engine FORD MUSTANG 1998 4.G Owner's Manual

BRAKES
Your service brakes are self-adjusting. Refer to the
scheduled maintenance guide for scheduled
maintenance.
Occasional brake noise is normal and often does not
indicate a performance concern with the vehicle's
brake system. In normal operation, automotive brake
systems may emit occasional or intermittent squeal
or groan noises when the brakes are applied. Such
noises are usually heard during the first few brake
applications in the morning; however, they may be
heard at any time while braking and can be
aggravated by environmental conditions such as
cold, heat, moisture, road dust, salt or mud. If a
ªmetal-to-metal,º ªcontinuous grindingº or
ªcontinuous squealº sound is present while braking,
the brake linings may be worn-out and should be
inspected by a qualified service technician.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) (if equipped)
On vehicles equipped with an anti-lock braking
system (ABS), a noise from the hydraulic pump
motor and pulsation in the pedal may be observed
during ABS braking events. Pedal pulsation coupled
with noise while braking under panic conditions or
on loose gravel, bumps, wet or snowy roads is
normal and indicates proper functioning of the
vehicle's anti-lock brake system. The ABS performs a
self-check at 17 km/h (10 mph) after you start the
engine and begin to drive away. A brief mechanical
noise may be heard during this test. This is normal.
If a malfunction is found, the ABS warning light will
come on. If the vehicle has continuous vibration or
shudder in the steering wheel while braking, the
vehicle should be inspected by a qualified service
technician.
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The ABS operates by
detecting the onset of
wheel lockup during
brake applications
and compensating for
this tendency. The
wheels are prevented
from locking even
when the brakes are firmly applied. The
accompanying illustration depicts the advantage of
an ABS equipped vehicle (on bottom) to a non-ABS
equipped vehicle (on top) during hard braking with
loss of front braking traction.
ABS warning lamp
The
ABSwarning lamp in the instrument cluster
momentarily illuminates when the ignition is turned
on and the engine is off. If the light does not
illuminate momentarily at start up, remains on or
continues to flash, the ABS needs to be serviced.
With the ABS light on,
the anti-lock brake
system is disabled and
normal braking is still
effective unless the brake warning light also remains
illuminated with parking brake released. (If your
brake warning lamp illuminates, have your vehicle
serviced immediately).
Using ABS
²In an emergency or when maximum efficiency
from the ABS is required, apply continuous full
force on the brake. The ABS will be activated
immediately, thus allowing you to retain full
steering control of your vehicle and, providing
there is sufficient space, will enable you to avoid
obstacles and bring the vehicle to a controlled
stop.
²The Anti-Lock system does not decrease the time
necessary to apply the brakes or always reduce
P!
BRAKE
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The parking brake is not recommended to stop a
moving vehicle. However, if the normal brakes fail,
the parking brake can be used to stop your vehicle
in an emergency. Since the parking brake applies
only the rear brakes, the vehicle's stopping distance
will increase greatly and the handling of your vehicle
will be adversely affected.
Always set the parking brake fully and make
sure that the gearshift is securely latched in
P (Park) (automatic transmission) or in 1 (First)
(manual transmission).
Your brake handle may
need to be pulled up
slightly to release
pressure before
pushing in the button.
Push the button on the
end of the parking
brake and push the handle down as far as possible
to release the brake. Driving with the parking brake
on will cause the brakes to wear out quickly and
reduce fuel economy.
TRACTION CONTROLY(IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle may be equipped with the optional
Traction Controlysystem. This system helps you
maintain the stability and steerability of your
vehicle. It is especially useful on slippery and/or hilly
road surfaces. The system operates by detecting and
controlling wheel spin. The system borrows many of
the electronic and mechanical elements already
present in the anti-lock braking system (ABS).
Wheel-speed sensors allow excess rear wheel spin to
be detected by the Traction Controlyportion of the
ABS computer. Any excessive wheel spin is
controlled by automatically applying and releasing
the rear brakes in conjunction with engine torque
reductions. Engine torque reduction is realized via
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the fully electronic spark and fuel injection systems.
This process is very sensitive to driving conditions
and very fast acting. The rear wheels ªsearchº for
optimum traction several times a second and
adjustments are made accordingly.
The Traction Controlysystem will allow your
vehicle to make better use of available traction on
slippery surfaces. The system is a driver aid which
makes your vehicle easier to handle primarily on
snow, ice covered and gravel roads.
During Traction Controlyoperation, the traction
control active light will illuminate, you may hear an
electric motor type of sound coming from the engine
compartment and the engine will not ªrev-upº when
you push further on the accelerator. This is normal
system behavior.
The Traction Controlyon/off switch, located in front
of the gearshift, illuminates when the system is OFF.
The Traction Controlysystem will revert to the ON
position every time the ignition is turned OFF and
ON.
If you should become stuck in snow or ice or on a
very slippery road surface, try switching the Traction
Controlysystem off. This may allow excess wheel
spin to ªdigº the vehicle out and enable a successful
ªrockingº maneuver.
STEERING
Your vehicle is equipped with power steering. Power
steering uses energy from the engine to help steer
the vehicle.
To prevent damage to the power steering pump:
²Never hold the steering wheel to the extreme
right or the extreme left for more than a few
seconds when the engine is running.
²Do not operate the vehicle with a low power
steering pump fluid level.
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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.
If the steering wanders or pulls, the condition could
be caused by any of the following:
²underinflated tire(s) on any wheel(s)
²high crown in center of road
²high crosswinds
²wheels out of alignment
²loose or worn components in steering linkage
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION
(IF EQUIPPED)
Brake-shift interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a brake-shift interlock
feature that prevents the gearshift from being moved
from P (Park) unless the brake pedal is depressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift out of P (Park)
with the brake pedal depressed:
1. Apply the parking brake, turn ignition key to
LOCK, then remove the key.
