oil FORD ESCORT 1997 7.G Owners Manual

ICONS
The following icons appear in this
Owner Guide:
indicates a warning. Read the
following section onWarningsfor
a full explanation of warnings.
indicates that vehicle
information related to recycling
and other environmental concerns
will follow.
Warnings
Warnings remind you to be
especially careful in those areas
where carelessness can cause
damage to your vehicle or personal
injury to yourself, your passengers,
or others. Please read all warnings
carefully.
Breaking-in your vehicle
Your new vehicle goes through an
adjustment or breaking-in period
during the first 1,600 km (1,000
miles) of driving. During this
period:
²change your vehicle's speed
often as you drive. Do not drive
at one speed for a long time.
²use only the type of engine oil
Ford recommends. Do not use
special ªbreak-inº oils.
²avoid sudden stops. The
break-in period for brake linings
lasts for 1,600 km (1,000 miles)
of highway driving or 160 km
(100 miles) of city driving.
Introduction
2

Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
Illuminates when the ABS needs
service. The light will also briefly
illuminate when the ignition key is
turned to ON and the engine is off.
Turn signal
Illuminates when the left hand or
right hand turn signal or the
hazard lamps are illuminated.
High beams
Illuminates when the headlamp
high beams are on.
Anti-theft (if equipped)
Illuminates when the anti-theft
system is arming and flashes when
the anti-theft system is armed.
Charging
Illuminates when there is a
problem with the alternator or
charging system and the electrical
system requires service. The light
will also briefly illuminate when
the ignition key is turned to ON
and the engine is off.
Oil pressure
Illuminates when the oil pressure
is low, not the low oil level.
However, if your engine's oil level
is low, it could affect the oil
pressure. Stop the vehicle and
check the oil level as soon as
possible. Do not drive the vehicle if
the light remains on. The light will
also briefly illuminate when the
ignition key is turned to ON and
the engine is off.
ABS
THEFT
Instrumentation
9

JUMP-STARTING A DISABLED
VEHICLE
The gases around the
battery can explode if
exposed to flames, sparks, or lit
smoking materials. An explosion
could result in injury or vehicle
damage.
To protect yourself when
charging a battery, always
shield your face and eyes. Make
sure that you can breathe fresh
air.
Batteries contain sulfuric
acid which burns skin,
eyes, and clothing.
If the battery acid touches
someone's skin, eyes, or clothing,
immediately flush the area with
water for at least fifteen minutes.
If someone swallows acid, have
him or her drink lots of milk or
water first, then Milk of Magnesia,
a beaten egg, or vegetable oil.
Consult a physician immediately.
To avoid damage or injury,
follow these directions in
the order they are given. If in
doubt, call for road service.
Before jump-starting a vehicle:
²make sure the booster battery
vehicle has a 12-volt starting
Roadside emergencies
120

IDENTIFYING COMPONENTS IN
THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
41
3
9
6
5
2
7
8
1. Engine oil dipstick
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Windshield washer fluid
5. Coolant reservoir
6. Steering fluid reservoir
7. Automatic transmission dipstick
8. Battery
9. Air filter assembly
Maintenance and care
129

CHECKING AND ADDING
ENGINE OIL
Use SAE 5W-30 motor oil
CERTIFIED FOR GASOLINE
ENGINES by the American
Petroleum Institute. Look for the
certification Ð Ford specification
WSS-M2C153-F.
Additional engine oil additives, oil
treatments, or engine treatments
are never needed and could, under
certain conditions, lead to engine
damage which is not covered by
your Warranty.
Changing the engine oil and oil
filter
Change the engine oil and oil filter
per the following, whichever
occurs first.
5,000 MILES (8,000 KM) OR 6 MONTHS
NORMAL SCHEDULE
3,000 MILES (5,000 KM) OR 3 MONTHS
SEVERE DUTY SCHEDULE
EXTENSIVE IDLING
TRAILER TOWING
DRIVING IN SEVERE DUST
POLICE, TAXI, OR DELIVERY
Oil change intervals
Refer to theService Guide
booklet for additional information.
Checking the engine oil
Check the engine oil every time
you fuel your vehicle.
Maintenance and care
130

