tires Mercury Grand Marquis 2001 Owner's Manuals

Do not drive your vehicle until you verify that the brakelamps
are working.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow it may be rocked out by
shifting from forward and reverse gears, stopping between shifts, in a
steady pattern. Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature or damage to the transmission may occur.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few minutes or damage
to the transmission and tires may occur or the engine may
overheat.
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.
If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake warning lamp
remains illuminated, the brakes may not be working properly.
See your dealer or a qualified service technician.
Driving with a 4±speed automatic transmission
Understanding gearshift positions
To put your vehicle in gear, start the engine, depress the brake pedal,
then move gearshift lever out of P (Park).
Hold the brake pedal down while you move the gearshift lever
from P (Park) to another position. If you do not hold the brake
pedal down, your vehicle may move unexpectedly and injure someone.
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140

1 (First)
Use 1 (Low) to provide maximum
engine braking on steep
downgrades. Upshifts can be made
by shifting to 2 (Second) or to
Overdrive. Selecting 1 (Low) at
higher speeds causes the transmission to shift to a lower gear, and will
shift to 1 (Low) after vehicle decelerates to the proper speed.
Forced Downshifts
To gain accelaration in(Overdrive) or Drive (O/D OFF) when passing
another vehicle, push the accelerator to the floor. The transmission will
downshift to the appropiate gear: third, second or first gear.
TRACTION-LOK AXLE (IF EQUIPPED)
This axle provides added traction on slippery surfaces, particularly when
one wheel is on a poor traction surface. Under normal conditions, the
Traction-Lok axle functions like a standard rear axle.
Extended use of other than the manufacturer's specified size tires on a
Traction-Lok rear axle could result in a permanent reduction in
effectiveness. This loss of effectiveness does not affect normal driving
and should not be noticeable to the driver.
To avoid injury, never run the engine with one wheel off the
ground, such as when changing a tire.
VEHICLE LOADING
Before loading a vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms:
²Base Curb Weight:Weight of the vehicle including any standard
equipment, fluids, lubricants, etc. It does not include occupants or
aftermarket equipment.
²Payload:Combined maximum allowable weight of cargo, occupants
and optional equipment. The payload equals the gross vehicle weight
rating minus base curb weight.
²GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight):Base curb weight plus payload
weight. The GVW is not a limit or a specification.
²GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating):Maximum permissable total
weight of the base vehicle, occupants, optional equipment and cargo.
The GVWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the Safety
Certification Label on the driver's door pillar.
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²GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating):Carrying capacity for each axle
system. The GAWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the
Safety Certification Label on the driver's door pillar.
²GCW (Gross Combined Weight):The combined weight of the
towing vehicle (including occupants and cargo) and the loaded trailer.
²GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating):Maximum permissable
combined weight of the towing vehicle (including occupants and
cargo) and the loaded trailer.
²Maximum Trailer Weight Rating:
Maximum weight of a trailer the
vehicle is permitted to tow. The maximum trailer weight rating is
determined by subtracting the vehicle curb weight for each engine/
transmission combination, any required option weight for trailer towing
and the weight of the driver from the GCWR for the towing vehicle.
²Maximum Trailer Weight:Maximum weight of a trailer the loaded
vehicle (including occupants and cargo) is permitted to tow. It is
determined by subtracting the weight of the loaded trailer towing
vehicle from the GCWR for the towing vehicle.
²Trailer Weight Range:Specified weight range that the trailer must
fall within that ranges from zero to the maximum trailer weight rating.
Remember to figure in the tongue load of your loaded trailer when
figuring the total weight.
Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
certification label.
Do not use replacement tires with lower load carrying capacities than the
originals because they may lower the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR
limitations. Replacement tires with a higher limit than the originals do
not increase the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
The Certification Label, found on the inside pillar of the driver's door,
lists several important vehicle weight rating limitations. Before adding
any additional equipment, refer to these limitations. If you are adding
weight to your vehicle, always ensure that the weight of occupants, cargo
and equipment being carried is within the weight limitations that have
been established for your vehicle including both gross vehicle weight and
front and rear gross axle weight rating limits. Under no circumstance
should these limitations be exceeded. Exceeding any vehicle weight
rating limitation could result in serious damage to the vehicle and/or
personal injury.
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The weight of your loaded trailer should not exceed 907 kg (2 000 lbs).
The GCW of your vehicle and trailer should not exceed 2 993 kg
(6 600 lbs).
TRAILER TOWING
Your vehicle is classified as a light duty towing vehicle. Do not tow a
trailer until your vehicle has been driven at least 3 200 km (2 000 miles).
Towing a trailer places an additional load on your vehicle's engine,
transmission, brakes, tires and suspension. Inspect these components
carefully after towing.
Your loaded trailer should weigh no more than 907 kg (2 000 lbs.).
Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
certification label.
Towing trailers beyond the maximum recommended gross trailer
weight could result in engine damage, transmission/axle damage,
structural damage, loss of control, and personal injury.
Preparing to tow
Use the proper equipment for towing a trailer, and make sure it is
properly attached to your vehicle. See your dealer or a reliable trailer
dealer if you require assistance.
Hitches
Do not use hitches that clamp onto the vehicle bumper. Use a load
carrying hitch. You must distribute the load in your trailer so that 10% of
the total weight of the trailer is on the tongue.
Safety chains
Always connect the trailer's safety chains to the frame or hook retainers
of the vehicle hitch. To connect the trailer's safety chains, cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow slack for turning corners.
If you use a rental trailer, follow the instructions that the rental agency
gives to you.
Do not attach safety chains to the bumper.
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Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPower Distribution Box Description
12 30A** PCM Power Relay, PCM
13 50A** High Speed Cooling Fan Relay
14 40A** Rear Window Defrost Relay, Also see Fuse
17
15 40A** Anti-Lock Brake Module
16 Ð Not Used
17 30A CB Cooling Fan Relay
Relay 1 Ð Rear Defrost Relay
Relay 2 Ð Horn Relay
Relay 3 Ð Cooling Fan Relay
Relay 4 Ð Air Suspension Pump Relay
* Mini Fuses ** Maxi Fuses
Relays
Relays are located in the power distribution box and should be replaced
by qualified technicians.
CHANGING THE TIRES
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not apply the brake heavily.
Instead, gradually decrease your speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly
and slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road.
Temporary spare tire information
Your vehicle may have a temporary or full-size spare tire. The temporary
spare tire for your vehicle is labeled as such. It is smaller than a regular
tire and is designed for emergency use only. Replace this tire with a
full-size tire as soon as possible.
If you use the temporary spare tire continuously or do not follow
these precautions, the tire could fail, causing you to lose control
of the vehicle, possibly injuring yourself or others.
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157

