maintenance schedule FORD ESCORT 1996 7.G Owners Manual

3 [IN01700(ALL)08/95]
Your vehicle may not look exactly like the
vehicles shown in the Quick Index illustrations.
Some features and components shown in the
illustrations may not apply to your particular
vehicle. Your vehicle may also have equipment
that is not illustrated or mentioned in the Quick
Index. If you do not know which illustrated
features and components apply to your vehicle,
talk to your dealer.
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[IN01800(ALL)08/95]
This guide has atable of contentsat the
beginning of the book to show chapter titles.
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[IN01900(ALL)08/95]
To use theIndex, turn to the back of the book
and search in the alphabetical listing for the
word that best describes the information you
need. If the word you chose is not listed, think
of other related words and look them up. We
have designed the Index so that you can find
information under a technical term.
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[IN02000(ALL)08/95]
Canadian Owners Ð French Version
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[IN02100(ALL)08/95]
French Owner Guides can be obtained from your
dealer or by writing to Ford Motor Company of
Canada, Limited, Service Publications, P.O. Box
1580, Station B, Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 4G3.
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[IN02400(ALL)04/95]
Your Maintenance Schedule and
Record Booklet
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[IN02500(ALL)03/95]
TheMaintenance Schedule and Recordbooklet lists
the services that are most important for keeping
your vehicle in good condition. A record log is
also provided to help you keep track of all
services performed.
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279
Servicing Your Escort
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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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q
We highlight do-it-yourself items in yellow in
the engine compartment so that you can find
them easily.
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q
When possible, we design parts Ð such as
the headlamp bulbs Ð that can be replaced
without tools.
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q
We give you a Maintenance Schedule that
makes tracking routine service for your
vehicle easy. The maintenance schedule is
located in theMaintenance Schedule and Record
booklet.
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[SV01000(ALL)01/95]
This chapter tells you about the basic parts that
you need to check and service regularly.
[SV01050(ALL)03/95]
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.
[SV01150(ALL)02/94]
For more information concerning the
maintenance and service of your vehicle, see
Understanding the Emission Control Systemin this
chapter.
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280
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Ford Motor Company recommends that the
Owner Maintenance Checks listed in the
Maintenance Schedule and Recordbooklet 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, vibration, or other indication that
your vehicle may need service. If you do notice
something unusual, see that your vehicle is
serviced promptly.
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[SV01275(ALL)03/95]
Use only recommended fuels, lubricants, fluids,
and service parts conforming to Ford
specifications. Motorcraft parts are designed and
built to provide the best performance in your
vehicle. Using these parts for replacement is
your assurance that Ford-built quality stays in
your vehicle.
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[SV01300(ALL)04/95]
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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Precautions When Servicing Your
Vehicle
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Be especially careful when inspecting or
servicing your vehicle. Here are some general
precautions for your safety:
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q
Do not work on a hot engine. The engine
cooling fan may come on unexpectedly.
Always turn the engine off and let it cool.
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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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293
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To calculate fuel economy:
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1. Fill the tank completely and record the
initial odometer reading.
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2. Every time you buy fuel record the
amount (in gallons or liters) purchased.
[SV12150(ALL)08/95]
3. After at least three to five tankfuls, fill the
fuel tank and record the final odometer
reading.
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4. Divide the total number of miles that you
have driven by the total number of gallons
that your vehicle has used. In metric,
multiply the number of liters used by 100
and divide the answer by the number of
kilometers traveled. This will give you the
number of liters used per 100 km.
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[SV12300(ALL)08/95]
Comparisons With Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and Transport
Canada (TC) Fuel Economy Estimates
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EPA fuel economy figures are obtained from
laboratory tests under simulated road conditions
and may not reflect the actual conditions you
experience or your style of driving. The EPA
fuel economy estimate is not a guarantee that
you will achieve the fuel economy shown.
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[SV12500(ALL)08/95]
Improving Fuel Economy
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Fuel economy is affected by a number of
variables which can reduce efficiency. You can
improve fuel economy by understanding these
variables and minimizing their effect.
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The following decrease fuel economy:
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q
Lack of regular, scheduled maintenance
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q
Excessive speed
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q
Rapid acceleration
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295 %
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Engine oils with anSAE 5W-30viscosity are
PREFERREDfor your vehicle. They provide the
best engine performance, fuel economy and
engine protection for all climates down to-15ÊF
(-25ÊC).
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Synthetic engine oils which are CERTIFIED and
of the preferred viscosity may be used in your
engine. The engine oil and oil filter must still be
changed according to the maintenance schedule.
