5 m) of a paved or county maintained road, no recoveries. • Towing — independent service contractors, if not prohibited by state, local or municipal law, shall tow Ford eligible vehicles to an authorized dealer within 35 mi (56 km) of the disablement location or to the nearest authorized dealer. If a member requests a tow to an authorized dealer that is more than 35 mi (56 km) from the disablement location, the member shall be responsible for any mileage costs in excess of 35 mi (56 km). Roadside Assistance includes up to $200 for a towed trailer if the disabled eligible vehicle requires service at the nearest authorized dealer. If the towing vehicle is operational but the trailer is not, then the trailer does not qualify for any roadside services. Vehicles Sold in the United States: Using Roadside Assistance Complete the roadside assistance identification card and place it in your wallet for quick reference. This card is in the owner's information portfolio in the glove compartment. United States Ford vehicle customers who require Roadside Assistance, call 1-800-241-3673. If you need to arrange roadside assistance for yourself, Ford Motor Company reimburses a reasonable amount for towing to the nearest dealership within 35 mi (56 km) . To obtain reimbursement information, United States Ford vehicle customers call 1-800-241-3673. Customers need to submit their original receipts. Vehicles Sold in Canada: Getting Roadside Assistance To fully assist you should you have a vehicle concern, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited offers a complimentary roadside assistance program. This program is eligible within Canada or the continental United States. 295 Super Duty (TFE) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Roadside Emergencies
This program is separate from the New Vehicle Limited Warranty, but the coverage is concurrent with the powertrain coverage period of your vehicle. Canadian customers who require roadside assistance, call 1-800-665-2006. Vehicles Sold in Canada: Using Roadside Assistance Complete the roadside assistance identification card and place it in your wallet for quick reference. In Canada, this card is found in the Warranty Guide in the glove compartment of your vehicle. Vehicles Sold in Canada: Roadside Assistance Program Coverage The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Canadian roadside coverage and benefits may differ from the U.S. coverage. For complete program coverage details you may contact your dealer, you can call us in Canada at 1-800-665-2006, or visit our website at www.ford.ca. HAZARD WARNING FLASHERS Note: The hazard warning flashers will operate when the ignition is in any position or if the key is not in the ignition. If used when the engine is not running, the battery will lose charge. As a result, there may be insufficient power to restart your engine. In some models, the hazard flasher control is located on the instrument panel. In other models, this feature is located on the steering column, just behind the steering wheel. Use your hazard warning flashers when your vehicle is creating a safety hazard for other motorists. • Press the flasher control and all front and rear direction indicators flash. • Press the flasher control again to turn them off. FUEL SHUTOFF - 6.2L/6.8L WARNING Failure to inspect and, if necessary, repair fuel leaks after a collision may increase the risk of fire and serious injury. Ford Motor Company recommends that the fuel system be inspected by an authorized dealer after any collision. In the event of a moderate to severe collision, this vehicle is equipped with a fuel pump shut-off feature that stops the flow of fuel to the engine. Not every impact will cause a shut-off. Should your vehicle shut off after a collision, you may restart your vehicle by doing the following: 1. Turn the ignition off. 2. Turn the ignition to crank. 3. Turn the ignition off. 296 Super Duty (TFE) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Roadside EmergenciesE142663 E161463
4. Turn the ignition on again to re-enable the fuel pump. Note: In the event that your vehicle does not restart after your third attempt, contact an authorized dealer. FUEL SHUTOFF - 6.7L DIESEL WARNING Failure to inspect and, if necessary, repair fuel leaks after a collision may increase the risk of fire and serious injury. Ford Motor Company recommends that the fuel system be inspected by an authorized dealer after any collision. Note: When you try to restart your vehicle after a fuel shutoff, your vehicle makes sure that various systems are safe to restart. Once your vehicle determines that the systems are safe, then your vehicle will allow you to restart. In the event of a moderate to severe collision, your vehicle is equipped with a fuel pump shut-off feature that stops the flow of fuel to the engine. Not every impact will cause a shutoff. After an accident, if the engine cranks but does not start, this switch may have been activated. This switch is located on the passenger ’s side of the instrument panel. Open the front passenger door and remove the small access panel. The switch has a red button on top of it. To reset the switch: 1. Turn the ignition off. 2. Check the fuel system for leaks. 3. If no leaks are apparent, reset the switch by pushing in on the reset button. 4. Turn the ignition on. 5. Wait a few seconds and return the key to off. 6. Make another check for leaks. Running Out Of DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) If your vehicle runs out of DEF, it will enter into a speed limited mode and can also enter into an idle-only mode. Normal vehicle operation will not resume until DEF is refilled. See Selective Catalytic Reduction System (page 188). Contact roadside assistance for help in finding a retailer that sells DEF. See Customer Assistance (page 303). 297 Super Duty (TFE) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, First Printing Roadside EmergenciesE163366 E163367