ESP LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1997 Owner's Manual

109
NOTE:Please note that even though the driver's
Personality Memory may be recalled using remote
or keyless entry, the seats and mirrors will not
move to the driver's set positions until the driver's
door is opened.Memory SwitchesPressing either the Memory 1 or Memory 2 switch
on the driver's door will also recall the Personality
Memory settings as selected, providing your vehicle
is in P (Park) or N (Neutral).Auto SaveAny change made by the driver to one of the above
Personality Memory settings will be updated and
saved automatically. The display, SAVED TO
DRIVER 1 or SAVED TO DRIVER 2, will appear on
the Message Center for five (5) seconds as a
confirmation of the update to Personality Memory.
If a radio preset is changed the radio display will
also show SAVED.If the driver does not use the remote entry
transmitter, or keyless entry keypad to unlock the
doors upon entering or does not press the Memory
1 or Memory 2 switch, then any change to one of
the Personality Memory settings (except radio
presets) will not be automatically saved. Instead the
driver will be prompted by the Message Center
whether to save the settings to Driver 1 or Driver
2.
Pressing the SELECT switch will toggle between 1,
2 or no choice. If DRIVER 1 or DRIVER 2 is
selected, the display, SAVED TO DRIVER 1 or
SAVED TO DRIVER 2, will appear on the Message
Center to confirm the change has been
automatically saved with the Personality Memory. If
no choice is made by the driver, then the change
will not be automatically saved and there is no
effect on the Personality Memory.
Once this screen has been displayed, the driver will
not be asked again for the remainder of the drive.
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168
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WARNING
Extende didlin gat hig hengin espeeds
WARNING
Do no tpark ,idle ,or driv eyou rvehicle

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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184Limiting Your Vehicle's LoadThe load that you add to your vehicle must not
exceed the maximum load stated on the Safety
Compliance Certification Decal attached to the left
front door pillar.
To figure the weight of your vehicle's load, add the
weights of:q
the driver and passengers
q
luggage and any other items that you put in
your vehicle
q
the tongue load of the loaded trailer
q
the weight of any equipment that has been
added to your vehicle since it was delivered to
your dealerIf you do not know the actual weights of these
items, use the following procedure to figure the
weight of a load:
1. Weigh your vehicle without the driver,
passengers and luggage. You might take your
vehicle to a shipping company or an inspection
station for trucks.
2. Then weigh your vehicle with the driver,
passengers and luggage.
3. Subtract the first reading from the second to
figure the total weight of the load.
After determining this load, you must also make
sure that the total weight of your vehicle, plus the
load it carries, is less than its GVWR. Also, make
sure that the weight your vehicle carries over each
axle is less than the GAWR for the respective axle.
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189
Driving While You TowBe especially careful when driving while you tow a
trailer. Never drive faster than 45 mph (70 km/h)
when you tow in hilly country on hot days. Also,
anticipate stops so that you can brake gradually.
Towing a trailer increases the load on the engine
and transaxle, particularly in hilly country and with
heavier trailers. Under these conditions you may
experience an excessive amount of shifting between
Overdrive and Third gears. Moving the shift selector
to D (Overdrive Lockout) will keep this from
happening and will provide better engine braking.
When driving in less hilly country or with a lighter
trailer load, you may move the gearshift selector
lever toj(Overdrive) without experiencing
excessive shifting.When driving down steep hills, you should put the
gearshift selector lever in the 1 (First) position to
shift the transaxle into second gear. This will
provide additional engine braking.
The automatic transaxle will automatically
downshift to the proper gear for driving up a grade.
If you use the speed control while you are towing
on very long, steep grades, the speed control may
shut off.
Servicing Your Vehicle If You TowIf you tow a trailer for a long distance, your vehicle
will need to be serviced more frequently than usual.
Refer to theMaintenance Schedulebooklet for
additional information.
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220Use only recommended fuels, lubricants, fluids, and
service parts conforming to Ford specifications.
Motorcraft parts are designed and built to provide
the best performance in your vehicle. Using these
parts for replacement is your assurance that
Ford-built quality stays in your vehicle.
NOTE:Always dispose of used automotive fluids in
a responsible manner. Follow your community's
standards for disposing of these types of fluids. Call
your local recycling center to find out about
recycling automotive fluids.%Accident DamageShould your vehicle suffer accident damage
requiring new sheet metal or plastic replacement
parts, be sure your repair shop uses only genuine
Ford replacement parts.
While imitation body parts may appear similar to
genuine Ford parts on the surface, differences in
quality become obvious when both are subjected to
standard Ford quality tests.Ford tests indicate that you should be concerned
with the quality of the fit and finish, corrosion
resistance and structural integrity of these imitation
replacement parts, and how their use will affect
your warranty.
