wheel alignment FORD CROWN VICTORIA 2008 2.G Owners Manual

PANEL DIMMER CONTROL
Use to adjust the brightness of the
instrument panel during headlamp
and parklamp operation.
•Rotate the thumbwheel from left
to right to brighten the
instrument panel.
•Rotate the thumbwheel from right
to left to dim the instrument
panel.
Domelamp Control
The panel dimmer control also controls the domelamp operation.
•Rotate the thumbwheel fully to the right, past detent to activate the
domelamp.
•In order to turn off the domelamp, rotate the thumbwheel to the left.
AIMING THE HEADLAMPS
The headlamps on your vehicle are properly aimed at the assembly plant.
If your vehicle has been in an accident the alignment of your headlamps
should be checked by your authorized dealer.
Headlamp aim adjustment
The headlamps are designed to be mechanically aimed, but can also be
aimed visually by doing the following:
1. Park the vehicle directly in front of a wall or screen on a level surface,
approximately 25 feet (7.6 meters) away. Check your headlamp
alignment at night or in a dark area so that you can see the headlamp
beam pattern.
2008 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Lights
40

If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc.,do notrapidly
spin the tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire and cause an
explosion. A tire can explode in as little as three to five seconds.
Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Highway hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there’s always the possibility that you
may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving, or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tires for damage. If a tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and replace it with your spare tire and wheel. If
you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest repair
facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
Tire and wheel alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or cause damage to your tires. If your
vehicle seems to pull to one side when you’re driving, the wheels may be
out of alignment. Have an authorized dealer check the wheel alignment
periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by an authorized dealer.
Front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles and those with an independent rear
suspension (if equipped) may require alignment of all four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular tire wear.
2008 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
153

Tire rotation
Rotating your tires at the recommended interval (as indicated in the
scheduled maintenance informationthat comes with your vehicle) will
help your tires wear more evenly, providing better tire performance and
longer tire life.
•Rear Wheel Drive (RWD)
vehicles/Four Wheel Drive
(4WD)/ All Wheel Drive (AWD)
vehicles (front tires at top of
diagram)
Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.
Note:If your tires show uneven wear ask an authorized dealer to check
for and correct any wheel misalignment, tire imbalance or mechanical
problem involved before tire rotation.
Note:Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire/wheel. A
dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that is
different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels. If
you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel it is intended for temporary use
only and should not be used in a tire rotation.
Note:After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
2008 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
154

STEERING
Ford Motor Company recommends that an authorized dealer
inspect all steering column assemblies in use in vehicles involved
in a collision. Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the steering
column assembly could result in severe injury or death in the event of
a collision.
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the steering column,
its adaptive module, or its fuses. See your authorized dealer.
To help prevent damage to the power steering system, never hold the
steering wheel at its furthest turning points (until it stops) for more than
a few seconds when the engine is running.
It is also important to maintain a proper power steering fluid level in the
power steering fluid reservoir:
•Do not operate the vehicle with a low power steering pump fluid level
(below the MIN mark on the reservoir).
•Some noise is normal during operation. If the noise is excessive, check
for low power steering pump fluid level before seeking service by your
authorized dealer.
•Heavy or uneven steering efforts may be caused by low power steering
pump fluid level. Check for low power steering pump fluid level before
seeking service by your authorized dealer.
•Do not fill the power steering pump reservoir above the MAX mark on
the reservoir, as this may result in leaks from the reservoir.
If the power steering system breaks down (or if the engine is turned
off), you can steer the vehicle manually, but it takes more effort.
If the steering wanders or pulls, check for:
•an improperly inflated tire
•uneven tire wear
•loose or worn suspension components
•loose or worn steering components
•improper steering alignment
Speed sensitive steering
The steering in your vehicle is speed sensitive. At high speeds, steering
assist will decrease to improve steering feel. At lower speeds,
maneuverability will be increased.
2008 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
185

•Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel economy.
•Slow down gradually.
•Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 55 mph [88 km/h] uses 15%
less fuel than traveling at 65 mph [105 km/h]).
•Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
•Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
•You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if
unnecessary shifting between the top gears occurs. Unnecessary
shifting of this type could result in reduced fuel economy.
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer toMaintenance product
specifications and capacitiesin this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found inscheduled maintenance information.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] of weight carried).
•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
8–10 miles (12–16 km) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
2008 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
256

Remote entry system ...........89, 93
illuminated entry ......................92
locking/unlocking doors ...........89
opening the trunk .....................90
panic alarm ...............................90
replacement/additional
transmitters ...............................91
replacing the batteries .............90
Roadside assistance ..................192
S
Safety Belt Maintenance ..........115
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ..................106, 110–115
Safety defects, reporting ..223–224
Safety restraints ........106, 110–115
Belt-Minder...........................116
extension assembly ................114
for adults .........................111–114
for children .............................133
lap belt ....................................112
Occupant Classification
Sensor ......................................108
safety belt maintenance .........115
warning light and chime ........116
Safety seats for children ..........137
Safety Compliance
Certification Label ....................270
Seats ..........................................101
child safety seats ....................137
front seats ...............................101
SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ....................................95, 98
Servicing your vehicle ..............232
Setting the clock
AM/FM single CD .....................22
AM/FM stereo ...........................19
AM/FM/In-dash 6 CD ................31AM/FM/Tape/CD .......................26
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................264, 269
Specification chart,
lubricants ...................................266
Speed control ..............................66
Starting a flex fuel vehicle .......177
Starting your vehicle ........175–177
jump starting ..........................211
Steering
speed sensitive .......................185
Steering wheel
controls ......................................69
tilting .........................................52
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................52
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)
Tires, Wheels and Loading ....160
Tires ...................................145–146
alignment ................................153
care ..........................................149
changing ..................................207
checking the pressure ............149
inflating ...................................147
label .........................................159
replacing ..................................151
rotating ....................................154
safety practices .......................152
sidewall information ...............155
snow tires and chains ............165
spare tire .........................204, 206
terminology .............................146
tire grades ...............................146
treadwear ........................145, 150
Towing .......................................171
recreational towing .................174
2008 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
278