2. Insert the key and turn it to OFF. Apply the brake
pedal and shift to N (Neutral).
3. Start the vehicle.
If it is necessary to use the above procedure to
move the gearshift, it is possible that a fuse has
blown or the vehicle's brakelamps are not operating
properly. Refer toFuses and relaysin theRoadside
emergencieschapter.
Do not drive your vehicle until you verify
that the brakelamps are working.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow it may be
rocked out by shifting from forward and reverse
gears, stopping between shifts, in a steady pattern.
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Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few
minutes. The transmission and tires may be
damaged or the engine may overheat.
Always set the parking brake fully and make
sure the gearshift is latched in P (Park).
Turn off the ignition whenever you leave your
vehicle.
If the parking brake is fully released, but the
brake warning lamp remains illuminated, the
brakes may not be working properly. See your
dealer or a qualified service technician.
Driving with a 4±speed automatic transmission
(if equipped)
Understanding gearshift positions
Pull the gearshift lever towards you and downward
to move the automatic gearshift.
Hold the brake pedal down while you move
the gearshift lever from P (Park) to another
position. If you do not hold the brake pedal down,
your vehicle may move unexpectedly and injure
someone.
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gears one through three.(Drive) provides more
engine braking than
(Overdrive) and is useful
when:
²driving with a heavy load
²towing a trailer up or down steep hills
²additional engine braking is desired. If towing a
trailer, refer toDriving while you towin the
Trailer Towingchapter.
To return to
(Overdrive) mode, press the
transmission control switch. The O/D OFF indicator
will no longer be illuminated.
Each time the vehicle is started, the transmission
will automatically return to normal overdrive mode.
Every time the vehicle is shut off and restarted, you
must press the transmission control switch to cancel
overdrive operation if driving in overdrive is not
desired.
2 (Second)
Use 2 (Second) to
start-up on slippery
roads or to provide
additional engine
braking on downgrades.
1 (First)
Use 1 (Low) to provide
maximum engine
braking on steep
downgrades. Upshifts
can be made by
shifting to 2 (Second)
or to
(Overdrive).
Selecting 1 (Low) at
higher speeds causes the transmission to shift to a
lower gear, and will shift to 1 (Low) after vehicle
decelerates to the proper speed.
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MANUAL TRANSMISSION OPERATION
(IF EQUIPPED)
Using the clutch
Vehicles equipped with a manual transmission have a
starter interlock that prevents cranking the engine
unless the clutch pedal is fully depressed.
When starting a vehicle with a manual transmission,
you must:
1. Put gearshift in N
(Neutral).
2. Hold down brake
pedal.
3. Depress clutch
pedal.
4. Turn ignition to
position 5 (START) to
start the engine, let the
engine idle for a few
seconds, then shift into
gear.
5. Release the brake
pedal.
6. Release clutch slowly
while pressing down
slowly on the
accelerator pedal.
²Do not drive with your foot resting on the clutch
pedal and do not use the clutch to hold your
vehicle at a standstill while waiting on a hill.
These actions will seriously reduce clutch life.
1
24R3
5
1
2
34
5
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gearshift back into Neutral. Then, release the
clutch pedal for a moment and repeat steps 2
through 4.
Removing key from ignition
²Turn the ignition key
to position 3 (OFF).
²Push the release
lever forward and
rotate the key
towards you and
remove.
TRACTION-LOK AXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
This axle provides added traction on slippery
surfaces, particularly when one wheel is on a poor
traction surface. Under normal conditions, the
Traction-Lok axle functions like a standard rear axle.
Extended use of other than the manufacturer's
specified size tires on a Traction-Lok rear axle could
result in a permanent reduction in effectiveness.
This loss of effectiveness does not affect normal
driving and should not be noticeable to the driver.
To avoid injury, never run the engine with
one wheel off the ground, such as when
changing a tire.
VEHICLE LOADING
Before loading a vehicle, familiarize yourself with the
following terms:
²Base Curb Weight: Weight of the vehicle
including any standard equipment, fluids,
lubricants, etc. It does not include passengers or
aftermarket equipment.
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²Payload: Combined maximum allowable weight of
cargo, passengers and optional equipment. The
payload equals the gross vehicle weight rating
minus base curb weight.
²GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight): Base curb weight
plus payload weight. The GVW is not a limit or a
specification.
²GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating):
Maximum total weight of the base vehicle,
passengers, optional equipment and cargo. The
GVWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on
the Safety Compliance Label on the driver's door
pillar.
²GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating): Carrying
capacity for each axle system. The GAWR is
specific to each vehicle and is listed on the Safety
Compliance Label on the driver's door pillar.
²GCW (Gross Combined Weight): The combined
weight of the towing vehicle (including passengers
and cargo) and the trailer.
²GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating):
Maximum combined weight of towing vehicle
(including passengers and cargo) and the trailer.
The GCWR indicates the maximum loaded weight
that the vehicle is designed to tow.
²Maximum Trailer Weight Rating: Maximum
weight of a trailer the vehicle is permitted to tow.
The maximum trailer weight rating is determined
by subtracting the vehicle curb weight for each
engine/transmission combination, any required
option weight for trailer towing and the weight of
the driver from the GCWR for the towing vehicle.
²Maximum Trailer Weight: Maximum weight of a
trailer the loaded vehicle (including passengers
and cargo) is permitted to tow. It is determined
by subtracting the weight of the loaded trailer
towing vehicle from the GCWR for the towing
vehicle.
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