check engine FORD CROWN VICTORIA 1997 1.G Owner's Manual

209
Maintenance and Care
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Service Made Easy
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Ford has two goals for servicing your vehicle.
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1. When we can, we design parts that do not
need to be serviced.
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2. We want to make servicing your vehicle as
easy as possible. To help you:
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We highlight do-it-yourself items in yellow in
the engine compartment so that you can find
them easily.
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When possible, we design parts that can be
replaced without tools.
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We give you a Maintenance Schedule that
makes tracking routine service for your
vehicle easy. The maintenance schedule is
located in theMaintenance Schedulebooklet.
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This chapter tells you about the basic parts that
you need to check and service regularly.
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If your vehicle needs professional servicing, your
dealership can provide the parts and service
required. Check yourWarranty Information Booklet
to find out which parts and services are covered.
Also see theCustomer Assistancechapter of this
Owner Guide.
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Ford Motor Company recommends that the
Owner Maintenance Checks listed in the
Maintenance Schedulebooklet be performed for
the proper operation of your vehicle. In addition
to the conditions listed in theOwner Maintenance
Checklist, be alert for any unusual noise,
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216 %
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Checking and Adding Engine Oil
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Since the proper amount of engine oil is
important for safe engine operation, check the oil
using the dipstick each time you put fuel in
your vehicle. Remember the engine must be off,
the oil must be warm and the vehicle must be
parked on level ground.
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Checking the engine oil level:
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1. Turn the engine off after it has warmed up
and allow a few minutes for the engine oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
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2. Set the parking brake, making sure the
gearshift is securely latched in P (Park).
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3. Open the hood. Protect yourself from engine
heat.
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4. Locate the engine oil dipstick (highlighted in
yellow) and carefully pull it out of the
engine.
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5. Wipe the dipstick clean and put it back into
position, making sure it is fully seated.
[MC07500( GV)12/95]
one inch art:0000970-A
Engine oil dipstick
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6. Carefully pull the dipstick out again. If the
oil level is below the ªADD 1 QTº line, add
engine oil as necessary. If the oil level is
beyond the letter ªFº in Full, engine damage
or high oil consumption may occur and
some oil must be removed from the engine.
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217
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7. Put the dipstick back in and make sure it is
fully seated.
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It may be necessary to add some oil between oil
changes. Make sure you use a CERTIFIED
engine oil of the preferred viscosity. Your
vehicle's warranty coverage may not apply if
engine damage is caused by the use of improper
engine oil.
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Add engine oil through the oil filler cap
highlighted in yellow. To add oil, remove the
filler cap and use a funnel to pour oil into the
opening. Be careful not to overfill the engine.
Recheck the oil level after you finish adding oil.
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Changing the Engine Oil and the Oil Filter
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Change the engine oil and oil filterper the
following, whichever occurs first.
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one third page art:0060618-C
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Refer to theMaintenance Schedulebooklet for
additional information.
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NOTE: Always dispose of used automotive
fluids in a responsible manner. Follow
your community's standards for
disposing of these types of fluids. Call
your local recycling center to find out
about recycling automotive fluids.
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RWARNING
Continuous contact with USED motor oil
has caused cancer in laboratory mice.
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Protect your skin by washing with soap and
water.
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Brake Fluid
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Under normal circumstances, your vehicle
should not use up brake fluid rapidly. However,
expect the level of the brake fluid to slowly fall
as you put more mileage on your vehicle and
the brake lining wears.
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Check the brake fluid at each scheduled engine
oil change or at least once a year. You can do
this by looking at the fluid level in the plastic
reservoir on the master cylinder. Also, see label
on reservoir cap. (To locate the master cylinder,
seeThe Engine Typesin the Index.) The fluid
level should be between the MAX fill mark and
3/8" below the MAX fill line.
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RWARNING
Brake fluid is toxic.
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If brake fluid contacts eyes, flush eyes with
running water for 15 minutes. Get medical
attention if irritation persists. If taken internally,
drink water and induce vomiting. Get medical
attention immediately.
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If the fluid is low, carefully clean and remove
the filler cap from the reservoir. Fill the
reservoir to the MAX line with Ford High
Performance DOT 3 Brake Fluid C6AZ-19542-AB
or DOT 3 equivalent fluid meeting Ford
specification ESA-M6C25-A.
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Windshield Washer Fluid
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Washer Fluid
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Check the level of the windshield washer fluid
periodically. The reservoir for washer fluid is
located on the driver's side of the engine
compartment. Do not operate the washer when
the reservoir is empty.
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one third page art:0010474-C
The reservoir for the windshield washer fluid
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RWARNING
Do not put windshield washer fluid in the
container for the engine coolant.
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Use specially formulated windshield washer
fluid rather than plain water, because specially
formulated washer fluids contain additives that
dissolve road grime. For safety reasons, washer
fluids containing an appropriate antifreeze such
as methanol should be used in freezing weather
(temperatures below32ÊF [0ÊC]).State or local
regulations on Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOCs) may restrict use of the most common
antifreeze, methanol. Washer fluids containing
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non-methanol antifreeze agents should be used
only if they provide cold weather protection
without damaging the vehicle's paint finish,
wiper blades, and windshield washer system.
