Ford Super Duty (2017 year). Manual — part 53

Basic Operating Principles

•

Drive slower in strong crosswinds which
can affect the normal steering
characteristics of your vehicle.

•

When driving your vehicle on surfaces
made slippery by loose sand, water,
gravel, snow or ice proceed with care.

•

Do not use 4H or 4L on dry, hard
surfaced roads. Doing so will produce
excessive noise, increase tire wear and
may damage drive components. 4H or
4L modes are only intended for
consistently slippery or loose surfaces.

If Your Vehicle leaves the Road

If your vehicle leaves the road, reduce your
vehicle speed and avoid severe braking.
When your vehicle speed has been reduced
ease your vehicle back onto the road. Do
not turn the steering wheel sharply while
returning your vehicle to the road.

It may be safer to stay on the shoulder of
the road and slow down gradually before
returning to the road. You may lose control
if you do not slow down or if you turn the
steering wheel too sharply or abruptly.

It may be less risky to strike small objects,
such as freeway reflectors, with minor
damage to your vehicle rather than
attempt a sudden return to the road which
could cause your vehicle to slide sideways
out of control or roll over. Remember, your
safety and the safety of others should be
your primary concern.

Emergency Maneuvers

In an unavoidable emergency situation
where a sudden sharp turn must be made,
remember to avoid over-driving your
vehicle (i.e. turn the steering wheel only as
rapidly and as far as required to avoid the
emergency). Excessive steering can result
in loss of vehicle control. Apply smooth
pressure to the accelerator pedal or brake
pedal when changes in vehicle speed are

required. Avoid abrupt steering,
acceleration and braking. This could result
in an increased risk of vehicle roll over, loss
of vehicle control and personal injury. Use
all available road surface to bring your
vehicle to a safe direction of travel.

In the event of an emergency stop, avoid
skidding the tires and do not attempt any
sharp steering wheel movements.

If your vehicle goes from one type of
surface to another (i.e. from concrete to
gravel) there will be a change in the way
your vehicle responds to a maneuver (i.e.
steering, acceleration or braking).

Sand

When driving over sand, try to keep all four
wheels on the most solid area of the trail.
Avoid reducing the tire pressures but shift
to a lower gear and drive steadily through
the terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly
and avoid excessive wheel slip.

When driving at slow speeds in deep sand
under high outside temperatures, use a low
gear when possible. Low gear operation
will maximize the engine and transmission
cooling capability.

Avoid driving at excessive speeds, this
causes vehicle momentum to work against
you and your vehicle could become stuck
to the point that assistance may be
required from another vehicle. Remember,
you may be able to back out the way you
came if you proceed with caution.

Mud and Water

Mud

Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle
speed or direction when you are driving in
mud. Even four-wheel drive vehicles can
lose traction in slick mud. If your vehicle
does slide, steer in the direction of the slide
until you regain control of your vehicle.

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(If Equipped)

After driving through mud, clean off residue
stuck to rotating driveshafts and tires.
Excess mud stuck on tires and rotating
driveshafts can cause an imbalance that
could damage drive components.

Water

If you must drive through high water, drive
slowly. Traction or brake capability may
be limited.

When driving through water, determine the
depth and avoid water higher than the
bottom of the hubs. If the ignition system
gets wet, your vehicle may stall.

Once through water, always try the brakes.
Wet brakes do not stop your vehicle as
effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be
improved by applying light pressure to the
brake pedal while moving slowly.

Note: Driving through deep water may
damage the transmission. If the front or rear
axle is submerged in water, the axle
lubricant and power transfer unit lubricant
should be checked and changed if
necessary.

Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain

Although natural obstacles may make it
necessary to travel diagonally up or down
a hill or steep incline, you should always
try to drive straight up or straight down.

Note: Avoid turning on steep slopes or hills.
A danger lies in losing traction, slipping
sideways and possible vehicle roll over.
Whenever driving on a hill, determine
beforehand the route you will use. Do not
drive over the crest of a hill without seeing
what conditions are on the other side. Do
not drive in reverse over a hill without the
aid of an observer.

