light FORD EXPEDITION 1998 1.G Owner's Manual

Conditions of operation
If... Then...
The driver's safety belt is not
buckled before the ignition key
is turned to ON...The safety belt warning light
illuminates for one to two minutes and
the warning chime sounds for four to
eight seconds.
The driver's safety belt is
buckled while the indicator
light is illuminated and the
warning chime is sounding...The safety belt warning light turns off.
The driver's safety belt is
buckled before the ignition key
is turned to ON...The safety belt warning light remains
off.
Safety belt maintenance
Check the safety belt systems
periodically to make sure they
work properly and are not
damaged. Check the safety belts to
make sure there are no nicks,
wears or cuts. All safety belt
assemblies, including retractors,
buckles, front seat belt buckle
assemblies (slide bar)(if
equipped), shoulder belt height
adjusters (if equipped), child
safety seat tether bracket
assemblies (if equipped), and
attaching hardware, should be
inspected after a collision. Ford
recommends that all safety belt
assemblies used in vehicles
involved in a collision be replaced.
However, if the collision was minor
and a qualified technician finds
that the belts do not show damage
and continue to operate properly,
they do not need to be replaced.
Seating and safety restraints
77

If the air bag is inflated,
the air bag will not
function again and must be
replaced immediately.Ifthe
air bag is not replaced, the
unrepaired area will increase the
risk of injury in a collision.
The SRS consists of:
²driver and passenger air bag
modules (which include the
inflators and air bags),
²one or more impact and safing
sensors,
²a readiness light and tone
²and the electrical wiring which
connects the components.
The diagnostic module monitors its
own internal circuits and the
supplemental air bag electrical
system warning (including the
impact sensors), the system wiring,
the air bag system readiness light,
the air bag back up power and the
air bag ignitors.
Determining if the system is
operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in
the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the
system. Refer to theAir bag
readinesssection in the
Instrumentationchapter. Routine
maintenance of the air bag is not
required.
Seating and safety restraints
82

A difficulty with the system is
indicated by one or more of the
following:
²The readiness light will either
flash or stay lit.
²The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.
²A series of five beeps will be
heard. The tone pattern will
repeat periodically until the
problem and light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even
intermittently, have the SRS
serviced at your dealership or by a
qualified technician immediately.
Unless serviced, the system may
not function properly in the event
of a collision.
Disposal of air bags and air bag
equipped vehicles
For disposal of air bags or air bag
equipped vehicles, see your local
dealership or qualified technician.
Air bags MUST BE disposed of by
qualified personnel.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR
CHILDREN
Important child restraint
precautions
You are required by law to use
safety restraints for children in the
U.S. and Canada. If small children
ride in your vehicle (generally
children who are four years old or
Seating and safety restraints
83

Make sure the corresponding lights
illuminate briefly. If a light fails to
illuminate, have the vehicle
serviced.
²If the driver's safety belt is
fastened, the light (
) will not
illuminate.
STARTING THE ENGINE
1. Turn the key to 5 (START)
without pressing the accelerator
pedal and release as soon as the
engine starts. The key will return
to 4 (ON).
2. If the engine does not start
within five seconds, wait ten
seconds and try again.
3. If the engine does not start in
two attempts OR if the
temperature is below -12ÉC (10ÉF),
depress the accelerator and start
the engine while holding the
accelerator down. Release the
LOW
FUEL
DOOR
AJAR
BRAKE
FUEL
RESET CHECK
ENGINELOW
RANGE
4 X 4
!ABS+ -
THEFTLEF
H0
0000
RPM1000X
00000
MPH
20km/h 406080
100
120
140
160
0
0 123
5
6 4
PRN 21
1020304050
60
70
80
90
100
8C 18
H
D
CHECK
SUSP
LOW
WASH
A4WDFUEL DOOR
3
2
1
5
4
Starting
95

shudder while braking, felt mainly
in the steering wheel, the vehicle
most likely needs service.
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.
ABS warning lamp
The
ABSwarning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates for
about five seconds when starting
the vehicle. If an ABS fault is
detected, the light will remain on
and your vehicle should be
serviced as soon as possible.
Normal braking is still effective
unless the BRAKE warning lamp is
also illuminated.
Using ABS
²In an emergency or when
maximum efficiency from the
ABS is required, apply
continuous full force on the
brake. The ABS will be activated
immediately, thus allowing you
to retain full steering control of
your vehicle and, providing
!
BRAKE
Driving
99

