1996 Ford Explorer Owner's Manual - Page 254
1996 Ford Explorer Manual
Page 254 highlights
When you slow down or climb a steep hill, always downshift before the engine starts to lose power. Downshifting reduces the chance of stalling and gives your vehicle better acceleration to increase speed again. When you drive down steep hills, downshifting helps you keep a safe speed and helps prevent unnecessary wear on the brakes. When you come to a stop, do not downshift through each gear. Disengage the clutch and use the brake as necessary. Downshifting through the gears decreases your vehicle's fuel economy. RWARNING Continued use of a damaged or worn clutch, prolonged clutch slippage or downshifting at excessive speeds can result in a failure of the engine, transmission or clutch components. Transmission Function Upshift at the speeds specified in the chart. All forward gears are synchronized allowing you to shift into them with your vehicle in motion. The clutch pedal should be fully depressed when shifting. NOTE: Shifting during extremely low rpm's can result in a momentary audible rattle which disappears as vehicle rpm's are increased. Shifting at higher speeds will eliminate this sound. Parking To park your vehicle, apply the service brake pedal, and shift into N (Neutral) while still maintaining pressure on the service brake. Set the parking brake fully. Shift into first and turn off the ignition. 254