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Driving on hills
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.
Avoid driving crosswise or turning on •
steep slopes or hills. A danger lies
in losing traction, slipping sideways
and possibly rolling over. Whenever
driving on a hill, determine
beforehand the route you will use.
Examine the conditions on the other •
side of a hill before driving over the
crest.
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 you do stall out, do not try to turn
around because you might roll over. It is
better to back down to a safe location.
Driving hints
Apply just enough power to the wheels
to climb the hill. Too much power will
cause the tyres to slip, spin or lose
traction, resulting in loss of vehicle
control.
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 manually shift 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 the vehicle.
Rapid pumping of the brake pedal
will help you slow the vehicle and still
maintain steering control.
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, apply
the brakes steadily. Do not “pump” the
brakes.
MAINTENANCE AND
MODIFICATIONS
The suspension and steering systems
on your vehicle have been designed
and tested to provide both reasonably
safe, predictable performance whether
loaded or empty, and durable load
carrying capability. For this reason, Ford
strongly recommends that you do not
make modi cations such as adding
or removing parts (such as lift kits or
stabiliser bars) or by using replacement
parts not equivalent to the original
factory equipment.
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