tow FORD F250 2008 Owner's Manual

1. Before removal of the tailgate, locate and disconnect the electrical
connector under the pick-up box on the right-hand side of the vehicle
near the spare tire.
2. Install the protective cap (tethered to the wiring harness under the
vehicle) on the RCS connector.
3. Carefully bring the wiring harness up between the pick-up box and the
bumper. Secure the tailgate harness onto the pick-up box.
4. Lower the tailgate.
5. Use a screwdriver to pry the
spring clip (on each connector) past
the head of the support screw.
Disconnect cable.
6. Disconnect the other cable.
7. Lift tailgate to a 45° angle.
8. Lift right side off of its hinge.
9. Lift tailgate back up to within 10°
of its closed position while keeping the right-hand side of the tailgate
close to the box.
10. Pull left-hand hinge straight to the right to disengage the left-hand
tailgate hinge socket from the left-hand box pivot post.
11. Lift left side off of its hinge.
To install, follow the removal procedures in reverse order.
Tailgate step (if equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a feature that allows easier entry into
the truck bed. To open the tailgate step:
1. Flip down the tailgate.
2. Pull the yellow latch lever to the
Unlock positon (
) to release the
grab handle from it’s stowed postion
and raise the handle upright until
you feel it latch and see the latch
lever in the Lock positon (
). The
yellow lever only needs to be used
when releasing the grab handle.
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Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
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Driver Controls
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3. Rotate the center molding to
unlatch the tailgate.
4. Flip open the panel to widen the
step.
Note:To reduce risk of falling:
•Operate step only when the
vehicle is on level surface.
•Operate step only in areas with
sufficient lighting
•Always open flip panel to widen step.
•Always use grab handle when stepping up and down.
•Step not intended for bare-footed use.
•Keep step clean from contamination before use (e.g. snow, mud)
•Keep the step load (you + load) below 350 lb. (159 kg).
•Never drive with step deployed.
To close the tailgate step:
1. Close the step panel, then lift and fully close the tailgate step into the
tailgate.
2. Slide the latch at the bottom of the handle, then lower the handle.
Note:
•Fully close and latch the tailgate step before moving the vehicle.
•Never drive with the step or grab handle deployed.
•Replace slip resistance tape (serviceable item) if worn out.
•Replace handle molding (serviceable item) if damaged.
•Do not tow with grab handle or step frame.
Bed extender (if equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a cargo management feature in the
truck bed.
Note:This feature is not intended for off-road usage.
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To open the bed extender into Tailgate Mode:
1. Pull the locking pin toward the
center of the vehicle.
2. Rotate the storage hinge rearward
to unlatch the panels.
3. Rotate the panels toward the
tailgate.
Repeat Steps 1–3 for the other side of the bed extender.
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REMOTE ENTRY SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules and with RS-210 of
Industry Canada. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device
must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
The typical operating range for your remote entry transmitter is
approximately 33 feet (10 meters). A decrease in operating range could
be caused by:
•weather conditions,
•nearby radio towers,
•structures around the vehicle, or
•other vehicles parked next to your vehicle.
Your vehicle is equipped with a remote entry system which allows you to:
•unlock the vehicle doors without
a key.
•lock all the vehicle doors without
a key.
•activate the personal alarm.
If there are problems with the remote entry system, make sure to take
ALL remote entry transmitterswith you to the authorized dealer in
order to aid in troubleshooting the problem.
Two step door unlocking
1.Pressand release to unlock the driver’s door.Note:The interior
lamps will illuminate (refer to theIlluminated entryfeature later in this
section) if the control on the overhead lamp isnotset to theoffposition.
2. Pressand release again within three seconds to unlock the
passenger doors.
The battery saver feature will turn off the interior lamps 10 minutes after
the ignition is turned to the 1 (OFF/LOCK) position.
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Locks and Security
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Automatic arming
The vehicle is armed immediately
after switching the ignition to the 1
(OFF/LOCK) position.
Automatic disarming
Switching the ignition to the 3 (ON) position with acoded keydisarms
the vehicle.
Replacement keys
If your keys are lost or stolen and you don’t have an extra coded key,
you will need to have your vehicle towed to an authorized dealer. The
key codes need to be erased from your vehicle and new coded keys will
need to be programmed.
Replacing coded keys can be very costly. Store an extra programmed key
away from the vehicle in a safe place to help prevent any
inconveniences. Please visit an authorized dealer to purchase additional
spare or replacement keys.
Programming spare keys
A maximum of eight keys can be coded to your vehicle. Only
SecuriLock™ keys can be used. To program acoded keyyourself, you
will need two previously programmedcoded keys(keys that already
operate your vehicle’s engine) and the new unprogrammed key(s) readily
accessible for timely implementation of each step in the procedure.
If two previously programmed coded keys are not available, you must
bring your vehicle to your authorized dealer to have the spare coded
key(s) programmed.
