warning FORD CONTOUR 1997 2.G Owners Manual

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Things to Know About Using This Guide
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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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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.
[II01400(ALL)04/96]
As you read through your owner guide, carefully read all
Warningsbecause they tell you how to avoid endangering
yourself, your passengers, and other people.
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NOTES and WARNINGS
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NOTESgive you additional information about the subject
matter you are referencing.
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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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Finding Information in This Guide
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After you have read this guide once, you will probably return
to it when you have a specific question or need additional
information. To help you find specific information quickly, you
can use the Quick Index or the Index.
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Instrumentation
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In your vehicle, the warning lights and gauges are grouped
together on the instrument panel. We call this grouping a
cluster. Your vehicle has one of the following clusters:
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Standard Cluster
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Sport Cluster
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If you are not sure which cluster your vehicle has, check the
diagrams on the following pages.
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Standard Cluster
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The following warning lights and gauges are on the standard
cluster. All of the warning lights and gauges alert you to
possible problems with your vehicle. The following sections
detail what each of these indicators means.
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Indicator Lights and Chimes
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Safety Belt Warning Light and Chime
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This warning light and chime remind you to fasten your safety
belt. The following conditions will take place:
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If the driver's safety belt is not buckled when the ignition is
turned to the ON position, the light will turn on for 1 to 2
minutes and the chime will sound for 4 to 8 seconds.
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If the driver's safety belt is buckled while the light is on or
the chime is sounding, both the light and the chime will turn
off.
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If the driver's safety belt is buckled before the ignition is
turned to the ON position, neither the light nor the chime
will turn on.
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Instrumentation
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Brake System Warning Light
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The warning light for the brakes can show two things Ð that
the parking brake is not fully released, or that the brake fluid
level is low in the master cylinder reservoir. If the fluid level is
low, the brake system should be checked by a qualified service
technician.
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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.
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RWARNING
The BRAKE light indicates that the brakes may not be
working properly. Have the brakes checked immediately.
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Charging System Light
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This light indicates that your battery is not being charged and
that you need to have the electrical system checked.
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This 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.
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If the light stays on or illuminates when the engine is running,
have the electrical system checked as soon as possible.
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Engine Oil Pressure Warning Light
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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.
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Chime for Headlamps On
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This chime sounds if the driver's door is open when the parking
lamps or headlamps are on. The chime sounds until you close
the door or turn off the lamps.
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Air Bag Readiness Light
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The air bag supplemental restraint system uses a readiness light
and a tone to indicate the condition of the system. The
readiness light is in the instrument cluster. When you turn the
ignition key to ON, this light will illuminate for approximately
six (6) seconds and then turn off. This indicates that the system
is operating normally.NOTE:Maintenance of the air bag system
is not required.
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A problem with the system is indicated by one or more of the
following: the readiness light will either flash or stay lit, or it
will not light or a group of five beeps will be heard.
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RWARNING
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have
the air bag system serviced at your Ford or
Lincoln-Mercury dealer immediately.
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Check Engine Warning Light
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This 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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Overdrive Off Indicator (Automatic Transaxle Only)
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This light tells you that the Transaxle Control Switch (TCS) on
the gearshift lever has been pushed. When the light is on, the
transaxle will not shift into overdrive. Depressing the TCS
button located below the gearshift release button on the shifter
will return the vehicle to ªoverdrive onº mode. The transaxle
will be in the ªoverdrive onº mode when the vehicle is started
even if the O/D OFF mode was selected when the vehicle was
last shut off.
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If the light does not come on when the TCS is depressed or if
the light flashes when you are driving, have your vehicle
serviced at the first opportunity.
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Instrumentation
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Odometer
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The odometer tells you the total number of miles (kilometers)
your vehicle has been driven.
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Trip Odometer
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The trip odometer tells you how many miles (kilometers) your
vehicle has been driven since the last reset. Press the reset
control to return the trip odometer to zero.
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Sport Cluster
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The sport cluster has basically the same standard warning lights
and gauges as the standard cluster, with the following
additional features:
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Tachometer
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The tachometer displays the approximate engine revolutions per
minute (rpm), or how fast the engine is running.
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If you drive with the tachometer in the red zone, you may
damage the engine.
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Anti-lock Brake System Warning Light (If equipped)
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Your vehicle may have an Anti-lock Brake System feature. If it
does, check the Anti-lock Brake System light each time you start
the engine. If it stays on longer than three (3) seconds, shut off
the engine and restart. If it stays on, that means the Anti-lock
Brake feature is not working 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.
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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 5 mph (8 km/h) (between 12 and
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2225 mph [20 and 40 km/h] for vehicles equipped with the
traction control system). The system turns on the ABS pump
motor for approximately 1/2 second. At this time, a mechanical
noise may be heard and felt. 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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Low Coolant Light (If equipped)
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This light indicates that the level of the engine coolant is low
inside the coolant recovery bottle and that you should add more
coolant. SeeEngine Coolantin the Index.
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This light comes on for a few seconds when the ignition is
turned to the START position, but should turn off when the
engine starts. If this light stays on, check the level of coolant
inside the recovery bottle. The level may be slightly above the
MIN line because the light is an ªearly warning.º
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RWARNING
The Daytime Running Light (DRL) system will not
illuminate the tail lamps and parking lamps. Turn on
your headlamps at dusk. Failure to do so may result in a
collision.
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Lighting Up the Interior and Instrument Panel
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When either front door is opened, the footwell lights and the
door courtesy lights come on.
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The instrument panel lights, window control lights and door
handle lights come on whenever the headlamp switch is turned
from the OFF position. To dim the instrument panel lights, use
the thumbwheel on the instrument panel to the right of the
steering wheel.
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Dimming the instrument panel lights
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Traction Control System (If equipped)
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This button turns the traction control system off and on. See the
Driving Chapterfor more information.
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The button for the traction control system
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