four wheel drive FORD F250 SUPER DUTY 2016 User Guide

Mud and Water
Mud
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehiclespeed or direction when you are driving inmud. Even four-wheel drive vehicles canlose traction in slick mud. If your vehicledoes slide, steer in the direction of the slideuntil you regain control of your vehicle.
After driving through mud, clean off residuestuck to rotating driveshafts and tires.Excess mud stuck on tires and rotatingdriveshafts can cause an imbalance thatcould damage drive components.
Water
If you must drive through high water, driveslowly. Traction or brake capability maybe limited.
When driving through water, determine thedepth and avoid water higher than thebottom of the hubs. If the ignition systemgets wet, your vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes.Wet brakes do not stop your vehicle aseffectively as dry brakes. Drying can beimproved by applying light pressure to thebrake pedal while moving slowly.
Note:Driving through deep water maydamage the transmission. If the front or rearaxle is submerged in water, the axlelubricant and power transfer unit lubricantshould be checked and changed ifnecessary.
Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Although natural obstacles may make itnecessary to travel diagonally up or downa hill or steep incline, you should alwaystry to drive straight up or straight down.
Note:Avoid turning on steep slopes or hills.A danger lies in losing traction, slippingsideways and possible vehicle roll over.Whenever driving on a hill, determinebeforehand the route you will use. Do notdrive over the crest of a hill without seeingwhat conditions are on the other side. Donot drive in reverse over a hill without theaid of an observer.
When climbing a steep slope or hill, startin a lower gear rather than downshifting toa lower gear from a higher gear once theascent has started. This reduces strain onthe engine and the possibility of stalling.
If your vehicle stalls, do not try to turnaround because this could cause vehicleroll over. It is better to reverse back to asafe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels toclimb the hill. Too much power will causethe tires to slip, spin or lose traction,resulting in loss of vehicle control.
Descend a hill in the same gear you woulduse to climb up the hill to avoid excessivebrake application and brake overheating.Do not descend in neutral. Disengageoverdrive or move the transmissionselector lever to a lower gear. Whendescending a steep hill, avoid sudden hardbraking as you could lose control. The frontwheels have to be turning in order to steeryour vehicle.
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If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, applythe brakes steadily. Do not pump thebrakes.
Driving on Snow and Ice
WARNING
If you are driving in slipperyconditions that require tire chains orcables, then it is critical that you drivecautiously. Keep speeds down, allow forlonger stopping distances and avoidaggressive steering to reduce the chancesof a loss of vehicle control which can leadto serious injury or death. If the rear end ofyour vehicle slides while cornering, steer inthe direction of the slide until you regaincontrol of your vehicle.
Note:Excessive tire slippage can causetransmission damage.
Four-wheel drive vehicles have advantagesover two-wheel drive vehicles in snow andice but can skid like any other vehicle.Should you start to slide while driving onsnowy or icy roads, turn the steering wheelin the direction of the slide until you regaincontrol.
Avoid sudden applications of power andquick changes of direction on snow andice. Apply the accelerator slowly andsteadily when starting from a full stop.
Avoid sudden braking. Although afour-wheel drive vehicle may acceleratebetter than a two-wheel drive vehicle insnow and ice, it will not stop any faster asbraking occurs at all four wheels. Do notbecome overconfident as to roadconditions.
Make sure you allow sufficient distancebetween you and other vehicles forstopping. Drive slower than usual andconsider using one of the lower gears. Inemergency stopping situations, apply thebrake steadily. Do not pump the brakepedal. See Hints on Driving WithAnti-Lock Brakes (page 169).
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck In Mud orSnow
WARNING
Do not spin the wheels at over35 mph (56 km/h). The tires may failand injure a passenger or bystander.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow,it may be rocked out by shifting betweenforward and reverse gears, stoppingbetween shifts in a steady pattern. Presslightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Note:Do not rock your vehicle if the engineis not at normal operating temperature,damage to the transmission may occur.
Note:Do not rock your vehicle for morethan a minute, damage to the transmissionand tires may occur or the engine mayoverheat.
Parking
WARNINGS
If the parking brake is fully released,but the brake warning lamp remainsilluminated, the brakes may not beworking properly. See your authorizeddealer.
Always set the parking brake fullyand make sure the gearshift islatched in P (Park). Turn the ignitionto the off position and remove the keywhenever you leave your vehicle.
