FORD CONTOUR 1999 2.G Owners Manual

Maintenance and care
211
Waxing your vehicle
The best way to determine when
the paintwork needs waxing is by
noting when water stops beading
on the surface. This could be every
three or four months depending on
operating conditions.
Use only carnauba or synthetic-
based waxes. Remove any bugs and
tar before waxing the vehicle. Use
cleaning fluid or alcohol with a
clean cloth to remove bugs. Use tar
remover to remove any tar spots.
During winter months, it is
especially important to wash the
vehicle on a regular basis. Large
quantities of dirt and road salt are
difficult to remove, and they also
cause damage to the vehicle.
Remove or lower any exterior
accessories, such as antennas,
before entering a car wash.
Remove particles such as bird
droppings, tree sap, insect remains,
tar spots, road salt and industrial
fallout immediately.
After washing, apply the brakes
several times to dry them.
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Maintenance and care
212
Repairing paint chips
Minor scratches or paint damage
from road debris may be repaired
with touch-up paint, paint repair
foil or aerosol spray from the Ford
accessories line. Observe the
application instructions on the
products.
Cleaning the wheels
Wash the wheels with the same
detergent you use to clean the
body of your vehicle. Do not use
acid-based wheel cleaners, steel
wool, fuel or strong detergents.
Never use abrasives that will
damage the finish of special wheel
surfaces. Use a tar remover to
remove grease and tar.
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Maintenance and care
213
Cleaning the engine
Engines are more efficient when
they are clean because grease and
dirt buildup act as insulators and
keep the engine warmer than
normal. Follow these guidelines to
clean your engine:
¥ Take care when using a power
washer to clean the engine. The
high pressure fluid could penetrate
the sealed parts and cause damage.
¥ Do not spray with cold water, to
avoid cracking the engine block.
¥ Cover the alternator to prevent
water damage when cleaning the
engine.
¥ Never wash or rinse the engine
while it is running; water in the
running engine may cause internal
damage.
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Maintenance and care
214
Cleaning plastic exterior parts
Use a vinyl cleaner for routine
cleaning of plastic. Clean with a tar
remover if necessary. Do not clean
plastic parts with thinners, solvents
or petroleum-based cleaners.
Cleaning the exterior lamps
Wash the exterior lamps with the
same detergent you use to wash
the exterior of your vehicle. Use
glass cleaner or tar remover if
necessary.
To avoid scratching the lamps, do
not use a dry paper towel, chemical
solvents or abrasive cleaners to
clean the lamps.
Cleaning the wiper blades
If the wiper blades do not wipe
properly, clean both the windshield
and wiper blades using undiluted
windshield wiper solution or a mild
detergent. Rinse thoroughly with
clean water. To avoid damaging the
blades, do not use fuel, kerosene,
paint thinner or other solvents.
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Maintenance and care
215
Cleaning the interior fabric
Remove dust and loose dirt with a
whisk broom or a vacuum cleaner.
Remove fresh spots immediately.
Follow the directions that come
with the cleaner.
Cleaning leather seats
(if equipped)
For routine cleaning, wipe the
surface with a soft, damp cloth. For
more thorough cleaning, wipe the
surface with a leather and vinyl
cleaner or a mild soap.
Cleaning the instrument panel
OFF LO PNL/FLR
PANEL
A/CFLOOR
DEF FLR
DEF
MAX
A/C HI/
POWER AUDIO AM/FM
SCAN
SEEK 31245ANSSIDE 1-2EJECTVOLUME
000123000010 20 3040506070
80
90
10 0
110
120
13 0MPH20 406055
80120 10 0
14 0
160
18 0
200EF12
03x 1000
4
5
6
7
8
CHECK
ENGINE TRACTION
CONTROLO/D
OFF
MIRRORS
CLOCK
H C
Clean the instrument panel with a
damp cloth, then dry with a dry
cloth.
Any cleaner or polish that
increases the gloss of the upper
portion of the instrument panel
should be avoided. The dull finish
in this area is to help protect the
driver from undesirable windshield
reflection.
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Maintenance and care
216
Cleaning and maintaining the
safety belts
Clean the safety belts with a mild
soap solution recommended for
cleaning upholstery or carpets and
warm water. Do not bleach or dye
the belts, because these actions
may weaken the belt webbing.
Check the safety belt system
periodically to make sure there are
no nicks, wear or cuts.
Cleaning and caring for your
vehicle
Refer to the Customer assistance
chapter for a list of Ford-approved
cleaners, polishes and waxes.
Ford recommends that all
safety belt assemblies and
attaching hardware should be
inspected by a qualified technician
after any collision. 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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217
Capacities and specifications
* Refer to Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) decal for spark plug and gap specifications.
** If a spark plug is removed for examination, it must be reinstalled in the same cylinder.
If a spark plug needs to be replaced, use only spark plugs with the service part number suffix
letter ÒFEÓ as shown on the engine decal.
Motorcraft parts
Component
Spark plug*
Air filter
Passenger compartment
air filter
Fuel filter
Oil filter
Battery
PCV valve
Crankcase ventilation
filter
2.0 litre engine
AZFS-22F # 1+2**
AZFS-22FE# 3+4
FA-1612
FP4
FG-800A
FL-2005
BXT-40R
EV-224
FA-1621
2.5 litre engine
AWSF-32F
FA-1613
FP4
FG-800A
FL-820
BXT-40R
EV-152
Ñ
Part number
32CCSen 3/25/99 3:50 PM Page 217

