engine FORD MUSTANG 2003 4.G Owner's Manual

Have the exhaust and body ventilation systems
checked whenever:
•the vehicle is raised for service.
•the sound of the exhaust system changes.
•the vehicle has been damaged in a collision.
WARNING:Engine exhaust, some of its
constituents, and certain vehicle
components contain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm. In addition,
certain fluids contained in vehicles and certain
products of component wear contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
Important ventilating information
If the engine is idling while the vehicle is stopped in
an open area for long periods of time, open the
windows at least 2.5 cm (one inch).
Adjust the heating or air conditioning (if equipped)
to bring in fresh air.
Improve vehicle ventilation by keeping all air inlet
vents clear of snow, leaves and other debris.
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
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To release the parking
brake, the 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 handle and push the handle down as far as
possible. Driving with the parking brake applied will
cause the brakes to wear out quickly and reduce fuel
economy.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
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 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.
The ABS operates by
detecting the onset of
wheel lockup during
brake applications and
compensates 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.
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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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(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.
1
24R3
5
1
2
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