2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Owner Guide 6th Printing - Page 130

Starting -18 degrees C (0 degrees F). If you experience this condition you may find that a different brand of winter grade (Ed85) (if available in your area) improves the performance of your vehicle. Cold starting performance can also be improved with the use of an engine block heater. The engine block heater is available as a Ford option and can also be obtained from your Ford dealer. Consult the engine block heater section for proper use of the engine block heater. If you should experience cold weather starting problems on (Ed85) ethanol, and neither an alternative brand of (Ed85) ethanol nor an engine block heater is available, the addition of unleaded gasoline to your tank will improve cold starting performance. Your vehicle is designed to operate on (Ed85) ethanol alone, unleaded gasoline alone, or any mixture of the two. If the engine fails to start using the preceding instructions 1. Press the accelerator pedal 1/3 to 1/2 of the way to floor and hold. 2. Turn the key to START position. 3. When the engine starts, release the key, then release the accelerator pedal gradually as the engine speeds up. 4. If the engine still fails to start, repeat steps one through three. 5. After the engine starts, hold your foot on the brake pedal, put the gearshift lever in gear and release the parking brake. Slowly release the brake pedal and drive away in a normal manner. Using the engine block heater (if equipped) An engine block heater warms the engine coolant, which improves starting, warms up the engine faster and allows the heater-defroster system to respond quickly. Use of an engine block heater is strongly recommended if you live in a region where temperatures reach -23° C (-10° F) or below. For best results, plug the heater in at least three hours before starting the vehicle. Using the heater for longer than three hours will not harm the engine, so the heater can be plugged in the night before starting the vehicle. To prevent electrical shock, do not use your heater with ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged (cheater) adapters. 130