LINCOLN TOWN CAR 1998 Owners Manual

3. Make sure the parking brake is
set.
4. Make sure the gearshift is in P
(Park).
5. Turn the key to 4 (ON) without
turning the key to 5 (START).
HOOD
1
2
34
5
10
2030405060
70
80
90
100
120206080
40100
120
160 140
180
P R N D 2 1
MPHkm/h
110
HF
E1
2
FILL ON
LEFT<
AIR
BAG CHECK
TRAC
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
TRUNK AJAR DOOR AJAR
TRAC OFF AIR SUSPENSION
O/D OFF TRAC ACTIVE
SPEED CONTROL COMPASSkmCIRCLE
SLOWLYWASHER FUEL ECON AVG
LTR/100km
FUEL REMAIN
DIST TO EMPTY
AVG SPEED
TRIP A B
E/M km MILES/GAL
BRAKE
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92

Make sure the corresponding lights
illuminate briefly. If a light fails to
illuminate, have the vehicle
serviced.
²If the driver's safety belt is
fastened, the light (
) will not
illuminate.
STARTING THE ENGINE
1. Turn the key to 5 (START)
without pressing the accelerator
pedal and release as soon as the
engine starts. The key will return
to 4 (ON).
2. If the engine does not start
within five seconds, wait ten
seconds and try again.
3. If the engine does not start in
two attempts or if the temperature
is below -12ÉC (10ÉF), depress the
accelerator and start the engine
while holding the accelerator
down. Release the accelerator
when the engine starts.
4. After idling for a few seconds,
apply the brake and release the
parking brake.
Using the engine block heater
(if equipped)
An engine block heater warms the
engine coolant, which improves
starting, warms up the engine
faster and allows the
3
2
1
5
4
Starting
93

heater-defroster system to respond
quickly. They are strongly
recommended if you live in a
region where temperatures reach
-23ÉC (-10ÉF) or below.
For best results, plug the heater in
at least three hours before starting
the vehicle. Using the heater for
longer than three hours will not
harm the engine, so the heater can
be plugged in the night before
starting the vehicle.
To prevent electrical
shock, do not use your
heater with ungrounded
electrical systems or
two-pronged (cheater) adapters.
Guarding against exhaust
fumes
Although odorless and colorless,
carbon monoxide is present in
exhaust fumes. Take precautions
to avoid its dangerous effects.
If you ever smell exhaust
fumes of any kind inside
your vehicle, have your dealer
inspect and fix your vehicle
immediately. Do not drive if you
smell exhaust fumes. These
fumes are harmful and could kill
you.
Starting
94

Have the exhaust and body
ventilation systems checked
whenever:
²the vehicle is raised for service.
²the sound of the exhaust system
changes.
²the vehicle has been damaged in
a collision.
Important ventilating
information
If the engine is idling while the
vehicle is stopped in an open area
for long periods of time, open the
windows at least 2.5 cm (one
inch).
Adjust the heating or air
conditioning (if equipped) to bring
in fresh air.
Improve vehicle ventilation by
keeping all air inlet vents clear of
snow, leaves and other debris.
Starting
95

BRAKES
Your brakes are self-adjusting.
Refer to the ªService Guideº for
scheduled maintenance.
Occasional brake noise is normal
and often does not indicate a
performance concern with the
vehicle's brake system. In normal
operation, automotive brake
systems may emit occasional or
intermittent squeal or groan noises
when the brakes are applied. Such
noises are usually heard during the
first few brake applications in the
morning; however, they may be
heard at any time while braking
and can be aggravated by
environmental conditions such as
cold, heat, moisture, road dust, salt
or mud. If a ªmetal-to-metal,º
ªcontinuous grindingº or
ªcontinuous squealº sound is
present while braking, the brake
linings may be worn-out and
should be inspected by a qualified
service technician.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
On vehicles equipped with an
anti-lock braking system (ABS), a
noise from the hydraulic pump
motor and pulsation in the pedal
may be observed during ABS
braking events. Pedal pulsation
coupled with noise while braking
under panic conditions or on loose
gravel, bumps, wet or snowy roads
is normal and indicates proper
functioning of the vehicle's
anti-lock brake system. If the
vehicle has continuous vibration or
Driving
96