When climbing a steep slope or hill, start
in a lower gear rather than downshifting to
a lower gear from a higher gear once the
ascent has started. This reduces strain on
the engine and the possibility of stalling.

If your vehicle stalls, do not try to turn
around because this could cause vehicle
roll over. It is better to reverse back to a
safe location.

Apply just enough power to the wheels to
climb the hill. Too much power will cause
the tires to slip, spin or lose traction,
resulting in loss of vehicle control.

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Descend a hill in the same gear you would
use to climb up the hill to avoid excessive
brake application and brake overheating.
Do not descend in neutral. Disengage
overdrive or move the transmission
selector lever to a lower gear. When
descending a steep hill, avoid sudden hard
braking as you could lose control. The front
wheels have to be turning in order to steer
your vehicle.

If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, apply
the brakes steadily. Do not pump the
brakes.

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Driving on Snow and Ice

WARNING

If you are driving in slippery
conditions that require tire chains or
cables, then it is critical that you drive

cautiously. Keep speeds down, allow for
longer stopping distances and avoid
aggressive steering to reduce the chances
of a loss of vehicle control which can lead
to serious injury or death. If the rear end of
your vehicle slides while cornering, steer in
the direction of the slide until you regain
control of your vehicle.

Note: Excessive tire slippage can cause
transmission damage.

Four-wheel drive vehicles have advantages
over two-wheel drive vehicles in snow and
ice but can skid like any other vehicle.
Should you start to slide while driving on
snowy or icy roads, turn the steering wheel
in the direction of the slide until you regain
control.

Avoid sudden applications of power and
quick changes of direction on snow and
ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and
steadily when starting from a full stop.

Avoid sudden braking. Although a
four-wheel drive vehicle may accelerate
better than a two-wheel drive vehicle in
snow and ice, it will not stop any faster as
braking occurs at all four wheels. Do not
become overconfident as to road
conditions.

Make sure you allow sufficient distance
between you and other vehicles for
stopping. Drive slower than usual and
consider using one of the lower gears. In
emergency stopping situations, apply the
brake steadily. Do not pump the brake
pedal. See Hints on Driving With
Anti-Lock Brakes (page 222).

If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck In Mud or
Snow

WARNING

Do not spin the wheels at over
34 mph (55 km/h). The tires may fail
and injure a passenger or bystander.

If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow,
it may be rocked out by shifting between
forward and reverse gears, stopping
between shifts in a steady pattern. Press
lightly on the accelerator in each gear.

Note: Do not rock your vehicle if the engine
is not at normal operating temperature,
damage to the transmission may occur.

Note: Do not rock your vehicle for more
than a minute, damage to the transmission
and tires may occur or the engine may
overheat.

Parking

WARNINGS

If the parking brake is fully released,
but the brake warning lamp remains
illuminated, the brakes may not be

working properly. Have your vehicle
checked as soon as possible.

Always set the parking brake and
leave your vehicle with the
transmission in park (P).

On some four-wheel drive vehicles, when
the transfer case is in the N (Neutral)
position, the engine and transmission are
disconnected from the rest of the driveline.
Therefore, the vehicle is free to roll even if
the automatic transmission is in P (Park)
or the manual transmission is in gear. Do
not leave the vehicle unattended with the
transfer case in the N (Neutral) position.
Always set the parking brake fully and turn
off the ignition when leaving the vehicle.

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(If Equipped)

Maintenance and Modifications

The suspension and steering systems on
your vehicle have been designed and
tested to provide predictable performance
whether loaded or empty. For this reason,
we strongly recommend that you do not
make modifications such as adding or
removing parts (i.e. lift kits or stabilizer
bars) or by using replacement parts not
equivalent to the original factory
equipment.

We recommend that you use caution when
your vehicle has either a high load or device
(i.e. ladder or luggage racks). Any
modifications to your vehicle that raise the
center of gravity may cause your vehicle
to roll over when there is a loss of vehicle
control.

Failure to maintain your vehicle correctly
may void the warranty, increase your repair
cost, reduce vehicle performance and
operational capabilities and adversely
affect you and your passenger's safety. We
recommend you frequently inspect your
vehicle's chassis components when your
vehicle is subject to off road usage.

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(If Equipped)