fuel LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1997 Owners Manual

16If the light fails to illuminate, continues to flash,
remains on, or you hear a beeping sound, have the
system serviced at your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury
dealer immediately.Anti-Theft Alarm Light (If equipped)This light flashes on and off when the ignition is
turned to the OFF position and any door is opened.
As soon as you lock the doors, the light glows
steadily. Within 30 seconds of closing all the doors,
the light goes out. This indicates that the alarm
system is armed.
SeeAnti-Theft Systemin theControls and Features
chapter for more information.The Instrument ClusterIn addition to warning lights, the instrument cluster
has a message center/odometer, a speedometer,
tachometer, fuel and coolant temperature gauges.
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183. Let the engine cool.DO NOT REMOVE
COOLANT SYSTEM FILL CAP UNTIL THE
ENGINE IS COOL.
4. Check the coolant level following the
instructions on checking and adding coolant to
your engine, seeEngine Coolantin the Index.
If you do not follow these instructions, you or
others could be injured.
If the coolant continues to overheat, have the
coolant system serviced as soon as possible.Fuel GaugeThe fuel gauge displays approximately how much
fuel you have in the fuel tank. The ignition switch
must be in the OFF position while filling the tank
with at least three gallons (11 liters) for the fuel
gauge to indicate the new level. If the ignition is
left ON or less than 3 gallons (11 liters) of fuel are
added the fuel gauge will not immediately indicate
the new fuel level. The gauge will gradually correct
itself to indicate the true fuel level.
The Electronic Message Center
(M/C)The Electronic Message Center only works when
the ignition is in the ON position.
Each time the M/C is powered the display goes
through a self test by displaying the PLEASE
FASTEN SEATBELT message. This self test is used
to stabilize the systems before reporting the status
to you.
The message center tells you about the condition of
your vehicle by two methods:q
operator selectable features
q
continuous warning reporting of monitored
systems
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20These features are controlled by the message center
(M/C) control buttons located to the right of the
instrument cluster.System CheckPressing the SYSTEM CHECK button causes the
M/C to cycle through a status of each of the
systems being monitored. For each of the monitored
systems, the M/C will indicate either an OK
message or a warning message for three seconds.
The sequence of the system check report is as
follows:q
Washer Fluid Level
q
Ride Control
q
Oil Level
q
Engine Coolant Level
q
Voltage Level
q
Engine Temperature
q
Doors Closed (Driver and Right Side)
q
Trunk Closed
q
Exterior Lamps (Head, Front Turn, Brake and
Tail)
q
Distance to Empty
q
Fuel Level
q
Traction Control (if equipped)
System WarningsSystem warnings alert you to possible problems or
malfunctions in your vehicle's operating systems.
There are up to 18 warning messages which can be
displayed by the M/C to show the status of the
monitored systems. The M/C will display the last
selected feature if there are no more warning
messages. This allows you to use the full
functionality of the M/C after you acknowledge the
warning by pressing the RESET button and clearing
the warning message.
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22DTE/ECONPressing this button a first time will display
approximately how many miles you can drive before
you run out of fuel, or in other words the Distance
To Empty (DTE). To ensure accuracy, turn the
ignition OFF when you fill the tank.
Pressing this button a second time will allow you to
display your Average Fuel Economy in miles/gallon
or liters/100 kilometers. Your M/C computes this
figure using the distance traveled and rate of fuel
used information. If you want to reset this feature,
press the RESET button while the Average Fuel
Economy feature is displayed.
NOTE:DTE (Distance to Empty) is calculated using
a ªRunning Average Fuel Economyº initialized by
the factory. This value is not the same as the
Average Fuel Economy Display. The Running
Average Economy is based on more than 500 miles
(800 km) of driving history. Also the factory default
for Running Average Economy is reinitialized if the
battery is disconnected.If the FUEL LEVEL ERROR message is displayed
this means that there is a problem with the fuel
indication system and you should contact your
dealer for service as soon as possible.
RESETA press of the RESET button will allow you to reset
the current feature displayed. Warnings, Average
Fuel Economy, and Trip odometers are the only
features which respond to the RESET button.
Distance to Empty (DTE), RIDE/STEER and MENU
are unaffected by pressing the RESET switch.DISPLAYPressing this button will cause the message center
display to turn off. Pressing it again will cause the
display to come on again. Warnings override an off
display and must be reset in order for the display to
be off again.
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93
The automatic dimming inside rearview mirror
(optional)The sensitivity level of the mirrors can be adjusted
by moving the switch on the inside rearview mirror
between the OFF and MAX positions. MAX is the
most sensitive setting and bright headlamps far
away will cause the mirrors to automatically darken.
At the setting nearest OFF, bright headlamps willhave to be closer to darken the mirrors. The outside
side mirrors are controlled by the setting on the
inside mirror.
There are two light sensors (photocells) in this
mirror. The sensor that detects rear glare is located
next to the switch. The second light sensor which
determines outside light level is located on the
backside of the mirror case.
One important safety feature is that the mirror
automatically returns to the normal position
whenever the vehicle is placed in R (Reverse)
(when the mirror is in the ON position). This
feature ensures a bright clear view in the mirror
when backing up.
Do not clean the housing or glass of any mirror
with harsh abrasives, fuel or other petroleum-based
cleaning products.
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112Heated Mirror FeatureBoth mirrors are heated whenever the Electric Rear
Window Defroster is turned on. Do not remove ice
from the mirrors with a scraper or you could
damage them. If the outside mirror glass is frozen
in place, do not attempt to readjust or move the
mirror glass or damage may result.Remote Control Fuel Filler Door
Release ButtonYour vehicle has a remote control fuel filler door
which cannot be opened from outside of the
vehicle. To unlatch the fuel filler door, push the
fuel door button on the driver side door. Refer to
theMaintenance and Carechapter for further
information.The remote control fuel filler door release
button
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165
Starting
Fuel-InjectedEngines
WARNING
Do no tstar tyou rvehicl ein aclosed

167
For a warm engine:
q
Do not hold the key in the START position for
more thanfive (5) secondsat a time. If the
engine does not start within five (5) seconds on
the first try, turn the key to the OFF position.
Wait a few seconds after the starter stops, then
try again.
Whenever you start your vehicle, release the key
as soon as the engine starts. Excessive cranking
could damage the starter.
After you start the engine, let it idle for a few
seconds. Keep your foot on the brake pedal and
put the gearshift lever in gear. Release the parking
brake. Slowly release the brake pedal and drive
away in the normal manner.
NOTE:Your vehicle has an interlock that
prevents you from shifting out of P (Park) unless
your foot is on the brake pedal.If the engine does not start after two attempts:
1. Turn the ignition key to the OFF position.
2. Press the accelerator all the way to the floor
and hold it.
3. Turn the ignition key to the START position.
4. Release the ignition key when the engine starts.
5. Release the accelerator gradually as the engine
speeds up.
If the engine still does not start, the fuel pump
shut-off switch may have been activated. For
directions on how to reset the switch seeFuel
Pump Shut-Off Switchin the index.
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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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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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