Ford F250 Owners Manual

•
Do not mix different colors or types of
coolant in your vehicle. Make sure the
correct coolant is used. Mixing of
engine coolants may harm your
engine ’s cooling system. The use of an
improper coolant may harm engine and
cooling system components and may
void the warranty. Use prediluted
engine coolant meeting the Ford
specification.  See Capacities and
Specifications (page 303).
• In case of emergency, a large amount
of water without engine coolant may
be added in order to reach a vehicle
service...

What You Should Know About Fail-
Safe Cooling
If the engine coolant supply is depleted,
this feature allows the vehicle to be driven
temporarily before incremental component
damage is incurred. The 
“fail-safe”
distance depends on ambient
temperatures, vehicle load and terrain.
How Fail-Safe Cooling Works
If the engine begins to overheat, the engine
coolant temperature gauge will move to
the red (hot) area and: The coolant temperature
warning light will illuminate.
The service engine soon
indicator will...

Engine Fluid Temperature
Management (If Equipped)
WARNINGS
To reduce the risk of collision and
injury, be prepared that the vehicle
speed may reduce and the vehicle
may not be able to accelerate with full
power until the fluid temperatures reduce. Never remove the coolant reservoir
cap while the engine is running or hot.
Your vehicle has been designed to pull a
trailer, but because of the added load, the
vehicle
’s engine may temporarily reach
higher temperatures during severe
operating conditions such...

Checking Automatic Transmission
Fluid
For scheduled intervals of the fluid checks
and changes,  See Scheduled
Maintenance (page 453).  Your
transmission does not consume fluid.
However, the fluid level should be checked
if the transmission is not working properly,
i.e., if the transmission slips or shifts slowly
or if you notice some sign of fluid leakage.
Automatic transmission fluid expands
when warmed. To obtain an accurate fluid
check, drive the vehicle until it is at normal
operating temperature...

Type B
For vehicles equipped with 5-speed
transmissions, check the fluid at the
normal operating temperature of 151°F
(66°C) to 170°F (77°C) on a level surface.
For vehicles equipped with 6-speed
transmissions, check the fluid at the
normal operating temperature of 
196°F
(91°C) to 215°F (102°C) on a level surface.
The normal operating temperature can be
reached after approximately 
19 mi
(30 km).
High Fluid Level
Type A Type B
Fluid levels above the safe range may
result in transmission failure. An...

•
the dipstick handle.
• See Capacities and Specifications
(page 303).
If necessary, add fluid in 
8  (250 ml)
increments through the filler tube until the
level is correct.
Type A Type B
If an overfill occurs, excess fluid should be
removed by a qualified technician.
Note:
An overfill condition of transmission
fluid may cause shift and engagement
concerns, and possible damage. Do not use supplemental transmission
fluid additives, treatments or cleaning
agents. The use of these materials may
affect...

BRAKE FLUID CHECK
Fluid levels between the MIN and MAX
lines are within the normal operating range;
there is no need to add fluid. If the fluid
levels are outside of the normal operating
range, the performance of the system
could be compromised; seek service from
your authorized dealer immediately.
POWER STEERING FLUID
CHECK
Check the power steering fluid.  See
Scheduled Maintenance
 (page 453).  If
adding fluid is necessary, use only
MERCON LV ATF
Note: This procedure is for vehicles with
gasoline...

CHANGING THE 12V BATTERY
WARNINGS
This vehicle may be equipped with
more than one battery, removal of
cable from only one battery does not
disconnect the vehicle electrical system.
Be sure to disconnect cables from all
batteries when disconnecting power.
Failure to do so may cause serious
personal injury or property damage. Batteries normally produce explosive
gases which can cause personal
injury. Therefore, do not allow
flames, sparks or lighted substances to
come near the battery. When working near...

6. Release the parking brake. With your
foot on the brake pedal and with the
A/C on, put the vehicle in D and allow
the engine to idle for at least one
minute.
• If you do not allow the engine to
relearn its idle trim, the idle quality
of your vehicle may be adversely
affected until the idle trim is
eventually relearned.
7. Drive the vehicle to complete the relearning process
•The vehicle may need to be driven
10 mi (16 km) or more to relearn the
idle and fuel trim strategy along
with the ethanol content...

CHECKING THE WIPER
BLADES
Run the tip of your fingers over the edge of
the blade to check for roughness.
Clean the wiper blades with washer fluid
or water applied with a soft sponge or
cloth.
CHANGING THE WIPER
BLADES
You can manually move the wiper arms
when the ignition is off. This allows for ease
of blade replacement and cleaning under
the blades.
1. Pull the wiper blade and arm away
from the glass. 2. Release the wiper blade lock (A) and
separate the wiper blade from the
wiper arm.
3. Install in the...