warning FORD ASPIRE 1996 1.G Owners Manual

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[PI00560(ALL)05/95]
Table of ContentsIntroductory Information.........................................1
Safety Restraints.......................................................11
Starting Your Aspire...............................................41
Warning Lights and Gauges.................................55
Instrument Panel Controls.....................................67
Steering Column Controls.....................................81
Features.......................................................................91
Electronic Sound Systems....................................107
Driving Your Aspire.............................................119
Roadside Emergencies..........................................137
Customer Assistance..............................................153
Reporting Safety Defects.................................160
Accessories...............................................................165
Servicing Your Aspire...........................................173
Quick Index.............................................................247
Index..........................................................................257
Service Station Information -- 1.3L Engine.....276
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[IN01000(ALL)04/95]
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Integrity is never compromised.Our conduct
worldwide must be pursued in a manner that
is socially responsible and commands respect
for its integrity and for its positive
contributions to society.
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[IN01010(ALL)05/95]
Things to Know About Using
This Guide
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[IN01020(ALL)05/95]
Congratulations on the purchase of your new
vehicle. This guide has information about the
equipment and the options for your new vehicle.
You may not have bought all of the options
available to you. If you do not know which
information applies to your vehicle, talk to your
dealer.
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[IN01030(ALL)05/95]
This guide describes equipment and gives
specifications for equipment that was in effect
when this guide was approved for printing. Ford
may discontinue models or change specifications
or design without any notice and without
incurring obligation.
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NOTES and WARNINGS
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[IN01042(ALL)05/95]
NOTESgive you additional information about
the subject matter you are referencing.
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[IN01044(ALL)05/95]
WARNINGSremind you to be especially careful
in those areas where carelessness can cause
damage to your vehicle or personal injury to
yourself, your passengers or other people. Please
read allWARNINGScarefully.
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RWARNING
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11
Safety Restraints
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Important Safety Belt Information
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The use of safety belts helps to restrain you and
your passengers in case of a collision. In most
states and in Canada the law requires their use.
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Safety belts provide best restraint when:
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the seatback is upright
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the occupant is sitting upright (not slouched)
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the lap belt is snug and low on the hips
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the shoulder belt is snug against the chest
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the knees are straight forward
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To help you remember to fasten your safety belt,
a warning light may come on and a chime may
sound. SeeSafety Belt Warning Light and Chimein
theWarning Lights and Gaugeschapter.
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See the following sections in this chapter for
directions on how to properly use these safety
belts. Also seeSafety Restraints for Childrenin this
chapter for special instructions about using
safety belts for children.
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Make sure that you and your passengers
wear safety belts. Always drive and ride
with your seatback upright and the lap
belt snug and low across the hips.
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RWARNING
Never wear the shoulder belt under the
arm. Never swing it around the neck over
the inside shoulder. Never use a single
belt for more than one person or across
more than one seating position. Each
seating position in your vehicle has a
specific safety belt assembly which is
made up of one buckle and one tongue
that are designed to be used as a pair.
Failure to follow these precautions could
increase the risk and/or severity of injury
in a collision.
[SR02400(ALL)07/95]
RWARNING
Never drive or ride with a twisted or
jammed safety belt. If you cannot untwist
or unjam the safety belt, see the nearest
qualified technician immediately.
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RWARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury in a
collision, children should always ride with
the seatback upright.
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RWARNING
Never let a passenger hold a child on his
or her lap while the vehicle is moving.
The passenger cannot protect the child
from injury in a collision.
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Lock the doors of your vehicle before driving to
lessen the risk of the door coming open in a
collision.
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Automatic locking mode
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In this operating mode, the shoulder belt
retractor will be automatically locked and will
remain locked when the combination
lap/shoulder safety belt is buckled, and does not
allow the occupant freedom of movement. This
mode provides the following:
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A tight lap/shoulder belt on the occupant.
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Child safety seat installation.
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RWARNING
Rear-facing infant seats should never be
placed in the front seats.
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This modemust be usedwhen installing a child
safety seat on the front passenger seat and rear
outboard seats where dual locking retractors are
provided.
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To switch the retractor from the emergency
locking mode to the automatic locking mode,
perform the following steps:
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1. Buckle the lap/shoulder combination belt.
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2. Grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and
pull downward until all of the belt is
extracted, and when allowed to retract, a
clicking sound will be heard. At this time,
the belt retractor is in the automatic locking
mode (child restraint mode).
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3. A clicking sound will continue to be heard
as the belt is allowed to retract. This
indicates that the retractor is in the
automatic locking mode.
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NOTE: When the combination lap/shoulder
belt is unbuckled and allowed to
retract completely, the retractor will
switch to the vehicle sensitive
(emergency) locking mode. See the
detailed instructions underSafety Seats
for Childrenin this chapter.
