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Copyright © 2026 Ford Motor Company
Basic Off-Road Driving Techniques
Off-road Driving Hints
Before taking your vehicle off-roading, a basic vehicle inspection should be done to make sure that the vehicle is in top working condition. It is always recommended that at least two vehicles are used while off-roading. The buddy system helps make sure that help is close at hand should a vehicle become stuck or damaged. It is also wise to take supplies such as a first aid kit, supply of water, tow strap, cell or satellite phone with you any time an off-road excursion is planned.
- For vehicles that have front tow hook covers, before going off road, remove the two lower front tow hook covers. This allows easy access to the front recovery points in the event your vehicle becomes stuck. You can find the instructions in the Crash and Breakdown Information. See Accessing the Front Towing Point.
- Grip the steering wheel with thumbs on the outside of the rim. This will reduce the risk of injury due to abrupt steering wheel motions that occur when negotiating rough terrain.
- Throttle, brake and steering inputs should be made in a smooth and controlled manner. Sudden inputs to the controls can cause loss of traction or upset the vehicle, especially while on loose terrain or while crossing obstacles such as rocks or logs.
- Look ahead on your route noting upcoming obstacles, or any other factors which may indicate a change in available traction, and adjust the vehicle speed and route accordingly.
- When driving off-road, if the front or rear suspension is bottoming out and/or excessive contact with the skid-plates is encountered, reduce vehicle speed to avoid potential damage to the vehicle.
- When with other vehicles, it is recommended that communication is used, and the lead vehicle notify other vehicles of obstacles that could cause potential vehicle damage.
- Always keep available ground clearance in mind and pick a route that minimizes the risk of catching the underside of the vehicle on an obstacle.
- When negotiating low speed obstacles, applying light brake pressure in conjunction with the throttle will help prevent the vehicle from jerking and will allow you to negotiate the obstacle in a more controlled manner. Using 4L will also help with this.
- Off-roading requires a high degree of concentration. Even if your local law does not prohibit alcohol use while driving off-road, we strongly recommend against drinking if you plan to off-road.
Crossing Obstacles
- Review the path ahead before attempting to cross any obstacle. It is best if the obstacle is reviewed from outside the vehicle so that there is a good understanding of terrain condition both in front of and behind the obstacle.
- Approach obstacles slowly.
- If a large obstacle such as a rock cannot be avoided, choose a path that places the rock directly under the tire rather than the undercarriage of the vehicle. This will help prevent damage to the vehicle.
- Ditches and washouts should be crossed at a 45 ° angle, allowing each wheel to independently cross the obstacle.
Hill Climbing
WARNING:
Extreme care should be used when steering the vehicle in reverse down a slope so as not to cause the vehicle to swerve out of control. |
- Always attempt to climb a steep hill along the fall line of the slope and not diagonally.
- If the vehicle is unable to make it up the hill, DO NOT attempt to turn back down the slope. Place the vehicle in low range and slowly back down in reverse.
- When descending a steep slope, select low gear and engage hill descent control. Use the throttle and brake pedals to control your descent speed.
Note:
Hill descent control is functional in reverse and should be used in this situation.
High Speed Off-Roading
The off-road driving discussed thus far focuses on the type of events typically encountered during slow speed off-road driving conditions. Your vehicle provides excellent performance in a mid-size pick-up truck during these slower speed conditions, but truly excels at higher speed baja style off-road driving. High speed off-roading presents a unique challenge, therefore you need to take extra care and caution before engaging in this type of driving.
If you plan on using the truck for severe, high speed off-road use, we recommend the following:- Equip your truck with the safety equipment used for the Stock-Full Class as defined in the rule books for SCORE International Off-Road Racing (www.score-international.com).
- Use personal safety equipment including a SNELL SA certified helmet and approved neck restraint device.
- Before venturing off-road in unfamiliar areas at high speeds, do a low speed reconnaissance run (pre-run) to become aware of any obstacles that you will encounter.
Your vehicle has been engineered for off-road use beyond what is normal for a Ranger. However, it can incur damage if driven beyond its capabilities. We design skid plates, shock guards and running boards to help limit damage to vital components and exterior finishes, but we cannot prevent all damage if driven in extreme off-road conditions. We will not honor your warranty for damage to skid plates, shock guards, running boards and exterior finishes as well as bent, cracked or broken body, frame and chassis components.
It is important that you take the time to become familiar with the controls and dynamics of your vehicle before attempting higher speed off-roading.
