Forced Downshifts - Ford 2001 Ranger Owner's Manual

Driving
Drive – Not shown on the display. Activate by pressing the transmission
control switch on the end of the gearshift lever with the gearshift in
the (Overdrive) position. The TCIL will illuminate on the instrument
cluster. Transmission operates in gears one through four. Drive (O/D
OFF) provides more engine braking than (Overdrive) and is useful
whenever driving conditions (i.e., city traffic, hilly terrain, etc.) cause the
transmission to excessively shift between (Overdrive) and other
gears. Deactivate (Overdrive) when:
• driving with a heavy load.
• towing a trailer up or down steep hills.
• additional engine braking is desired. If towing a trailer, refer to
Driving while you tow in the Trailer Towing section.
To return to (Overdrive) mode, press the transmission control
switch. The TCIL will no longer be illuminated.
Each time the vehicle is started, the transmission will automatically
return to normal (Overdrive) mode.
2 (Second)
Use 2 (Second) to start-up on
slippery roads or to provide
additional engine braking on
downgrades.
1 (First)
Use 1 (First) to provide maximum
engine braking on steep
downgrades. Upshifts can be made
by shifting to 2 (Second) or to
(Overdrive). Selecting 1 (Low) at
higher speeds causes the transmission to shift to a lower gear and will
shift to 1 (First) after the vehicle decelerates to the proper vehicle
speed.

Forced Downshifts

To gain acceleration in (Overdrive) or Drive (O/D OFF) when
passing another vehicle, push the accelerator to the floor. The
transmission will downshift to the appropriate gear: fourth, third, second
or first gear.
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