towing FORD F SERIES MOTORHOME AND COMMERCIAL CHASSIS 2017 13.G Owners Manual

Introduction
About This Manual...........................................3
Symbols Glossary.............................................3
California Proposition 65
...............................5
Perchlorate..........................................................5
Ford Credit...........................................................5
Replacement Parts Recommendation........................................6
Special Notices
.................................................6
Mobile Communications Equipment.......................................................7
Export Unique Options
...................................7
Environment
Protecting the Environment
.........................9
Steering Wheel
Adjusting the Steering Wheel
....................10
Cruise Control
...................................................10
Wipers and Washers
Windshield Wipers...........................................11
Windshield Washers
.......................................11
Lighting
Lighting Control................................................12
Instrument Lighting Dimmer.......................12
Daytime Running Lamps
..............................13
Direction Indicators.........................................13
Instrument Cluster
Gauges................................................................14
Warning Lamps and Indicators..................16
Audible Warnings and Indicators
..............18
Information Displays
General Information
.......................................19
Information Messages
.................................20 Starting and Stopping the
Engine
General Information
......................................23
Ignition Switch
.................................................23
Starting a Gasoline Engine.........................23
Engine Block Heater......................................25
Fuel and Refueling
Safety Precautions........................................26
Fuel Quality
.......................................................27
Running Out of Fuel.......................................27
Refueling............................................................27
Fuel Consumption
.........................................29
Emission Control System
...........................30
Transmission
Automatic Transmission.............................33
Brakes
General Information
......................................36
Hints on Driving With Anti-Lock Brakes.............................................................36
Parking Brake
...................................................37
Cruise Control
Principle of Operation..................................38
Using Cruise Control.....................................38
Load Carrying
Load Limit.........................................................39
Towing
Towing a Trailer...............................................45
Recommended Towing Weights
..............46
Essential Towing Checks............................48
Towing the Vehicle on Four Wheels.......50
Driving Hints
Breaking-In........................................................51
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Engine Oil Pressure Gauge
Indicates engine oil pressure. The needle
should stay in the normal operating range
(between L and H). If the needle falls
below the normal range, stop the vehicle,
turn off the engine and check the engine
oil level. Add oil if needed. If the oil level is
correct, have your vehicle checked by your
authorized dealer.
Speedometer
Indicates vehicle speed. Vehicle speed is
limited to either 65 mph (105 km/h) or 75
mph (120 km/h).
Transmission Fluid Temperature
Gauge
Normal area
The transmission fluid is within the normal
operating temperature (between H and
C).
Yellow area
The transmission fluid is higher than
normal operating temperature. This can
be caused by special operation conditions
(i.e. snowplowing, towing or off-road use).
Operating the transmission for extended
periods of time with the gauge in the
yellow area may cause internal
transmission damage. Altering the severity
of the driving conditions is recommended
to lower the transmission temperature into
the normal range.
Red area
The transmission fluid is overheating. Stop
the vehicle to allow the temperature to
return to normal range.
If the gauge is operating in the yellow or
red area, stop the vehicle and verify the
airflow is not restricted such as snow or
debris blocking airflow through the grill. If
the gauge continues to show high
temperatures, see your authorized dealer.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge WARNING
Never remove the coolant reservoir
cap while the engine is running or hot.
At normal operating temperature, the
needle will remain in the center section.
Note:
Do not restart the engine until the
cause of overheating has been resolved.
If the needle enters the red section, the
engine is overheating. Stop the engine,
switch the ignition off and determine the
cause once the engine has cooled down.
Fuel Gauge
Note: The fuel gauge may vary slightly
when your vehicle is moving or on a slope.
Switch the ignition on. The fuel gauge
indicates approximately how much fuel
you have left in the fuel tank. The arrow
adjacent to the fuel pump symbol
indicates on which side of your vehicle the
fuel filler door is located.
The needle should move toward F when
you refuel your vehicle. If the needle points
to E after adding fuel, have an authorized
dealer check the system soon.
After refueling, some variability in the
position of the needle is normal:
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•
It may take a short time for the needle
to reach F after leaving the gas station.
This is normal and depends upon the
slope of the pavement at the gas
station.
