traction control LINCOLN TOWN CAR 2003 Owners Manual

Seating and Safety Restraints 128
Seating 128
Safety restraints 133
Air bags 147
Child restraints 155
Driving 166
Starting 166
Brakes 170
Traction control/AdvanceTrac 172
Air suspension 173
Transmission operation 174
Vehicle loading 180
Trailer towing 181
Roadside Emergencies 185
Getting roadside assistance 185
Hazard flasher switch 186
Fuel pump shut-off switch 186
Fuses and relays 187
Changing tires 194
Jump starting 199
Wrecker towing 204
Customer Assistance 205
Reporting safety defects (U.S. only) 214
Cleaning 215
Maintenance and Specifications 222
Engine compartment 224
Engine oil 225
Battery 229
Fuel information 237
Air filter(s) 251
Refill capacities 256
Lubricant specifications 257
2003 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Table of Contents
2

These are some of the symbols you may see on your vehicle.
Vehicle Symbol Glossary
Safety Alert
See Owner’s Guide
Fasten Safety BeltAir Bag-Front
Air Bag-SideChild Seat
Child Seat Installation
WarningChild Seat Lower
Anchor
Child Seat Tether
AnchorBrake System
Anti-Lock Brake SystemBrake Fluid -
Non-Petroleum Based
Traction ControlAdvanceTrac

Master Lighting SwitchHazard Warning Flasher
Fog Lamps-FrontFuse Compartment
Fuel Pump ResetWindshield Wash/Wipe
Windshield
Defrost/DemistRear Window
Defrost/Demist
2003 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Introduction
8

Safety belt:Reminds you to fasten
your safety belt. A chime will also
sound to remind you to fasten your
safety belt, refer to theSeating and
Safety Restraintschapter.
Charging system:Illuminates when
the battery is not charging properly.
Engine oil pressure:Illuminates
when the oil pressure falls below the
normal range, refer toEngine oilin
theMaintenance and
specificationschapter.
Engine coolant temperature:
Illuminates when the engine coolant
temperature is high. Stop the
vehicle as soon as possible , switch off the engine and let cool. Refer to
Engine coolantin theMaintenance and specificationschapter.
Never remove the coolant recovery cap while the engine is
running or hot.
Autolamp:Illuminates when the
autolamps are turned on.
Traction control
/AdvanceTrac

active:Flashes when the Traction
control
system is active. If the
light remains on, have the system
serviced immediately, refer to the
Drivingchapter for more
information.
2003 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Instrument Cluster
12

Do not let children play with the moon roof. They may seriously
hurt themselves.
CELL PHONE USE
The use of Mobile Communications Equipment has become increasingly
important in the conduct of business and personal affairs. However,
drivers must not compromise their own or others’safety when using
such equipment. Mobile Communications can enhance personal safety
and security when appropriately used, particularly in emergency
situations. Safety must be paramount when using mobile communications
equipment to avoid negating these benefits.
Mobile Communication Equipment includes, but is not limited to cellular
phones, pagers, portable email devices, in vehicle communications
systems, telematics devices and portable two-way radios.
A driver’s first responsibility is the safe operation of the vehicle.
The most important thing you can do to prevent a crash is to
avoid distractions and pay attention to the road. Wait until it is safe to
operate Mobile Communications Equipment.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTER
The electronic message center only works when the ignition is in the ON
position.
The message center allows you to:
•see problems such as door ajar
and trunk ajar.
•check the on/off status of air
suspension, autolamp and speed
control systems.
2003 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driver Controls
104

Energy management feature
•This vehicle has a seat belt system with an energy management
feature at the front outboard seating positions to help further reduce
the risk of injury in the event of a head-on collision.
•This seat belt system has a retractor assembly that is designed to pay
out webbing in a controlled manner. This feature is designed to help
reduce the belt force acting on the occupant’s chest.
The front outboard and rear safety restraints in the vehicle are
combination lap and shoulder belts. The front outboard passenger and
rear seat safety belts have three types of locking modes described below:
Vehicle sensitive mode
This is the normal retractor mode, which allows free shoulder belt length
adjustment to your movements and locking in response to vehicle
movement. For example, if the driver brakes suddenly or turns a corner
sharply, or the vehicle receives an impact of approximately 8 km/h (5
mph) or more, the combination safety belts will lock to help reduce
forward movement of the driver and passengers.
Webbing extraction sensitive mode
The webbing extraction sensitive mode stops the belt webbing from
retracting if it is pulled out too quickly.
Automatic locking mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-locked. The belt will
still retract to remove any slack in the shoulder belt. The automatic
locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt.
This mode should be usedany timea child safety seat is installed in the
vehicle. Children 12 years old and under should be properly restrained in
the rear seat whenever possible. Refer toSafety restraints for children
orSafety seats for childrenlater in this chapter.
2003 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
138