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Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

On some four-wheel drive vehicles, whenthe transfer case is in the N (Neutral)position, the engine and transmission aredisconnected from the rest of the driveline.Therefore, the vehicle is free to roll even ifthe automatic transmission is in P (Park)or the manual transmission is in gear. Donot leave the vehicle unattended with thetransfer case in the N (Neutral) position.Always set the parking brake fully and turnoff the ignition when leaving the vehicle.
Maintenance and Modifications
The suspension and steering systems onyour vehicle have been designed andtested to provide predictable performancewhether loaded or empty. For this reason,we strongly recommend that you do notmake modifications such as adding orremoving parts (i.e. lift kits or stabilizerbars) or by using replacement parts notequivalent to the original factoryequipment.
We recommend that you use caution whenyour vehicle has either a high load or device(i.e. ladder or luggage racks). Anymodifications to your vehicle that raise thecenter of gravity may cause your vehicleto roll over when there is a loss of vehiclecontrol.
Failure to maintain your vehicle correctlymay void the warranty, increase your repaircost, reduce vehicle performance andoperational capabilities and adverselyaffect you and your passenger's safety. Werecommend you frequently inspect yourvehicle's chassis components when yourvehicle is subject to off road usage.
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Four-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
The traction control system helps avoiddrive wheel spin and loss of traction.
If your vehicle begins to slide, the systemapplies the brakes to individual wheelsand, when needed, reduces engine powerat the same time. If the wheels spin whenaccelerating on slippery or loose surfaces,the system reduces engine power in orderto increase traction.
USING TRACTION CONTROL
(Dual rear wheel vehicles only)
In certain situations (for example, stuck insnow or mud), it may be beneficial to turnthe traction control system off. This allowsthe wheels to spin with full engine power.
Turn the traction control systemoff by pressing the stabilitycontrol button located on theinstrument panel.
If you cannot turn the system off, see theMyKey chapter for more information.
Placing your vehicle into four-wheel drivemode automatically disables tractioncontrol. Traction control operation willresume when you place your vehicle backinto two-wheel drive mode.
Engine only traction control(Dual rear wheel vehicles only)
Traction control systemStability control OFFindicatorButton functions
EnabledNot illuminatedDefault at start-up
DisabledIlluminatedButton pressed momentarily
EnabledNot illuminatedButton pressed again afterdeactivation
DisabledIlluminatedTransfer case switched to4WD*
*Engaging 4WD automatically disables the traction control system.
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TRANSPORTING THE VEHICLE
If you need to have your vehicle towed,contact a professional towing service or,if you are a member of a roadsideassistance program, your roadsideassistance service provider.
We recommend the use of a wheel lift anddollies or flatbed equipment to tow yourvehicle. Do not tow with a slingbelt. FordMotor Company has not approved aslingbelt towing procedure. Vehicledamage may occur if towed incorrectly, orby any other means.
Ford Motor Company produces a towingmanual for all authorized tow truckoperators. Have your tow truck operatorrefer to this manual for proper hook-upand towing procedures for your vehicle.
It is acceptable to have your two-wheeldrive vehicle towed with the front wheelson the ground (without dollies) and therear wheels off the ground.
We recommend towing a four-wheel drivevehicle with all wheels off the ground, suchas using a wheel lift and dollies or flatbedequipment. However, it is acceptable touse a wheel lift to raise the rear of yourvehicle so long as, depending on vehicleconfiguration, you perform the followingbefore towing:
•If your vehicle is equipped with amanual-shift transfer case, make surethe front wheel hub locks are in theFREE position before towing.
•If your vehicle is equipped with anelectronic shift-on-the-fly transfercase, make sure you turn thefour-wheel drive control to the 2Hposition before towing.
Note:Towing an electronic shift-on-the-flyfour-wheel drive vehicle with the frontwheels on the ground without disengagingthe front hubs may cause damage to theautomatic transmission.
Note:Towing a two-wheel drive vehicle oran electronic shift-on-the-fly four-wheeldrive vehicle with the rear wheels on theground for more than 50 miles (80 km) orfaster than 35 mph (56 km/h) may causedamage to the automatic transmission.
Note:Using wheel lift equipment to tow adual rear wheel vehicle requires removingan outer rear wheel before towing.
