light FORD CONTOUR 2000 2.G Workshop Manual

Maintenance and care
197 Observe the following guidelines
when handling automotive fuel:
• Extinguish all smoking materials
and any open flames before fueling
your vehicle.
• Always turn off the vehicle before
fueling.
• Make sure the fuel cap is
correctly fitted after fueling. Failure
to do so may cause the on board
diagnostic system to illuminate the
check enginelight.
• Automotive fuels can be harmful
or fatal if swallowed. If fuel is
swallowed, call a physician
immediately, even if no symptoms
are immediately apparent. The
toxic effects of fuel may not be
visible for hours.
• Fuels can also be harmful if
absorbed through the skin. If fuel is
splashed on the skin, promptly
remove contaminated clothing and
wash skin thoroughly with soap and
water.
• If fuel is splashed in the eyes,
remove contact lenses (if worn),
flush with water for 15 minutes and
seek medical attention.
• Be particularly careful if you are
taking “Antabuse” or other forms of
disulfiram for the treatment of
alcoholism. Breathing gasoline
vapors or skin contact could cause
an adverse reaction. Consult a
physician immediately.
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Maintenance and care
199 Octane recommendations
Your vehicle is designed to use
regular gasoline with an (R+M)/2
octane rating of 87. We do not
recommend gasolines labeled as
“regular” in high altitude areas that
are sold with octane ratings of 86
or even less.
Do not be concerned if your vehicle
sometimes knocks lightly. However,
if it knocks heavily under most
driving conditions on the
recommended octane, see your
dealer or a qualified service
technician to prevent any engine
damage.
87
MINIMUM OCTANE RATING
(R+M)/2 Method
Fuel quality
If you are experiencing starting,
rough idle or hesitation problems
try a different brand of fuel. If the
condition persists, see your dealer
or qualified service technician.
The American Automobile
Manufacturers Association
(AAMA) issued a gasoline
specification to provide information
on high quality fuels that optimize
the performance of your vehicle.
We recommend the use of gasolines
that meet the AAMA specification
if they are available.
It should not be necessary to add
any aftermarket products to your
fuel tank if you continue to use a
high-quality fuel.
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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
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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Maintenance and care
213 Aiming the headlamps
Your vehicle is equipped with a
Vehicle Headlamp Aim Device
(VHAD) on each headlamp body.
Each headlamp may be properly
aimed in the horizontal direction
(left/right) and the vertical
direction (up/down).
A non-zero bubble reading (vertical
indicator) does not necessarily
indicate out-of-aim headlamps. If
your vehicle is not positioned on a
level surface, the slope will be
included in the vertical indication.
Therefore, vertical and horizontal
headlamp adjustment should be
performed only when beam
direction appears to be incorrect. AIMING THE HEADLAMPS
The alignment of your headlamps
should be checked if:
• Oncoming motorists frequently
signal you to deactivate your high
beams, and your high beams are
not activated.
• The headlamps do not seem to
provide enough light for clear night
vision.
• The headlamp beams are pointed
substantially away from a slightly
down and to the right position.
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Maintenance and care
216
Washing your vehicle
Only use car washing areas
that have environmentally
friendly drainage systems.
VEHICLE CARE
Wash your vehicle regularly with
cold or lukewarm water. Never use
strong detergents or soap. If your
vehicle is particularly dirty, use a
quality car wash detergent. Always
use a clean sponge, washing glove
or similar device and plenty of
water for best results. To avoid
spots, avoid washing when the
hood is still warm, immediately
after or during exposure to strong
sunlight.
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Customer assistance
230Ford extended service plan
You can get more protection for
your new car or light truck by
purchasing Ford Extended Service
Plan (Ford ESP) coverage. Ford
ESP is an optional service contract
which is backed by Ford Motor
Company or Ford Motor Service
Company (in the U.S.) and Ford of
Canada (in Canada). It provides:
• Protection against repair costs
after your New Vehicle Limited
Warranty period expires
and
• other benefits during the
warranty period (such as
reimbursement for rentals and
towing).
You may purchase Ford ESP from
any participating Ford or Lincoln-
Mercury or Ford of Canada dealer.
There are several plans available in
various time, distance and
deductible combinations which can
be tailored to fit your own driving
needs. Ford ESP also offers
reimbursement benefits for towing
and rental coverage. (In Hawaii,
rules vary. See your dealer for
details.)
When you buy Ford ESP you
receive Peace-of-Mind protection
throughout the United States and
Canada, provided by a network of
more than 5,200 participating Ford,
Lincoln-Mercury and Ford of
Canada dealers.If you did not take advantage of the
Ford Extended Service Plan at the
time of purchasing your vehicle,
you may still be eligible. Please
contact your dealer for further
information. Since this information
is subject to change, please ask
your dealer for complete details
about Ford Extended Service Plan
coverage options.
Also, please be aware that some
dealers offer service contracts that
are not backed by Ford Motor
Company or Ford of Canada. On
the surface, many independent
plans appear to be like Ford's. The
problem is that they can often
require the use of non-factory
approved parts and have much
more complex and restrictive
claims coverage terms than Ford.
At Ford Motor Company and Ford
of Canada, we are dedicated to
providing Ford, Lincoln and
Mercury vehicle owners with
programs that will enhance your
ownership experience and protect
you from unexpected repair bills.
Genuine Ford ESP is the only
Extended Service Plan that enables
us to provide that service.
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