brake LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1996 Customer Assistance Guide

NOTE: If your speed increases above your set
speed while driving in (Overdrive) on a
downhill grade, you may want to shift to D
(Drive) to reduce vehicle speed. The speed
control cannot reduce the vehicle speed if it goes
above your set speed on a downhill grade. For
the best fuel economy during normal driving
conditions, leave the shift select in (Overdrive), or resume as soon as practical./! WARNINGDo not use the speed control in heavytraffic or on roads that are winding,slippery, or unpaved.Accelerating With the Speed Control
Operating
You can use the accelerator pedal to speed up
momentarily. When you take your foot off the
accelerator, the vehicle will return to the set
speed.Resetting the Speed Control
To reset the speed control to a lower speed, use
one of the following procedures: COAST - Press and hold the COAST switch.
Release the switch when the vehicle slows down
to the desired speed. Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the vehicle
attains the desired speed, press the SET
ACCEL switch and release it immediately. TAP-DOWN - Press and release the COAST
switch momentarily for each m.p.h. (1.6 km/h)
reduction in speed desired.
If vehicle speed is reduced below 30 mph (50
km/h) by any of the above methods, then you must
manually accelerate to a speed over 30 mph (50
km/h) and reset the system.
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To reset the speed control to a higher speed,
follow one of these procedures: ACCEL - Press and hold the SET ACCEL
switch. Release the switch when the vehicle
has accelerated to the desired speed. Depress the accelerator pedal. When the
vehicle attains the desired speed, press the
SET ACCEL switch and release it
immediately. TAP-UP - Press and release the SET ACCEL
switch momentarily for each m.p.h. (1.6 km/h)
increase in speed desired.
To Cancel Speed Control
Speed control can be cancelled at any time by
pressing the brake pedal slightly. After
cancelling, you can return to the speed you set by
pressing the RES switch, or set a new speed by
pressing the SET ACCEL or COAST switches.
98To Turn Speed Control Off
Press the OFF switch.
Speed control is also turned OFF each time the
vehicle ignition is shut off.
Cancelling and Resuming a Set Speed
If you press the brake pedal, speed control is
suspended. You can return to the set speed by
pressing the RES switch, as long as you did not
press the OFF switch. You must be driving at least
30 mph (48 km/h).
Your vehicle will gradually return to the previously
set speed and then maintain it.

Positive Retention Driver's Side Floor
Mat
Installing the floor mat
Position the floor mat in foot well. Place mat eyelet
over pointed end of retention post from the rear and
rotate forward to install. Adjust floor mat position
to allow proper operation of accelerator pedal and
brake pedal.
138Must be Positioned 1 inch (25.5 mm) Away From Brake Pedal And Accelerator Pedal All Around To Front of
Vehicle Seat track floor matThe positive retention floor mat

Driving Your ContinentalYour vehicle has an automatic overdrive
transaxle. You may be familiar with the term
"transmission." We use transaxle because it is a
more accurate term for vehicles that have front-
wheel drive.
Driving with an Automatic
Overdrive Transaxle
Your automatic overdrive transaxle provides
fully automatic operation in either (Overdrive) or D (Drive). Driving with the shift
selector in (Overdrive) gives the best fuel
economy for normal driving conditions. For
manual control, start in 1 (First) and then shift
manually.
Your vehicle is equipped with an Electronic
Powertrain Control Module that limits engine
and/or vehicle speeds with a cut-out mode to
promote durability.Putting Your Vehicle in Gear
Your vehicle's gearshift can be on the column
or on the console./! WARNINGHold the brake pedal down while youmove the gearshift lever from position toposition. If you do not hold the brakepedal down, your vehicle may moveunexpectedly and injure someone.179

To operate:
1.Start the engine.
2.Depress and hold the brake pedal.
3.Depress the thumb button (console-mounted
gearshift only).
4.Move the gearshift lever out of P (Park).
Your vehicle is equipped with a Brake Shift
Interlock safety feature. This feature prevents
the gearshift from being moved from the P
(Park) position until the brake pedal is
depressed. This feature is active when the
ignition is in the ON position. If the gearshift
lever CANNOT be moved from P (Park) with
the brake pedal depressed:
1.Turn the engine off and remove the ignition
key.
2.Apply parking brake.
3.Reinsert the ignition key and turn clockwise
to the first position (OFF).
1804.Depress the brake pedal, depress the
thumb button (console-mounted gearshift
only), move the gearshift lever to N
(Neutral) and start the engine.
If you need to shift out of P (Park) by using
the alternate procedure described above, it is
possible that a fuse has blown and that your
brakelamps may also not be functional.
Please refer to the Servicing Your
Continental chapter for instructions on
checking and replacing fuses./! WARNINGDO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLEUNTIL YOU VERIFY THAT THEBRAKELAMPS ARE WORKING.

