wheel FORD F-53 2019 User Guide

Trailer Brakes
WARNING: Do not connect atrailer's hydraulic brake system directlyto your vehicle's brake system. Yourvehicle may not have enough brakingpower and your chances of having acollision greatly increase.
Electric brakes and manual, automatic orsurge-type trailer brakes are safe if youinstall them properly and adjust them tothe manufacturer's specifications. Thetrailer brakes must meet local and federalregulations.
The rating for the tow vehicle's brakingsystem operation is at the gross vehicleweight rating, not the gross combinedweight rating.
Separate functioning brake systemsare required for safe control of towedvehicles and trailers weighing morethan 1500 lb (680 kg) when loaded.
Trailer Lamps
WARNING: Never connect anytrailer lamp wiring to the vehicle's taillamp wiring; this may damage theelectrical system resulting in fire. Contactyour authorized dealer as soon aspossible for assistance in proper trailertow wiring installation. Additionalelectrical equipment may be required.
Trailer lamps are required on most towedvehicles. Make sure all running lights, brakelights, direction indicators and hazard lightsare working.
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing upto get the feel of your vehicle-trailercombination before starting on a trip.When turning, make wider turns so thetrailer wheels clear curbs and otherobstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
•Do not drive faster than 70 mph(113 km/h) during the first 500 mi(800 km).
•Do not make full-throttle starts.
•Check your hitch, electrical connectionsand trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughlyafter you have traveled 50 mi (80 km).
•When stopped in congested or heavytraffic during hot weather, place thegearshift in park (P) to aid engine andtransmission cooling and to help airconditioning performance.
•Switch off the speed control withheavy loads or in hilly terrain. Thespeed control may turn offautomatically when you are towing onlong, steep grades.
•Shift to a lower gear when driving downa long or steep hill. Do not apply thebrakes continuously, as they mayoverheat and become less effective.
•If your transmission is equipped with aGrade Assist or Tow/Haul feature, usethis feature when towing. This providesengine braking and helps eliminateexcessive transmission shifting foroptimum fuel economy andtransmission cooling.
•Allow more distance for stopping witha trailer attached. Anticipate stops andbrake gradually.
•Avoid parking on a grade. However, ifyou must park on a grade:
1.Turn the steering wheel to point yourvehicle tires away from traffic flow.
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2.Set your vehicle parking brake.
3.Place the automatic transmission inpark (P).
4.Place wheel chocks in the front andback of the trailer wheels. (Chocks notincluded with vehicle.)
Launching or Retrieving a Boat orPersonal Watercraft (PWC)
Note:Disconnect the wiring to the trailerbefore backing the trailer into the water.
Note:Reconnect the wiring to the trailerafter removing the trailer from the water.
When backing down a ramp during boatlaunching or retrieval:
•Do not allow the static water level torise above the bottom edge of the rearbumper.
•Do not allow waves to break higherthan 6 in (15 cm) above the bottomedge of the rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allow water toenter vehicle components:
•Causing internal damage to thecomponents.
•Affecting driveability, emissions andreliability.
Replace the rear axle lubricant anytimethe rear axle has been submerged in water.Water may have contaminated the rearaxle lubricant, which is not normallychecked or changed unless a leak issuspected or other axle repair is required.
TOWING THE VEHICLE ON
FOUR WHEELS
Emergency Towing
WARNING: If your vehicle has asteering wheel lock make sure theignition is in the accessory or on positionwhen being towed.
If your vehicle becomes inoperable(without access to wheel dollies,car-hauling trailer, or flatbed transportvehicle), it can be flat-towed (all wheelson the ground, regardless of the powertrainand transmission configuration) under thefollowing conditions:
•Your vehicle is facing forward fortowing in a forward direction.
•Place the transmission in position N. Ifyou cannot move the transmission intoN, you may need to override it.
•Maximum speed is 35 mph (56 km/h).
•Maximum distance is 50 mi (80 km).
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•Warm up your vehicle on coldmornings.
•Use the air conditioner or frontdefroster.
•Use the speed control in hilly terrain.
•Rest your foot on the brake pedal whiledriving.
•Drive a heavily loaded vehicle or tow atrailer.
•Carry unnecessary weight(approximately 1 mpg [0.4 km/L] islost for every 400 lb [180 kilogram] ofweight carried).
•Driving with the wheels out ofalignment.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing atrailer may reduce fuel economy at anyspeed.
•Adding certain accessories to yourvehicle (for example bug deflectors,rollbars, light bars, running boards, skiracks or luggage racks) may reducefuel economy.
•To maximize the fuel economy, drivewith the tonneau cover installed (ifequipped).
