lock LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1996 Customer Assistance Guide

Using the Automatic Memor.y Store feature
(“AUTOSET”)
If the memory buttons have been set, either by
using the Auto Memory Load feature or if you
have set them manually, the system is prepared to
let you use a convenient feature called
Automatic Memory Store.
With Auto Memory Store, you can continually
set strong stations into your memory buttons
without losing your originally set stations. Your
radio will automatically set your memory buttons
to the strong local stations.
Activate Auto Memory Store by pushing the
"AUTOSET" button once. Your radio will set
the first six strong stations of the band you are in
(AM, FMI or FM2) into the memory buttons.
The display will flash "AUTO" and display the
autoset icon "A" while the stations are being set
in the memory buttons.NOTE: If there are less than six strong
stations in the frequency band, the
remaining unfilled buttons will store the
last strong station detected on the band.
After all stations have been filled, the radio
will begin playing the station stored on
memory button 1.
To deactivate the Auto Memory Store mode and
return to the manually-set memory button stations,
simply push the "AUTOSET" button. Display will
show "AUTO" then "OFF". The next time Auto
Memory Store is activated on that band, the radio
will store the next set of six strong stations.
Adjusting the tone balance of your radio Increasing or decreasing bass and treble
response Push the "BASS/TREB" popout knob
to gain access to the bass and treble controls.
Bass control allows you to adjust the lower,
bass frequencies to your preference. The outer
ring of the "BASS/TREB" knob adjusts the
bass (turn clockwise to increase bass;
counterclockwise to decrease bass).
163

Treble control allows YOU to adjust the higher,
treble frequencies of your radio to your
preference. The inner ring of the "BASS/TREB"
knob adjusts the treble (turn clockwise to
increase treble; counterclockwise to decrease
treble). Adjusting speaker balance and speaker fader
Push the "BAL/FADE" popout knob to gain
access to the speaker balance and fader controls.
Balance control allows YOU to adjust the sound
distribution between the right and left speakers.
The outer ring of "BAL/FADE" knob adjusts the
speaker balance control. (Turn clockwise to shift
the sound to the right speakers, and turn left
counterclockwise to shift the sound to the
speakers.)
164Fade control allows YOU to adjust the sound
distribution between the front and rear speakers.
The inner ring of the 'BAL/FADE" knob adjusts
the speaker fader. (Turn clockwise to shift the
sound to the rear speakers, and turn
counterclockwise to shift the sound to the front
speakers.)
Using the Digital Signal Processing
(DSP) Feature
Push the "(DSP)" button to activate the
feature. The display will indicate Which signal
mode is in effect. To change the signal mode press
either the left () or right () side of the selector
button (located under the "(DSP)" button).
The following signal modes May be selected:
1."HALL" - Rectangular concert hall capacity of
about 2,000.
2. "CHURCH” - Church with a high vault.

To operate:
1.Start the engine.
2.Depress and hold the brake pedal.
3.Depress the thumb button (console-mounted
gearshift only).
4.Move the gearshift lever out of P (Park).
Your vehicle is equipped with a Brake Shift
Interlock safety feature. This feature prevents
the gearshift from being moved from the P
(Park) position until the brake pedal is
depressed. This feature is active when the
ignition is in the ON position. If the gearshift
lever CANNOT be moved from P (Park) with
the brake pedal depressed:
1.Turn the engine off and remove the ignition
key.
2.Apply parking brake.
3.Reinsert the ignition key and turn clockwise
to the first position (OFF).
1804.Depress the brake pedal, depress the
thumb button (console-mounted gearshift
only), move the gearshift lever to N
(Neutral) and start the engine.
If you need to shift out of P (Park) by using
the alternate procedure described above, it is
possible that a fuse has blown and that your
brakelamps may also not be functional.
Please refer to the Servicing Your
Continental chapter for instructions on
checking and replacing fuses./! WARNINGDO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLEUNTIL YOU VERIFY THAT THEBRAKELAMPS ARE WORKING.