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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 fully and make sure
that the gearshift is securely latched in P
(Park) (automatic transaxle) or 1 (First)
(manual transaxle).
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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.
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307
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RWARNING
Improperly inflated tires can affect vehicle
handling and can fail suddenly, possibly
resulting in loss of vehicle control.
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Tire Rotation
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Because your vehicle's front and rear tires
perform different jobs, they often wear
differently. To make sure your tires wear evenly
and last longer, rotate them as indicated in the
following diagram.
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Do not include the spare tire as part of your
rotation.
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[SV25350(ALL)03/95]
For tire rotation intervals, see theMaintenance
Schedule and Recordbooklet. If you notice the
tires wearing unevenly, have them checked.
[SV25410(E )08/92]
one third page art:0070010-B
Rotating the tires
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315
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Automatic Transaxle Fluid
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Under normal circumstances, you do not need to
check the fluid level of the transaxle, since your
vehicle does not use up transaxle fluid. Refer to
theMaintenance Schedule and Recordbooklet for
replacement intervals. However, if the transaxle
is not working properly Ð for instance, the
transaxle may slip or shift slowly, or you may
notice some sign of fluid leakage Ð the fluid
level should be checked.
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[SV29335(ALL)01/95]
NOTE: If the vehicle has been operated for an
extended period at high speeds, driven
in city traffic during hot weather, or
has been pulling a trailer, the vehicle
should be turned off for about 30
minutes to allow the fluid to cool
before checking.
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[SV29340(ALL)02/93]
Checking the Automatic Transaxle Fluid
[SV29345(ALL)03/95]
It is preferable to check the transaxle fluid level
at normal operating temperature after
approximately 20 miles (32 km) of driving.
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[SV29350(ALL)02/95]
With the vehicle on a level surface and the brake
pedal fully applied, start the engine and move
the gearshift selector through all of the gears.
Allow sufficient time for each position to engage.
Securely latch the gearshift selector in the P
(Park) position. Fully set the parking brake and
leave the engine running.
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[SV29370(ALL)01/95]
Wipe off the dipstick cap and pull the dipstick
out. Wipe the indicator end clean. Put the
dipstick back into the filler tube and make sure
it is fully seated. Pull the dipstick out and read
the fluid level.
[SV29392(ALL)12/89]
When checking fluid at the normal operating
temperature, the fluid level should be within the
normal operating temperature marks on the
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341
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To make sure that the catalytic converter and the
other emission control parts continue to work
properly:
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q
Use only unleaded fuel.
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q
Avoid running out of fuel.
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q
Do not turn off the ignition while your
vehicle is moving, especially at high speeds.
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q
Have the services listed in theMaintenance
Schedule and Recordbooklet performed
according to the specified schedule. The
scheduled maintenance services are required
because they are considered essential to the
life and performance of your vehicle and to
its emissions system.
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[SV41720(ALL)03/95]
In general, maintenance, replacement, or service
of the emissions control devices or systems in
your new Ford Motor Company vehicle or
engine may be performed at your expense by
any automotive repair establishment or
individual using automotive parts equivalent to
those which your vehicle or engine was
originally equipped.
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[SV41750(ALL)05/95]
If other than Ford or Motorcraft or Ford
authorized remanufactured parts are used for
maintenance, replacement, or for the service of
components affecting emissions control, the
owner should be assured that such parts are
warranted by their manufacturer to be
equivalent to genuine Ford Motor Company
parts in performance and durability. Please
consult your warranty information booklet for
complete warranty information.
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Index 381
Lubricant specifications......... 348
Lug nuts
anti-theft............... 255
standard............... 251
tightening sequence.......... 254
M
Maintenance schedule and record
(see separate Maintenance Schedule
and Record booklet).......... 3
Maintenance (see Servicing)....... 279
Manual transaxle
backing up (reverse)......... 229
clutch................ 229
shifting gears............. 229
Master cylinder, brakes......... 317
Methanol in fuel............ 290
Mileage, calculating fuel economy.... 292
Mirrors
rearview............... 184
side view mirrors........... 184
side view mirrors (manual)...... 185
Moon roof............... 174
Motorcraft parts............. 347
N
New vehicle break-in........... 5
O
Octane rating.............. 289
Odometer
description.............. 129
trip odometer............ 129
Oil filter................ 347
Oil (see Engine oil)........... 294
Oil viscosity.............. 294
On-board diagnostic (OBD II) system . . . 343
Order forms, service information..... 275
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