Please read and understand the entire procedure before you begin.
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2. Insert the belt into the clip on the
back panel. Protect the stowed belt
if you carry cargo this may damage
or soil the belt.
If the belt has been disconnected to carry large objects behind the seat,
reconnect it as follows:
1. Remove the belt from the
stowage clip on the back panel.
2. Buckle the small tongue on the
end of the belt into the mini-buckle
on the driver’s side. The belt is now
ready for use. This mini-buckle
should stay buckled at all times
unless cargo-carrying makes it
necessary to detach the belt.
Safety belt with cinch tongue (Regular Cab center seating
positions and SuperCab/Crew Cab rear center seating positions)
The cinch tongue will slide up and down the belt webbing when the belt
is stowed or while putting safety belts on. When the lap/shoulder safety
belt is buckled, the cinch tongue will allow the lap portion to be
shortened, but pinches the webbing to keep the lap portion from getting
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Seating and Safety Restraints
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Never place your arm over the air bag module as a deploying air
bag can result in serious arm fractures or other injuries.
To properly position yourself away from the airbag:
•Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
•Recline the seat slightly one or two degrees from the upright position.
Do not put anything on or over the air bag module. Placing
objects on or over the air bag inflation area may cause those
objects to be propelled by the air bag into your face and torso causing
serious injury.
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the airbag
supplemental restraint systems or its fuses. See your authorized
dealer.
The front passenger air bag is not designed to offer protection to
an occupant in the center front seating position.
Modifying or adding equipment to the front end of the vehicle
(including frame, bumper, front end body structure and tow
hooks) may affect the performance of the airbag system, increasing the
risk of injury. Do not modify the front end of the vehicle.
Additional equipment such as snowplow equipment may effect
the performance of the airbag sensors increasing the risk of
injury. Please refer to theFord Truck Body Builders Layout Bookfor
instructions about the appropriate installation of additional equipment.
Children and airbags
For additional important safety information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide.
Children must always be properly restrained. Failure to follow these
instructions may increase the risk of injury in a collision.
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Follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer of the
booster seat.
Never put the shoulder belt under a child’s arm or behind the
back because it eliminates the protection for the upper part of
the body and may increase the risk of injury or death in a collision.
Never use pillows, books, or towels to boost a child. They can
slide around and increase the likelihood of injury or death in a
collision.
SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN
Child and infant or child safety seats
Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of the child.
Carefully follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions with the safety seat
you put in your vehicle. If you do not install and use the safety seat
properly, the child may be injured in a sudden stop or collision.
When installing a child safety seat:
•Review and follow the information
presented in theAirbag
supplemental restraint system
(SRS)section in this chapter.
•Use the correct safety belt buckle
for that seating position (the
buckle closest to the direction the
tongue is coming from).
•Insert the belt tongue into the
proper buckle until you hear a
snap and feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is securely fastened in the
buckle.
•Keep the buckle release button pointing up and away from the safety
seat, with the tongue between the child seat and the release button,
to prevent accidental unbuckling.
•Place seat back in upright position.
•Put the safety belt in the automatic locking mode. Refer toAutomatic
locking mode(passenger side front and outboard rear seating
positions) (if equipped) section in this chapter.
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5. To put the retractor in the
automatic locking mode, grasp the
shoulder portion of the belt and pull
downward until all of the belt is
extracted and a click is heard.
6. Allow the belt to retract. The belt will click as it retracts to indicate it
is in the automatic locking mode.
7. Pull the lap belt portion across
the child seat toward the buckle and
pull up on the shoulder belt while
pushing down with knee on the
child seat.
8. Allow the safety belt to retract to
remove any slack in the belt.
9. Before placing the child in the
seat, forcibly tilt the seat forward
and back to make sure the seat is
securely held in place. To check
this, grab the seat at the belt path
and attempt to move it side to side
and forward. There should be no
more than one inch of movement for
proper installation.
10. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is
in the automatic locking mode (you should not be able to pull more belt
out). If the retractor is not locked, unbuckle the belt and repeat Steps
two through nine.
Check to make sure the child seat is properly secured before each use.
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•Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking
If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc.,do notrapidly
spin the tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire and cause an
explosion. A tire can explode in as little as three to five seconds.
Never spin the tires in excess of the 35 mph (55 km/h) point
indicated on the speedometer.
Highway hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there’s always the possibility that you
may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving, or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tires for damage. If a tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and replace it with your spare tire and wheel. If
you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest repair
facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
Tire and wheel alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or cause damage to your tires. If your
vehicle seems to pull to one side when you’re driving, the wheels may be
out of alignment. Have your authorized dealer check the wheel alignment
periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by your authorized
dealer. Front Wheel Drive (FWD) vehicles and those with an
independent rear suspension (if equipped) may require alignment of all
four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular tire wear.
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