Driving
When to use (Overdrive) (Overdrive) is the usual driving position for an
automatic overdrive transaxle. It works the same
way D (Drive) works, automatically upshifting or
downshifting as the vehicle speeds or slows.
However, (Overdrive) also shifts into a fourth gear
- an overdrive gear - when your vehicle cruises at a
consistent speed for any length of time. This fourth
gear will increase your fuel economy when you travel
at cruising speeds.(Overdrive) may not be appropriate for certain
terrain. If the transaxle shifts back and forth between
third and fourth gears while you are driving on hilly
roads or if your vehicle requires additional power for
climbing hills, shift to D (Drive).When to use D (Drive)
D (Drive) eliminates the excessive shifting
between third and fourth gears that your
vehicle sometimes does when you are traveling
through hilly terrain in Overdrive. It also
gives more engine braking to ml slow your
vehicle on downgrades than Overdrive.
When to use 1 (First)
Use I (First) when added engine braking is
desired when descending steep hills.
The automatic transaxle will shift to the proper
gear to ascend any grade without any need to
shift to I (First).
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before you
shift into P (Park). Make sure that the
gearshift is securely latched in P (Park). This
locks the transaxle and prevents the front
wheels from rotating.
183

/!\ WARNINGAlways set the parking brake fully and makesure that the gearshift is securely latched in P(Park). Never leave your vehicle unattendedwhile it is running.You can tell a column-mounted gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park) if the lever is adjacent to the P
(Park) and you cannot move it without pulling it
toward you and rotating it downward.
You can tell a console-mounted gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park) if the lever is adjacent to the P
(Park) and you cannot move it without pushing in the
thumb button.
The gearshift will lock when you turn the key to the
LOCK position. When the gearshift is in any
position except P (Park), the ignition key cannot be
turned to the LOCK position or removed from the
steering column. To remove the key, the gearshift
lever must be in P (Park).
184Traction ControlÔ Ô (If equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with the
optional Traction ControlÔ, system. This
system helps prevent wheel spin in order to
improve tire traction and is an especially useful
feature when you drive in hilly areas or on
slippery, icy or snowy roads.
When the Traction Control system is
controlling wheelspin, an electric motor sound
may be heard from the engine compartment and
engine acceleration may seem slower. This is
normal.
Traction ControlÔ works automatically by
rapidly applying and releasing the brakes and
reducing engine torque to prevent one or both
of the front drive wheels from spinning during
acceleration.
During the Traction ControlÔ function, which
most often occurs during low speed
acceleration on slippery surfaces, a noise may
be heard coming from the engine compartment.
This is normal and may last for a few seconds
during the acceleration of the vehicle.

In general, this system improves your vehicle's
stability and acceleration performance when road
conditions warrant. Traction ControlÔ is fully
effective at all vehicle speeds.
If the Traction ControlÔ system is cycled
excessively, the brake portion of the system will shut
down to prevent the front brakes from overheating.
A limited Traction ControlÔ function using engine
torque will still control wheels from spinning. A
cooling down period is required to prevent damage
to the brakes. This time period varies and depends
on brake usage during the cooling down period.
Anti-Lock braking is not affected and will function
normally during the cool down period.
After the cool down period, the full Traction
ControlÔ' function is restored.Steering Your Vehicle
Your vehicle comes with power steering.
Power steering uses energy from the engine to
help steer your vehicle.
If the amount of effort needed to steer your
vehicle changes, check your steering effort
selection in the Message Center. If this is not
the problem, have the power steering system
checked. 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.
The steering system in your vehicle is speed
sensitive. This means that the steering effort is
light for parking and heavier for highway
driving. However, if you have to swerve
around an object or another vehicle, your
steering will have full power assist.
185

