Ford 2000 Excursion Automobile User Manual


 
Consult your local motor vehicle speed regulations for towing a trailer.
Use a lower gear when towing up or down steep hills. This will
eliminate excessive downshifting and upshifting for optimum fuel
economy and transmission cooling.
Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
Exceeding the GCWR rating may cause internal transmission
damage and void your warranty coverage.
Servicing after towing
If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more
frequent service intervals. Refer to your scheduled maintenance guide for
more information.
Trailer towing tips
Practice turning, stopping and backing up before starting on a trip to
get the feel of the vehicle trailer combination. When turning, make
wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles.
Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached.
The trailer tongue weight should be no more than 10–15% of the
loaded trailer weight.
After you have traveled 80 km (50 miles), thoroughly check your
hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts.
When stopped in traffic for long periods of time in hot weather, place
the gearshift in P (Park) (automatic transmissions) or N (Neutral)
(manual transmissions). This aids engine cooling and air conditioner
efficiency.
Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. If you must
park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer’s wheels.
Launching or retrieving a boat
When backing down a ramp during boat launching or retrieval,
Do not allow the static water level to rise above the bottom edge of
the rear bumper and
Do not allow waves to break higher than 15 cm (6 inches) above the
bottom edge of the rear bumper.
Disconnect the trailer tow electrical connector to prevent blown fuses
caused by water entering into your trailer’s electrical wiring.
Driving
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