wheel FORD F250 1998 Owners Manual

contents without notice and
without incurring obligation.
SPECIAL NOTICES
Using your vehicle with a
snowplow
For more information and
guidelines for using your vehicle
with a snowplow, refer to the
Drivingchapter.
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.
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 road
in theDrivingchapter as well as
the ªFour Wheelingº supplement
included with 4WD and utility type
vehicles.
Introduction
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oil pressure gaugein this chapter
for more information.
Four wheel drive low (if
equipped)
Illuminates when four-wheel drive
low is selected.
Four wheel drive indicator (if
equipped)
Illuminates when 4x4 range is
selected.
Check air suspension (if
equipped)
Illuminates briefly 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 theDriving
chapter.
Door ajar
Illuminates when the ignition
switch is in the ON or START
position and any door is open.
LOW
RANGE
4x4
CHECK
SUSP
DOOR
AJAR
Instrumentation
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²A small LED illuminates next to
the autolamp control to indicate
that the headlamps have been
turned on by the autolamps.
²Foglamps are not controlled by
the autolamps. In order to turn
on the foglamps, you must turn
the lamp switch to the
position and pull for fog.
4WD CONTROL (IF EQUIPPED)
This control operates the 4WD.
Refer toFour-wheel drive (4WD)
operationin theDrivingchapter
for more information.
AUXILIARY POWER POINT
The auxiliary power point is
located on the instrument panel.
Do not plug optional electrical
accessories into the cigarette
lighter. Use the powerpoint.
AUDIO SYSTEM
Refer to the ªAudio Guideº for
instructions on how to operate the
audio system.
4H
2H
4L
Controls and features
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reduce your ability to see
through your windshield. Also,
avoid placing small objects on
top of your instrument panel.
These objects can fall down into
the defroster outlets and block
airflow and possibly damage
your climate control system.
POSITIONS OF THE IGNITION
1. ACCESSORY, allows the
electrical accessories such as the
radio to operate while the engine
is not running.
2. LOCK, locks the steering wheel,
automatic transmission gearshift
lever and allows key removal.
3. OFF, shuts off the engine and all
accessories without locking the
steering wheel.
4. ON, all electrical circuits
operational. Warning lights
illuminated. Key position when
driving.
5. START, cranks the engine.
Release the key as soon as the
engine starts.
TURN SIGNAL CONTROL
²Push down to activate the left
turn signal.
²Push up to activate the right
turn signal.
1
23
4
5
Controls and features
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Pull the steering control toward
you to move the steering wheel up
or down. Hold the control while
adjusting the wheel to the desired
position, then release the control
to lock the steering wheel in
position.
Never adjust the steering
wheel when the vehicle is
moving.
HAZARD FLASHER
For information on the hazard
flasher control, refer toHazard
lights controlin theRoadside
emergencieschapter.
Controls and features
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The right front passenger
air bag is not designed to
restrain occupants in the center
front seating position.
All occupants of the
vehicle including the driver
should always wear their safety
belts even when air bag SRS is
provided.
Do not place objects or
mount equipment on or
near the air bag cover on the
steering wheel or in front seat
areas that may come into contact
with a deploying air bag. Failure
to follow this instruction may
increase the risk of personal
injury in the event of a collision.
Do not attempt to service,
repair, or modify the Air
Bag Supplemental Restraint
System or its fuses. See your
Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
Children and air bags
For additional important safety
information, read all information
on safety restraints in this guide.
Children should always wear their
safety belts. Failure to follow these
instructions may increase the risk
of injury in a collision.
Seating and safety restraints
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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
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The parking brake is not designed
to stop a moving vehicle. However,
if the normal brakes fail, the
parking brake can be used to stop
your vehicle in an emergency.
Since the parking brake applies
only the rear brakes, the vehicle's
stopping distance will be adversely
affected.
Pull the release lever to release
the brake. Driving with the parking
brake on will cause the brakes to
wear out quickly and reduce fuel
economy.
TRACTION-LOK AXLE (IF
EQUIPPED)
This axle provides added traction
on slippery surfaces, particularly
when one wheel is on a poor
traction surface. Under normal
conditions, the Traction-Lok axle
functions like a standard rear axle.
Extended use of other than the
manufacturer's specified size tires
on a Traction-Lok rear axle could
result in a permanent reduction in
effectiveness. This loss of
effectiveness does not affect
BRAKE
HOOD
Driving
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normal driving and should not be
noticeable to the driver.
To avoid injury, never run
the engine with one wheel
off the ground, such as when
changing a tire.
AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM (IF
EQUIPPED)
The air suspension system is
designed to improve ride, handling
and general vehicle performance
for static, on and off-road driving
conditions.
²The load leveling feature of the
air suspension automatically
keeps the vehicle at a constant
level if a load is added or
removed from the vehicle.
²The height adjustment feature
automatically controls the
vehicle height over a range of
approximately 5 cm (2 inches)
based on vehicle speed, ignition
position and selection of two or
four-wheel drive modes.
Driving
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Removing key from ignition
²Turn the ignition key until it
stops.
²Push the release lever forward
and rotate the key towards you
until it stops.
²Release the lever and remove
the key from the ignition.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD)
OPERATION (IF EQUIPPED)
When Four±wheel drive (4WD) is
engaged, power is supplied to all
four wheels through a transfer
case. 4WD power can be selected
when additional driving power is
desired.
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.
Driving
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