LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1998 Manual Online

Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near the air bag
cover on the steering wheel or in front seat areas that may come
into contact with a deploying air bag. Failure to follow this instruction
may increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a collision.
Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the Air Bag
Supplemental Restraint System or its fuses. See your Ford or
Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
Children and air bags
For additional important safety
information, read all information on
safety restraints in this guide.
Children should always wear their
safety belts. Failure to follow these
instructions may increase the risk of
injury in a collision.
Air bag can kill or injure a
child in a child seat. If you
must use a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat, move seat
all the way back.
How does the air bag
supplemental restraint system work?
The SRS is designed to activate
when the vehicle sustains sufficient
longitudinal deceleration.
The fact that the air bags did not
inflate in a collision does not mean
that something is wrong with the
system. Rather, it means the forces
were not of the type sufficient to
cause activation.
Seating and safety restraints
81

The air bags inflate and deflate
rapidly upon activation.
After air bag deployment, it is
normal to notice a smoke-like,
powdery residue or smell the burnt
propellant. This may consist of
cornstarch, talcum powder
(to lubricate the bag) or sodium
compounds (e.g., baking soda) that
result from the combustion process
that inflates the air bag. Small
amounts of sodium hydroxide may
be present which may irritate the
skin and eyes, but none of the
residue is toxic.
Several air bag system components get hot after inflation. Do not
touch them after inflation.
If the air bag is inflated,the air bag will not function again
and must be replaced immediately. If the air bag is not
replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a
collision.
The SRS consists of:
²driver and passenger air bag modules (which include the inflators and
air bags),
²one or more impact and safing sensors,
²a readiness light and tone
²and the electrical wiring which connects the components.
The diagnostic module monitors its own internal circuits and the
supplemental air bag electrical system warning (including the impact
sensors), the system wiring, the air bag system readiness light, the air
bag back up power and the air bag ignitors.
Determining if the system is operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer to theAir bag readiness
Seating and safety restraints
82

section in theInstrumentationchapter. Routine maintenance of the air
bag is not required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
²The readiness light will either
flash or stay lit.
²The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.
²A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your dealership or by a qualified technician immediately. Unless
serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a
collision.
Disposal of air bags and air bag equipped vehicles
For disposal of air bags or air bag equipped vehicles, see your local
dealership or qualified technician. Air bags MUST BE disposed of by
qualified personnel.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR CHILDREN
Important child restraint precautions
You are required by law to use safety restraints for children in the U.S.
and Canada. If small children ride in your vehicle (generally children who
are four years old or younger and who weigh 18 kg [40 lbs] or less), you
must put them in safety seats made especially for children. Check your
local and state or provincial laws for specific requirements regarding the
safety of children in your vehicle.
Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap while the
vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the child from
injury in a collision.
Always follow the instructions and warnings that come with any infant or
child restraint you might use.
When possible, place children in the rear seat of your vehicle. Accident
statistics suggest that children are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seating position.
AIR
BAG
Seating and safety restraints
83

Children and safety belts
Children who are too large for child safety seats (as specified by your
child safety seat manufacturer) should always wear safety belts.
Follow all the important safety restraint and air bag precautions that
apply to adult passengers in your vehicle.
If the shoulder belt portion of a combination lap and shoulder belt can
be positioned so it does not cross or rest in front of the child's face or
neck, the child should wear the lap and shoulder belt. Moving the child
closer to the center of the vehicle may help provide a good shoulder belt
fit.
If the shoulder belt cannot be properly positioned:
²move the child to one of the seats with a lap belt only (if equipped) or
²if the child is the proper size, restrain the child in a safety seat.
Do not leave children, unreliable adults, or pets unattended in
your vehicle.
To improve the fit of lap and shoulder belts on children who have
outgrown child safety seats, Ford recommends use of a belt-positioning
booster seat that is labelled as conforming to all Federal motor vehicle
safety standards. Belt-positioning booster seats raise the child and
provide a shorter, firmer seating cushion that encourages safer seating
posture and better fit of lap and shoulder belts on the child.
A belt-positioning booster should be used if the shoulder belt rests in
front of the child's face or neck, or if the lap belt does not fit snugly on
both thighs, or if the thighs are too short to let the child sit all the way
back on the seat cushion when the lower legs hang over the edge of the
seat cushion. You may wish to discuss the special needs of your child
with your pediatrician.
SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN
Child and infant or child safety seats
Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of the
child. Carefully follow all of the manufacturer's instructions with the
safety seat you put in your vehicle. If you do not install and use the
safety seat properly, the child may be injured in a sudden stop or
collision.
Seating and safety restraints
84

When installing a child safety seat:
²Use the correct safety belt buckle
for that seating position.
²Make sure the tongue is securely
fastened in the buckle.
²Keep the buckle release button
pointing up and away from the
safety seat, with the tongue
between the child seat and the
release button, to prevent
accidental unbuckling.
²Place seat back in upright position.
²Put the safety belt in the automatic locking mode. Refer toAutomatic
locking mode.
Ford recommends the use of a child safety seat having a top tether
strap. Install the child safety seat in a seating position which is capable
of providing a tether anchorage. For more information on top tether
straps, refer toAttaching safety seats with tether straps.
Carefully follow all of the manufacturer's instructions included
with the safety seat you put in your vehicle. If you do not install
and use the safety seat properly, the child may be injured in a sudden
stop or collision.
Installing child safety seats in combination lap and shoulder belt
seating positions
1. Position the child safety seat in a
seat with a combination lap and
shoulder belt.
Seating and safety restraints
85

