wheel FORD EXPLORER 1997 2.G Owners Manual

From 1,600 km (1,000 miles)
onwards you can gradually
increase the performance of your
vehicle up to the permitted
maximum speeds.
INFORMATION ABOUT THIS
GUIDE
The information found in this
guide was in effect at the time of
printing. Ford may change the
contents without notice and
without incurring obligation.
SPECIAL NOTICES
Notice to owners of utility type
vehicles
Before you drive your vehicle,
please read this owner's guide
carefully. Your vehicle is not a
passenger car. As with other
vehicles of this type, failure to
operate this vehicle correctly may
result in loss of control or an
accident. Be sure to readControl
Trac ± Automatic Four±Wheel
Drive System (if equipped)in the
Drivingchapter as well as the
special ªFour Wheelingº
supplement included with AWD
and 4WD vehicles.
Using your vehicle as an
ambulance
Do not use this vehicle as
an ambulance.
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Introduction
3

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Speed
control
(pg. 40) Tachometer
(pg. 15)
Driver air bag
(pg. 89)
Turn signal and
wiper/washer control
(pg. 46) Instrument panel
dimmer switch
(pg. 26) Headlamp control
(pg. 25)
Tilt steering
wheel lever
(pg. 44)
Instrumentation
6

Check engine
Illuminates when the engine's
Emission Control System requires
service. It will also illuminate when
the ignition key is in the On
position and the engine is Off.
Anti-theft system (if equipped)
Illuminates when the anti-theft
system is arming and flashes when
the anti-theft system is armed.
Turn signal
Illuminates when the left or right
turn signal or the hazard lights are
turned on.
Four wheel drive indicator
(if equipped)
Illuminates when four wheel drive
is activated in the high range
mode.
Four wheel drive Ð low
(if equipped)
Illuminates when four wheel drive
is activated in the low range mode.
CHECK
ENGINE
THEFT
4WD
4WD
LOW
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Instrumentation
9

FUEL PUMP SHUT-OFF SWITCH
For information on the fuel pump
shut-off switch, refer toFuel
pump shut-off switchin the
Roadside emergencieschapter.
POSITIONS OF THE IGNITION
1. ACCESSORY allows the
electrical accessories such as the
radio and wipers/washer to operate
while the engine is not running.
2. LOCK locks the steering wheel
and gearshift lever and allows key
removal.
3. OFF shuts off the ignition and
accessories and allows the
gearshift and steering wheel to
move.
4. ON tests the warning lights. The
key must remain here when the
engine is running.
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Controls and features
39

TILT STEERING
Pull the lever to adjust the
steering column angle. Push the
lever back up to lock the steering
wheel into position.
Never adjust the steering
wheel when the vehicle is
moving.
HAZARD FLASHER SWITCH
For more information on the
hazard flasher control, refer to the
Roadside emergencieschapter.
0P RND21
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Controls and features
44

BRAKES
Your brakes are self-adjusting.
Refer to the ªService Guideº for
maintenance scheduling.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
(if equipped)
The ABS operates by detecting the
onset of wheel lock up during
brake applications and
compensating for this tendency.
The front wheels are prevented
from locking even when the brakes
are firmly applied. The
accompanying illustration depicts
the advantage of an ABS equipped
vehicle (on bottom) to a non-ABS
equipped vehicle (on top) during
hard braking.
Using ABS
²In an emergency, apply full force
on the brake. The ABS will be
activated immediately, thus
allowing you to retain full
steering control of your vehicle
and, providing there is sufficient
space, will enable you to avoid
obstacles and bring the vehicle
to a quiet stop.
²We recommend that you
familiarize yourself with this
braking technique. However,
avoid taking any unnecessary
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Driving
117

UNDERSTANDING THE
TRACTION-LOKTREAR AXLE
(IF EQUIPPED)
This axle provides added traction
on slippery surfaces, particularly
when one or more wheels are on a
surface with poor traction.
Extended use of other than
matching size tires on a
Traction-Loktrear axle could
result in a permanent reduction in
effectiveness. This loss of
effectiveness does not affect
normal driving and should not be
noticeable to the driver.
To avoid injury, never run
the engine with one wheel
off the ground, such as when
changing a tire.
AUTOMATIC RIDE CONTROL
SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
The Automatic Ride Control
System is designed to improve
ride, handling and general vehicle
performance for both on and
off-road conditions by adjusting
vehicle ride height and shock
dampening (firm or soft).
The system automatically controls
vehicle ride height over a range
based on vehicle speed and the
selections of four wheel drive
modes or the Ride Control switch.
The system keeps the vehicle at a
constant level if a load is added or
removed from the vehicle. Shock
dampening is automatically set
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Driving
119

Ride control switch (All wheel
drive vehicles with Automatic
Ride Control only)
The Ride Control switch provides
direct control of the Automatic
Ride Control system. The switch
doesnotcontrol or change the
performance of the All Wheel
Drive system.
The switch should be placed in the
Normal position for all on road and
most dirt, gravel or snow covered
roads. For severe off-road
conditions where additional body
ground clearance is desired and
vehicle speeds are below 30 mph,
the Off-road position should be
selected.
Service switch
The Automatic Ride Control
service switch is mounted in the
jack storage area. The switch
should be turned off to deactivate
the system during jacking, hoisting,
towing or transport of the vehicle
to avoid unexpected vehicle
movement.
TRANSMISSION OPERATION
Driving an automatic
transmission (if equipped)
Brake-shift interlock
Vehicles equipped with an
automatic transmission are
equipped with a brake-shift
interlock feature that prevents the
gearshift lever from being moved
from the P (Park) position unless
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Driving
121

Driving off-road with 4WD
Your vehicle is specially equipped
for driving on snow, sand, mud or
other rough terrain and has
operating characteristics that differ
from those of other conventional
vehicles.
When using 4WD, maintain
steering wheel control at all times,
especially in rough terrain. Since
sudden changes in terrain can
result in abrupt steering motion,
always grip the steering wheel
from the outside. Do not grip the
spokes.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle
damage from road debris such as
rocks or stumps. Be sure to map
out your route before driving in
any off road area.
For more information on driving
off-road and proper operation of
your 4WD vehicle, refer the ªFour
Wheelingº supplement in your
Owners Portfolio.
Driving over sand
When driving over sand, try to
keep all four wheels on the most
solid area of the trail. Do not
reduce the tire pressures but shift
to a lower gear and drive steadily
through the terrain. Apply the
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Driving
130

accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning the wheels.
Driving through mud and water
After driving through mud, clean
off residue stuck to rotating
driveshafts and tires. Excess mud
stuck on tires and rotating
driveshafts causes an imbalance
that could damage drive
components.
If you must drive through high
water, drive slowly. Traction or
brake capability may be limited.
When driving through water,
determine the depth; avoid water
higher than the bottom of the hubs
(if possible) and proceed slowly. If
the ignition system gets wet, the
vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the
brakes. Wet brakes do not stop the
vehicle as effectively as dry brakes.
Drying can be improved by moving
your vehicle slowly while applying
light pressure on the brake pedal.
If the transmission and transfer
case are submerged in water, their
fluids should be checked and
changed, if necessary.
If the rear axle is submerged in
water, the rear axle lubricant
should be checked and changed, if
necessary. The rear axle is filled
with a synthetic lubricant and does
not normally require a lubricant
change for the life of the vehicle.
Rear axle lubricant quantities
should not need to be checked
unless a leak is suspected.
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Driving
131