four wheel drive FORD EXPLORER 1999 2.G Owners Manual

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 readDriving off roadin theDrivingchapter as well as the
ªFour Wheelingº supplement included with 4WD and utility type vehicles.
Using your vehicle as a snowplow
Do not use this vehicle for snowplowing.
Using your vehicle as an ambulance
Do not use this vehicle as an ambulance.
Your vehicle is not equipped with the Ford Ambulance Preparation
package.
Introduction
3

High beams
Illuminates when the high beam
headlamps are turned on.
Anti-theft system (if equipped)
Refer toSecuriLockypassive
anti-theft systemin theControls
and featureschapter.
Charging system
Illuminates when the ignition is
turned to the ON position and the
engine is off. The light also
illuminates when the battery is not
charging properly, requiring
electrical system service.
Check gauge
Illuminates when the engine coolant
temperature is high, the engine oil
pressure is low or the fuel gauge is
at or near empty. The ignition must
be in the ON position for this lamp to illuminate. The lamp will also
illuminate for several seconds after the ignition is turned to the ON
position. Refer toEngine coolant temperature gauge, Engine oil
pressure gaugeorFuel gaugein this chapter for more information.
Four wheel drive low (if equipped)
This light momentarily illuminates
when the ignition is turned to ON.
Illuminates when four-wheel drive
low is engaged. If the light continues
to flash have the system serviced.
THEFT
CHECK
GAGE
4WD
LOW
Instrumentation
9

Four wheel drive high (if equipped)
This light momentarily illuminates
when the ignition is turned to ON.
Illuminates when four-wheel drive
high is engaged. If the light
continues to flash have the system
serviced.
Door ajar
Illuminates when the ignition is in
the ON or START position and any
door is open.
O/D off (if equipped)
Illuminates when the transmission
control switch has been pushed.
When the light is on, the
transmission does not shift into
overdrive. If the light does not come
on when the transmission control switch is depressed or if the light
flashes when you are driving, have your vehicle serviced.
Check air suspension (if equipped)
Illuminates momentarily when the
ignition is turned to the ON position
and the engine is OFF. The light
also illuminates when the air
suspension system requires
servicing.
For information, refer toAir suspension systemin theDrivingchapter.
Speed control
This light comes on when either the
SET/ACCEL or RESUME controls
are pressed. It turns off when the
speed control OFF control is
pressed, the brake is applied or the ignition is turned to the OFF
position.
4WD
HIGH
DOOR
AJAR
O/D
OFF
CHECK
SUSP
SPEED
CONT
Instrumentation
10

FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) OPERATION (IF EQUIPPED)
If equipped with the Electronic Shift 4WD System, and the
instrument panel control is moved to 4WD Low while the vehicle
is moving, the system will not engage and no damage will occur to
the 4WD system.
All utility-type vehicles and 4WD vehicles have special design and
equipment features to make them capable of performing in a wide
variety of off-road applications. Specific design characteristics give them
higher centers of gravity than ordinary passenger cars.
Utility and four-wheel drive vehicles arenotdesigned for
cornering at speeds as high as passenger cars any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under
off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers in these
vehicles.
4WD High and 4WD Low operation is not recommended on dry
pavement. Doing so could result in difficult disengagement of the
transfer case, increased tire wear and decreased fuel economy.
Control-Trac automatic four-wheel drive system (if equipped)
The 4WD system uses all four wheels to power the vehicle. This
increases traction, enabling you to drive your 4x4 over terrain and road
conditions not normally traveled by two-wheel drive vehicles.
Power is supplied to all four wheels through a transfer case that allows
you to select a four-wheel drive mode best suited for your current
driving conditions.
Positions of the Control-Trac system
The Control-Trac system functions in three modes:
²The 4WD AUTO mode provides
four-wheel drive with full power
delivered to the rear axle, and to
the front axle as required for
increased traction. This is
appropriate for normal on-road
operating conditions, such as dry
road surfaces, wet pavement,
snow and gravel.
HIGH4x4
LOW AUTO
Driving
157