Capacities and specifications
218
* Total capacity
** with automatic transaxle
Engine oil
- with filter
- without
Manual transaxle1.9 l (2.0 qts)
Automatic transaxle
with oil cooler
Power steering
Cooling system with heating
Windshield washer fluid
Fuel tank
Braking system
4.25 l (4.5 qts)
3.75 l (4.0 qts)
8.5 l (9.0 qts.)
6.6 l (7.0 qts)*
7.1 l (7.5 qts)**
Fill to MAX mark
Fill to top of reservoir
58.5 l (15.4 gallons)
Fill to MAX mark
5.5 l (5.8 qts)
5.0 l (5.3 qts)
9.6 l (10.2 qts)
9.5 l (10.0 qts)*
9.7 l (10.2 qts)**
Capacities2.0 litre
engine2.5 litre
engine
32CCSen 3/25/99 3:50 PM Page 218

Lubricant Specifications
ItemFord part name
or equivalent
High performance
DOT 3 brake fluid,
DOT 4 brake fluid
or Super DOT 4
Premium engine
coolant
Motorcraft motor
oil 5W-30 super
premium
MERCON¨
power steering
fluid
Motorcraft*
MERCON¨AT F
Ultra-clear
windshield washer
concentrate
Ford
part number
C6AZ-19542-AB
for DOT 3
E2FZ-19549-AA
CXC-8-B
XO-5W30-QSP
E6AZ-19582-AA
XT-2-QDX
C9AZ-19550-AC
or
C9AZ-19550-BC
Ford
specification
ESA-M6C25-A
(DOT 3)
ESD-M6C57-A
(Super DOT 4)
ESE-M97B44-A
American Petroleum
Institute Certification
Mark and
WSS-M2C153-G
ESW-M2C33-F
MERCON¨
ESR-M17P5-A
Brake fluid
Engine coolant
Engine oil
Power steering
fluid
Transaxle fluid
automatic/
5-speed manual
Windshield
washer
fluid
* Use only MERCON¨
approved transmission/transaxle fluid. Use of any fluid approved and/or labeled
for MERCON¨
V may cause internal transaxle damage.
Capacities and specifications
219
32CCSen 3/25/99 3:50 PM Page 219

Capacities and specifications
220Engine data
* Mechanical valve adjuster
2.0 litre
Engine2.5 litre
Engine
1988 2544
96 (125)
5500125 (170)
6250
176 (130)
4000220 (162)
4250
61506700
6375 6925
800±50
(880±50)725±50
(725±50)
1-3-4-2 1-4-2-5-3-6
1.3
Electronically controlled Idle speed
(manual transaxle)Engine
cm
3Capacity
kW (HP)
at rpm Power output
Nm (lb-ft)
at rpm Max. torque
Fuel required87 Octane
rpm Continuous engine
speed
rpm Max. intermittent
engine speed
rpm
Mixture preparation
Injection system
Firing order
mm
Spark plug gap
Ignition system
0.14 mm
0.30 mm Valve Inlet
clearances ExhaustHydraulic valve
adjusters 0.11-0.18*
0.27-0.34*
32CCSen 3/25/99 3:50 PM Page 220