Some points to consider:- Build up speed slowly. Initially, drive at a pace that allows ample time to fully assess the terrain around you and to understand how your vehicle responds to both the terrain and driver inputs. Increase pace as comfort increases while always being mindful of how the vehicle responds to various events at different speeds.
- Find a wide open place to experiment with different functions on the truck. Try a given maneuver with different vehicle settings (4H verses 4L), (differential locked verses unlocked) and see how the truck responds. Start slowly and build pace as comfort increases.
- Similarly, in a wide open space, experiment with different driving techniques. For example, if the vehicle is tending to push straight ahead when trying to negotiate a turn (understeering or plowing), a light application of the brake when turning may help rotate the truck. A wider entry to the corner or entering the corner more slowly may help the truck turn and allow you to apply the throttle sooner after negotiating the turn.
- Remember the phrase "smooth is fast". This refers to your steering, throttle, and brake movements. Smooth decisive movements improves results and helps to increase safety.
- As speed increases, it is wise to look farther ahead of the vehicle so that there is time to react to oncoming obstacles. Remember that in many off-road environments, obstacles are hard to see until they are relatively near. A good strategy is to alternate between looking far ahead and up close to the front of the vehicle as you are driving.
- Also, remember to drive what you can see. This means to not drive faster than you are able to negotiate unforeseen upcoming obstacles. This could refer to obstacles over a brow, in a ravine, in brush, in dusty conditions, and in the darkness, among others.
- If you are driving in a dusty area, be sure to leave ample distance between you and any other vehicles to allow for adequate vision.
- Always remember that you may not be the only one in a particular recreational area, always be cognizant of others in your area. This is especially true of motorcycles and ATV’s which may be more difficult to spot than a full-sized vehicle.
- If driving in desert conditions, it is advised that you always drive with your headlights on to help other drivers more easily see you.
- When driving in desert conditions, the midpoint of the day is the most difficult time to see many of the small ridges and dips due to flat shadows from the sun being at its highest point. Use extreme care at these times to not inadvertently run into these obstacles.
- We highly encourage you to switch to an off-road mode for off road operation. See
Selecting a Drive Mode - Excluding: Raptor.
See Selecting a Drive Mode - Excluding: Raptor.
See Selecting a Drive Mode - Raptor.
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North America
| Country | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 1-800-392-3673 (FORD) | |
| Canada | 1-800-565-3673 (FORD) | |
| Mexico | 1-800-719-8466 | |
| Guam | 1-800-392-3673 (FORD) | |
| North Mariana Islands | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Puerto Rico | (800) 841-3673 | prcac@ford.com |
| US Virgin Islands | (800) 841-3673 | prcac@ford.com |
IMG
| Country | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | nafcrc@ford.com | |
| Angola | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Benin | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Botswana | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Burkina FASO | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Burundi | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Cameroon | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Cape Verde | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Central African Republic | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Chad | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Comoros | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Dem Republic of Congo | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Djibuti | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Egypt | nafcrc@ford.com | |
| Equitorial Guinea | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Eritrea | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Ethiopia | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Gabon | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Gambia | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Ghana | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Guinea | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Guinea-Bissau | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Ivory Coast | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Kenya | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Liberia | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Libya | nafcrc@ford.com | |
| Madagascar | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Malawi | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Mauritania | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Mauritius | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Morocco | nafcrc@ford.com | |
| Mozambique | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Namibia | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Niger | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Nigeria | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Republic of Congo | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Rwanda | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Sao Tome and Principe | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Senegal | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Sychelles | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Sierra Leone | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| South Africa | 860011022 | fordcrc2@ford.com |
| South Sudan | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Swaziland | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Tanzania | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Togo | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Tunisia | nafcrc@ford.com | |
| Uganda | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Zambia | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| Zimbabwe | ssacrc@ford.com | |
| American Somoa | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Australia | (13 FORD) 13 3673 | foacust1@ford.com |
| Bangladesh | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Bhutan | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Brunei | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Cambodia | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Fiji | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| French Polynesia | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| India | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Indonesia | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Japan | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Laos | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Macao | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Malaysia | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Marshall Islands | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Mongolia | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Myanmar | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Nepal | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| New Caledonia | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| New Zealand | 0800 367 369 (FORDNZ) | fnzcust@ford.com |