• The fuel amount dispensed into the
tank is a little less or more than the
gauge indicated. This is normal and
depends upon the slope of the
pavement at the gas station. •
If the gas station nozzle shuts off
before the tank is full, try a different
gas pump nozzle.
• There is a small reserve left in the tank
when the fuel gauge reaches empty.
Low Fuel Reminder
A low fuel reminder triggers when the fuel
gauge needle is at one-sixteenth or about
50 miles (80 km) to empty, whichever
occurs first.
Variations:
Note: The low fuel warning and distance-to-empty warning can appear at different fuel
gauge positions depending on fuel economy conditions. This variation is normal. Distance-to-empty
Fuel gauge position
Driving type (fuel economy
conditions)
30 miles to 80 miles (48 kmto 129 km)
1/16th
Highway driving
10 miles to 35 miles (16 kmto 56 km)
1/16th-1/4
Severe duty driving (trailer
towing, extended idle)
WARNING LAMPS AND
INDICATORS
The following warning lamps and
indicators will alert you to a vehicle
condition that may become serious. Some
lamps will illuminate when you start your
vehicle to make sure they work. If any
lamps remain on after starting your vehicle,
refer to the respective system warning
lamp for further information.
Note: Some warning indicators appear in
the information display and function the
same as a warning lamp but do not display
when you start your vehicle. Anti-Lock Braking System If it illuminates when you are
driving, this indicates a
malfunction. You will continue
to have the normal braking system
(without ABS) unless the brake system
warning lamp is also illuminated. Have the
system checked by your authorized dealer.
Battery If it illuminates while driving, it
indicates a malfunction. Switch
off all unnecessary electrical
equipment and have the system checked
by your authorized dealer immediately.
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Maintenance
Action
Message
The engine oil pressure is low. Check the level of the
engine oil. If the oil level is OK and this warning persists, shut down the engine immediately and contact an
authorized dealer as soon as possible. See Engine Oil
Check (page 88).
LOW OIL PRESSURE
The brake fluid level is low and the brake system
should be inspected immediately.
See Brake Fluid
Check (page 95).
BRAKE FLUID LEVEL LOW
The fuel cap is loose, not seated properly or off. Stop
your vehicle when convenient, turn off the engine and check that you inserted the fuel cap properly. Rotatethe cap until you hear a click. The warning messageswitches off after a proper drive cycle is completed. See
Emission Control System (page 30). If the
warning message remains on or continues to comes
back on, see an authorized dealer as soon as possible.
CHECK FUEL CAP
Transmission Action
Message
The transmission fluid is overheating. This warning
may appear when towing heavy loads or when driving in a low gear at a high speed for an extended period
of time. Stop your vehicle as soon as safely possible, turn off the engine and let the transmission cool.
CHECK TRANS TEMPERATURE
A reminder to apply the brakes, then shift to park.
SHIFT TO PARK
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Tow/Haul Mode
WARNING
Do not use the tow/haul feature
when driving in icy or slippery
conditions as the increased engine
braking can cause the wheels to slide and
your vehicle to swing around with the
possible loss of vehicle control. To activate tow/haul, press the
button on the gearshift lever
once. The TOW HAUL indicator
light will illuminate in the instrument
cluster.
To deactivate the tow/haul feature and
return to normal driving mode, press the
button on the gearshift lever again. The
TOW HAUL light will deactivate. Tow/haul
will also deactivate when your power down
your vehicle. The tow/haul feature:
•
Delays upshifts to reduce the frequency
of transmission shifting.
• Provides engine braking in all forward
gears, which will slow your vehicle and
assist you in controlling your vehicle
when descending a grade.
• Depending on driving conditions and
load conditions, may downshift the
transmission, slow your vehicle and
control your vehicle speed when
descending a hill, without pressing the
accelerator pedal. The amount of
downshift braking provided will vary
based upon the amount the brake
pedal is pressed.
The tow/haul feature improves
transmission operation when towing a
trailer or a heavy load. All transmission
gear ranges are available when using
tow/haul.
