FORD CONTOUR 2000 2.G Owners Manual

Maintenance and care
201 Calculating fuel economy
To accurately calculate your
vehicle’s fuel economy:
1. Fill the tank completely and
record the initial odometer reading.
2. Each time you fill the tank,
record the amount of fuel added
(in litres or gallons).
3. After at least three to five fill-
ups, fill the fuel tank and record
the current mileage reading.
4. Use one of the following
equations to calculate fuel
economy.
Litres used x 100 / Total kilometres
traveled.
Total miles traveled / Total gallons
used.
Keep a record for at least one
month. This will provide an
accurate estimate of the vehicle’s
fuel economy.
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Maintenance and care
202EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with
various emission control
components and a catalytic
converter which will enable your
vehicle to comply with applicable
exhaust emission standards. To
make sure that the catalytic
converter and other emission
control components continue to
work properly:
• Use unleaded fuel only.
• Avoid running out of fuel.
• Do not turn off the ignition while
your vehicle is moving, especially
at high speeds.
• Have the items listed in your
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide”
performed according to the
specified schedule.
The scheduled maintenance
services listed in the “Scheduled
Maintenance Guide“ are required
because they are considered
essential to the life and
performance of your vehicle and to
its emissions system.
If other than Ford, Motorcraft, or
Ford authorized parts are used for
maintenance replacements or for
service of components affecting
emissions control, such non-Ford
parts should be equivalent to
genuine Ford Motor Company parts
in performance and durability.
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Maintenance and care
203
BRAKE
O/D
OFFTRACTION
CONTROL
Alternative design Alternative design
Watch for fluid leaks, strange
odors, smoke, loss of oil pressure,
engine overheating, illumination of
the
charging systemwarning light
or the check enginewarning light.
These events could indicate that
the emission control system is not
working properly.
Exhaust leaks may result in
entry of harmful and
potentially lethal fumes into the
passenger compartment.
Do not park, idle or drive
your vehicle in dry grass or
other dry ground cover. The
emission system heats up the
engine compartment and exhaust
system, which can start a fire.
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Maintenance and care
204
Do not make any unauthorized
changes to your vehicle or engine.
By law, vehicle owners and anyone
who manufactures, repairs,
services, sells, leases, trades
vehicles, or supervises a fleet of
vehicles are not permitted to
intentionally remove an emission
control device or prevent it from
working. Information about your
vehicle's emission system is on the
Vehicle Emission Control
Information Decal located under
the hood. This decal identifies
engine displacement and gives
some tune up specifications.
Please consult your “Warranty
Guide“ for complete emission
warranty information.
Readiness for
inspection/maintenance (I/M)
testing
In some localities, it may be a legal
requirement to pass an I/M test of
the on-board diagnostic (OBD-II)
system. If your check enginelight
is on, refer to the description in the
Instrument Cluster Lights and
Chimessection of the
Instrumentation chapter. Your
vehicle may not pass the I/M test
with the check engine light on.
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Maintenance and care
205 If the vehicle’s powertrain system
or its battery has just been
serviced, the OBD-II system is
reset to a “not ready for I/M test“
condition. To ready the OBD-II
system for I/M testing, a minimum
of 30 minutes of city and highway
driving is necessary as described
below:
• First, at least 10 minutes of
driving on an expressway or
highway.
• Next, at least 20 minutes of
driving in stop and go, city-type
traffic with at least four idle
periods.
Allow the vehicle to sit for at least
eight hours without starting the
engine. Then, start the engine and
complete the above driving cycle.
The engine must warm up to its
normal operating temperature.
Once started, do not turn off the
engine until the above driving cycle
is complete.
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Maintenance and care
206The bulbs for the low beam, high
beam, turn signals and side lamps
are housed in the lamp assembly.
To replace a bulb, the complete
lamp assembly has to be removed
as follows:
1. Switch off the lamps.
2. Open the hood.
3. Remove the lower screw (2)
from the headlamp housing.
4. Remove the two upper screws
(1) from the headlamp housing.
5. Gently pull the headlamp
housing outward.
6. Replace the headlamp bulbs. BULB REPLACEMENT
Handle a halogen headlamp
bulb carefully and keep out
of children’s reach.Grasp the bulb
only by its plastic base and do not
touch the glass. The oil from your
hand could cause the bulb to
break the next time the
headlamps are operated.
1
1
2
Removing the headlamps
assembly
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Maintenance and care
207 Reinstalling the headlamp
assembly
The gasket lining must be seated
properly around the lamp assembly
when reinstalling.
All bulb connectors must be
correctly connected.
Install in the reverse order.
Headlamps – low beam
Disconnect the electrical connector
and replace the bulb.
Do not touch the glass part of the
bulb and pay attention to the tab
guides when replacing.
Headlamp alignment
Check the headlamp alignment
after each replacement of a bulb.
Refer to Aiming the headlamps. Headlamps – high beam
Replacement instructions are the
same as for the low beam
headlamp.
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Maintenance and care
208Foglamps (if equipped)
1. Turn the bulb counterclockwise
and pull it out of the light assembly.
2. Remove the electrical connector.
3. Fit the new bulb in reverse order
(do not touch the glass part of the
bulb).
Front turn signal/side lamps
Pull the socket out. Pull the bulb
out and replace it.
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Maintenance and care
209 License plate lamp
Pry out the light assembly with a
flat-bladed screwdriver. Remove
the bulb from the clip holder.
Replace with the new bulb in
reverse sequence.
Brake/turn signal/tail lamps
1. Disconnect the electrical
connector.
2. Turn the socket
counterclockwise and pull it out.
3. Turn the bulb counterclockwise
and pull it out.
4. To install, fit the new bulb in
reverse order.
Backup lamps
The backup lamps are located in
the trunk lid. Replacement
instructions are the same as for the
brake/turn signal/tail lamps.
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Maintenance and care
210
High-mounted brake lamp
Enter the rear seat compartment.
1. Remove the high-mounted stop
lamp assembly.
2. Remove the red bulb cover.
3. Remove inoperative stop lamp
bulb.
To install, fit the new bulb in
reverse sequence.
On vehicles equipped with a rear
spoiler, the high-mounted brake
lamp is included in the spoiler.
See your dealer for repair.
Luggage compartment lamp
Pry out the light assembly from the
holder with a flat screwdriver. Turn
the spherical bulb under slight
pressure counterclockwise and
remove.
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