Roadside Emergencies -> JUMP STARTING YOUR VEHICLE for Your Ford Explorer SUV Third Generation (2002-2005)

Roadside Emergencies  
2. Replace beauty cap, stow the jack and tools in their respective  
locations, making sure they are fully secured so they do not rattle when  
you drive.  
JUMP STARTING YOUR VEHICLE  
The gases around the battery can explode if exposed to flames,  
sparks, or lit cigarettes. An explosion could result in injury or  
vehicle damage.  
Batteries contain sulfuric acid which can burn skin, eyes and  
clothing, if contacted.  
Do not attempt to push-start your vehicle. Automatic  
transmissions do not have push-start capability; doing so may  
damage the catalytic converter.  
Preparing your vehicle  
When the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the  
transmission must relearn its shift strategy. As a result, the transmission  
may have firm and/or soft shifts. This operation is considered normal and  
will not affect function or durability of the transmission. Over time, the  
adaptive learning process will fully update transmission operation.  
1. Use only a 12–volt supply to start your vehicle.  
2. Do not disconnect the battery of the disabled vehicle as this could  
damage the vehicle’s electrical system.  
3. Park the booster vehicle close to the hood of the disabled vehicle  
making sure the two vehicles do not touch. Set the parking brake on  
both vehicles and stay clear of the engine cooling fan and other moving  
parts.  
4. Check all battery terminals and remove any excessive corrosion before  
you attach the battery cables. Ensure that vent caps are tight and level.  
5. Turn the heater fan on in both vehicles to protect any electrical  
surges. Turn all other accessories off.  
Connecting the jumper cables  
1. Connect the positive (+) jumper cable to the positive (+) terminal of  
the discharged battery.  
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2003 Explorer (exp)  
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)  
USA English (fus)  
Roadside Emergencies  
Note: In the illustrations, lightning bolts are used to designate the  
assisting (boosting) battery.  
2. Connect the other end of the positive (+) cable to the positive (+)  
terminal of the assisting battery.  
3. Connect the negative (-) cable to the negative (-) terminal of the  
assisting battery.  
4. Make the final connection of the negative (-) cable to the provided  
jumpstarting bolt.  
201  
2003 Explorer (exp)  
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)  
USA English (fus)  
Roadside Emergencies  
Do not use fuel lines, engine rocker covers or the intake manifold as  
grounding points.  
Do not connect the end of the second cable to the negative (-)  
terminal of the battery to be jumped. A spark may cause an  
explosion of the gases that surround the battery.  
4.0L Engine  
202  
2003 Explorer (exp)  
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)  
USA English (fus)  
Roadside Emergencies  
4.6L Engine  
5. Ensure that the cables are clear of fan blades, belts, moving parts of  
both engines, or any fuel delivery system parts.  
Jump starting  
1. Start the engine of the booster vehicle and run the engine at  
moderately increased speed.  
2. Start the engine of the disabled vehicle.  
3. Once the disabled vehicle has been started, run both engines for an  
additional three minutes before disconnecting the jumper cables.  
Removing the jumper cables  
Remove the jumper cables in the reverse order that they were  
connected.  
1. Remove the jumper cable from the ground metal surface.  
203  
2003 Explorer (exp)  
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)  
USA English (fus)  
Roadside Emergencies  
2. Remove the jumper cable on the negative (-) connection of the  
booster vehicle’s battery.  
3. Remove the jumper cable from the positive (+) terminal of the booster  
vehicle’s battery.  
204  
2003 Explorer (exp)  
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)  
USA English (fus)  
Roadside Emergencies  
4. Remove the jumper cable from the positive (+) terminal of the  
disabled vehicle’s battery.  
After the disabled vehicle has been started and the jumper cables  
removed, allow it to idle for several minutes so the engine computer can  
relearn its idle conditions.  
205  
2003 Explorer (exp)  
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)  
USA English (fus)