fuel FORD MUSTANG 2004 4.G Owner's Guide

Use the following guidelines to avoid static build-up
when filling an ungrounded fuel container:
•Place approved fuel container on the ground.
•DO NOT fill a fuel container while it is in the
vehicle (including the cargo area).
•Keep the fuel pump nozzle in contact with the
fuel container while filling.
•DO NOT use a device that would hold the fuel
pump handle in the fill position.
Fuel Filler Cap
Your fuel tank filler cap has an indexed design with
a 1/8 turn on/off feature.
When fueling your vehicle:
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Carefully turn the filler cap counterclockwise 1/8
of a turn until it stops.
3. Pull to remove the cap from the fuel filler pipe.
4. To install the cap, align the tabs on the cap with
the notches on the filler pipe.
5. Turn the filler cap clockwise 1/8 of a turn until it
stops.
“Check Fuel Cap”illuminates when the ignition is
turned to the ON position to ensure your bulb is
working. When this light turns on, check the fuel
filler cap. Continuing to operate the vehicle with the
Check Fuel Cap light on, can activate the Service
Engine Soon warning. When the fuel filler cap is
properly re-installed, the light(s) will turn off after a
period of normal driving.It may take a long
period of time for the system to detect an
improperly installed fuel filler cap.
If you must replace the fuel filler cap, replace
it with a fuel filler cap that is designed for
your vehicle. The customer warranty may be
void for any damage to the fuel tank or fuel
system if the correct genuine Ford or
Motorcraft fuel filler cap is not used.
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The fuel system may be under pressure. If
the fuel filler cap is venting vapor or if you
hear a hissing sound, wait until it stops before
completely removing the fuel filler cap. Otherwise,
fuel may spray out and injure you or others.
If you do not use the proper fuel filler cap,
excessive pressure or vacuum in the fuel
tank may damage the fuel system or cause the fuel
cap to disengage in a collision, which may result in
possible personal injury.
Choosing the right fuel
Use only UNLEADED FUEL. The use of leaded fuel
is prohibited by law and could damage your vehicle.
Do not use fuel containing methanol. It can damage
critical fuel system components.
Your vehicle was not designed to use fuel or fuel
additives with metallic compounds, including
manganese-based additives.
Repairs to correct the effects of using a fuel for
which your vehicle was not designed may not be
covered by your warranty.
Octane recommendations
Your vehicle is
designed to use
“Regular”unleaded
gasoline with pump
(R+M)/2 octane rating of 87. We do not recommend
the use of gasolines labeled as“Regular”that are
sold with octane ratings of 86 or lower in high
altitude areas.
Do not be concerned if your engine sometimes
knocks lightly. However, if it knocks heavily under
most driving conditions while you are using fuel with
the recommended octane rating, see your dealer or
a qualified service technician to prevent any engine
damage.
87(R+M)/2 METHOD
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Mach 1
Your vehicle is
designed to use
“Premium”unleaded
gasoline with an
(R+M)/2 octane rating of 91 or higher for optimum
performance. The use of gasolines with lower octane
ratings may degrade performance. We do not
recommend the use of gasolines labeled as
“Premium”in high altitude areas that are sold with
octane ratings of less than 91.
If your engine knocks under most driving conditions
while you are using fuel with the recommended
octane rating, see your dealer or a qualified service
technician to prevent any engine damage.
Fuel quality
If you are experiencing starting, rough idle or
hesitation driveability problems during a cold start,
try a different brand of unleaded gasoline.
“Premium”unleaded gasoline is not recommended
for vehicles designed to use“Regular”unleaded
gasoline because it may cause these problems to
become more pronounced. If the problems persist,
see your dealer or a qualified service technician.
It should not be necessary to add any aftermarket
products to your fuel tank if you continue to use
high quality fuel of the recommended octane rating.
Aftermarket products could cause damage to the
fuel system. Repairs to correct the effects of using
an aftermarket product in your fuel may not be
covered by your warranty.
Many of the world’s automakers approved the
World-wide Fuel Charter that recommends gasoline
specifications to provide improved performance and
emission control system protection for your vehicle.
Gasolines that meet the World-wide Fuel Charter
should be used when available. Ask your fuel
supplier about gasolines that meet the World-wide
Fuel Charter.