Brakes
Applying the Brakes
Your vehicle has anti-lock disc brakes on all four
wheels. They adjust automatically as the brake pads
wear down.
When you press down hard on the brake pedal, the
wheels will not lock and slide. The Anti-lock Brake
System (ABS) automatically starts releasing and
reapplying the front brakes independently and the
rear brakes together whenever your wheels start to
lock. When this happens, you will feel the brake
pedal pulsate. This is an indication that the ABS
system is working correctly and is normal.
Each time you turn the ignition key to the ON
position, the anti-lock brake system will function
through one test cycle. When this happens, the ANTI-
LOCK light will come on for up to five seconds and a
clunk may be felt in the pedal. If the light stays on
longer than five seconds, shut off theengine and restart. If it remains on, it means the
anti-lock brake system is disabled and should be
serviced immediately to restore the benefits of
the anti-lock feature. Normal braking is not
affected unless the brake warning light is also lit.
The And-lock Brake System has self-check
capabilities. As described above, the system
turns on the ANTI-LOCK light each time you
start your engine. After the engine is started
and the ANTI-LOCK light turns off, the system
performs another test the first time the vehicle
reaches 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h). The system turns
on the ABS pump motor for approximately 1/2
second. At this time, a mechanical noise may
be heard. This is a normal part of the self-
check feature. If a malfunction is found during
this check the ANTI-LOCK light will come on.
Do not drive with your foot resting on the
brake pedal; you will wear out the linings and
increase your vehicle's stopping distance.
Brake rotor damage may also eventually occur.
187

NOTE: If you are driving down a long or steep hill,
shift to a lower gear and do not apply your brakes
continuously. If you apply your brakes continuously,
they may overheat and become less effective.
Occasional brake squeal during light to moderate
stops does not affect the function of the brake system
and is normal. However, if the squeal becomes
louder or more frequent, have your brakes inspected
by your dealer or a qualified service technician.
Ford Motor Company has not found any detrimental
effects of popular mobile radio transmitting
equipment installed on vehicles with the anti-lock
brake system, if the equipment is installed according
to the manufacturer's instructions. However, if
mobile radio transmitting
188equipment is installed in your vehicle and, if
either the anti-lock brake system cycles or the
ANTI-LOCK light comes on at any time other
than right after you turn the key to the ON
position or during a sudden stop, have your
mobile radio dealer inspect the installation.
Parking Brake
The parking brake should be used whenever
you park your vehicle.
The parking brake is suspended just below the
lower left corner of the instrument panel.
To set the parking brake while parking your
vehicle, apply the brake pedal with your right
foot and hold it while you push the parking
brake down firmly and fully with your left foot.

You have an automatic release for the parking brake.
The parking brake should automatically unlock when
you move the gearshift to any forward gear while the
engine is running. However, the automatic release
does not work when the gearshift is in reverse,
neutral or park.
To manually release the parking brake, pull the
BRAKE RELEASE handle located on the lower left
comer of the instrument panel. The Brake Warning
Light will illuminate if the parking brake is not fully
released when the engine is running.
The parking brake is not designed to stop a moving
vehicle, but you can use the parking brake to stop
your vehicle in an emergency if the normal brakes
fail. However, since the parking brake applies only
the rear brakes, the stopping distance will increase
greatly and the handling of your vehicle will be
adversely affected.
190Always check the Brake Warning light each
time you start your engine. Driving with the
parking brake on will cause the brakes to wear
out quickly and will reduce the fuel economy.
Driving Under Special Conditions
Tips for Safe Driving
As with any new vehicle, yours may drive and
handle differently from your previous vehicle.
Use care until you become accustomed to its
various features and driving characteristics.
Operate your vehicle within reasonable limits.
Sudden acceleration, deceleration, turning, or
combinations of these maneuvers can cause a
vehicle to behave differently than anticipated.

/!\ WARNINGDo not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (55km/h). The tires may fail and injure apassenger or bystander.By moving the vehicle backward and forward, you
may gain enough momentum to move out of the
spot. Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few
minutes. This may overheat the engine, damage the
transaxle, or damage the tires. If you are still stuck
after a minute or two of rocking, call for a tow truck.
High water
Do not drive through flooded areas unless you are
sure that the water is below the bottom of the wheel
rims.
If you must drive through high water, drive slowly.
You may have limited traction or wet brakes, so
allow extra stopping distance because your vehicle
will not stop as quickly as usual.
192After you drive through the standing water,
apply your brakes gently several times as your
vehicle moves slowly. This helps to dry the
brakes.
Driving With a Heavy Load
There are limits to the amount of weight your
vehicle can carry or tow. The total weight of
your vehicle, plus the weight of the passengers
and cargo, should never be more than the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). Also,
the weight that your vehicle carries over the
front axle and rear axle should never be more
than the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
for the respective axle.
You can find your vehicle's GVWR and
GAWR on the Safety Compliance Certification
Label on the left front door lock facing or on
the door latch post pillar.