To check the engine oil, follow
these steps:
1. Once the engine is warm, turn
the engine off. Make sure the
vehicle is parked on level ground.
2. Automatic transaxle:
²Engage the parking brake.
²Place the gearshift in P.
Manual transaxle:
²Engage the parking brake.
²Depress the clutch and place
the gearshift in first gear.
3. Open the hood. If you need
assistance, refer toOpening the
Hoodin this chapter. Protect
yourself from engine heat.
4. Remove the engine oil dipstick
and wipe it clean. Insert the
dipstick fully, then remove it again.
The oil level should be in the
range shown on the dipstick.
5. Carefully pull the dipstick out
again. If the oil level is below the
ADD arrow, add engine oil as
necessary. If the engine oil is
beyond the FULL arrow, engine
damage or high oil consumption
may occur and some oil must be
removed from the engine.
6. Put the dipstick back and
ensure that it is properly seated.
ADD FULL
Maintenance and care
131

Adding engine
oil
1. Check the
engine oil. For
instructions,
refer to
Checking the
engine oilin this
chapter.
2. If the fluid
level is not
within the
normal range,
add engine oil by
removing the
engine oil filler cap and pouring in
oil.
3. Confirm that the oil level is full,
but be careful not to overfill the
engine.
Continuous contact with
USED motor oil has
caused cancer in laboratory rats.
Maintenance and care
132

²engine runs more than five
seconds after shut off or engine
misfires, surges, stalls, or
backfires
²loss of oil pressure
Important emission control
information
By law, anyone who manufactures,
repairs, services, sells, leases, or
trades vehicles, or who supervises
a fleet of vehicles is not permitted
to intentionally remove an
emission control device or prevent
it from working. Do not make any
unauthorized changes to the
vehicle or engine. Changes that
cause more unburned fuel to reach
the exhaust system can increase
the temperature of the engine or
exhaust system.
When your vehicle is serviced,
never use a metal exhaust
collector. The use of a metal
collector may melt or deform
plastic parts.
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.
Preparing your vehicle for
inspection / maintenance (I/M)
testing
In some localities it may become a
legal requirement to pass an I/M
test of the on-board diagnostic
Maintenance and care
158

²hazard flasher
The overview of your vehicle's
exterior lamps shows the tail lamp/
backup lamp assembly for the
sedan model only. The lamp
assembly for the wagon is similar,
although the bulb replacement
process differs. For more
information, seeTail lamps/
Backup lampsin this section. In
addition, the headlamp assembly
includes the headlamp and the
turn signal/parking lamp
assemblies
Do not remove lamp bulbs unless
they may be replaced immediately
with new ones. If a bulb is
removed for an extended period of
time, contaminants may enter the
lamp housings and affect
performance.
Handle a halogen 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 that the
headlamps are operated.
Maintenance and care
161

After washing your vehicle, apply
the brakes several times to dry
them.
Repairing paint chips
Minor scratches or paint damage
from road chippings may be
camouflaged with Ford exterior
lacquer touch-up paint,
AL81-XXXX-B or
ALBZ-19500-XXXXA. XXXX
indicates the code, meeting Ford
specification ESR-M2P100-C.
Follow the application instructions
on the product. Be sure to remove
aggressive particles such as bird
droppings, tree resins, insect
remains, tar spots, and road salt,
that may damage your paint.
Cleaning the wheels
Wash the wheels with the same
detergent used to clean the body
of your vehicle. Do not use acid
based wool cleaners, steel wool,
fuel, or strong detergents. Never
use abrasives that will damage the
finish of special wheel surfaces.
Use a tar and road oil remover to
remove grease and tar.
Cleaning plastic parts
Some of the vehicle's trim parts
are plastic. Clean with a tar and
road oil remover if necessary. Use
a vinyl cleaner for routine cleaning.
Do not clean plastic parts with
thinners, solvents, or petroleum
based cleaners.
Maintenance and care
176