91(R+M)/2 METHOD
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Cleaner air
Ford endorses the use of reformulated
“cleaner-burning”gasolines to improve air quality.
Running out of fuel
Avoid running out of fuel because this situation may
have an adverse affect on powertrain components.
If you have run out of fuel:
•You may need to cycle the ignition from OFF to
ON several times after refueling, to allow the fuel
system to pump the fuel from the tank to the
engine.
•Your“Service Engine Soon”indicator may come
on. For more information on the“Service Engine
Soon”indicator, refer to theInstrument cluster
chapter.
Fuel Filter
For fuel filter replacement, see your dealer or a
qualified service technician. Refer to the scheduled
maintenance guide for the appropriate intervals for
changing the fuel filter.
Replace the fuel filter with an authorized
Motorcraft part. The customer warranty may
be void for any damage to the fuel system if an
authorized Motorcraft fuel filter is not used.
ESSENTIALS OF GOOD FUEL ECONOMY
Measuring techniques
Your best source of information about actual fuel
economy is you, the driver. You must gather
information as accurately and consistently as
possible. Fuel expense, frequency of fill-ups or fuel
gauge readings are NOT accurate as a measure of
fuel economy. We do not recommend taking fuel
economy measurements during the first 1,600 km
(1,000 miles) of driving (engine break-in period).
You will get a more accurate measurement after
3,000 km–5,000 km (2,000 miles-3,000 miles).
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Filling the tank
The advertised fuel capacity of the fuel tank on your
vehicle is equal to the rated refill capacity of the fuel
tank as listed in theRefill capacitiessection of this
chapter.
The advertised capacity is the amount of the
indicated capacity and the empty reserve combined.
Indicated capacity is the difference in the amount of
fuel in a full tank and a tank when the fuel gauge
indicates empty. Empty reserve is the small amount
of fuel remaining in the fuel tank after the fuel
gauge indicates empty.
The amount of usable fuel in the empty reserve
varies and should not be relied upon to
increase driving range. When refueling your
vehicle after the fuel gauge indicates empty,
you might not be able to refuel the full amount
of the advertised capacity of the fuel tank due
to the empty reserve still present in the tank.
For consistent results when filling the fuel tank:
•Turn the engine/ignition switch to the off position
prior to refueling, an error in the reading will
result if the engine is left running.
•Use the same filling rate setting (low—medium
—high) each time the tank is filled.
•Allow no more than 2 automatic click-offs when
filling.
•Always use fuel with the recommended octane
rating.
•Use a known quality gasoline, preferably a
national brand.
•Use the same side of the same pump and have
the vehicle facing the same direction each time
you fill up.
•Have the vehicle loading and distribution the
same every time.
Your results will be most accurate if your filling
method is consistent.
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Calculating fuel economy
1. Fill the fuel tank completely and record the initial
odometer reading (in kilometers or miles).
2. Each time you fill the tank, record the amount of
fuel added (in liters or gallons).
3. After at least three to five tank fill-ups, fill the
fuel tank and record the current odometer reading.
4. Subtract your initial odometer reading from the
current odometer reading.
5. Follow one of the simple calculations in order to
determine fuel economy:
Calculation 1:Multiply liters used by 100, then
divide by total kilometers traveled.
Calculation 2:Divide total miles traveled by
total gallons used.
Keep a record for at least one month and record the
type of driving (city or highway). This will provide
an accurate estimate of the vehicle’s fuel economy
under current driving conditions. Additionally,
keeping records during summer and winter will show
how temperature impacts fuel economy. In general,
lower temperatures give lower fuel economy.
Driving style—good driving and fuel economy
habits
Give consideration to the lists that follow and you
may be able to change a number of variables and
improve your fuel economy.
Habits
•Smooth, moderate operation can yield up to 10%
savings in fuel.
•Steady speeds without stopping will usually give
the best fuel economy.
•Idling for long periods of time (greater than one
minute) may waste fuel.
•Anticipate stopping; slowing down may eliminate
the need to stop.
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•Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel
economy.
•Slow down gradually.
•Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 88 km/h
[55 mph] uses 15% less fuel than traveling at
105 km/h [65 mph]).
•Revving the engine before turning it off may
reduce fuel economy.
•Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce
fuel economy.
•You may want to turn off the speed control in
hilly terrain if unnecessary shifting between third
and fourth gear occurs. Unnecessary shifting of
this type could result in reduced fuel economy.
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not
required and may reduce fuel economy.
•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving
may reduce fuel economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go
driving.
Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only
recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of
alignment will reduce fuel economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant
specificationsin this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance
items. Follow the recommended maintenance
schedule and owner maintenance checks found in
your vehicle scheduled maintenance guide.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may
reduce fuel economy at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel
economy (approximately 0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost
for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
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•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for
example bug deflectors, rollbars/light bars,
running boards, ski/luggage racks) may reduce
fuel economy.
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel
economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower
temperatures during the first 12–16 km
(8–10 miles) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel
economy as compared to driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when
operated in the top cruise gear and with steady
pressure on the gas pedal.
•Close windows for high speed driving.
EPA window sticker
Every new vehicle should have the EPA window
sticker. Contact your dealer if the window sticker is
not supplied with your vehicle. The EPA window
sticker should be your guide for the fuel economy
comparisons with other vehicles.
It is important to note the box in the lower left
corner of the window sticker. These numbers
represent the Range of L/100 km (MPG) expected
on the vehicle under optimum conditions. Your fuel
economy may vary depending upon the method of
operation and conditions.
EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with various emission
control components and a catalytic converter which
will enable your vehicle to comply with applicable
exhaust emission standards. To make sure that the
catalytic converter and other emission control
components continue to work properly:
•Use only the specified fuel listed.
•Avoid running out of fuel.
•Do not turn off the ignition while your vehicle is
moving, especially at high speeds.
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On board diagnostics (OBD-II)
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer that
monitors the engine’s emission control system. This
system is commonly known as the On Board
Diagnostics System (OBD-II). This OBD-II system
protects the environment by ensuring that your
vehicle continues to meet government emission
standards. The OBD-II system also assists the
service technician in properly servicing your vehicle.
When theCheck Engine/Service Engine Soonlight
illuminates, the OBD-II system has detected a
malfunction. Temporary malfunctions may cause
yourCheck Engine/Service Engine Soonlight to
illuminate. Examples are:
1. The vehicle has run out of fuel. (The engine may
misfire or run poorly.)
2. Poor fuel quality or water in the fuel.
3. The fuel cap may not have been securely
tightened.
These temporary malfunctions can be corrected by
filling the fuel tank with good quality fuel and/or
properly tightening the fuel cap. After three driving
cycles without these or any other temporary
malfunctions present, theCheck Engine/Service
Engine Soonlight should turn off. (A driving cycle
consists of a cold engine startup followed by mixed
city/highway driving.) No additional vehicle service is
required.
If theCheck Engine/Service Engine Soonlight
remains on, have your vehicle serviced at the first
available opportunity.
Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M)
testing
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to
pass an I/M test of the on-board diagnostics system.
If your“Check Engine/Service Engine Soon”light is
on, refer to the description in theWarning lights
and chimessection of theInstrument cluster
chapter. Your vehicle may not pass the I/M test with
the“Check Engine/Service Engine Soon”light on.
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SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
Driving too fast for conditions creates the
possibility of loss of vehicle control. Driving
at very high speeds for extended periods of time
may result in damage to vehicle components.
Snow tires must be the same size and grade
as the tires you currently have on your
vehicle.
The tires on your vehicle have all weather treads to
provide traction in rain and snow. However, in some
climates, you may need to use snow tires and
chains. Use chains on the tires only in an emergency
or if the law requires them.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and
chains:
•Chains may damage aluminum wheels.
•Use only Cable Type chains with size P225/55R16
or 245/45ZR17 tires. Use of SAE Class S chains
may damage your vehicle.
•Install chains securely, verifying that the chains do
not touch any wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
•Drive cautiously. If you hear the chains rub or
bang against your vehicle, stop and re-tighten the
chains. If this does not work, remove the chains
to prevent damage to your vehicle.
•If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
•Remove the tire chains when they are no longer
needed. Do not use tire chains on dry roads.
•The suspension insulation and bumpers will help
prevent vehicle damage. Do not remove these
components from your vehicle when using snow
tires and chains.
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