Automatic Transmission Adaptive
Learning
This feature may increase durability and
provide consistent shift feel over the life
of your vehicle. A new vehicle or
transmission may have firm shifts, soft
shifts or both. This operation is considered
normal and will not affect function or
durability of the transmission. Over time,
the adaptive learning process will fully
update transmission operation.
Forced Downshifts
• Allowed in drive (D) with the tow/haul
feature on or off.
• Press the accelerator pedal to the floor.
• Allows transmission to select an
appropriate gear.
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LOAD LIMIT
Vehicle Loading - with and
without a Trailer
This section will guide you in the
proper loading of your vehicle,
trailer or both, to keep your loaded
vehicle weight within its design
rating capability, with or without
a trailer. Properly loading your
vehicle will provide maximum
return of vehicle design
performance. Before loading your
vehicle, familiarize yourself with
the following terms for
determining your vehicle
’s weight
ratings, with or without a trailer,
from the vehicle ’s Tire Label or
Safety Compliance Certification
Label:
Base Curb Weight - is the weight
of the vehicle including a full tank
of fuel and all standard
equipment. It does not include
passengers, cargo, or optional
equipment.
Vehicle Curb Weight -
is the
weight of your new vehicle when
you picked it up from your
authorized dealer plus any
aftermarket equipment. Cargo Weight -
includes all
weight added to the Base Curb
Weight, including cargo and
optional equipment. When towing,
trailer tongue load or king pin
weight is also part of cargo weight.
GAW (Gross Axle Weight) -
is
the total weight placed on each
axle (front and rear) including
vehicle curb weight and all
payload. GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
Rating) -
is the maximum
allowable weight that can be
carried by a single axle (front or
rear). These numbers are shown
on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label. The label shall
be affixed to either the door hinge
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pillar, door-latch post, or the door
edge that meets the door-latch
post, next to the driver's seating
position.
The total load on each
axle must never exceed its Gross Axle Weight Rating.
Note:
For trailer towing
information refer to the RV and
Trailer Towing Guide available at
an authorized dealer. GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) -
is the Vehicle Curb Weight, plus
cargo, plus passengers.
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) - is the maximum
allowable weight of the fully
loaded vehicle (including all
options, equipment, passengers
and cargo). It is shown on the Safety Compliance Certification
Label. The label shall be affixed
to either the door hinge pillar,
door-latch post, or the door edge
that meets the door-latch post,
next to the driver's seating
position.
The Gross Vehicle
Weight must never exceed the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
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GCW (Gross Combined Weight)
- is the Gross Vehicle Weight plus
the weight of the fully loaded
trailer.
GCWR (Gross Combined
Weight Rating) - is the maximum
allowable weight of the vehicle
and the loaded trailer, including
all cargo and passengers, that the
vehicle can handle without risking
damage. (Important: The towing
vehicle ’s braking system is rated
for operation at Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating, not at Gross
Combined Weight Rating.)
Separate functional brakes should
be used for safe control of towed
vehicles and for trailers where the
Gross Combined Weight of the
towing vehicle plus the trailer
exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating of the towing vehicle. The
Gross Combined Weight must
never exceed the Gross
Combined Weight Rating.
Maximum Loaded Trailer
Weight -
is the highest possible
weight of a fully loaded trailer the
vehicle can tow. It assumes a
vehicle with mandatory options,
driver and front passenger weight
(150 pounds [68 kilograms]
each), no cargo weight (internal
or external) and a tongue load of
10– 15% (conventional trailer).
Consult an authorized dealer (or
the RV and Trailer Towing Guide
available at an authorized dealer)
for more detailed information. WARNINGS
Do not exceed the GVWR or
the GAWR specified on the
Safety Compliance Certification
Label. Do not use replacement tires
with lower load carrying
capacities than the original tires
because they may lower the
vehicle ’s GVWR and GAWR
limitations. Replacement tires
with a higher limit than the original
tires do not increase the GVWR
and GAWR limitations. Exceeding any vehicle weight
rating limitation could result
in serious damage to the vehicle
and/or personal injury. Steps for determining the
correct load limit:
1. Determine the combined weight
of the driver and passengers that
will be riding in your vehicle.
2. Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers from
XXX kg or XXX lb.
3. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For
example, if the
“XXX” amount
equals 1,400 lb. and there will be
five 150 lb. passengers in your
vehicle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load capacity
is 650 lb. (1400-750 (5 x 150) =
650 lb.)
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4. Determine the combined weight
of luggage and cargo being loaded
on the vehicle. That weight may
not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 3.
5. If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, load from your trailer will
be transferred to your vehicle.
Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load capacity
of your vehicle.
The following gives you a few
examples on how to calculate the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity:
*Suppose your vehicle has a
1400-pound (635-kilogram) cargo
and luggage capacity. You decide
to go golfing. Is there enough load
capacity to carry you, four of your
friends and all the golf bags? You
and four friends average 220
pounds (99 kilograms) each and
the golf bags weigh approximately
30 pounds (13.5 kilograms) each.
The calculation would be: 1400 -
(5 x 220) - (5 x 30) = 1400 - 1100
- 150 = 150 pounds. Yes, you have
enough load capacity in your
vehicle to transport four friends
and your golf bags. In metric units,
the calculation would be: 635
kilograms - (5 x 99 kilograms) -
(5 x 13.5 kilograms) = 635 - 495 -
67.5 = 72.5 kilograms.
*Suppose your vehicle has a
1400-pound (635-kilogram) cargo
and luggage capacity. You and
one of your friends decide to pick
up cement from the local home
improvement store to finish that
patio you have been planning for
the past two years. Measuring the
inside of the vehicle with the rear
seat folded down, you have room
for twelve 100-pound
(45-kilogram) bags of cement. Do
you have enough load capacity to
transport the cement to your
home? If you and your friend each
weigh 220 pounds (99 kilograms),
the calculation would be: 1400 -
(2 x 220) - (12 x 100) = 1400 - 440
- 1200 = - 240 pounds. No, you do
not have enough cargo capacity
to carry that much weight. In
metric units, the calculation would
be: 635 kilograms - (2 x 99
kilograms) - (12 x 45 kilograms) =
635 - 198 - 540 = -103 kilograms.
You will need to reduce the load
weight by at least 240 pounds
(104 kilograms). If you remove
three 100-pound (45-kilogram)
cement bags, then the load
calculation would be:1400 - (2 x
220) - (9 x 100) = 1400 - 440 -
900 = 60 pounds. Now you have
the load capacity to transport the
cement and your friend home. In
metric units, the calculation would
be: 635 kilograms - (2 x 99
kilograms) - (9 x 45 kilograms) =
635 - 198 - 405 = 32 kilograms.
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TOWING A TRAILER
WARNING
Towing trailers beyond the
maximum recommended
gross trailer weight exceeds the
limit of your vehicle and could
result in engine damage,
transmission damage, structural
damage, loss of vehicle control,
vehicle rollover and personal
injury. Note:
Do not exceed the GVWR or
the GAWR specified on the
certification label. See
Recommended Towing Weights
(page
46).
Your vehicle may have electrical
items, such as fuses or relays,
related to towing. See
Fuses
(page 65).
Your vehicle's load capacity
designation is by weight, not by
volume, so you cannot necessarily
use all available space when
loading a vehicle or trailer.
Towing a trailer places an extra
load on your vehicle's engine,
transmission, axle, brakes, tires
and suspension. Inspect these
components periodically during,
and after, any towing operation. Load Placement
To help minimize how trailer
movement affects your vehicle
when driving:
•
Load the heaviest items closest
to the trailer floor.
• Load the heaviest items
centered between the left and
right side trailer tires.
• Load the heaviest items above
the trailer axles or just slightly
forward toward the trailer
tongue. Do not allow the final
trailer tongue weight to go
above or below 10-15% of the
loaded trailer weight.
• Select a ball mount with the
correct rise or drop. When both
the loaded vehicle and trailer
are connected, the trailer frame
should be level, or slightly
angled down toward your
vehicle, when viewed from the
side.
When driving with a trailer or
payload, a slight takeoff vibration
or shudder may be present due to
the increased payload weight.
Additional information regarding
proper trailer loading and setting
your vehicle up for towing is
located in another chapter of this
manual. See
Load Limit (page
39).
You can also find information in
the
RV & Trailer Towing Guide
available at your authorized
dealer, or online.
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