engine FORD CONTOUR 2000 2.G Owner's Guide

Starting
111
PREPARING TO START THE
VEHICLE
Engine starting is controlled by the
spark ignition system. This system
meets all Canadian Interference-
Causing Equipment standard
requirements regulating the
impulse electrical field strength of
radio noise.
When starting the engine, avoid
pressing the accelerator pedal
before or during starting. Only use
the accelerator pedal when you
have difficulty starting the engine.
For more information on starting
the vehicle, refer to Starting the
enginein this chapter.
Before starting the vehicle:
1. Make sure all vehicle occupants
have buckled their safety belts. For
more information on safety belts
and their proper usage, refer to the
Seating and safety restraints
chapter.
2. Make sure the headlamps and
vehicle accessories are off.
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Starting
112If starting a vehicle with an
automatic transaxle:
• Make sure the parking brake is
set.
• Make sure the gearshift is in P
(Park).
If starting a vehicle with a manual
transaxle:
• Make sure the parking brake is
set.
• Push the clutch pedal to the floor
otherwise the engine will not crank
(turn over).
• Put the gearshift into neutral.
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Starting
113 3. Turn the key to the on position
(without turning the key to start).
Make sure the following lights
illuminate briefly. If a light fails to
illuminate, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer or a
qualified service technician.
BRAKE
BRAKE
CHECK
ENGINE
• If the driver’s safety belt is
fastened, the safety belt warning
light does not illuminate.Alternative design
Alternative design
O/D
OFFTRACTION
CONTROL
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Starting
114STARTING THE ENGINE
1. Turn the key to the start
position (4) without pressing the
accelerator pedal and release as
soon as the engine starts. The key
will return to the on (3) position.
3
4
21
2. If the engine does not start
within five seconds, wait ten
seconds and try again.
3. If the engine does not start in
two attempts OR the temperature
is below -12°C (10°F), depress the
accelerator pedal and start the
engine while holding the
accelerator pedal down. Release
accelerator pedal when the engine
starts.
Vehicles equipped with the 2.0 l
engine: If the engine fails to start,
continue to crank with the
accelerator depressed about 1/4 of
the way down and hold that
position until the engine starts.
DO NOT crank for more than
30 secondsor you could damage
the starter.
4. After idling the engine for a few
seconds, apply the brake pedal and
release the parking brake.
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Starting
115 USING THE ENGINE BLOCK
HEATER (if equipped)
An engine block heater warms the
engine coolant, which improves
starting, warms up the engine
faster and allows the heater-
defroster system to respond
quickly. It is strongly recommended
if you live in a region where
temperatures reach –23°C (–10°F)
or below.
For best results, plug the heater in
at least three hours before starting
the vehicle. Using the heater for
more than three hours will not
harm the engine, so the heater can
be plugged in the night before
starting the vehicle.
To prevent electrical shock,
do not use your heater with
ungrounded electrical systems or
two-pronged (cheater) adapters.
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Driving
119 TRACTION CONTROL
(if equipped)
This system prevents wheel spin at
all speeds. The control will toggle
this function on and off, but the
feature defaults to on after each
cycle of the ignition key.
The traction control system
controls excessive wheel spin by
automatically applying and
releasing the brakes in conjunction
with engine torque reductions.
This can occur when accelerating
on a slippery road, a loose surface
or when pulling away on a hill. The
traction control lamp flashes on the
instrument panel when the system
is functioning to regulate tire
traction.
When the ignition is turned to the
on position, the traction control
system light comes on for
approximately three (3) seconds. If
the light does not come on when
the ignition is turned to the on
position or if it remains on
continuously when the traction
control system is turned on, have
the system serviced by your dealer
or a qualified service technician.
You can continue to drive and do
not need to have the vehicle towed
in.
You should not take unnecessary
driving risks because of the
system’s safety potential.
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Driving
120STEERING YOUR VEHICLE
Your vehicle comes with power
steering. Power steering uses
energy from the engine to help
steer your vehicle.
If the amount of effort needed to
steer your vehicle changes at a
constant vehicle speed, have the
power steering system checked. If
the power steering system breaks
down (or if the engine is turned
off), you can steer the vehicle
manually but it takes more effort.
Never hold the steering wheel to
the extreme right or left for more
than five seconds if the engine is
running. This can damage the
power steering pump.
Switching off traction control
If you become stuck in snow or on
a slippery road surface, try
switching off the traction control
system by pressing the switch. This
may allow the excess wheel spin to
“dig“ the vehicle out or enable a
successful “rocking“ maneuver. Do
not rock the vehicle for more than
a few minutes, because it could
damage the vehicle.
The light in the control illuminates
continuously when the system has
been switched off. To reactivate
the system, depress the switch
again or restart the engine.
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Driving
121 TRANSAXLE OPERATION
Automatic transaxle
(if equipped)
Your 2.5 l V6 automatic transaxle
electronically controls the shift feel
by using an adaptive learning
strategy. This feature is designed to
optimize shift smoothness. It is
normal for your transaxle to adjust
during the first few hundred
kilometers (miles) of operation
until the adaptive strategy has
been learned. The adaptive
learning strategy is maintained by
power from the battery. When the
battery is disconnected or a new
battery is installed, the transaxle
must relearn its adaptive strategy.
Optimal shifting will resume within
a few hundred kilometers (miles)
of operation.
Vehicles equipped with an
automatic transaxle are equipped
with a brake-shift interlock feature
that prevents the gearshift lever
from being moved from the P
(Park) position unless the brake
pedal is depressed.
Putting your vehicle in gear
You must push the thumb button to
move the gearshift to the position
you choose.
To operate:
1. Start the engine.
2. Depress and hold the brake
pedal.
3. Move the gearshift lever out of
P (Park). Speed sensitive power steering
(if equipped)
The steering system is speed
sensitive. This means that the
steering effort is light for parking
and heavier for highway driving.
However, if you have to swerve
around an object or another
vehicle, your vehicle will have full
power assist.
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Driving
125
•D (Drive)
D (Drive) provides more engine
braking than overdrive and is
useful when driving through hilly
terrain or if your vehicle requires
additional power for climbing hills.
Activate by pressing the transaxle
control switch (TCS) located on
the gearshift handle. The O/D OFF
indicator light will illuminate in the
instrument cluster. Transaxle
operates in gears one through
three.
To return to overdrive mode, press
the transaxle control switch.The
O/D OFF indicator light will
extinguish.
When starting your vehicle, the
transaxle will automatically return
to normal overdrive mode when the
D (Drive) gearshift position is
selected.
O/D
OFFTRACTION
CONTROL
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Driving
126•1 (First)
Use the 1 (First) position to
provide maximum engine braking
on steep downgrades. Upshifts will
not occur while the gearshift lever
remains in the 1 (First) position.
Upshifts may be made by shifting
to the 2 (second) position or to D
(Drive). Selecting the 1 (First)
position at high speeds causes the
transaxle to downshift through the
gears and will shift to 1 (First)
after the vehicle decelerates to the
transaxle first gear designed speed.
Do not go faster than 60 km/h
(38 mph) in this gear. •2 (Second)
Use the 2 (Second) position to
start up on slippery roads or to
provide additional braking on
downgrades. When your vehicle is
in 2 (Second), it automatically
starts off in second gear. Do not go
faster than 90 km/h (55 mph) in
this gear.
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