²The 4WD HIGH mode provides
four-wheel drive with full power
to both axles. It is only intended
for severe winter or off-road
conditions, such as deep snow
and ice (where no dry or wet
pavement remains uncovered),
and shallow sand.
²The 4WD LOW mode supplies
four-wheel drive with full power
to both axles and includes a
lower gear ratio for low-speed. It
is only intended for off-road
applications that require extra
power including deep sand, steep
grades and pulling a boat and
trailer out of the water.
The vehicle should not be operated in 4WD HIGH and 4WD LOW
on dry or merely wet pavement. Doing so will produce excessive
noise, increase tire wear and may damage driveline components.
These modes are intended for use only on consistently slippery or
loose surfaces.
If your vehicle is equipped with 4WD or AWD, a spare tire of a
different size than the road tires should never be used. Such a
tire could result in damage to driveline components and make the
vehicle difficult to control.
Utility and four-wheel drive vehicles arenotdesigned for
cornering at speeds as high as passenger cars any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under
off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers in these
vehicles.
HIGH4x4
LOW AUTO
HIGH4x4
LOW AUTO
Driving
158

Driving off-road with 4WD
Your vehicle is specially equipped for driving on sand, snow, mud and
rough terrain and has operating characteristics that are somewhat
different from conventional vehicles, both on and off the road.
Maintain steering wheel control at all times, especially in rough terrain.
Since sudden changes in terrain can result in abrupt steering wheel
motion, make sure you grip the steering wheel from 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 in mud or snow it may be rocked out by shifting
from forward and reverse gears, stopping between shifts, in a steady
pattern. Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
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 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.
Driving
160

Driving on snow and ice
A 4WD vehicle has advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but
can skid like any other vehicle.
Avoid sudden applications of power and quick changes of direction on
snow and ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and steadily when starting
from a full stop.
When braking, apply the brakes as you normally would. In order to allow
the anti-lock brake system (ABS) to operate properly, keep steady
pressure on the brake pedal.
Allow more stopping distance and drive slower than usual. Consider
using one of the lower gears.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
(5.0L ENGINES ONLY)
Your vehicle is equipped with a full-time All Wheel Drive (AWD) transfer
case. Power is supplied to all four wheels all the time with no need to
shift between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.
For the lubricant specification and refill capacity of the AWD transfer
case refer toCapacities and specificationschapter.
Utility and four-wheel drive vehicles arenotdesigned for
cornering at speeds as high as passenger cars any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under
off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers in these
vehicles.
Driving off-road with AWD
Your vehicle is specially equipped for driving on sand, snow, mud and
rough terrain and has operating characteristics that are somewhat
different from conventional vehicles, both on and off the road.
Maintain steering wheel control at all times, especially in rough terrain.
Since sudden changes in terrain can result in abrupt steering wheel
motion, make sure you grip the steering wheel from the outside. Do not
grip the spokes.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle damage from concealed objects such as
rocks and stumps.
Driving
162

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 in mud or snow it may be rocked out by shifting
from forward and reverse gears, stopping between shifts, in a steady
pattern. Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
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 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,
halfshafts and tires. Excess mud stuck on tires and rotating driveshafts
causes an imbalance that could damage drive components.
If the transmission, transfer case or front axle are submerged in water,
their fluids should be checked and changed, if necessary.
Water intrusion into the transmission may damage the
transmission.
Driving
163

SERVICING YOUR TIRES
Checking the tire pressure
²Use an accurate tire pressure gauge.
²Check the tire pressure when tires are cold, after the vehicle has been
parked for at least one hour or has been driven less than 5 km (3
miles).
²Adjust tire pressure to recommended specifications found on the
Safety Compliance Certification Label, located on the drivers door
jamb.
Improperly inflated tires can affect vehicle handling and can fail
suddenly, possibly resulting in loss of vehicle control.
Tire rotation
Because your vehicle's tires perform different jobs, they often wear
differently. To make sure your tires wear evenly and last longer, rotate
them as indicated in the Schedule maintenance guide. If you notice that
the tires wear unevenly, have them checked.
The following procedure applies to vehicles equipped with single rear
wheels.
²15'' Four tire rotation
Maintenance and care
224

Habits
²Smooth, moderate operation can yield up to 10% savings in fuel.
²Steady speeds without stopping will usually give the best fuel
economy.
²Idling for long periods of time (greater than one minute) may waste
fuel.
²Anticipate stopping; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop.
²Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel economy.
²Slow down gradually.
²Drive at reasonable speeds (traveling at 105 km /h [65 mph] uses 15%
more fuel than traveling at 88 km/h [55 mph]).
²Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
²Use of the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
²Use of speed control (if equipped) may improve fuel economy. Speed
control can help maintain a constant speed and reduce speed changes.
You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain as
unnecessary shifting between third and fourth gears may occur and
could result in reduced fuel economy.
²Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
²Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
²Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
²Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
²Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
²Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant Specifications.
²Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle Scheduled Maintenance Guide.
Maintenance and care
233