Using a column-mounted gearshift
If your gearshift is on the column, you can use
any of the following positions:Park neutral reverst overdrive drive first
The positions of the column-mounted gearshiftOnce you place the gearshift securely into
position, gradually release the brake pedal and use
the accelerator as necessary.
181

Using a console-mounted gearshift
(If equipped)
Thumb button Park Reverse Neutral Drive FirstThe console-mounted gearshift
182The console-mounted gearshift thumb button and
brake pedal must be depressed to move the
gearshift lever out of P (Park). The thumb button
pops out automatically when the gearshift latches
into position. Once the gearshift is secure,
gradually release the brake pedal and use the
accelerator as necessary.
Gear Selection (Column- and
Console-Mounted Control)
R (Reverse)
With the gearshift in the R (Reverse) position, the
vehicle will move backward. You should always
come to a complete stop before shifting into or out
of R (Reverse).
N (Neutral)
With the gearshift in the N (Neutral) position, the
vehicle can be started and is free to roll. Hold the
brake pedal down while in this position.

/!\ WARNINGAlways set the parking brake fully and makesure that the gearshift is securely latched in P(Park). Never leave your vehicle unattendedwhile it is running.You can tell a column-mounted gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park) if the lever is adjacent to the P
(Park) and you cannot move it without pulling it
toward you and rotating it downward.
You can tell a console-mounted gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park) if the lever is adjacent to the P
(Park) and you cannot move it without pushing in the
thumb button.
The gearshift will lock when you turn the key to the
LOCK position. When the gearshift is in any
position except P (Park), the ignition key cannot be
turned to the LOCK position or removed from the
steering column. To remove the key, the gearshift
lever must be in P (Park).
184Traction ControlÔ Ô (If equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with the
optional Traction ControlÔ, system. This
system helps prevent wheel spin in order to
improve tire traction and is an especially useful
feature when you drive in hilly areas or on
slippery, icy or snowy roads.
When the Traction Control system is
controlling wheelspin, an electric motor sound
may be heard from the engine compartment and
engine acceleration may seem slower. This is
normal.
Traction ControlÔ works automatically by
rapidly applying and releasing the brakes and
reducing engine torque to prevent one or both
of the front drive wheels from spinning during
acceleration.
During the Traction ControlÔ function, which
most often occurs during low speed
acceleration on slippery surfaces, a noise may
be heard coming from the engine compartment.
This is normal and may last for a few seconds
during the acceleration of the vehicle.

In general, this system improves your vehicle's
stability and acceleration performance when road
conditions warrant. Traction ControlÔ is fully
effective at all vehicle speeds.
If the Traction ControlÔ system is cycled
excessively, the brake portion of the system will shut
down to prevent the front brakes from overheating.
A limited Traction ControlÔ function using engine
torque will still control wheels from spinning. A
cooling down period is required to prevent damage
to the brakes. This time period varies and depends
on brake usage during the cooling down period.
Anti-Lock braking is not affected and will function
normally during the cool down period.
After the cool down period, the full Traction
ControlÔ' function is restored.Steering Your Vehicle
Your vehicle comes with power steering.
Power steering uses energy from the engine to
help steer your vehicle.
If the amount of effort needed to steer your
vehicle changes, check your steering effort
selection in the Message Center. If this is not
the problem, have the power steering system
checked. If the power steering system breaks
down (or if the engine is turned off), you can
steer the vehicle manually but it takes more
effort.
The steering system in your vehicle is speed
sensitive. This means that the steering effort is
light for parking and heavier for highway
driving. However, if you have to swerve
around an object or another vehicle, your
steering will have full power assist.
185

Brakes
Applying the Brakes
Your vehicle has anti-lock disc brakes on all four
wheels. They adjust automatically as the brake pads
wear down.
When you press down hard on the brake pedal, the
wheels will not lock and slide. The Anti-lock Brake
System (ABS) automatically starts releasing and
reapplying the front brakes independently and the
rear brakes together whenever your wheels start to
lock. When this happens, you will feel the brake
pedal pulsate. This is an indication that the ABS
system is working correctly and is normal.
Each time you turn the ignition key to the ON
position, the anti-lock brake system will function
through one test cycle. When this happens, the ANTI-
LOCK light will come on for up to five seconds and a
clunk may be felt in the pedal. If the light stays on
longer than five seconds, shut off theengine and restart. If it remains on, it means the
anti-lock brake system is disabled and should be
serviced immediately to restore the benefits of
the anti-lock feature. Normal braking is not
affected unless the brake warning light is also lit.
The And-lock Brake System has self-check
capabilities. As described above, the system
turns on the ANTI-LOCK light each time you
start your engine. After the engine is started
and the ANTI-LOCK light turns off, the system
performs another test the first time the vehicle
reaches 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h). The system turns
on the ABS pump motor for approximately 1/2
second. At this time, a mechanical noise may
be heard. This is a normal part of the self-
check feature. If a malfunction is found during
this check the ANTI-LOCK light will come on.
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal; you will wear out the linings and
increase your vehicle's stopping distance.
Brake rotor damage may also eventually occur.
187