2000 Ford F250 Owner's Manual - Page 11

Instrumentation What you should do if the Service Engine Soon light illuminates Light turns on solid: This means that the OBD II system has detected a malfunction. Temporary malfunctions may cause your Service Engine Soon light to illuminate. Examples are: 1. The vehicle has run out of fuel. (The engine may misfire or run poorly.) 2. Poor fuel quality or water in the fuel. 3. The fuel cap may not have been properly installed and securely tightened. These temporary malfunctions can be corrected by filling the fuel tank with high quality fuel of the recommended octane and/or properly installing and securely tightening the gas cap. After three driving cycles without these or any other temporary malfunctions present, the Service Engine Soon light should turn off. (A driving cycle consists of a cold engine startup followed by mixed city/highway driving.) No additional vehicle service is required. If the Service Engine Soon light remains on, have your vehicle serviced at the first available opportunity. Light is blinking: Engine misfire is occurring which could damage your catalytic converter. You should drive in a moderate fashion (avoid heavy acceleration and deceleration) and have your vehicle serviced at the first available opportunity. Under engine misfire conditions, excessive exhaust temperatures could damage the catalytic converter, the fuel system, interior floor coverings or other vehicle components, possibly causing a fire. Service engine soon (California only) Your vehicle is equipped with a SERVICE computer that monitors the engine's ENGINE emission control system. This SOON system is commonly known as the On Board Diagnostics System (OBD II). This OBD II system protects the environment by ensuring that your vehicle continues to meet 11