FORD F550 2012 Owners Manual

3. Install the child safety seat tightly
using the vehicle belts. Follow the
instructions in this chapter.
4. Tighten the tether strap
according to the child seat
manufacturer’s instructions.
A single loop can be used to route and anchor more than one child seat.
For example, the center loop can be used as a routing loop for a child
safety seat in the center rear seat and as an anchoring loop for child
seats installed in the outboard rear seats.
Child booster seats
The belt-positioning booster (booster seat) is used to improve the fit of
the vehicle safety belt. Children outgrow a typical child seat (e.g.,
convertible or toddler seat) when they weigh about 40 lb (18 kg) and are
around four (4) years of age. Consult your child safety seat owner guide
for the weight, height, and age limits specific to your child safety seat.
Keep your child in the child safety seat if it properly fits the child,
remains appropriate for their weight, height and age AND if properly
secured to the vehicle.
Although the lap/shoulder belt will provide some protection, children
who have outgrown a typical child seat are still too small for lap/shoulder
belts to fit properly, and wearing an improperly fitted vehicle safety belt
could increase the risk of serious injury in a crash. To improve the fit of
both the lap and shoulder belt on children who have outgrown child
safety seats, Ford Motor Company recommends use of a belt-positioning
booster.
Booster seats position a child so that vehicle lap/shoulder safety belts fit
better. They lift the child up so that the lap belt rests low across the hips
and the knees bend comfortably at the edge of the cushion, while
minimizing slouching. Booster seats may also make the shoulder belt fit
better and more comfortably. Try to keep the belt near the middle of the
shoulder and across the center of the chest. Moving the child closer (a
few centimeters or inches) to the center of the vehicle, but remaining in
the same seating position, may help provide a good shoulder belt fit. Seating and Safety Restraints
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When children should use booster seats
Children need to use booster seats from the time they outgrow the
toddler seat until they are big enough for the vehicle seat and
lap/shoulder belt to fit properly. Generally this is when they reach a
height of at least 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters) tall (around age eight to
age twelve and between 40 lb (18 kg) and 80 lb (36 kg) or upward to
100 lb (45 kg) if recommended by your child restraint manufacturer).
Many state and provincial laws require that children use approved
booster seats until they reach age eight, a height of 4 feet 9 inches
(1.45 meters) tall, or 80 lb (36 kg).
Booster seats should be used until you can answer YES to ALL of these
questions when seated without a booster seat:
• Can the child sit all the way back
against the vehicle seat back with
knees bent comfortably at the
edge of the seat cushion?
• Can the child sit without
slouching?
• Does the lap belt rest low across
the hips?
• Is the shoulder belt centered on the shoulder and chest?
• Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?Seating and Safety Restraints
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Types of booster seats
There are generally two types of belt-positioning booster seats: backless
and high back. Always use booster seats in conjunction with the vehicle
lap/shoulder belt.
• Backless booster seats
If your backless booster seat has a
removable shield, remove the
shield. If a vehicle seating position
has a low seat back or no head
restraint, a backless booster seat
may place your child’s head (as
measured at the tops of the ears)
above the top of the seat. In this
case, move the backless booster
to another seating position with a
higher seat back or head restraint and lap/shoulder belts, or consider
using a high back booster seat.
• High back booster seats
If, with a backless booster seat,
you cannot find a seating position
that adequately supports your
child’s head, a high back booster
seat would be a better choice. Seating and Safety Restraints
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Children and booster seats vary in size and shape. Choose a booster that
keeps the lap belt low and snug across the hips, never up across the
stomach, and lets you adjust the shoulder belt to cross the chest and
rest snugly near the center of the shoulder. The drawings below compare
the ideal fit (center) to a shoulder belt uncomfortably close to the neck
and a shoulder belt that could slip off the shoulder. The drawings below
also show how the lap belt should be low and snug across the child’s
hips.
If the booster seat slides on the vehicle seat, placing a rubberized mesh
sold as shelf or carpet liner under the booster seat may improve this
condition. Do not introduce any item thicker than this under the booster
seat. Check with the booster seat manufacturer’s instructions.
The importance of shoulder belts
Using a booster without a shoulder belt increases the risk of a child’s
head hitting a hard surface in a collision. For this reason, you should
never use a booster seat with a lap belt only. It is generally best to use a
booster seat with lap/shoulder belts in the back seat.
Move a child to a different seating location if the shoulder belt does not
stay positioned on the shoulder during use.Seating and Safety Restraints
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Follow all instructions provided by the manufacturer of the booster seat.
WARNING: Never place, or allow a child to place, the shoulder
belt under a child’s arm or behind the back because it reduces
the protection for the upper part of the body and may increase the risk
of injury or death in a collision.
Child restraint and safety belt maintenance
Inspect the vehicle safety belts and child safety seat systems periodically
to make sure they work properly and are not damaged. Inspect the
vehicle and child seat safety belts to make sure there are no nicks, tears
or cuts. Replace if necessary. All vehicle safety belt assemblies, including
retractors, buckles, front safety belt buckle assemblies, buckle support
assemblies (slide bar-if equipped), shoulder belt height adjusters (if
equipped), shoulder belt guide on seatback (if equipped), child safety
seat LATCH and tether anchors, and attaching hardware, should be
inspected after a collision. Refer to the child restraint manufacturer’s
instructions for additional inspection and maintenance information
specific to the child restraint. Ford Motor Company recommends that all
safety belt assemblies in use in vehicles involved in a collision be
replaced. However, if the collision was minor and an authorized dealer
finds that the belts do not show damage and continue to operate
properly, they do not need to be replaced. Safety belt assemblies not in
use during a collision should also be inspected and replaced if either
damage or improper operation is noted.
