warning light LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1996 Customer Assistance Guide

This light comes on when the parking brake is
set, or if it is not set, it comes on briefly when
you turn the ignition to the START position. It
normally goes off shortly after the engine starts
and you release the parking brake. If the light
stays on after you have fully released the
parking brake, have the hydraulic brake system
serviced by your dealer or a qualified service
technician./!\WARNINGThe BRAKE light indicates that the brakesmay not be working properly. Have thebrakes checked immediately.Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
This light comes on for a few seconds when you
turn the ignition key to the START position. It
should go off shortly after the engine starts. If it
stays on longer than five (5) seconds, it indicates
that your anti-lock brake system may not be
working properly. Normal braking is not affected
unless the BRAKE system warning light also
remains on for longer than six (6) seconds. You
should have your vehicle serviced immediately by
your dealer or qualified service technician to restore
the benefits of the anti-lock feature. See Anti-lock
brakes in the Index for more information.
53

Engine Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light indicates the engine's oil pressure, not
the oil level. However, if your engine's oil level
is low, it could affect the oil pressure. The
light will come on briefly when you turn your
key to the START and ON position. The light
should stay off when the engine is running with
normal oil pressure. If the light comes on while
the engine is running, you have lost oil pressure
and continued operation will cause severe
engine damage.
54If you lose engine oil pressure:
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely possible.
2. Shut off the engine immediately or severe engine
damage could result.
3. Check the engine's oil level, following the
instructions on checking and adding engine oil,
see the Engine Oil in the Index. If you do not
follow these instructions, you or others could be
injured. To assure an accurate reading, your car
should be on level ground.
4. If the level is low, add only as much oil as
necessary before you start the engine again. Do
not overfill. Do not operate the engine if the light
is on, regardless of the oil level. Contact your
nearest dealer for further service actions.
For more information about adding oil, see Adding
engine oil in the Servicing Your Vehicle chapter.

This light comes on every time you turn the
ignition to the ON or START position (engine
offl. The light should go off when the engine
starts and the alternator begins to charge.
If the light stays on or comes on when the
engine is running, have the electrical system
checked as soon as possible.
Turn Signal Indicator Lights
When you push the turn signal lever up before
making a right turn, the right side arrow on the
instrument panel flashes.
When you push the turn signal lever down
before making a left turn, the left side arrow on
the instrument panel flashes.
Usually, the turn signals turn off automatically
after you turn your car. If the turn signal
continues to flash after you have made the turn,
push the lever back to the OFF position.
56If one or both of your turn indicators do not flash
or stay on continuously, have them serviced as
soon as possible. In the meantime, be sure to use
the accepted hand signals.
Service Engine Soon Warning Light
The Powertrain On-Board Diagnostic 11
(OBD 11) system consists of the hardware
and software necessary to monitor the
operation of the powertrain. The OBD 11
system is designed to check the function
of the vehicle's powertrain control system
during normal operation. If an emission
problem is detected, the Service Engine
Soon light (in the cluster) is turned on.

condition occurring. A warm up cycle consists
of engine start from a cold condition (engine at
ambient temperature) and running until the
engine reaches normal operating temperature.
On the fourth engine start up, the Service
Engine Soon light will turn off as soon as the
engine begins to crank. It is not necessary to
have the engine serviced.
Under certain conditions, the Service Engine
Soon Light may come on if the fuel cap is not
properly installed. If the Service Engine Soon
Light comes on and you suspect that the fuel
cap is not properly installed, pull off the road as
soon as it is safely possible and turn off the
engine. Remove and replace the cap, making
sure it is properly seated.
After completing the three consecutive warm
up cycles and on the fourth engine start up, the
Service Engine Soon Warning Light should
turn off. If the light does not go off after the
fourth engine re-start, have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer or a qualified
technician.
58High Beam LightThis light comes on when the headlamps are turned
to high beam or when you flash the lights.
Chime for Headlamps On
This chime sounds if the driver or any passenger
door is open when the parking lamps or headlamps
are on. The chime sounds until you close the door,
turn off the lamps or turn the ignition to the ON
position.