| Pakistan | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Palau | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Papua New Guinea | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Philippines | 02-88669408 | emailus@ford.com |
| Singapore | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| South Korea | 82-2-1600-6003 | infokr1@ford.com |
| Sri Lanka | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Tahiti | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Thailand | 1383 | fordthai@ford.com |
| Timor Leste | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Vanuatu | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Vietnam | 1800588888 | fordvn@ford.com |
| Wallis and Futuna | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Western Somoa | apemcrc@ford.com | |
| Afghanistan | menacac@ford.com | |
| Bahrain | menacac@ford.com | |
| Iraq | menacac@ford.com | |
| Israel | 08-9139995 | service1@kelekmotors.co.il |
| Jordan | menacac@ford.com | |
| Kuwait | 965 1 898900 | menacac@ford.com |
| Lebanon | menacac@ford.com | |
| Oman | menacac@ford.com | |
| Qatar | menacac@ford.com | |
| Saudi Arabia | 8008443673 | menacac@ford.com |
| Syria | menacac@ford.com | |
| United Arab Emirates | 80004441066 | menacac@ford.com |
| Yemen | menacac@ford.com |
Greater China
| Country | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| China-Imported Vehicles | 400-690-1886 | |
| China-CAF | 951995 | |
| China-JMC | 400-003-1111 | |
| China-Lincoln | 400-988-6789 | |
| Taiwan | 0800-032100 | |
| Hong Kong | (852) 3768-4898 |
South America
| Country | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 0800-888-3673 | |
| Bolivia | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Brazil | 0800-703-3673 | central@ford.com |
| Chile | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Colombia | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Ecuador | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| French Guiana | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Guyana | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Paraguay | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Peru | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Suriname | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Uruguay | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Venezuela | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor |
Europe
| Country | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Albania | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Andorra | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Armenia | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Austria | 01 20 609 2424 | kundenz@ford.com |
| Azerbaijan | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Belarus | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Belgium | 32 2 700 67 76 | custfobe@ford.com |
| Bosnia | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Bulgaria | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Croatia | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Cyprus | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Czech Republic | 800 3673 29 | zakaznik@ford.com |
| Denmark | 43 68 2000 | crcdk@ford.com |
| Estonia | 372 6710 060 | ford@infoauto.ee |
| Falkland Islands | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Finland | 09 725 22022 | palvelut@ford.com |
| France | 0800 005 005 | crcfr@ford.com |
| Georgia | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Germany | 0221 9999 2 999 | kunden@ford.com |
| Girbraltar | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Greece | 216 900 88 99 | info11@ford.com |
| Hungary | +36 1 7777 555 | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor |
| Iceland | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Ireland | 1800 771 199 | crcirela@ford.com |
| Italy | 800 22 44 33 | tu@ford.com |
| Kazakhstan | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Latvia | +371 67303020 | |
| Liechtenstein | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Lithuania | 370 5216 8226 | forduzklausos@inchcape.lt |
| Luxembourg | +352 248 71 800 | custfobe@ford.com |
| Macedonia | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Malta | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Moldova | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Monaco | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Montenegro | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Netherlands | 70 7703 777 | klanten@ford.com |
| Norway | 47 66819739 | infonor@ford.com |
| Poland | 48 22 522 27 27 | kontakty@ford.com |
| Portugal | 800 210 373 | clientes@ford.com |
| Romania | 40 312298798 | crcro@ford.com |
| Russia | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| San Marino | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Serbia | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Serbia and Montenegro | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Slovakia | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Slovenia | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| South Georgia | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Spain | 900 80 70 90 | crcspain@ford.com |
| Sweden | 08-593 66 333 | fordkund@ford.com |
| Switzerland | 044 511 14 45 | assistch@ford.com |
| Turkey | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| Ukraine | Contact Your Local Ford Distributor | |
| United Kingdom | 020 3564 4444 | UKCRC1@ford.com |
Caribbean and Central America
| Country | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| Anguilla | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Antigua | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Aruba | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Bahamas | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Barbados | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Bermuda | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Bonaire and St. Eustatius | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Cayman Islands | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Curacao | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Dominica | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Dominican Republic | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Grenada | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Haiti | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Jamaica | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Martinique | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Montserrat | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| St. Lucia | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| St. Martin | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Trinidad and Tobago | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Turks and Caicos | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| British Virgin Islands | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Netherlands Antilles | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Belize | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Costa Rica | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| El Salvador | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Guatemala | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Honduras | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Nicaragua | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |
| Panama | (313) 594-4857 | expcac@ford.com |