ECU FORD F550 2012 Workshop Manual

3. While holding both shoulder and
lap portions next to the tongue,
route the tongue and webbing
through the child seat according to
the child seat manufacturer’s
instructions. Be sure that the belt
webbing is not twisted.
4. Insert the belt tongue into the
proper buckle for that seating
positions until you hear a snap and
feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is
securely latched to the buckle by
pulling on the tongue.
5. Remove remaining slack from the
belt. Force the seat down with extra
weight, e.g., by pressing down or
kneeling on the child restraint while
pulling up on the shoulder belt in
order to force slack from the belt.
This is necessary to remove the
remaining slack that will exist once
the additional weight of the child is
added to the child restraint. It also
helps to achieve the proper
snugness of the child seat to the vehicle. Sometimes, a slight lean
towards the buckle will additionally help to remove remaining slack from
the belt. Seating and Safety Restraints
205
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

6. Attach the tether strap (if the child seat is equipped). Refer to
Attaching child safety seats with tether straps later in this chapter.
7. Before placing the child in the
seat, forcibly move 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 1 inch (2.5 cm) of
movement for proper installation.
8. Ford recommends checking with
a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger
Safety Technician (CPST) to make certain the child restraint is properly
installed. In Canada, check with your local St. John Ambulance office for
referral to a CPST.
Attaching child safety seats with LATCH (Lower Anchors and
Tethers for CHildren) attachments
The LATCH system is composed of three vehicle anchor points: two (2)
lower anchors located where the vehicle seat back and seat cushion meet
(called the “seat bight”) and one (1) top tether anchor located behind
that seating position. Your vehicle is not equipped with the lower anchor
points in the seat bight. For this vehicle use the vehicle safety belt and
upper tether to secure a child seat. See Attaching child safety seats
with tether straps and Recommendations for attaching safety
restraints for children in this chapter for more information.
Attaching child safety seats with tether straps
Many forward-facing child safety seats include a tether strap which
extends from the back of the child safety seat and hooks to an anchoring
point called the top tether anchor. Tether straps are available as an
accessory for many older safety seats. Contact the manufacturer of your
child seat for information about ordering a tether strap, or to obtain a
longer tether strap if the tether strap on your safety seat does not reach
the appropriate top tether anchor in the vehicle.
The passenger seats of your vehicle may be equipped with built-in tether
strap anchors located behind the seats as described below.
The tether anchors in your vehicle may be straps on the seatback or an
anchor bracket mounted to the body shell on the back panel.Seating and Safety Restraints
206
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

5. Clip the tether strap to the anchor as shown.
• Front seats (Regular Cab)
• Rear seats (Crew Cab)
If the tether strap is clipped incorrectly, the child safety seat may not be
retained properly in the event of a collision.
6. Refer to the Installing child safety seats with automatic locking
mode combination lap and shoulder belts and Installing child safety
seats in cinch tongue combination lap and shoulder belt seating
positions sections of this chapter for further instructions to secure the
child safety seat.
7. Tighten the child safety seat tether strap according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.
If the safety seat is not anchored properly, the risk of a child being
injured in a collision greatly increases.
If your child restraint system is equipped with a tether strap, and the
child restraint manufacturer recommends its use, Ford also recommends
its use. Seating and Safety Restraints
209
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

Tether strap attachment (rear SuperCab only)
There are three loops of webbing just above the back of the rear seat
(along the bottom edge of the rear window) in the SuperCab. These
loops are to be used as both routing loops and anchor loops for up to
three child safety seat tether straps.
These straps may be secured below the back of the seat with rubber
bands. To access, reach below the back of the seat and pull tether loop
out of the rubber band securing it.
Many tether straps cannot be tightened if the tether strap is hooked to
the loop directly behind the child seat. To provide a tight tether strap:
1. Route the tether strap through
the loop directly behind the child
seat.
2. Attach the strap hook onto the
loop behind an adjacent seating
position.Seating and Safety Restraints
210
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

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
211
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
• If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
• Use only SAE Class S chains.
• Install chains securely, verifying that the chains do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
• Drive cautiously. If you hear the chains rub or bang against your
vehicle, stop and retighten the chains. If this does not work, remove
the chains to prevent damage to your vehicle.
• Remove the tire chains when they are no longer needed. Do not use
tire chains on dry roads.
VEHICLE LOADING – WITH AND WITHOUT A TRAILER
This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle and/or
trailer, 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.Tires, Wheels and Loading
244
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