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Engine Coolant
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Checking the Engine Coolant
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NOTE: Be sure to read and understand
Precautions When Servicing Your
Vehicleat the beginning of this chapter.
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RWARNING
The cooling fan is automatic and may
come on at any time. Always disconnect
the negative terminal of the battery before
working near the fan.
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Your vehicle's coolant protects your engine from
overheating in the summer and from freezing in
the winter. Check the level of the coolant at least
once a month. Simply look at the engine coolant
reservoir located in the engine compartment. To
locate the reservoir, see the diagram of your
vehicle's engine underEngine Type, in this
chapter.
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The coolant additives also protect the entire
cooling system from internal passageway
corrosion and these additives lubricate the water
pump. The coolant should be serviced as noted
in theMaintenance Schedulebooklet.
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half page art:0010761-DThe engine coolant reservoir
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Checking Hoses
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Inspect all engine and heater system hoses and
hose connections for deterioration, leaks, and
loose hose clamps as specified in theMaintenance
Schedulebooklet. Repair or replace with
Motorcraft hoses or equivalent as necessary.
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Adding Engine Coolant
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RWARNING
Do not put engine coolant in the container
for the windshield washer fluid.
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If sprayed on the windshield, engine coolant
could make it difficult to see through the
windshield.
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When the engine is cool, add a 50/50 mixture of
engine coolant and water to the engine coolant
recovery reservoir Ð DO NOT ADD DIRECTLY
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TO THE RADIATOR. Add straight water only in
an emergency, but you should replace it with a
50/50 mixture of coolant and distilled water as
soon as possible.
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Check the coolant level in the coolant recovery
reservoir the next few times you drive the
vehicle. If necessary, add enough of a 50/50
mixture of coolant and water to bring the liquid
level to the fill line on the reservoir.
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RWARNING
Never remove the coolant recovery cap
while the engine is running or hot.
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If you must remove the coolant recovery cap,
follow these steps to avoid personal injury:
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1. Before you remove the cap, turn the engine
off and let it cool.
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2. When the engine is cool, wrap a thick cloth
around the cap. Slowly turn cap
counterclockwise to the first stop.
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3. Step back while the pressure releases.
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4. When you are sure that all the pressure has
been released, use the cloth to press the cap
down, turn it counterclockwise, and remove
it.
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Use Ford Premium Cooling System Fluid
E2FZ-19549-AA (in Canada, Motorcraft CXC-8-B)
or an equivalent premium engine coolant that
meets Ford specification ESE-M97B44-A. Ford
Premium Engine Coolant is an optimized
formula that will protect all metals and rubber
elastomers used in Ford cooling systems for 4
years or 50,000 miles (80,000 km).
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Do not use alcohol or methanol antifreeze or any
engine coolants mixed with alcohol or methanol
antifreeze. Do not use supplemental coolant
additives in your vehicle. These additives may
harm your engine cooling system. The use of an
improper coolant may void the warranty of your
vehicle's engine cooling system.
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Recycled engine coolant
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Ford Motor Company recommends that Ford
and Lincoln-Mercury dealers use recycled engine
coolant produced by Ford-approved processes.
Not all coolant recycling processes produce
coolant which meets Ford specification
ESE-M97B44-A, and use of such coolant may
harm engine and cooling system components.
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Always dispose of used automotive fluids in a
responsible manner. Follow your community's
regulations and standards for recycling and
disposing of automotive fluids.
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Coolant refill capacity
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To find out how much fluid your vehicle's
cooling system can hold, refer toRefill capacities
in theCapacities and specificationschapter.
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Have your dealer check the engine cooling
system for leaks if you have to add more than a
quart (liter) of engine coolant per month.
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Severe winter climate
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If you drive in extremely cold climates (less than
-34ÊF [-36ÊC]), it may benecessary to increase
the coolant concentration above 50%. Refer to
the chart on the coolant container to ensure the
coolant concentration in your vehicle is such that
the coolant will not freeze at the temperature
level in which you drive during winter months.
Never increase the engine coolant concentration
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Start and idle the engine until the radiator
upper hose is warm (this indicates the
thermostat is open and coolant is flowing
through the entire system).
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Immediately shut off the engine and let cool.
Cautiously remove the pressure relief cap and
add a 50/50 mixture of specified coolant and
water until the coolant is at the COLD FILL
level in the coolant reservoir.
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Reinstall the pressure cap securely.
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Check for leaks at the draincock.
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Recheck the engine coolant level, using the
recommended procedure, after one or two
occasions of vehicle use.
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Power Steering Fluid
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Check the level of the power steering fluid at
least twice a year (i.e., every Spring and Fall).
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Checking and Adding Power Steering
Fluid
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1. Start the engine and let it run until the
power steering fluid reaches normal
operating temperature. The power steering
fluid will be at the right temperature when
the engine coolant temperature gauge in the
instrument cluster is near the center of the
NORMAL operating temperature range.
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2. While the engine idles, turn the steering
wheel back and forth several times. Make
sure that the cap assembly is installed at this
time.
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3. Turn the engine off.
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