service LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1997 Owners Manual

1
IntroductionFord's Commitment to YouAt Ford Motor Company, excellence is the
continuous commitment to achieve the best result
possible. It is dedication to learning what you want,
determination to develop the right concept, and
execution of that concept with care, precision, and
attention to detail. In short, excellence means being
the standard by which others are judged.Our Guiding Principlesq
Quality comes first.For your satisfaction, the
quality of our products and services must be our
number one priority.
q
You are the focus of everything we do.Our
work must be done with you in mind,
providing better products and services than our
competition.
q
Continuous improvement is essential to our
success.We must strive for excellence in
everything we do: in our products Ð in their
safety and value Ð and in our services, our
human relations, our competitiveness, and our
profitability.
q
Employee involvement is our way of life.
We are a team. We must treat one another
with trust and respect.
q
Dealers and suppliers are our partners.We
must maintain mutually beneficial relationships
with dealers, suppliers, and our other business
associates.
q
Integrity is never compromised.Our conduct
worldwide must be pursued in a manner that is
socially responsible and commands respect for
its integrity and for its positive contributions to
society.
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3
Finding Information in This GuideAfter you have read this guide once, you will
probably return to it when you have a specific
question or need additional information. To help
you find specific information quickly, you can use
the Quick Index or the Index.
TheQuick Indexat the end of the book provides
a page number following each item which indicates
where detailed information can be found.
To use theIndex, turn to the back of the book
and search in the alphabetical listing for the word
that best describes the information you need. If the
word you chose is not listed, think of other related
words and look them up. We have designed the
Index so that you can find information under a
technical term.
Canadian Owners Ð French VersionFrench Owner Guides can be obtained from your
dealer or by writing to Ford Motor Company of
Canada, Limited, Service Publications, P.O. Box
1580, Station B, Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 4G3.The Lincoln CommitmentThe Lincoln Commitment is more than the prestige
of owning a superior luxury automobile, it is a
comprehensive owner benefits package that is
designed to provide you with services to support
your every driving need. Refer to the Lincoln
Commitment brochure for more information.Your Maintenance Schedule and
Record BookletTheMaintenance Schedulebooklet lists the services
that are most important for keeping your vehicle in
good condition. A record log is also provided to
help you keep track of all services performed.
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4About the WarrantiesYour vehicle is covered by three types of warranties:
Basic Vehicle Warranty,Extended Warranties
on certain parts, andEmissions Warranties.
Read yourWarranty Information Bookletcarefully to
find out about your vehicle's warranties and your
basic rights and responsibilities.
If you lose yourWarranty Information Booklet,you
can get a new one free of charge. Contact any Ford
or Lincoln-Mercury dealer, or refer to the addresses
and phone numbers on the first page of this
Owner's Guide.More Protection for Your VehicleYou can get more protection for your new car or
light truck by purchasing a Ford Extended Service
Plan (Ford ESP). Ford ESP is the only extended
service program with the Ford name on it and the
only service contract backed by Ford Motor
Company.Ford ESP is an optional service contract, backed and
administered by Ford. It provides:
q
protection against repair costs after your Bumper
to Bumper Warranty expires;
and
q
other benefits during the warranty period (such
as: reimbursement for rentals; coverage for
certain maintenance and wear items).
You may purchase Ford ESP from any participating
Ford Motor Company dealer. There are several Ford
ESP plans available in various time-and-mileage
combinations. Each plan can be tailored to fit your
own driving needs, including reimbursement
benefits for towing and rental. (In Hawaii, rules
vary. See your dealer for details.)
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10The following warning lights and gauges are on the
instrument cluster. All of the warning lights and
gauges alert you to possible problems with your
vehicle.Indicator Lights and ChimesSafety Belt Warning Light and ChimeThis warning light and chime remind you to fasten
your safety belt. The following conditions will take
place:q
If the safety belt is not buckled when the
ignition is turned to the ON position, the chime
will turn on for four (4) to eight (8) seconds
and the light will come on for one to two
minutes.
q
If the safety belt is buckled while the light is on
and the chime is sounding, both the light and
chime will turn off.
q
If the safety belt is buckled before the ignition
is turned to the ON position, neither the light
nor the chime will come on.
Brake System Warning LightThe warning light for the brakes can show two
things Ð that the parking brake is not fully
released, or that the brake fluid level is low in the
master cylinder reservoir. If the fluid level is low,
the brake system should be checked by your dealer
or a qualified service technician.
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12Engine Oil Pressure Warning LightThis light indicates the engine's oil pressure, not the
oil level. However, if your engine's oil level is low,
it could affect the oil pressure. The light will come
on briefly when you turn your key to the START
and ON position. The light should stay off when
the engine is running with normal oil pressure. If
the light comes on while the engine is running, you
have lost oil pressure and continued operation will
cause severe engine damage.If you lose engine oil pressure:
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely possible.
2. Shut off the engine immediately or severe
engine damage could result.
3. Check the engine's oil level, following the
instructions on checking and adding engine oil,
seeEngine Oilin the Index. If you do not
follow these instructions, you or others could
be injured. To assure an accurate reading, your
car should be on level ground.
4. If the level is low, add only as much oil as
necessary before you start the engine again. Do
not overfill. Do not operate the engine if the
light is on, regardless of the oil level. Contact
your nearest dealer for further service actions.
For more information about adding oil, seeAdding
engine oilin theMaintenance and Carechapter.
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14This light illuminates every time you turn the
ignition to the ON or START position (engine off).
The light should go off when the engine starts and
the alternator begins to charge.
If the light stays on or illuminates when the engine
is running, have the electrical system checked as
soon as possible.Turn Signal Indicator LightsWhen you push the turn signal lever up before
making a right turn, the right side arrow on the
instrument panel flashes.
When you push the turn signal lever down before
making a left turn, the left side arrow on the
instrument panel flashes.
Usually, the turn signals turn off automatically after
you turn your vehicle. If the turn signal continues
to flash after you have made the turn, push the
lever back to the OFF position.
If one or both of your turn indicators do not flash
or stay on continuously, have them serviced as soon
as possible. In the meantime, be sure to use the
accepted hand signals.Service Engine Soon Warning LightThis light illuminates when the engine's Emission
Control System requires service. It will also
illuminate when the ignition key is in the ON
position and the engine is off.
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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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OdometerThe odometer tells you the total number of miles
(kilometers) your vehicle has been driven.
If the odometer displays the word Error, please
contact your dealer for service.SpeedometerThe speedometer tells you how many miles
(kilometers) per hour your vehicle is moving.TachometerThe tachometer displays the approximate engine
revolutions per minute (rpm), or how fast the
engine is running.
You can drive your vehicle at most rpm points on
the tachometer but you must stay out of the red
zone.
If you drive with the tachometer in the red zone,
you may damage the engine.
Engine Coolant Temperature GaugeThis gauge indicates the temperature of the engine
coolant, not the coolant level. If the coolant is not
at its proper level or mixture, the gauge indication
will not be accurate.
The pointer moves from the C (cold) mark into the
NORMAL band as the engine coolant warms up. It
is acceptable for the pointer to fluctuate within the
NORMAL band under normal driving conditions.
Under certain driving conditions such as, heavy stop
and go traffic, or driving up hills in hot weather,
the pointer may indicate at the top of the NORMAL
band.
If, under any circumstances, the pointer moves
above the NORMAL band, the engine is overheating
and continued operation may cause engine damage.
If your engine overheats:
1. Pull off the road as soon as it is safely possible.
2. Turn off the engine.
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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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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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