Driving While You Tow - Ford 1996 Explorer Manual

Always replace a fuse with one that has the specified
amperage rating. Using a fuse with a higher amperage
rating can cause severe wire damage and could start a
fire.

Driving while you tow

Be especially careful when driving while you tow a trailer.
Never drive faster than 45 mph (70 km/h) when you tow in
hilly country on hot days. Also, anticipate stops so that you can
brake gradually.
If you use the speed control while you are towing on very long,
steep grades, the speed control may shut off.
When towing a trailer in hilly terrain, with a vehicle equipped
with a 4R44E/4R55E/4R70W transmission, you may wish to
operate in O/D OFF (3rd gear) rather than j (Overdrive). This
will eliminate excessive downshifting and upshifting to maintain
speed. Shift back to j (Overdrive) whenever practical for
optimum powertrain cooling and fuel economy. This can be
accomplished by pushing in the transmission control switch
which is located on the end of the gearshift lever.
When descending a steep grade with a trailer, operate in Drive
rather than Overdrive. If additional braking is needed, shift the
automatic transmission gearshift into 2 (Second) gear or 1 (Low).
Driving Your Explorer
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