2004 Mercury Mountaineer Owner's Manual - Page 200

Roadside Emergencies WRECKER TOWING If you need to have your vehicle towed, contact a professional towing service or, if you are a member of a roadside assistance program, your roadside assistance service provider. It is recommended that your vehicle be towed with a wheel lift or flatbed equipment. Do not tow with a slingbelt. Ford Motor Company has not approved a slingbelt towing procedure. If the vehicle's battery is discharged, refer to Automatic transmission operation in the Driving chapter for directions on how to move the gearshift lever out of the P (Park) position, for proper towing. On 4x2 vehicles, it is acceptable to tow the vehicle with the front wheels on the ground (without dollies) and the rear wheels off the ground. On AWD vehicles, it is recommended that your vehicle be towed with a wheel lift and dollies or flatbed equipment with all the wheels off the ground. If the vehicle is towed by other means or incorrectly, vehicle damage may occur. Ford Motor Company produces a towing manual for all authorized tow truck operators. Have your tow truck operator refer to this manual for proper hook-up and towing procedures for your vehicle. 200 REVIEW COPY: 2004 Explorer (exp), Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) (own2002), Market: USA English (fus)