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TOWING THE VEHICLE ON
FOUR WHEELS
Emergency Towing
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. SeeTransmission (page 151).
•Maximum speed is 35 mph (56 km/h).
•Maximum distance is 50 mi (80 km).
WARNING
If your vehicle has a steering wheellock make sure the ignition is in theaccessory or on position when beingtowed.
Recreational Towing
Note:Put your climate control system inrecirculated air mode to prevent exhaustfumes from entering your vehicle. SeeClimate Control (page 110).
Follow these guidelines if you have a needfor recreational towing, such as towingyour vehicle behind a motorhome. Wedesigned these guidelines to preventdamage to your transmission.
Two-wheel Drive Vehicles andFour-wheel Drive Vehicles Equippedwith an Electronic-shift Transfer Case
Do not tow your vehicle with any wheelson the ground, as vehicle or transmissiondamage may occur. It is recommended totow your vehicle with all four (4) wheelsoff the ground, such as when using acar-hauling trailer. Otherwise, you cannottow your vehicle.
Four-wheel Drive Vehicles Equippedwith a Manual-shift Transfer Case
1. Put the transmission in position N.
2. Put the transfer case in position N.
3.Put the hub locks in the FREE position.Always make sure that both hub locksare set to the same position.
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Towing

•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 through flowing or deepwater as you may lose control of yourvehicle.
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.
•Check that the exterior lights work.
•Turn the steering wheel to check thatthe steering power assist works.
FLOOR MATS
WARNINGS
Always use floor mats that aredesigned to fit the foot well of yourvehicle. Only use floor mats thatleave the pedal area unobstructed. Onlyuse floor mats that are firmly secured toretention posts so that they cannot slip outof position and interfere with the pedalsor impair safe operation of your vehicle inother ways.
Pedals that cannot move freely cancause loss of vehicle control andincrease the risk of serious personalinjury.
Always make sure that the floormats are properly attached to theretention posts in the carpet that aresupplied with your vehicle. Floor mats mustbe properly secured to both retention poststo make sure mats do not shift out ofposition.
Never place floor mats or any othercovering in the vehicle foot well thatcannot be properly secured toprevent them from moving and interferingwith the pedals or the ability to control thevehicle.
Never place floor mats or any othercovering on top of already installedfloor mats. Floor mats should alwaysrest on top of vehicle carpeting surface andnot another floor mat or other covering.Additional floor mats or any other coveringwill reduce the pedal clearance andpotentially interfere with pedal operation.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Use only approved wheel and tire sizes,using other sizes could damage yourvehicle. If you change the diameter of thetires from that fitted at the factory, thespeedometer may not display the correctspeed. Take your vehicle to an authorizedFord dealer to have the systemreprogrammed. If you intend to change thesize of the wheels from that fitted by themanufacturer, you can check the suitabilitywith an authorized dealer.
Additional information related to thefunctionality and maintenance of your tirescan be found later in this chapter. See TireCare (page 267).
The Ford recommended tire inflationpressures can be found on the Tire Label,which is located on the B-pillar or the edgeof the driver's door. This information canalso be found on the Safety ComplianceCertification Label (affixed to either thedoor hinge pillar, door-latch post, or thedoor edge that meets the door last post;next to the driver’s seating position).
Ford strongly recommends maintainingthese tire pressures at all times. Failure tofollow the tire pressure recommendationscan cause uneven treadwear patterns,reduced fuel economy, and adverselyaffect the way your vehicle handles.
Note:Check and set the tire pressure at theambient temperature in which you areintending to drive your vehicle and when thetires are cold.
Note:Check your tire pressures at leastonce per month.
Set the pressure for your spare tire to thehighest value given for your vehicle and tiresize combination (if equipped).
Notice to utility vehicle and truckowners
WARNINGS
Utility vehicles have a significantlyhigher rollover rate than other typesof vehicles. To reduce the risk ofserious injury or death from a rollover orother crash you must avoid sharp turns andabrupt maneuvers, drive at safe speeds forthe conditions, keep tires inflated to Fordrecommended pressures, never overloador improperly load your vehicle, and makesure every passenger is properly restrained.
In a rollover crash, an unbeltedperson is significantly more likely todie than a person wearing a seat belt.All occupants must wear seat belts andchildren/infants must use appropriaterestraints to minimize the risk of injury orejection.