•Using fuel blended with alcohol maylower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lowertemperatures during the first 5–10 mi(12–16 km) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improvedfuel economy as compared to drivingon hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fueleconomy when operated in the topcruise gear and with steady pressureon the gas pedal.
•Four-wheel-drive operation (ifequipped) is less fuel efficient thantwo-wheel-drive operation.
•Close the windows for high-speeddriving.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
WARNING: Do not drive throughflowing or deep water as you may losecontrol of your vehicle.
Note:Driving through standing water cancause vehicle damage.
Note:Engine damage can occur if waterenters the air filter.
Before driving through standing water,check the depth. Never drive through waterthat is higher than the bottom of the wheelhubs.
When driving through standing water, drivevery slowly and do not stop your vehicle.Your brake performance and traction maybe limited. After driving through water andas soon as it is safe to do so:
•Lightly press the brake pedal to dry thebrakes and to check that they work.
•Check that the horn works.
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•Check that the exterior lights work.
•Turn the steering wheel to check thatthe steering power assist works.
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We recommend the use of a wheel lift anddollies or flatbed equipment to tow yourvehicle. Do not tow with a slingbelt. We donot approve a slingbelt towing procedure.If you tow your vehicle incorrectly, or byany other means, vehicle damage mayoccur.
We produce a towing manual for allauthorized tow truck operators. Have yourtow truck operator refer to this manual forproper hook-up and towing procedures foryour vehicle.
We recommend towing a four-wheel drivevehicle with all wheels off the ground, suchas using a wheel lift and dollies or flatbedequipment.
We recommend towing a rear-wheel drivevehicle with the rear wheels on a tow dollywhen towing your vehicle from the frontusing wheel lift equipment. This preventsdamage to the transmission.
We recommend towing a rear-wheel drivevehicle with the front wheels on a tow dollywhen towing your vehicle from the rearusing wheel lift equipment. This preventsdamage to the front fascia.
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Protected ComponentFuse RatingFuse Number
Break on/off relay feed (HydroMaxmodule).10A11
Brake transmission shift interlock.10A12
1 Micro 2 fuse.
F53 Passenger Compartment FusePanel
Locate this fuse panel below and to theleft of the steering wheel near the brakepedal. Remove the panel cover to accessthe fuses.
To remove a fuse, use the fuse panelcover's fuse puller tool.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Have your vehicle serviced regularly to helpmaintain its roadworthiness and resalevalue. There is a large network ofauthorized dealers that are there to helpyou with their professional servicingexpertise. We believe that their speciallytrained technicians are best qualified toservice your vehicle properly and expertly.They are supported by a wide range ofhighly specialized tools developedspecifically for servicing your vehicle.
If your vehicle requires professional service,an authorized dealer can provide thenecessary parts and service. Check yourwarranty information to find out whichparts and services are covered.
Use only recommended fuels, lubricants,fluids and service parts conforming tospecifications. Motorcraft® parts aredesigned and built to provide the bestperformance in your vehicle.
Precautions
•Do not work on a hot engine.
•Make sure that nothing gets caught inmoving parts.
•Do not work on a vehicle with theengine running in an enclosed space,unless you are sure you have enoughventilation.
•Keep all open flames and other burningmaterial (such as cigarettes) awayfrom the battery and all fuel relatedparts.
Working with the Engine Off
1.Set the parking brake and shift thetransmission to park (P).
2.Switch off the engine.
3.Block the wheels.
Working with the Engine On
WARNING: To reduce the risk ofvehicle damage and personal burninjuries, do not start your engine with theair cleaner removed and do not removeit while the engine is running.
1.Set the parking brake and shift thetransmission to park (P).
2.Block the wheels.
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Add brake fluid from a clean unopenedcontainer until the level reaches MAX. Donot fill above this line. Use only DOT 3brake fluid that is certified to meet Fordspecifications.
Brake system fluid should be replaced ona regular basis to maintain optimumbraking performance, especially underheavy-duty driving conditions such asfrequent steep grades or heavy towingloads. See Scheduled Maintenance(page 145).
POWER STEERING FLUID
CHECK
Note:The power steering cap has both acold and hot indicator on the dipstick.
1.Start the engine and let it run until itreaches normal operating temperature(the engine coolant temperature gaugeindicator will be near the center of thenormal area between H and C).
2.While the engine idles, turn the steeringwheel left and right several times.
3.Turn the engine off.
4.Check the fluid level on the dipstick. Itshould be between the arrows in theFULL range on the side of the dipstickwith the words MAX. HOT at the top.Do not add fluid if the level is withinthis range.
5.If the fluid is low, add fluid in smallamounts, continuously checking thelevel until it reaches the FULL range.Be sure to put the dipstick back in thereservoir.
