wheel alignment LINCOLN TOWN CAR 2009 Owners Manual

PANEL DIMMER CONTROL
Use to adjust the brightness of the
instrument panel during headlight
and parking lamp operation.
•Rotate the thumbwheel from left
to right to brighten the
instrument panel.
•Rotate the thumbwheel from right
to left to dim the instrument
panel.
During full daylight, the instrument panel will still be visible with the
headlamps operating.
Dome lamp control
The panel dimmer control also controls the dome lamp operation.
•Rotate the thumbwheel fully to the right, past detent to activate the
dome lamp.
•In order to turn off the dome lamp, rotate the thumbwheel to the left.
AIMING THE HEADLAMPS
The headlamps on your vehicle are properly aimed at the assembly plant.
If your vehicle has been in an accident, the alignment of your headlamps
should be checked by your authorized dealer.
Vertical aim adjustment
1. Park the vehicle directly in front of a wall or screen on a level surface,
approximately 25 feet (7.6 meters) away. Check your headlamp
alignment at night or in a dark area so that you can see the headlamp
beam pattern.
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Lights
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•Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking
WARNING:If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc.,do
notrapidly spin the tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire and
cause an explosion. A tire can explode in as little as three to five
seconds.
WARNING:Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h).
The tires may fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Highway hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there’s always the possibility that you
may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving, or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tires for damage. If a tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and replace it with your spare tire and wheel. If
you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest repair
facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
Tire and wheel alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or cause damage to your tires. If your
vehicle seems to pull to one side when you’re driving, the wheels may be
out of alignment. Have an authorized dealer check the wheel alignment
periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by an authorized dealer.
Front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles and those with an independent rear
suspension (if equipped) may require alignment of all four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular tire wear.
Tire rotation
Rotating your tires at the recommended interval (as indicated in the
scheduled maintenance informationthat comes with your vehicle) will
help your tires wear more evenly, providing better tire performance and
longer tire life.
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Tires, Wheels and Loading
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•Rear Wheel Drive (RWD)
vehicles/Four Wheel Drive
(4WD)/All Wheel Drive (AWD)
vehicles (front tires at top of
diagram)
Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.
Note:If your tires show uneven wear ask an authorized dealer to check
for and correct any wheel misalignment, tire imbalance or mechanical
problem involved before tire rotation.
Note:Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire/wheel. A
dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that is
different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels. If
you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel it is intended for temporary use
only and should not be used in a tire rotation.
Note:After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE TIRE SIDEWALL
Both U.S. and Canada Federal regulations require tire manufacturers to
place standardized information on the sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and describes the fundamental characteristics of
the tire and also provides a U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number for
safety standard certification and in case of a recall.
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Tires, Wheels and Loading
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•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer toMaintenance product
specifications and capacitiesin this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found inscheduled maintenance information.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] of weight carried).
•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
8–10 miles (12–16 km) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
•Close windows for high speed driving.
EPA fuel economy estimates
Every new vehicle should have a window sticker containing EPA fuel
economy estimates. Contact your authorized dealer if the window sticker
is not supplied with your vehicle. The EPA fuel economy estimates
should be your guide for the fuel economy comparisons with other
vehicles. Your fuel economy may vary depending upon the method of
operation and conditions.
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Maintenance and Specifications
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replacing the batteries .............83
Reverse sensing system ...........189
Roadside assistance ..................193
S
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ..........101, 104, 106–109
Safety Canopy ...........................124
Safety defects, reporting ..224–225
Safety restraints ...............101, 104,
106–109
Belt-Minder...........................110
extension assembly ................109
for adults .........................106–109
for children .............................127
lap belt ....................................106
Occupant Classification
Sensor ......................................102
warning light and chime ........110
Safety restraints - LATCH
anchors ......................................136
Safety seats for children ..........131
Safety Compliance
Certification Label ....................271
Seats ............................................93
child safety seats ....................131
easy access/easyout feature ..100
heated ........................................98
memory seat .....................82, 100
SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ..........................................88
Servicing your vehicle ..............233
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................265, 270
Specification chart,
lubricants ...................................267
Speed control ..............................54Starting a flex fuel vehicle .......177
Starting your vehicle ........175–177
jump starting ..........................210
Steering wheel
controls ......................................57
tilting .........................................47
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................47
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)
Tires, Wheels and Loading ....160
Tires ...........................145–146, 202
alignment ................................153
care ..........................................149
changing ..........................202, 205
checking the pressure ............149
inflating ...................................147
label .........................................159
replacing ..................................151
rotating ....................................153
safety practices .......................152
sidewall information ...............154
snow tires and chains ............165
spare tire .........................203, 205
terminology .............................146
tire grades ...............................146
treadwear ........................145, 150
Towing .......................................171
recreational towing .................174
trailer towing ..........................171
wrecker ....................................216
Traction control ........................182
Traction-lok rear axle ...............185
Transmission .............................185
brake-shift interlock (BSI) ....185
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................262
fluid, refill capacities ..............267
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Index
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