For proper care of soiled safety belts, refer to Interior in the Cleaning
chapter.
WARNING: Failure to inspect and if necessary replace the
safety belt assembly or child restraint system under the above
conditions could result in severe personal injuries in the event of a
collision. Seating and Safety Restraints
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NOTICE TO UTILITY VEHICLE AND TRUCK OWNERS
Utility vehicles and trucks handle
differently than passenger cars in
the various driving conditions that
are encountered on streets,
highways and off-road. Utility
vehicles and trucks are not designed
for cornering at speeds as high as
passenger cars any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed
to perform satisfactorily under
off-road conditions.
WARNING: Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover
rate than other types of vehicles. To reduce the risk of serious
injury or death from a rollover or other crash you must:
• Avoid sharp turns and abrupt maneuvers;
• Drive at safe speeds for the conditions;
• Keep tires properly inflated;
• Never overload or improperly load your vehicle; and
• Make sure every passenger is properly restrained.
WARNING: In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is
significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a seat belt.
All occupants must wear seat belts and children/infants must use
appropriate restraints to minimize the risk of injury or ejection.
Study your owner’s guide and any supplements for specific information
about equipment features, instructions for safe driving and additional
precautions to reduce the risk of an accident or serious injury.Tires, Wheels and Loading
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VEHICLE CHARACTERISTICS
Four-wheel drive (4WD) system (if equipped)
A vehicle equipped with 4WD (when selected) has the ability to use all
four wheels to power itself. This increases traction which may enable you
to safely drive over terrain and road conditions that a conventional
two-wheel drive vehicle cannot.
Power is supplied to all four wheels through a transfer case or power
transfer unit. 4WD vehicles allow you to select different drive modes as
necessary. Information on transfer case operation and shifting procedures
can be found in the Driving chapter. Information on transfer case
maintenance can be found in the Maintenance and Specifications
chapter. You should become thoroughly familiar with this information
before you operate your vehicle.
On some 4WD models, the initial shift from two-wheel drive to 4WD
while the vehicle is moving can cause a momentary clunk and ratcheting
sound. These sounds are normal as the front drivetrain comes up to
speed and is not cause for concern.
WARNING: Do not become overconfident in the ability of 4WD
vehicles. Although a 4WD vehicle may accelerate better than
two-wheel drive vehicle in low traction situations, it won’t stop any
faster than two-wheel drive vehicles. Always drive at a safe speed. Tires, Wheels and Loading
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How Your Vehicle Differs from Other Vehicles
SUVs and trucks can differ from
some other vehicles in a few
noticeable ways. Your vehicle may
be:
• Higher – to allow higher load
carrying capacity and to allow it
to travel over rough terrain
without getting hung up or
damaging underbody components.
• Shorter – to give it the capability
to approach inclines and drive
over the crest of a hill without
getting hung up or damaging
underbody components. All other
things held equal, a shorter
wheelbase may make your vehicle
quicker to respond to steering inputs than a vehicle with a longer
wheelbase.
• Narrower – to provide greater
maneuverability in tight spaces,
particularly in off-road use.
As a result of the above dimensional
differences, SUVs and trucks often
will have a higher center of gravity
and a greater difference in center of
gravity between the loaded and
unloaded condition.
These differences that make your
vehicle so versatile also make it
handle differently than an ordinary
passenger car.Tires, Wheels and Loading
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INFORMATION ABOUT UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires. The
Quality grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For
example:
• Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
These Tire Quality Grades are determined by standards that the United
States Department of Transportation has set.
Tire Quality Grades apply to new pneumatic passenger car tires. They do
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires, space-saver or
temporary use spare tires, light truck or “LT” type tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches or limited production tires as
defined in Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 575.104(c)(2).
U.S. Department of Transportation-Tire quality grades: The U.S.
Department of Transportation requires Ford Motor Company to give you
the following information about tire grades exactly as the government
has written it.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1 1
2
) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices, and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
WARNING: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction characteristics.
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance. Tires, Wheels and Loading
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Temperature A B C
WARNING: The temperature grade for this tire is established
for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 139. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
TIRES
Tires are designed to give many thousands of miles of service, but they
must be maintained in order to get the maximum benefit from them.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
• Tire label: A label showing the OE (Original Equipment) tire sizes,
recommended inflation pressure and the maximum weight the vehicle
can carry.
• Tire Identification Number (TIN): A number on the sidewall of
each tire providing information about the tire brand and
manufacturing plant, tire size and date of manufacture. Also referred
to as DOT code.
• Inflation pressure: A measure of the amount of air in a tire.
• Standard load: A class of P-metric or Metric tires designed to carry a
maximum load at 35 psi [37 psi (2.5 bar) for Metric tires]. Increasing
the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not increase the tire’s
load carrying capability.
• Extra load: A class of P-metric or Metric tires designed to carry a
heavier maximum load at 41 psi [43 psi (2.9 bar) for Metric tires].
Increasing the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not increase
the tire’s load carrying capability.
• kPa: Kilopascal, a metric unit of air pressure.Tires, Wheels and Loading
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