shudder while braking, felt mainly
in the steering wheel, the vehicle
most likely needs service.
The ABS operates by detecting the
onset of wheel lock up during
brake applications and
compensating for this tendency.
The front wheels are prevented
from locking even when the brakes
are firmly applied. The
accompanying illustration depicts
the advantage of an ABS equipped
vehicle (on bottom) to a non-ABS
equipped vehicle (on top) during
hard braking.
ABS warning lamp
The
ABSwarning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates for
about five seconds when starting
the vehicle. If an ABS fault is
detected, the light will remain on
and your vehicle should be
serviced as soon as possible.
Normal braking is still effective
unless the BRAKE warning lamp is
also illuminated.
Using ABS
²In an emergency or when
maximum efficiency from the
ABS is required, apply
continuous full force on the
brake. The ABS will be activated
immediately, thus allowing you
to retain full steering control of
your vehicle and, providing
there is sufficient space, will
!
BRAKE
Driving
97

enable you to avoid obstacles
and bring the vehicle to a
controlled stop.
²We recommend that you
familiarize yourself with this
braking technique. However,
avoid taking any unnecessary
risks.
Parking brake with auto-release
Apply the parking brake whenever
the vehicle is parked.
To set the parking brake:
1. Move the gearshifter to P
(Park).
2. Push pedal downward.
The BRAKE warning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates and
remains illuminated (when the
ignition is turned ON) until the
parking brake is fully released.
Always set the parking
brake fully and make sure
the gearshift is latched in P
(Park). Turn off the ignition
whenever you leave your vehicle.
The parking brake is not designed
to stop a moving vehicle. However,
if the normal brakes fail, the
parking brake can be used to stop
your vehicle in an emergency.
Since the parking brake applies
only the rear brakes, the vehicle's
stopping distance will increase
greatly and the handling of your
vehicle will be adversely affected.
HOOD
Driving
98

Your vehicle has an automatic
parking brake release. To release
the parking brake:
1. Turn the ignition to the RUN
position.
2. Press the brake pedal.
3. Move the gearshifter from the P
(Park) position to one of the
forward gears (the parking brake
will not release automatically when
you shift into reverse). The brake
pedal must remain pressed while
the gearshifter is moved.
If the parking brake fails to release
after completing this procedure,
use the manual parking brake
release lever.
Pull the lever to manually release
the parking brake.
TRACTION CONTROLY
(IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle may be equipped with
the optional Traction Controly
system. This system helps maintain
the stability and steerability of
your vehicle. It is especially useful
on slippery and/or hilly road
surfaces. The system operates by
detecting and controlling wheel
spin. The system borrows many of
the electronic and mechanical
elements already present in the
anti-lock braking system (ABS).
HOOD
Driving
99

Wheel-speed sensors allow excess
rear wheel spin to be detected by
the Traction Controlyportion of
the ABS computer. Any excessive
wheel spin is controlled by
automatically applying and
releasing the rear brakes in
conjunction with engine torque
reductions. Engine torque
reduction is realized via the fully
electronic spark and fuel injection
systems. This process is very
sensitive to driving conditions and
very fast acting. The rear wheels
ªsearchº for optimum traction
several times a second and
adjustment are made accordingly.
The Traction Controlysystem will
allow your vehicle to make better
use of available traction on
slippery surfaces. The system is a
driver aid which makes your
vehicle easier to handle primarily
on snow and ice covered roads.
During Traction Controly
operation you may hear an electric
motor type of sound coming from
the engine compartment and the
engine will not ªrev-upº when you
push further on the accelerator.
This is normal system behavior.
If you should become stuck in
snow or ice or on a very slippery
road surface, tyro switching the
Traction Controlysystem off. This
may allow excess wheel spin to
ªdigº the vehicle out a enable a
successful ªrockingº maneuver.
If the Traction Controlysystem is
cycled excessively, the brake
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portion of the system will shut
down to prevent the rear brakes
from overheating. A limited
Traction Controlyfunction using
only engine torque reduction will
still control wheels from
over-spinning. When the rear
brakes have cooled down, the
system will again function
normally. Anti-lock braking is not
affected by this condition and will
function normally during the cool
down period.
If the engine coolant temperature
is below þ23ÉC (þ10ÉF) the engine
torque reduction portion of the
Traction Controlysystem isNOT
active. The system will operate
normally when the engine coolant
warms up.
Traction control switch
The traction control switch is
located on the left side of the
glove compartment. The traction
control system defaults to ON
when the ignition key is turned
from OFF to RUN.
The traction control must be
turned off if you are using a
mini-spare tire in a rear wheel
position.
STEERING
Your vehicle is equipped with
power steering. Power steering
uses energy from the engine to
help steer the vehicle.
Never hold the steering wheel to
the extreme right or the extreme
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