Do not become overconfident in theability of four-wheel drive vehicles.Although a four-wheel drive vehiclemay accelerate better than a two-wheeldrive vehicle in low traction situations, itwon't stop any faster than two-wheel drivevehicles. Always drive at a safe speed.
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Utility vehicles and trucks handledifferently than passenger cars in thevarious driving conditions that areencountered on streets, highways andoff-road. Utility vehicles and trucks are notdesigned for cornering at speeds as highas passenger cars any more than low-slungsports cars are designed to performsatisfactorily under off-road conditions.
Study your owner's manual and anysupplements for specific information aboutequipment features, instructions for safedriving and additional precautions toreduce the risk of an accident or seriousinjury.
Four-wheel drive system (If Equipped)
WARNING
Do not become overconfident in theability of four-wheel drive vehicles.Although a four-wheel drive vehiclemay accelerate better than a two-wheeldrive vehicle in low traction situations, itwon't stop any faster than two-wheel drivevehicles. Always drive at a safe speed.
A vehicle equipped with four-wheel drive(when selected) has the ability to use allfour wheels to power itself. This increasestraction which may enable you to safelydrive over terrain and road conditions thata conventional two-wheel drive vehiclecannot.
Power is supplied to all four wheelsthrough a transfer case or power transferunit. Four-wheel drive vehicles allow youto select different modes as necessary. Forinformation on transfer case operation andshifting procedures, See Four-WheelDrive (page 158). For information ontransfer case maintenance, SeeMaintenance (page 232). You shouldbecome thoroughly familiar with thisinformation before you operate yourvehicle.
On some four-wheel drive vehicles, theinitial shift from two-wheel to four-wheeldrive while the vehicle is moving can causea momentary clunk and ratcheting sound.These sounds are normal and are notcause for concern.
For four-wheel drive vehicles, a spare tireof a different size other than the tireprovided should never be used. A dissimilarspare tire size (other than the spare tireprovided) or major dissimilar tire sizedbetween the front and rear axles couldcause the four-wheel drive system to stopfunctioning and default to front-wheeldrive. See Using Four-Wheel Drive (page158).
How your vehicle differs fromother vehicles
Sport utility vehicles and trucks can differfrom some other vehicles in a fewnoticeable ways. Your vehicle may be:
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Wheels and Tires

mph ( km/h)Letterrating
168 (270)W
186 (299)Y
Note:For tires with a maximum
speed capability over 149 mph
(240 km/h), tire manufacturers
sometimes use the letters ZR. For
those with a maximum speed
capability over 186 mph (299
km/h), tire manufacturers always
use the letters ZR.
H.U.S. DOT Tire IdentificationNumber: This begins with theletters DOT and indicates that thetire meets all federal standards.The next two numbers or lettersare the plant code designatingwhere it was manufactured, thenext two are the tire size code andthe last four numbers representthe week and year the tire wasbuilt. For example, the numbers317 mean the 31st week of 1997.After 2000 the numbers go to fourdigits. For example, 2501 meansthe 25th week of 2001. Thenumbers in between areidentification codes used fortraceability. This information isused to contact customers if a tiredefect requires a recall.
I.M+S or M/S: Mud and Snow, or
AT: All Terrain, or
AS: All Season.
J.Tire Ply Composition andMaterial Used: Indicates thenumber of plies or the number oflayers of rubber-coated fabric inthe tire tread and sidewall. Tiremanufacturers also must indicatethe ply materials in the tire and thesidewall, which include steel,nylon, polyester, and others.
K.Maximum Load: Indicates themaximum load in kilograms andpounds that can be carried by thetire. (affixed to either the doorhinge pillar, door-latch post, or thedoor edge that meets thedoor-latch post, next to thedriver's seating position), or TireLabel located on the B-pillar orthe edge of the driver's door.
L.Treadwear, Traction andTemperature Grades:
*Treadwear The treadwear gradeis a comparative rating based onthe wear rate of the tire whentested under controlled conditionson a specified government testcourse. For example, a tire graded150 would wear 1½ times as wellon the government course as a tiregraded 100.
*Traction: The traction grades,from highest to lowest are AA, A,B, and C. The grades represent thetire's ability to stop on wetpavement as measured undercontrolled conditions on specifiedgovernment test surfaces ofasphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor tractionperformance.
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