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Safety Belt Extension Assembly
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For some people, the safety belt may be too
short even when it is fully extended. You can
add about eight inches (20 cm) to the belt length
with a safety belt extension assembly (part
number 611C22). Safety belt extensions are
available at no cost from your dealer.
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RWARNING
Failure to follow these instructions will
affect the performance of the safety belts
and increase the risk of personal injury.
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Safety Belt Maintenance
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Check the safety belt systems periodically to
make sure that they work properly and are not
damaged.
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All safety belt assemblies, including retractors,
buckles, front seat belt buckle support assemblies
(slide bar) (if equipped), child safety seat tether
bracket assemblies (if equipped), and attaching
hardware, should be inspected after any
collision. Ford recommends that all safety belt
assemblies used in vehicles involved in a
collision be replaced. However, if the collision
was minor and a qualified technician finds that
the belts do not show damage and continue to
operate properly, they do not need to be
replaced. Safety belt assemblies not in use
during a collision should also be inspected and
replaced if either damage or improper operation
is noted.
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Cleaning the Safety Belts
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Clean the safety belts with any mild soap
solution that is recommended for cleaning
upholstery or carpets. Do not bleach or dye the
belt webbing because this may weaken it.
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Air Bag Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS)
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The driver and right front passenger air bags are
Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS), provided
at these seating positions in addition to the
lap/shoulder belt, and are designed to
supplement the protection provided to properly
belted occupants in moderate to severe frontal
collisions. The supplemental air bag system does
not provide restraint to the lower body.
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The Importance of Wearing Safety Belts
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RWARNING
Safety belts must be worn by all vehicle
occupants to be properly restrained and
help reduce the risk of injury in a
collision.
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RWARNING
All occupants of the vehicle, including the
driver, should always wear their safety
belts, even when an air bag Supplemental
Restraint System is provided.
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There are four very important reasons to use
safety belts even with an air bag system. Use
your safety belts to:
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help keep you in the proper position (away
from the air bag) when it inflates
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reduce the risk of harm in rollover, side or
rear impact collisions, because an air bag is
not designed to inflate in such situations
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reduce the risk of harm in frontal collisions
that are not severe enough to activate the
supplemental air bag
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reduce the risk of being thrown from your
vehicle
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The Importance of Being Properly Seated
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In a collision, the air bag must inflate extremely
fast to help provide additional protection for
you. In order to do this, the air bag must inflate
with considerable force. If you are not seated in
a normal riding position with your back against
the seatback, the air bag may not protect you
properly and could possibly hurt you as it
inflates.
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[SR12850(ALL)07/95]
RWARNING
If a passenger is not properly seated and
restrained, an inflating air bag could cause
serious injury.
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RWARNING
Rear-facing infant seats should never be
placed in the front seat.
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In rear-facing infant seats, the infant's head is
closer to the air bag. The force of the rapidly
inflating air bag could push the top of the
rear-facing seat against the vehicle seatback or
center armrests (if so equipped), or center
console (if so equipped). REAR-FACING
INFANT CARRIERS MUST ALWAYS BE
SECURED IN THE REAR SEAT, and other child
safety seats and infant seats should be secured in
the rear seat whenever possible.
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[SR12900(ALL)07/95]
RWARNING
When using forward-facing child seats
move the passenger seat as far back from
the instrument panel as possible. NEVER
SECURE REAR-FACING INFANT SEATS
IN THE FRONT SEAT.
[SR12901 (ALL)07/95]
The force of the rapidly inflating passenger air
bag could push the top of the rear-facing seat
against the vehicle seatback, armrests, or console.
Rear-facing infant seats must always be secured
in the rear seat.
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RWARNING
Do not place objects or mount equipment
on or near the air bag cover on the
steering wheel or in front seat areas that
may come in contact with a deploying air
bag. Failure to follow this instruction may
increase the risk of personal injury in the
event of a collision.
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For further information about the proper
mounting of equipment in the front seat of this
vehicle, please refer to Ford's brochure entitled
Some Important Information About Air Bag
Supplemental Restraint Systemwhich can be
obtained by calling Helm Inc. at 1-800-782-4356.
Ask for brochure FPS-8602.
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[SR13050(ALL)07/95]
For additional important safety information on
the proper use of seat belts, child seats, and
infant seats, please read the other sections of this
chapter of the Owner Guide, especially sections
entitledSafety Belts for ChildrenandSafety Seats
for Children.
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How the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint
System Operates
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The Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System
consists of the Driver and Passenger air bags,
impact sensors, a system diagnostic module, a
readiness light and tone, and the electrical
wiring which connects the components. The
diagnostic module monitors its own internal
circuits and the supplemental air bag electrical
system readiness, including crash sensors, the
system wiring, the air bag readiness light, the air
bag back up power, and the supplemental air
bag ignitors.
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