The Instrument Cluster
In addition to warning lights, the instrument
cluster has a message center/odometer, a
speedometer, tachometer, fuel and coolant
temperature gauges.
The Electronic Message Center (M/C)
The Electronic Message Center only works
when the ignition is in the ON position.
Each time the WC is powered the display goes
through a self test by displaying the PLEASE
FASTEN SEATBELT message. This self test
is used to stabilize the systems before reporting
the status to you.
60The message center tells you about the
condition of your vehicle by two methods: operator selectable features continuous warning reporting of
monitored systems
You can select different features for the M/C to
display by using the message center control
buttons located to the right of the instrument
cluster. You will hear a tone when you press one
of these buttons. However, if the M/C detects a
warning from any of the monitored systems, then
the M/C will display the appropriate warning
message.

Lincoln RESCU System
(If equipped)
Lincoln RESCU runs a self-test when you start
your vehicle. During this test, the Lincoln RESCU
warning light, located in the overhead console, will
briefly illuminate. If a problem is detected during
the self-check, the light will remain lit and the
message "RESCU FAILURE" will be displayed on
the vehicle's message center for several seconds.If the warning light fails to briefly illuminate
when you start your vehicle or if it remains
lit, have your Lincoln RESCU System
checked by an authorized Lincoln/Mercury
dealer as soon as possible. Your system may
be inoperative.
68

The high beam indicator light on the instrument
cluster will not be on.
NOTE:If you have a vehicle with an
automatic lighting system, the DRL system is
active until the automatic system turns on the
headlamps.
NOTE:You may notice that the lights
flicker when the vehicle is turned on or off. This
is a normal condition./!\WARNINGThe Daytime Running Light (DRL)system will not illuminate the taillamps and parking lamps. Turn onyour headlamps at dusk. Failure to doso may result in a collision.Turning On the Exterior Lights
To turn on the headlamps, parking lamps, side
markers, and tail lamps, use the rotary switch
that is to the left of the steering wheel.
82The knob for the exterior lights
To turn on the parking lamps, tail lamps,
and license plate lamps, turn the knob
clockwise to the first position.
For more information about how the high
beams work, refer to the Steering Column
Controls chapter.

If the turn signal stays on after you turn, move
the lever back to the center (off) position. A
warning chime will sound after approximately
one-half mile (one kilometer) of driving if you do
not return the lever to off.
For lane changes, move the lever far enough to
signal but not to latch. The lever will return to
the off position when you release it.
NOTE: The flash rate of the turn signal will
speed up considerably if the Lighting Control
Module detects a left or right turn lamp bulb
(front or rear) is burned out.
High Beams
To turn on the high beams, turn the headlamp
control switch to the headlamp ON position (or
activate the autolamp feature) and push the turn
signal lever away from you until it latches. When
the high beams are ON, the high beam indicator
light on the instrument cluster comes on.
90To turn off the high beams, pull the lever toward
you until it latches. The high beam indicator
light turns off.
Flashing the Lights
To flash the headlamps, pull the lever toward
you for a moment and then release it. The
headlamps will flash whether the headlamp knob
is in the on or off position.
Windshield Wipers and Washer
To turn on the windshield wipers, the ignition
key must be turned to the ON or ACC position.
Rotate the knob towards "S" to activate the
wipers. The first seven detents are interval wipe
positions, the eighth detent is the LO position
and the ninth detent is the HI position.
To turn the wipers off, turn the knob to the OFF
position.

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.
97

side mirrors are controlled by the setting on the
inside mirror.
There are two light sensors (photocells) in this
mirror. The sensor that detects rear glare is located
next to the switch. The second light sensor which
determines outside light level is located on the
backside of the mirror case.
One important safety feature is that the mirror
automatically returns to the normal position
whenever the vehicle is placed in R (Reverse) (when
the mirror is in the ON position). This feature
ensures a bright clear view in the mirror when
backing up.
Do not clean the housing or glass of any mirror with
harsh abrasives, fuel or other petroleum-based
cleaning products.
126Side View Mirrors
Your vehicle comes with electric side mirrors.
The side view mirror on the right is a convex
mirror. This mirror gives you a wider view of
the lanes on your right and behind you.
NOTE: When putting your vehicle in reverse,
both outside mirrors will tilt downward and
return to the adjusted position when taken out
of reverse. This feature can be disabled by
using the Menu Select button on the cluster. To
disable, press the menu button repeatedly until
"Reverse Mirrors" appears in the display, then
select OFF. To enable the reverse mirrors,
select ON./!\ WARNINGThe side view mirror on the right makesobjects appear smaller and farther awaythan they actually are.