How Can You Protect Yourself?Beforeany repair work begins, tell your adjuster
that you want your vehicle repaired usingonly
genuine Ford body parts. If the adjuster refuses,
contact your insurance agent for help. If your agent
and your insurance company refuse to repair your
vehicle with original factory parts, you should
contact your state insurance commissioner, the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or a
local consumer protection agency.
In Canada, contact provincial insurance
commissioners, Transport Canada or local consumer
protection groups.
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234Do not use alcohol or methanol antifreeze or any
engine coolants mixed with alcohol or methanol
antifreeze. Do not use supplemental coolant
additives in your vehicle. These additives may harm
your engine cooling system. The use of an improper
coolant may void the warranty of your vehicle's
engine cooling system.Recycled engine coolantFord Motor Company recommends that Ford and
Lincoln-Mercury dealers use recycled engine coolant
produced by Ford-approved processes. Not all
coolant recycling processes produce coolant which
meets Ford specification ESE-M97B44-A, and use of
such coolant may harm engine and cooling system
components.
Always dispose of used automotive fluids in a
responsible manner. Follow your community's
regulations and standards for recycling and disposing
of automotive fluids.
Coolant refill capacityTo find out how much fluid your vehicle's cooling
system can hold, refer toRefill capacitiesin the
Capacities and specificationschapter.
Have your dealer check the engine cooling system
for leaks if you have to add more than a quart
(liter) of engine coolant per month.Severe winter climateIf you drive in extremely cold climates (less than
-34ÊF[-36ÊC]), it may benecessary to increase the
coolant concentration above 50%. Refer to the chart
on the coolant container to ensure the coolant
concentration in your vehicle is such that the
coolant will not freeze at the temperature level in
which you drive during winter months. Never
increase the engine coolant concentration above
60%. Leave a 50/50 mixture of engine coolant and
water in your vehicle year-round in non-extreme
climates.
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240Adding Automatic Transaxle FluidBefore adding any fluid, be sure that the correct
type will be used. Correct type is shown on the
dipstick.
Add fluid in 1/2 pint (.25L) increments through the
filler tube to bring the level to the correct area on
the dipstick. DO NOT OVERFILL. If the level is
above the top hole in the dipstick, excess fluid
should be removed by a qualified technician.
NOTE:Always dispose of used automotive fluids in
a responsible manner. Follow your community's
standards for disposing of these types of fluids. Call
your local recycling center to find out about
recycling automotive fluids.Automatic overdrive transaxle fluid dipstick
BatteryYour vehicle may have a Motorcraft
maintenance-free battery. When the original
equipment battery is replaced under warranty it
may be replaced by a low-maintenance battery. See
Motorcraft Partsat the end of this chapter for the
proper replacement battery.
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268Cleaning Your VehicleWashing and Polishing Your VehicleWash the outside of your vehicle, including the
underside, with a mild detergent.
DO NOT:q
Wash your vehicle with hot water
q
Wash your vehicle while it sits in direct
sunlight
q
Wash your vehicle while the body is hot
Pollen, bird droppings and tree sap can damage the
paint, especially in hot weather. Wash your vehicle
as often as necessary to keep it clean.
Take similar precautions if your vehicle is exposed
to chemical industrial fallout.Paint damage resulting from fallout is not related to
a defect inpaint materials or workmanship and
therefore is not covered by warranty. Ford,
however, believes that continual improvement in
customer satisfaction is a high priority. For this
reason, Ford has authorized its dealers to repair, at
no charge to the owner, the surfaces of new
vehicles damaged by environmental fallout within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20,000 km) of
purchase, whichever comes first. Customers may be
required to bring their vehicle in for inspection by a
Ford representative.
Polish your vehicle to remove harmful deposits and
protect the finish.
Cleaning Chrome and Aluminum PartsWash chrome and aluminum parts with a mild
detergent. Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners,
fuel, or strong detergents.
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286Getting Help Outside the U.S.
and CanadaBefore you export your vehicle to a foreign country,
contact the appropriate foreign embassy or consulate
to make sure local regulations do not prevent you
from registering your vehicle. Officials at the
embassy can also help you decide whether you
should import your vehicle to that country.
Officials at the embassy or consulate can tell you
where to get unleaded fuel. If you cannot get
unleaded fuel or can get only fuel with an
anti-knock index that is lower than your vehicle
needs, contact a district or owner relations office
before you leave the U.S. or Canada.Use of leaded fuel in your vehicle without a proper
conversion may damage the effectiveness of your
emissions control system and may cause engine
knocking or serious engine damage. Ford Motor
Company is not responsible for any damage that is
caused by use of improper fuel.
You may also have difficulty importing your vehicle
back into the U.S. if you use leaded fuel.
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