To replace the wiper blades:
1. Pull the wiper arm away from the
windshield and lock into the service
position.
2. Turn the blade at an angle from
the wiper arm. Push the lock pin
manually to release the blade and
pull the wiper blade down toward
the windshield to remove it from the
arm.
3. Attach the new wiper to the
wiper arm and press it into place
until a click is heard.
INFORMATION ABOUT UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
New vehicles are fitted with tires
that have a rating on them called
Tire Quality Grades. The Quality
grades can be found where
applicable on the tire sidewall
between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For
example:
²Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
These Tire Quality Grades are determined by standards that the United
States Department of Transportation has set.
Tire Quality Grades apply to new pneumatic tires for use on passenger
cars. They do not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches or limited production tires as defined in
Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 575.104(c)(2).
U.S. Department of Transportation-Tire quality grades:The U.S.
Department of Transportation requires Ford to give you the following
information about tire grades exactly as the government has written it.
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190

Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving habits, service practices, and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. Those
grades represent the tire's ability to stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature A B C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
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191

SERVICING YOUR TIRES
Checking the tire pressure
²Use an accurate tire pressure gauge.
²Check the tire pressure when tires are cold, after the vehicle has been
parked for at least one hour or has been driven less than 5 km
(3 miles).
²Adjust tire pressure to recommended specifications found on the Tire
Pressure label.
Improperly inflated tires can affect vehicle handling and can fail
suddenly, possibly resulting in loss of vehicle control.
Tire rotation
Because your vehicle's tires perform different jobs, they often wear
differently. To make sure your tires wear evenly and last longer, rotate
them as indicated in the scheduled maintenance guide. If you notice that
the tires wear unevenly, have them checked.
²Four tire rotation (for vehicles
with aluminum wheels)
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192

²Five tire rotation (for vehicles
with steel wheels and full size
spare tires)
Replacing the tires
Replace the tires when the wear
band is visible through the tire
treads.
When replacing full size tires, never mix radial bias-belted, or
bias-type tires. Use only the tire sizes that are listed on the
Certification or Tire Label. Make sure that all tires are the same size,
speed rating, and load-carrying capacity. Use only the tire combinations
recommended on the label. If you do not follow these precautions,
your vehicle may not drive properly and safely.
Make sure that all replacement tires are of the same size, type,
load-carrying capacity and tread design (e.g., ªAll Terrainº, etc.),
as originally offered by Ford.
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193

Failure to follow these precautions may adversely affect the
handling of the vehicle and make it easier for the driver to lose
control and roll over.
Tires that are larger or smaller than your vehicle's original tires may also
affect the accuracy of your speedometer.
SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
Snow tires must be the same size and grade as the tires you
currently have on your vehicle.
The tires on your vehicle have all weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, you may need to use snow
tires and chains.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
²Use only cable type chains offered by Ford as an accessory or
equivalent on vehicles with aluminum wheels. Using SAE class S or
other conventional link type chains may cause damage to the vehicle's
wheel house and/or body. Either cable type chains or SAE class S
chains can be used on vehicles with original equipment steel wheels.
²Install chains securely, verifying that the chains do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
²Drive cautiously. If you hear the chains rub or bang against your
vehicle, stop and re-tighten the chains. If this does not work, remove
the chains to prevent damage to your vehicle.
²If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
²Remove the tire chains when they are no longer needed. Do not use
tire chains on dry roads.
²The suspension insulation and bumpers will help prevent vehicle
damage. Do not remove these components from your vehicle when
using snow tires and chains.
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