2000 Ford Explorer Sport Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 165

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 (Overdrive) and other transmission to excessively shift between 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 chapter. (Overdrive) mode, press the transmission control To return to 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. 165