check engine LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1997 Owners Manual

12Engine Oil Pressure Warning LightThis 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.If 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,
seeEngine Oilin 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, seeAdding
engine oilin theMaintenance and Carechapter.
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13
Traction ControlHActive Light
(If equipped)This light comes on when the Traction ControlH
system begins applying and releasing the brakes and
adjusting the engine characteristics to limit a
wheelspin condition.
It will be lit for a minimum of six seconds or for
the duration of the Traction ControlHevent.
Charging System LightThis light indicates that your battery is not being
charged and that you need to have the electrical
system checked.
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14This light illuminates every time you turn the
ignition to the ON or START position (engine off).
The light should go off when the engine starts and
the alternator begins to charge.
If the light stays on or illuminates when the engine
is running, have the electrical system checked as
soon as possible.Turn Signal Indicator LightsWhen 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 vehicle. If the turn signal continues
to flash after you have made the turn, push the
lever back to the OFF position.
If 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 LightThis light illuminates when the engine's Emission
Control System requires service. It will also
illuminate when the ignition key is in the ON
position and the engine is off.
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183. Let the engine cool.DO NOT REMOVE
COOLANT SYSTEM FILL CAP UNTIL THE
ENGINE IS COOL.
4. Check the coolant level following the
instructions on checking and adding coolant to
your engine, seeEngine Coolantin the Index.
If you do not follow these instructions, you or
others could be injured.
If the coolant continues to overheat, have the
coolant system serviced as soon as possible.Fuel GaugeThe fuel gauge displays approximately how much
fuel you have in the fuel tank. The ignition switch
must be in the OFF position while filling the tank
with at least three gallons (11 liters) for the fuel
gauge to indicate the new level. If the ignition is
left ON or less than 3 gallons (11 liters) of fuel are
added the fuel gauge will not immediately indicate
the new fuel level. The gauge will gradually correct
itself to indicate the true fuel level.
The Electronic Message Center
(M/C)The Electronic Message Center only works when
the ignition is in the ON position.
Each time the M/C 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.
The message center tells you about the condition of
your vehicle by two methods:q
operator selectable features
q
continuous warning reporting of monitored
systems
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20These features are controlled by the message center
(M/C) control buttons located to the right of the
instrument cluster.System CheckPressing the SYSTEM CHECK button causes the
M/C to cycle through a status of each of the
systems being monitored. For each of the monitored
systems, the M/C will indicate either an OK
message or a warning message for three seconds.
The sequence of the system check report is as
follows:q
Washer Fluid Level
q
Ride Control
q
Oil Level
q
Engine Coolant Level
q
Voltage Level
q
Engine Temperature
q
Doors Closed (Driver and Right Side)
q
Trunk Closed
q
Exterior Lamps (Head, Front Turn, Brake and
Tail)
q
Distance to Empty
q
Fuel Level
q
Traction Control (if equipped)
System WarningsSystem warnings alert you to possible problems or
malfunctions in your vehicle's operating systems.
There are up to 18 warning messages which can be
displayed by the M/C to show the status of the
monitored systems. The M/C will display the last
selected feature if there are no more warning
messages. This allows you to use the full
functionality of the M/C after you acknowledge the
warning by pressing the RESET button and clearing
the warning message.
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54NOTE:The outside temperature reading is most
accurate when the vehicle is moving. Higher
readings may be obtained when the vehicle is not
moving. The readings that you get may not agree
with temperatures given on the radio due to
differences in vehicle and station locations.Operating tipsThe following tips will help you to get the most
satisfaction from your Electronic Automatic
Temperature Control system.q
In humid weather, select DEFVbefore
starting your engine. This will help to prevent
windshield fogging. After a few minutes of
operation, switch to AUTOMATIC or an
override selection of your choice.
q
To prevent humidity buildup inside your
vehicle, always drive with the EATC System
turned on.
q
Do not put objects under the front seats that
interfere with the flow of air to the back seat
area.
q
Remove any snow, ice, or leaves from the air
intake area of your EATC System which could
block the air intake. The intake area is located
at the bottom of the windshield, under the
hood at the passenger side rear corner.
ServiceIf your EATC is not operating as described here,
take it to your dealer to have it checked. System
diagnostics are built in which will allow your dealer
to readily identify problems that might occur.Passenger Compartment Air FilterYour vehicle has an air filter that removes pollen
and road dust from outside air before it is directed
to the interior of the vehicle. For maintenance of
this filter, see theMaintenance and Carechapter.
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171
DrivingBrakesApplying the BrakesYour 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 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 fiveseconds and a clunk may be felt in the pedal. If the
light stays on longer than five seconds, shut off the
engine 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 Anti-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.
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174You have an automatic release for the parking
brake. The parking brake should automatically
unlock when you move the gearshift to any forward
gear while the engine is running. However, the
automatic release does not work when the gearshift
is in reverse, neutral or park.
To manually release the parking brake, pull the
BRAKE RELEASE handle located on the lower left
corner of the instrument panel. The Brake Warning
Light will illuminate if the parking brake is not fully
released when the engine is running.
The parking brake is not designed to stop a moving
vehicle, but you can use the parking brake to stop
your vehicle in an emergency if the normal brakes
fail. However, since the parking brake applies only
the rear brakes, the stopping distance will increase
greatly and the handling of your vehicle will be
adversely affected.Always check the Brake Warning Light each time
you start your engine. Driving with the parking
brake on will cause the brakes to wear out quickly
and will reduce the fuel economy.
Traction Control
TM
Your vehicle is be equipped with the Traction
Control
TM
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 Control
TM
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.
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177
Steering Your VehicleYour 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.
Never hold the steering wheel to the extreme right
or left for more than five seconds if the engine is
running. This can damage the power steering pump.
Driving with an Automatic
Overdrive TransaxleYour automatic overdrive transaxle provides fully
automatic operation in eitherj(Overdrive) or D
(Drive). Driving with the shift selector inj
(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.
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213
Preparing Your Vehicle1. Your vehicle has a 12-volt starting system, so
you need to use a 12-volt jumper system. You
will damage your starting motor, ignition
system, and other electrical parts if you connect
them to a 24-volt power supply (either two
12-volt batteries in series or a 24-volt generator
set).
2. Do not disconnect the battery of the disabled
vehicle. You could damage the vehicle's
electrical system.3. Park the booster vehicle close to the hood of
the disabled vehicle.Make sure the vehicles
do not touch each other.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
jumper cables.
5. Turn on the heater fan in both vehicles. Press
the DEFROST button. Turning on the fan helps
protect the electrical system from voltage
surges. Turn off all other switches and gauges.
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