Steering linkage lubrication points
There are nine lubrication points on thesteering linkage: See Capacities andSpecifications (page 138).
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Your dealer has many quality productsavailable to clean your vehicle and protectits finishes.
CLEANING THE EXTERIOR
Wash your vehicle regularly with cool orlukewarm water and a neutral pHshampoo, we recommend MotorcraftDetail Wash.
•Never use strong household detergentsor soap, for example dish washing orlaundry liquid. These products candiscolor and spot painted surfaces.
•Never wash your vehicle when it is hotto the touch, or during strong or directsunlight.
•Dry your vehicle with a chamois or softterry cloth towel to eliminate waterspotting.
•Immediately remove fuel spillages, birddroppings, insect deposits and road tar.These may cause damage to yourvehicle’s paintwork or trim over time.We recommend Motorcraft Bug andTar Remover.
•Remove any exterior accessories, forexample antennas, before entering acar wash.
•When filling with AdBlue®, remove anyresidue on painted surfacesimmediately.
Note:Suntan lotions and insect repellentscan damage painted surfaces. If thesesubstances come in contact with yourvehicle, wash the affected area as soon aspossible.
Cleaning the Headlamps
Note:Do not scrape the headlamp lensesor use abrasives, alcoholic solvents orchemical solvents to clean them.
Note:Do not wipe the headlamps whenthey are dry.
Exterior Chrome Parts
•Apply a high quality-cleaning productto bumpers and other chrome parts.Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.We recommend Motorcraft CustomBright Metal Cleaner.
•Do not apply the cleaning product tohot surfaces. Do not leave the cleaningproduct on chrome surfaces longerthan the time recommended.
•Using non-recommended cleaners canresult in severe and permanentcosmetic damage.
Note:Never use abrasive materials, forexample steel wool or plastic pads as theycan scratch the chrome surface.
Note:Do not use chrome cleaner, metalcleaner or polish on wheels or wheel covers.
Exterior Plastic Parts
For routine cleaning we recommendMotorcraft Detail Wash. If tar or greasespots are present, we recommendMotorcraft Bug and Tar Remover.
Stripes or Graphics (If Equipped)
Hand washing your vehicle is preferredhowever, pressure washing may be usedunder the following conditions:
•Do not use water pressure higher than2,000 psi (14,000 kPa).
•Do not use water hotter than 179°F(82°C).
•Use a spray with a 40° wide sprayangle pattern.
•Keep the nozzle at a 12 in (305 mm)distance and 90° angle to yourvehicle's surface.
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Note:Holding the pressure washer nozzleat an angle to the vehicle's surface maydamage graphics and cause the edges topeel away from the vehicle's surface.
Underbody
Regularly clean the underside of yourvehicle using water. Keep body and doordrain holes free of debris or foreignmaterial.
Under Hood
For removing black rubber marks fromunder the hood we recommend MotorcraftWheel and Tire Cleaner or Motorcraft Bugand Tar Remover.
CLEANING THE ENGINE
Engines are more efficient when they areclean because grease and dirt buildup keepthe engine warmer than normal.
When washing:
•Take care when using a power washerto clean the engine. The high-pressurefluid could penetrate the sealed partsand cause damage.
•Do not spray a hot engine with coldwater to avoid cracking the engineblock or other engine components.
•Spray Motorcraft Engine Shampoo andDegreaser on all parts that requirecleaning and pressure rinse clean. InCanada, use Motorcraft EngineShampoo.
Note:If your vehicle has an engine coverremove the cover before application ofMotorcraft Engine Shampoo and Degreaser.Immediately rinse away any over spray.
•Never wash or rinse the engine while itis hot or running; water in the runningengine may cause internal damage.
•Never wash or rinse any ignition coil,spark plug wire or spark plug well, orthe area in and around these locations.
•Cover the battery, power distributionbox, and air filter assembly to preventwater damage when cleaning theengine.
CLEANING THE WHEELS (IF
EQUIPPED)
1.Regularly clean them with a wheelcleaner. We recommend that you useFord approved wheel cleaner ifavailable.
2.Remove dirt and brake dust with asponge.
3.Remove tar and grease with a bug andtar remover. We recommend that youuse Ford approved bug and tar removerif available.
4.Thoroughly rinse the wheels with waterafter cleaning.
If you intend on parking your vehicle for anextended period after cleaning the wheelswith a wheel cleaner, drive your vehicle fora few minutes before doing so. Thisreduces the risk of corrosion of the brakediscs, brake pads and linings.
Do not clean the wheels when they are hot.
Note: Some car washes could damagewheel rims and covers.
Note: Using non-recommended cleaners,harsh cleaning products, chrome wheelcleaners or abrasive materials coulddamage wheel rims and covers.
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