Air bag can kill or injure a child in a child seat. If you must use a
forward-facing child seat in the front seat, move seat all the way
back.
2. Pull down on the shoulder belt
and then grasp the shoulder belt
and lap belt together.
3. While holding the shoulder and
lap belt portions together, route the
tongue through the child seat
according to the child seat
manufacturer's instructions. Be sure
the belt webbing is not twisted.
4. Insert the belt tongue into the
proper buckle for that seating
position until you hear and feel the
latch engage. Make sure the tongue
is latched securely by pulling on it.
PRESS
Seating and safety restraints
86

5. To put the retractor in the
automatic locking mode, grasp the
shoulder portion of the belt and pull
downward until all of the belt is
extracted and a click is heard.
6. Allow the belt to retract. The belt will click as it retracts to indicate it
is in the automatic locking mode.
7. Pull the lap belt portion across
the child seat toward the buckle and
pull up on the shoulder belt while
pushing down with your knee on the
child seat.
8. Allow the safety belt to retract to
remove any slack in the belt.
9. Before placing the child in the
seat, forcibly tilt the seat forward
and back to make sure the seat is
securely held in place.
10. Try to pull the belt out of the retractor to make sure the retractor is
in the automatic locking mode (you should not be able to pull more belt
out). If the retractor is not locked, unbuckle the belt and repeat steps
two through nine.
Check to make sure the child seat is properly secured before each use.
Seating and safety restraints
87

Installing a child safety seat in the center seating position with
adjustable lap belt
1. Lengthen the lap belt. To lengthen the belt, hold the tongue so that its
bottom is perpendicular to the direction of webbing while sliding the
tongue up the webbing.
2. Place the child safety seat in the center seating position.
3. Route the tongue and webbing through the child seat according to the
child seat manufacturer's instructions.
4. Insert the belt tongue into the proper buckle for the center seating
position until you hear a snap and feel it latch. Make sure the tongue is
securely fastened to the buckle by pulling on tongue.
5. Push down on the child seat while pulling on the loose end of the lap
belt webbing to tighten the belt.
6. Before placing the child into the child seat, forcibly tilt the child seat
from side to side and in forward direction to make sure that the seat is
held securely in place. If the child seat moves excessively, repeat steps 5
through 6, or properly install the child seat in a different position.
Attaching safety seats with tether straps
Some manufacturers make safety seats that include a tether strap that
goes over the back of the vehicle seat and attaches to an anchoring
point. Other manufacturers offer the tether strap as an accessory.
Contact the manufacturer of your child safety seat for information about
ordering a tether strap.
Tether anchorage hardware
All vehicles include a tether anchor
installed at the rear center seating
position for use with child safety
seats. Attachment holes (at each
rear outboard seating position) have
been provided in your vehicle to
attach anchor hardware, if required.
Additional kit can be obtained and
installed at no charge from any Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
The tether strap anchorage bracket for the rear center seating position
was factory installed and is located directly beneath the rear window
Seating and safety restraints
88

trim panel, which is behind the rear seat back. To use this anchorage, do
the following:
1. Open the hinged cover located at
the front of the high mount stop
light. This cover conceals the tether
strap anchor bracket.
To prevent damage to the hinge, do not raise the hinged cover of the
trim panel beyond its limit.
2. Install the tether strap bracket located directly below the cover. If the
center seating position is not being used, the cover should be kept
closed for a neat appearance.
Seating and safety restraints
89

PREPARING TO START YOUR VEHICLE
Engine starting is controlled by the ignition system. This system meets
all Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment standard requirements
regulating the impulse electrical field strength of radio noise.
When starting a fuel-injected engine, avoid pressing the accelerator
before or during starting. Only use the accelerator when you have
difficulty starting the engine. For more information on starting the
vehicle, refer toStarting the enginein this chapter.
Extended idling at high engine speeds can produce very high
temperatures in the engine and exhaust system, creating the risk
of fire or other damage.
Do not park, idle, or drive your vehicle in dry grass or other dry
ground cover. The emission system heats up the engine
compartment and exhaust system, which can start a fire.
Do not start your vehicle in a closed garage or in other enclosed
areas. Exhaust fumes can be toxic. Always open the garage door
before you start the engine. SeeGuarding against exhaust fumesin
this chapter for more instructions.
If you smell exhaust fumes inside your vehicle, have your dealer
inspect your vehicle immediately. Do not drive if you smell
exhaust fumes.
Important safety precautions
A computer system controls the engine's idle revolutions per minute
(RPM). When the engine starts, the idle RPM runs faster to warm the
engine. If the engine idle speed does not slow down automatically, have
the vehicle checked. Do not allow the vehicle to idle for more than ten
minutes at fast rpm.
Before starting the vehicle:
1. Make sure all vehicle occupants have buckled their safety belts. For
more information on safety belts and their proper usage, refer to the
Seating and safety restraintschapter.
Starting
90