LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1997 Owners Manual

169
WARNING
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170
WARNING
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171
DrivingBrakesApplying the BrakesYour 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 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 fiveseconds and a clunk may be felt in the pedal. If the
light stays on longer than five seconds, shut off the
engine 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 Anti-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.
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172Do 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.
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 transmittingequipment 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 BrakeThe 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:
1. Move the gearshifter to P (Park).
2. Push the parking brake pedal down firmly and
fully with your left foot.
The Brake System Light in the warning lights will
glow once the parking brake is set.
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173
WARNING
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WARNING
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WARNING
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174You 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
corner 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.Always 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.
Traction Control
TM
Your vehicle is be equipped with the Traction
Control
TM
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 Control
TM
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.
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175
During the Traction Control
TM
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 Control
TM
is fully
effective at all vehicle speeds.
If the Traction Control
TM
system is cycled
excessively, the brake portion of the system will
shut down to prevent the front brakes from
overheating. A limited Traction Control
TM
function
using engine torque will still control wheels from
spinning. A cooling down period is required to
prevent damage to the brakes. This time periodvaries 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
Control
TM
function is restored.
Rear Air Suspension Adaptive
Ride Control SystemYour vehicle has an air suspension system with
automatic rear load leveling and automatic ride
control. This system keeps the rear of your vehicle
at a constant level by adding air or releasing air
from the springs. Ride and handling is enhanced by
firming shock absorber performance during certain
road conditions, steering maneuvers, braking, and
accelerations and is returned to the driver selected
ride calibration when driver or road surface induced
motion changes are completed.
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176A shutoff switch is located behind an access panel
in the left side of the trunk. If this switch is in the
OFF position, the rear air suspension system will
remain at a constant state, not adjusting for varying
loads or driving conditions.
Normal vehicle operation does not require any
action by the driver.
For a more complete listing of the various driving
and steering options available, seeRoad Calibrated
Suspensionin theFeatureschapter.
The air suspension switch
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177
Steering Your VehicleYour 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.
Never hold the steering wheel to the extreme right
or left for more than five seconds if the engine is
running. This can damage the power steering pump.
Driving with an Automatic
Overdrive TransaxleYour automatic overdrive transaxle provides fully
automatic operation in eitherj(Overdrive) or D
(Drive). Driving with the shift selector inj
(Overdrive) gives the best fuel economy for normal
driving conditions. For manual control, start in 1
(First) and then shift manually.
Your vehicle is equipped with an Electronic
Powertrain Control Module that limits engine
and/or vehicle speeds with a cut-out mode to
promote durability.
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178
PuttingYou rVehicl ein Gear
WARNING
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