wheel alignment FORD FREESTAR 2006 1.G Owners Manual

•In order to turn off the domelamp, rotate the thumbwheel to the left.
The dome lamp will not illuminate if the control switch is in the OFF
position.
AIMING THE HEADLAMPS
The headlamps on your vehicle are properly aimed at the assembly plant.
If your vehicle has been in an accident the alignment of your headlamps
should be checked by your authorized dealer.
You will need a #2 Phillips screwdriver to make the adjustments.
Vertical aim adjustment
1. Park the vehicle directly in front of a wall or screen on a level surface,
approximately 25 feet (7.6 meters) away.
•(1) 8 feet (2.4 meters)
•(2) Center height of lamp to
ground
•(3) 25 feet (7.6 meters)
•(4) Horizontal reference line
2. Measure the height from the
center of your headlamp to the
ground and mark an 8 foot
(2.4 meter) horizontal reference line
on the vertical wall or screen at this
height (a piece of masking tape works well). The center of the lamp is
marked by a 0.5 mm circle on the headlamp lens.
3. Turn on the low beam headlamps to illuminate the wall or screen and
open the hood.
4. On the wall or screen you will
observe a light pattern with high
intensity flat segments at the top
edge of the pattern. If the flat edges
are not at the horizontal reference
line, the beam will need to be
adjusted.
2006 Freestar(win)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Lights
46

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 an 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 an 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.
Tire rotation
Rotating your tires at the recommended interval (as indicated in the
scheduled maintenance informationthat comes with your vehicle) will
help your tires wear more evenly, providing better tire performance and
longer tire life. Unless otherwise specified, rotate the tires approximately
every 5,000 miles (8,000 km).
2006 Freestar(win)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
186

•Front Wheel Drive (FWD)
vehicles (front tires at top of
diagram)
Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.
Note:If your tires show uneven wear ask an authorized dealer to check
for and correct any wheel misalignment, tire imbalance or mechanical
problem involved before tire rotation.
Note:Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire/wheel. A
dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that is
different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels. If
you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel it is intended for temporary use
only and should not be used in a tire rotation.
Note:After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
2006 Freestar(win)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
187

•Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
•Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
•You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if
unnecessary shifting between third and fourth gear occurs.
Unnecessary shifting of this type could result in reduced fuel
economy.
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant specificationsin
this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found inscheduled maintenance information.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] of weight carried).
•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
8–10 miles (12–16 km) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
•Close windows for high speed driving.
2006 Freestar(win)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
292

Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ..........134, 137, 139–141
Safety Canopy ...........................159
Safety defects, reporting ..........263
Safety
restraints ...........134, 137, 139–141
belt minder .............................143
extension assembly ................147
for adults .........................139–141
for children .....................162–163
Occupant Classification
Sensor ......................................135
safety belt maintenance .........147
warning light and
chime ...............................142–143
Safety seats for children ..........169
Safety Compliance
Certification Label ....................308
Seat belts
(see Safety restraints) .............134
Seats ..........................................109
child safety seats ....................169
front seats .......109–110, 112–113
memory seat ...................100, 113
second row seats ....115–116, 119
third row
seats .................119, 127, 131–133
SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ........................................106
Servicing your vehicle ..............270
Spare tire (see
Changing the Tire) ...........237, 239
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................302, 306
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................304, 306
Speed control ..............................68
Starting your vehicle ........212–214jump starting ..........................246
Steering wheel
controls ......................................71
tilting .........................................55
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................55
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)
Tires, Wheels and Loading ....194
Tires ...................................180–181
alignment ................................186
care ..........................................184
changing ..................237, 239, 241
checking the pressure ............182
inspecting and inflating .........182
label .........................................193
replacing ..................................188
rotating ....................................186
safety practices .......................185
sidewall information ...............188
snow tires and chains ............199
spare tire .................................238
terminology .............................181
tire grades ...............................181
treadwear ........................180, 185
Towing .......................................206
recreational towing .................211
trailer towing ..........................206
wrecker ....................................252
Transaxle
automatic operation ...............220
fluid, refill capacities ..............303
lubricant specifications ..........306
Transmission
brake-shift interlock (BSI) ....220
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................296
lubricant specifications ..........304
2006 Freestar(win)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
316