FORD MUSTANG 2003 4.G Owners Manual

ABSwarning lampABS
TheABSwarning lamp in the instrument cluster
momentarily illuminates when the ignition is turned
to the ON position. 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
•In an emergency or when maximum efficiency
from the four-wheel ABS is required, apply
continuous force on the brake. The four wheel
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.
•The anti-lock system does not reduce stopping
distance. Always leave enough room between your
vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to stop.
•We recommend that you familiarize yourself with
this braking technique. However, avoid taking any
unnecessary risks.
Hydraulic brake booster system (Hydroboost)
The Hydroboost system receives fluid pressure from
the power steering pump to provide power assist
during braking.
The sound of the pump operating may be heard by
the driver, but this is a normal characteristic of the
system.
For Hydroboost-equipped vehicles operating under
normal conditions, the noise of the fluid flowing
P!
BRAKE
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through the booster may be heard whenever the
brake is applied. This condition is normal. Vehicle
service is not required.
If braking performance or pedal response becomes
very poor, even when the pedal is strongly
depressed, it may indicate the presence of air in the
hydraulic system or leakage of fluid. Stop the vehicle
safely as soon as possible and seek service
immediately.
STEERING
Your vehicle is equipped with power steering. Power
steering uses energy from the engine to decrease
the driver’s effort in steering the vehicle.
To prevent damage to the power steering pump:
•Never hold the steering wheel to the extreme
right or the extreme left for more than a few
seconds when the engine is running.
•Do not operate the vehicle with the power
steering pump fluid level below the MIN mark on
the reservoir.
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:
•Underinflated tire(s) on any wheel(s)
•Uneven vehicle loading
•High crown in center of road
•High crosswinds
•Wheels out of alignment
•Loose or worn suspension components
TRACTION CONTROL
Your vehicle may be equipped with the optional
Traction Control
system. This system helps you
maintain the stability and steerability of your
vehicle. It is especially useful on slippery road
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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 Control
portion 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
the fully electronic spark and fuel injection systems.
This process is very sensitive to driving conditions
and very fast acting. The rear wheels“search”for
optimum traction several times a second and
adjustments are made accordingly.
The Traction Control
system 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
Control
operation,
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“rev-up”when you push further on
the accelerator. This is normal system behavior.
The Traction Control

on/off switch, located
below the radio,
illuminates when the
system is OFF. The
Traction Control
system 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
Control
system off. This may allow excess wheel
spin to“dig”the vehicle out and enable a successful
“rocking”maneuver.
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If a system fault is detected the OFF indicator lamp
on the traction control switch will be illuminated and
your vehicle should be serviced.
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 reduce the risk of injury, never run the
engine with one wheel off the ground, such
as when changing a tire.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION
(IF EQUIPPED)
Brake-shift interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a brake-shift interlock
feature that prevents the gearshift lever from being
moved from P (Park) when the ignition is in the ON
position unless brake pedal is depressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift lever out of P
(Park) with ignition in the ON position and 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).
In the ignition OFF position, the automatic
transmission shift lever can be moved from
the P (Park) position without the brake pedal
depressed. To avoid unwanted vehicle movement,
always set the parking brake.
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3. Start the vehicle.
If it is necessary to use the above procedure to
move the gearshift lever, it is possible that a fuse
has blown or the vehicle’s brakelamps are not
operating properly. Refer toFuses and relaysin the
Roadside 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.
Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at
normal operating temperature or damage to
the transmission may occur.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few
minutes or damage to the transmission and
tires may occur or the engine may overheat.
Always set the parking brake fully and make
sure the gearshift is latched in P (Park).
Turn the ignition to the LOCK position and remove
the key 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.
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Driving with an automatic overdrive
transmission with console gearshift and O/D off
switch
Your automatic
overdrive transmission
provides fully
automatic operation in
either D (Overdrive) or
with the O/D OFF
switch depressed.
Driving with the
gearshift lever in D
(Overdrive) gives the
best fuel economy for
normal driving
conditions. For manual control, start in 1 (First) and
then shift manually.
Driving with a 4–speed automatic transmission
(if equipped)
Use the following
procedure to put your
vehicle in gear.
1. Start the engine.
2. Depress and hold
the brake pedal.
3. Push and hold the
thumb button.
4. Move gearshift lever
out of P (Park).
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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Understanding gearshift positions
P (Park)
Always come to a
complete stop before
shifting into P (Park).
Make sure the gearshift
lever is securely
latched in P (Park).
This position locks the
transmission and
prevents the rear
wheels from turning.
Always set the parking brake fully and make
sure the gearshift lever is latched in P
(Park). Turn the ignition to the LOCK position and
remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
R (Reverse)
With the gearshift lever
in R (Reverse), the
vehicle will move
backward. Always come
to a complete stop
before shifting into and
out of R (Reverse).
N (Neutral)
With the gearshift lever
in N (Neutral), the
vehicle can be started
and is free to roll. Hold
the brake pedal down
while in this gear.
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(Overdrive)
The normal driving
position for the best
fuel economy.
Transmission operates
in gears one through
four.
(Overdrive) can be
deactivated by pressing
the transmission
control switch on the
gearshift lever.
The transmission
control indicator light
(TCIL) will illuminate
on the instrument
cluster.
Drive–Not shown on the display. Activate by
pressing the transmission control switch on the
gearshift lever with the gearshift in the
position.
The O/D OFF indicator will illuminate on the
instrument cluster. Transmission operates in gears
one through three.
(Drive) provides more engine
braking than
(Overdrive) and is useful when:
•driving with a heavy load.
•towing a trailer up or down steep hills.
•additional engine braking is desired. If towing a
trailer, refer toDriving while you towin this
chapter.
O/ D
OFF
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Toreturn 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.
Transmission operates
only in Second gear.
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.
Forced Downshifts
To gain acceleration in
(Overdrive) or Drive
(O/D OFF) when passing another vehicle, push the
accelerator to the floor. The transmission will
downshift to the appropriate gear: third, second or
first gear.
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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 of the
engine unless the clutch pedal is fully depressed.
When starting a vehicle with a manual transmission,
you must:
1. Make sure the
parking brake is fully
set.
2. Depress the clutch
pedal fully.
3. Put the gearshift
lever in neutral.
4. Start the engine and
letitidleforafew
seconds.
5. Depress the brake
pedal.
6. Release the parking
brake.
7. Move the gearshift
lever to the desired
gear.
8. Release the brake
pedal.
9. Slowly release the
clutch pedal while slowly pressing down on the
accelerator pedal.
•Do 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 greatly reduce clutch life.
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24R3
5
1
2
34
5
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