FORD 2002 Excursion v.1 - Manual (Page 184)

• Be extremely careful when driving on pavement made slippery by
loose sand, water, gravel, snow or ice.
If your vehicle goes off the edge of the pavement
• If your vehicle goes off the edge of the pavement, slow down, but
avoid severe brake application, Ease the vehicle back onto the
pavement only after reducing your speed. Do not turn the steering
wheel too sharply while returning to the road surface.
• It may be safer to stay on the apron or shoulder of the road and slow
down gradually before returning to the pavement. You may loose
control if you do not slow down or if you turn the steering wheel too
sharply or abruptly.
• It often may be less risky to strike small inanimate objects, such as
highway reflectors, with minor damage to your vehicle rather than
attempt a sudden return to the pavement which could cause the
vehicle to slide sideways out of control or roll over. Remember, your
safety and the safety of others should be your primary concern.
If your vehicle gets stuck
If the vehicle is stuck it may be rocked out by shifting from forward and
reverse gears, stopping between shifts, in a steady pattern. Press lightly
on the accelerator in each gear.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few minutes or damage
to the transmission and tires may occur or the engine may
overheat.
Do not spin the wheels at over 56 km/h (35 mph). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Refer to Transmission temperature gauge in the Instrument cluster
chapter for transmission fluid temperature information.
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 will result in less vehicle control,
not more. Additionally, smooth variations of the accelerator and/or
brake pedal pressure should be utilized if changes in vehicle speed are
Driving
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