TRANSMISSION OPERATION
Automatic transmission
operation
Brake-shift interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a
brake-shift interlock feature that
prevents the gearshift from being
moved from P (Park) unless the
brake pedal is depressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift
out of P (Park) with the brake
pedal depressed:
1. Apply the parking brake, turn
ignition key to LOCK, then remove
the key.
2. Insert the key and turn it to
OFF. Apply the brake pedal and
shift to N (Neutral).
3. Start the vehicle.
If it is necessary to use the above
procedure to move the gearshift, it
is possible that a fuse has blown
and the vehicle's brakelamps may
not be operating properly. Refer to
Fuses and relaysin theRoadside
emergencieschapter.
Do not drive your vehicle
until you verify that the
brakelamps are working.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud
or snow it may be rocked out by
shifting from forward and reverse
gears in a steady pattern. Press
lightly on the accelerator in each
gear.
Driving
104

R (Reverse)
With the gearshift in R (Reverse),
the vehicle will move backward.
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into and out of R
(Reverse).
N (Neutral)
With the gearshift in N (Neutral),
the vehicle can be started and is
free to roll. Hold the brake pedal
down while in this gear.
(Overdrive)
The normal driving position for the
best fuel economy. Transmission
operates in gears one through four.
(Overdrive) can be deactivated
by pressing the transmission
control switch on the end of the
gearshift lever.
The transmission control indicator
light (TCIL) (the word OFF) on
the end of the gearshift lever will
illuminate.
Drive± Not shown on the display.
Activate by pressing the
transmission control switch on the
end of the gearshift lever with the
gearshift in the
position. The
TCIL (the word OFF) will
illuminate on the gearshift lever.
Transmission operates in gears one
through three.
(Drive) provides
OVERDRIVEOFF
OVERDRIVE
Driving
106

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 area. For
more information on driving
off-road, read the ªFour Wheelingº
supplement in your owner's
portfolio.
If your vehicle gets stuck
If the vehicle is stuck, shift the
transmission in a steady motion
between forward and reverse
gears. Allow the transmission to
engage, then press lightly on the
accelerator.
Do not rock the vehicle for
more than a few minutes. The
transmission and tires may be
damaged or the engine can
overheat.
Do not spin the wheels at
over 56 km/h (35 mph).
The tires may fail and injure a
passenger or bystander.
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
Driving
111

accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning the wheels.
Mud and water
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.
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 the transmission and transfer
case are submerged in water, their
fluids should be checked and
changed, if necessary.
Water intrusion into the
transmission may damage the
transmission.
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
Driving
112

the hubs (truck)/wheel rims (car).
Once through the 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.
VEHICLE LOADING
Before loading a vehicle, familiarize
yourself with the following terms:
²Base Curb Weight: Weight of
the vehicle including any
standard equipment, fluids,
lubricants, etc. It does not
include passengers or
aftermarket equipment.
²Payload: Combined maximum
allowable weight of cargo,
passengers and optional
equipment. The payload equals
the gross vehicle weight rating
minus base curb weight.
²GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight):
Base curb weight plus payload
weight. The GVW is not a limit
or a specification.
²GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating): Maximum total weight
of the base vehicle, passengers,
optional equipment and cargo.
The GVWR is specific to each
vehicle and is listed on the
Safety Compliance Label on the
driver's door pillar.
²GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
Rating): Carrying capacity for
each axle system. The GAWR is
Driving
115