If the parking brake fails to release
after completing this procedure, use
the manual parking brake release
lever.
Pull the lever to manually release
the parking brake.
TRACTION CONTROL
For Traction Control
warning lights refer toWarning Lightsin the
Instrument clusterchapter.
Your vehicle is equipped with a Traction Control
system (except on
commercial conversion packages). This system helps you maintain the
stability and steerability of your vehicle, especially on slippery road
surfaces such as snow- or ice-covered roads and gravel roads. The
system will allow your vehicle to make better use of available traction in
these conditions.
During Traction Control
operation, you may hear an electric motor
type of sound coming from the engine compartment and the engine will
not“rev-up”when you push further on the accelerator. This is normal
system behavior and should be no reason for concern.
The Traction Control
switch,
located on the left side of the
instrument panel, allows the driver
to enable and disable the system.
The Traction Control
system will
automatically turn on every time the
ignition is turned OFF and RUN.
If you should become stuck in snow
or ice or on a very slippery road surface, try switching the Traction
Control
system off. This may allow excess wheel spin to“dig”the
vehicle out and enable a successful“rocking”maneuver.
2003 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driving
172

•Selecting 2 (Second) at higher speeds will cause the transmission to
downshift to second gear at the appropriate vehicle speed.
1 (First)
•Provides maximum engine braking.
•Allows upshifts by moving gearshift lever.
•Will not downshift into 1 (First) at high speeds; allows for 1 (First)
when vehicle reaches slower speeds.
Forced downshifts
•Allowed in
(Overdrive) or Drive.
•Depress the accelerator to the floor.
•Allows transmission to select an appropriate gear.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow, it may be rocked out by
shifting from forward and reverse gears, stopping between shifts in a
steady pattern. Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
If necessary, try turning the Traction Control
system off. This will allow
the wheels to spin, which may help to free your stuck vehicle. For more
information, refer toTraction Control
(if equipped)in this chapter.
Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature or damage to the transmission may occur.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a minute or damage to the
transmission and tires may occur, or the engine may overheat.
TRACTION-LOK AXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
This axle provides added traction on slippery surfaces, particularly when
one wheel is on a poor traction surface. Under normal conditions, the
Traction-Lok axle functions like a standard rear axle.
REVERSE SENSING SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
The extended rear park aid system sounds a tone to warn the driver of
obstacles near the rear bumper when the R (Reverse) gear is selected.
To help avoid personal injury, please read and understand the
limitations of the extended rear park assist system as contained
in this section. The park assist is only an aid for some (generally large
and fixed) objects when moving in reverse on a flat surface at“parking
speeds”. Inclement weather may also affect the function of the RSS;
this may include reduced performance or a false activation.
2003 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driving
177

Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPassenger Compartment Fuse
Panel Description
11 20A Stoplamps/Speed control
12 15A Instrument cluster, Anti-theft,
Ignition coils
13 10A Anti-lock brake module, Traction
control switch, ABS relay
14 15A Transmission control switch, LCM,
Decklid
15 15A Multi-function switch, Turn signals
16 7.5A Wiper Control Module (WCM)
17 10A Digital Transmission Range (DTR)
sensor, Back-up lamps, EC
mirrors, Back-up aide
18 7.5A LCM, Front radio control unit,
Electronic day/night mirror,
Compass module/Rear
audio/Climate control module,
TCU, Heated seats switch, Rain
sense, Door lock switches, OHC,
Rear heated seats switch
19 10A EATC, Clock, Instrument cluster,
PCM
20 7.5A ABS, Shift lock
21 15A Multi-function switch, Hazard
lamps
22 15A Multi-function switch, High
mounted stop lamps, Stop lamps
23 20A Datalink connector, I/P cigar
lighter, Rear door cigar lighters
(Long Wheel Base only)
24 5A Front radio control unit
25 15A LCM, Courtesy/Demand lamps
26 5A DTR sensor, Starter relay coil
2003 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
190

U.S. Department of Transportation-Tire quality grades:The U.S.
Department of Transportation requires Ford to give you the following
information about tire grades exactly as the government has written it.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices, and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature A B C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C, representing the
tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
2003 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
252

Replacing the tires
Replace the tires when the wear
band is visible through the tire
treads.
When replacing full size tires, never mix radial bias-belted, or
bias-type tires. Use only the tire sizes that are listed on the
Certification or Tire Label. Make sure that all tires are the same size,
speed rating, and load-carrying capacity. Use only the tire combinations
recommended on the label. If you do not follow these precautions,
your vehicle may not drive properly and safely.
Make sure that all replacement tires are of the same size, type,
load-carrying capacity and tread design (e.g.,“All Terrain”,
“Touring”, etc.), as originally offered by Ford.
Failure to follow these precautions may adversely affect the
handling of the vehicle, and increase the risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover and/or personal injury.
Tires that are larger or smaller than your vehicle’s original tires may also
affect the accuracy of your speedometer.
SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
Snow tires must be the same size and grade as the tires you
currently have on your vehicle.
The tires on your vehicle have all weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, you may need to use snow
tires and chains.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
•Use only cable type chains offered by Ford as an accessory or
equivalent. Using SAE class S or other conventional link type chains
may cause damage to the vehicle’s wheel house and/or body.
2003 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
254