Your vehicle may be equipped with a temporary or conventional spare
tire. If the spare tire is different in size (diameter and/or width), tread
type (All-Season or All-Terrain) or is from a different manufacturer other
than the road tires on your vehicle, your spare tire is considered
“temporary”. Consult information on the Tire Label or Safety Compliance
Certification Label for limitations when using.
Trailer towing safety tips
General
• Ensure that the trailer, safety chains and 7–pin electrical connectors
are securely fastened.
• Make sure the truck receiver, draw bar and coupler are properly
connected and adjusted.
• Check rear view and side mirrors for proper visibility especially when
towing a trailer wider than the truck.
• When turning, make wide turns to allow trailer tires to properly clear
any obstacles.
• Operate the vehicle at lower speeds than you would when not towing
a trailer; the likelihood of trailer sway is greater at higher speeds.
• Be prepared for trailer sway due to buffeting when larger vehicles
pass in either direction.
• If you will be towing a trailer frequently in hot weather, hilly
conditions, at GCWR, or any combination of these factors, consider
refilling your rear axle with synthetic gear lubricant if not already so
equipped. Refer to Maintenance product specifications and
capacities in the Maintenance and Specifications chapter for the
proper axle lubricant. Remember that regardless of the rear axle
lubricant used, do not tow a trailer for the first 500 miles (800 km) of
a new vehicle, and that the first 500 miles (800 km) of towing be done
at no faster than 70 mph (113 km/h) with no full-throttle starts.
Loading
• Trailer loads should be evenly distributed front-to-back and
left-to-right.
• Never exceed truck, trailer, receiver, ball, tongue, tire or coupler
loading recommendations.
• Keep the center of gravity low for best handling. Tires, Wheels and Loading
261
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

WARNING: Never link two straps together with a clevis pin.
These heavy metal objects could become projectiles if the strap
breaks and can cause serious injury or death.
Your vehicle comes equipped with frame-mounted front recovery hooks.
These hooks should never have a load applied to them greater than the
GVWR of your vehicle.
Before using the recovery hooks:
• Make sure all attaching points are secure and capable of withstanding
the applied load.
• Never use chains, cables or tow straps with metal hook ends.
• Only use recovery straps that have a minimum breaking strength two
to three times the GVW of the stuck vehicle.
• Make sure the recovery strap is in good condition and free of visible
cuts, tears or damage.
• Use a damper device such as a tarp, heavy blanket or piece of carpet
draped over the recovery strap to help absorb the energy in the event
the strap breaks.
• Make sure the stuck vehicle is not loaded in excess of its GVWR
specified on the certification label.
• Always align the tow vehicle and stuck vehicle in a straight line
(within 10 degrees).
• Keep bystanders to the sides of the vehicle, at a distance of at least
twice the length of the recovery strap. This helps avoid injury from
the hazard of a recovery hook or strap breaking, or a vehicle lurching
into their path.Tires, Wheels and Loading
264
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

the 4 (start) position, the engine may continue cranking for up to
10 seconds or until the vehicle starts.
Note: Cranking may be stopped at any time by turning the key to the off
position.
3. After idling for a few seconds, release the parking brake, apply the
brake, shift into gear and drive.
Note: If the engine does not start on the first try, turn the key to the off
position, wait 10 seconds and try Step 2 again. If the engine still fails to
start, press the accelerator to the floor and try Step 2 again, keeping the
accelerator on the floor until the engine begins to accelerate above
cranking speeds; this will allow the engine to crank with the fuel shut off
in case the engine is flooded with fuel.
Your vehicle may have remote start capability. Refer to Remote entry
system in the Locks and Security chapter.
Cold weather starting (flexible fuel vehicles only)
The starting characteristics of all grades of E 85
ethanol make it
unsuitable for use when ambient temperatures fall below 0°F (-18°C).
Consult your fuel distributor for the availability of winter grade ethanol.
As the outside temperature approaches freezing, ethanol fuel distributors
should supply winter grade ethanol (same as with unleaded gasoline). If
summer grade ethanol is used in cold weather conditions, 0°F to 32°F
(-18°C to 0°C), you may experience increased cranking times, rough idle
or hesitation until the engine has warmed up.
You may experience a decrease in peak performance when the engine is
cold when operating on E 85
ethanol.
Do not crank the engine for more than 10 seconds at a time as starter
damage may occur. If the engine fails to start, turn the key to off and
wait 30 seconds before trying again.
Do not use starting fluid such as ether in the air intake system. Such
fluid could cause immediate explosive damage to the engine and possible
personal injury.
If you should experience cold weather starting problems on E 85
ethanol,
and neither an alternative brand of E 85
ethanol nor an engine block
heater is available, the addition of unleaded gasoline to your tank will
improve cold starting performance. Your vehicle is designed to operate
on E 85
ethanol alone, unleaded gasoline alone, or any mixture of the two.
See Choosing the right fuel in the Maintenance and Specifications
chapter for more information on ethanol.Driving
268
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)

Parking brake
To set the parking brake, press the
parking brake pedal down until the
pedal stops.
The BRAKE warning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates and
remains illuminated until the
parking brake is released.
Pull the release lever to release the
parking brake. To prevent the pedal
from releasing too quickly, place
your left foot on the service brake
pedal, then slowly pull the release
lever until the pedal slowly releases.
Make sure that the pedal is fully
released. You may want to pull the
release lever again to make sure the
parking brake is fully released.
WARNING: Always set the parking brake fully and make sure
that the gearshift is securely latched in P (Park).
If you’re parking your vehicle on a grade or with a trailer, press and hold
the brake pedal down, then set the parking brake. There may be a little
vehicle movement as the parking brake sets to hold the vehicle’s weight.
This is normal and should be no reason for concern. If needed, press and
hold the service brake pedal down, then try reapplying the parking
brake. Chock the wheels if required. If the parking brake cannot hold the
weight of the vehicle, the parking brake may need to be serviced or the
vehicle may be overloaded. P!
BRAKE Driving
273
2012 F-250/350/450/550 (f23)
Owners Guide, 4th Printing
USA (fus)