wheel alignment Mercury Monterey 2005 Owner's Manuals

PANEL DIMMER CONTROL
Use to adjust the brightness of the
instrument panel during headlight
and parklamp 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.
Your vehicle also contains a feature called “sleeping baby mode” — in
which the dome lamps will remain off and only the lower lamps will
illuminate. This lighting mode can be activated by rotating the
thumbwheel to the first left detent position (as denoted by the half filled
circle above).
Domelamp Control
The panel dimmer control also controls the domelamp operation.
•Rotate the thumbwheel fully to the right, past detent to activate the
domelamp.
•In order to turn off the domelamp, rotate the thumbwheel to the left.
The dome lamp will not illuminate if the control switch is in the OFF
position.
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 a qualified service technician.
You will need a #2 Phillips screwdriver to make the adjustments.
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.
2005 Monterey(mty)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Lights
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Safety practices
Driving habits have a great deal to do with your tire mileage and safety.
•Observe posted speed limits
•Avoid fast starts, stops and turns
•Avoid potholes and objects on the road
•Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking
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.
Never spin the tires in excess of the 35 mph (55 km/h) point
indicated on the speedometer.
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 a qualified technician at a Ford or
Lincoln/Mercury 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 a qualified technician
at a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer. Front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles
and those with an independent rear suspension (if equipped) may
require alignment of all four wheels.
2005 Monterey(mty)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
189

•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 a qualified technician at a
Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealership 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.
LOW TIRE WARNING — INDIRECT
The low tire warning system is designed to detect a significant loss of
inflation inany one of your tireson your vehicle. The system uses the
Anti-lock brake wheel speed sensors to detect a change in wheel speed
due to tire deflation.
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Tires, Wheels and Loading
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When a tire loses inflation, the low
tire warning system detects the
change and illuminates the low tire
warning indicator light as shown.
If the light remains on while driving,
check the tire pressure refer to“Checking the tire pressure”in this
chapter. The low tire warning indicator light will also illuminate when
using a temporary spare, refer to“Changing the tires”in theRoadside
emergencieschapter.
The low tire warning system may not detect an under-inflated
tire under all conditions and is not a substitute for manually
checking tires regularly for proper inflation.
When to RESET the Low Tire Warning System:
after any of the following
•Tire rotation
•One or more tires have been replaced
•Tire balancing
•Wheel alignment
•Adjusting the pressure on one or more tires (note: tire pressures are
often adjusted during oil change service)
•Inflating a low tire will not clear the Low Tire Warning indicator light.
Only resetting the system will clear the light.
•
The system will not detect a pressure loss without driving the vehicle for
at least 0.5 mile (0.8 km) at speeds greater than 25 mph (40 km/h).
To reset turn the ignition to the ON
position, press the set up button on
the message center until “SYSTEM
CHECK” is displayed. Press the
RESET button until “HOLD RESET
TO LEARN” is displayed, continue
to hold the button for three
seconds. The low tire warning indicator light will flash three times as the
low tire warning system begins to initialize.
The system normally requires 15 to 20 minutes of driving in each of
three speed ranges to learn how the tires behave after the system has
been reset. However, the system will become functional in each speed
range as soon as learning completes in each individual speed range.
2005 Monterey(mty)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
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Speed ranges:
•Low 25–42 mph (40–68 km/h)
•Medium 42–62 mph (68–100 km/h)
•High – above 62 mph (100 km/h)
This system may not function properly under the following conditions:
•Uneven tread wear.
•Driving on loose or low traction surfaces such as gravel, snow or slush.
•Using tire chains
•Initial tire pressures out of specified range.
•Two or more under inflated tires.
•Sudden loss of tire pressure.
•Vehicle speeds less than 20 mph (30 km/h), greater than 70 mph (120
km/h) or driving duration less than 10 miles.
•Transporting a heavy load or towing a trailer.
•A different tire was replaced and was not the same brand, type, size,
speed rating, load carrying capacity and DOT code as the other tire on
the same axle.
•System was not reset after tire rotation, air pressure adjustment, a tire
change, wheel alignment or tire balancing.
•System was not reset after the ABS warning lamp illuminates.
The low tire warning feature can be turned off by your dealer.
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. If you need to use chains, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and specifications) be used as chains may chip
aluminum wheels.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
•Use only cable type SAE Class “S” chains. Conventional link or other
type chains may cause damage to your vehicle’s wheelhouse and/or
underbody.
2005 Monterey(mty)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
193

STEERING
To prevent damage to the power steering system:
•Never hold the steering wheel at its furthest turning points (until it
stops) for more than a few seconds when the engine is running.
•Do not operate the vehicle with a low power steering pump fluid level
(below the MIN mark on the reservoir).
If the power steering system breaks down (or if the engine is turned
off), you can steer the vehicle manually, but it takes more effort.
If the steering wanders or pulls, check for:
•an improperly inflated tire
•uneven tire wear
•loose or worn suspension components
•loose or worn steering components
•improper steering alignment
A high crown in the road or high crosswinds may also make the steering
seem to wander/pull.
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE OPERATION
Brake-shift interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a brake-shift interlock feature that prevents
the gearshift lever from being moved from P (Park) when the ignition is
in the 4 (ON) position unless the brake pedal is depressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift lever out of P (Park) with the ignition
in the 4 (ON) position and the brake pedal depressed:
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Insert the key and turn it to the 3
(OFF) position.Apply the brake
pedal and shift to N (Neutral).
3
1
2
5
4
2005 Monterey(mty)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Driving
214

•You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if
unnecessary shifting between third and fourth gear occurs.
Unnecessary shifting of this type could result in reduced fuel
economy.
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
•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 toLubricant specificationsin
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 window sticker
Every new vehicle should have the EPA window sticker. Contact your
dealer if the window sticker is not supplied with your vehicle. The EPA
window sticker should be your guide for the fuel economy comparisons
with other vehicles.
2005 Monterey(mty)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
275

illuminated entry ................43, 99
locking/unlocking doors .....91, 95
Roadside assistance ..................222
Roof rack .....................................89
S
Safety Belt Maintenance ..........141
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ..................128, 131–135
Safety Canopy ...........................152
Safety defects, reporting ..........247
Safety restraints ........128, 131–135
belt minder .............................137
extension assembly ................141
for adults .........................132–134
for children .............................155
Occupant Classification
Sensor ......................................129
safety belt maintenance .........141
warning light and
chime ...............................136–137
Safety seats for children ..........158
Seat belts (see Safety
restraints) ..................................128
Seats ..........................................109
child safety seats ....................158
front seats ...............109, 111–112
memory seat ...................100, 112
second row seats ....................115
third row
seats .................115, 121, 125–126
SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ........................................106
Servicing your vehicle ..............254
Spare tire (see Changing
the Tire) ............................173, 175Spark plugs,
specifications .....................285, 289
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................287, 289
Speed control ..............................68
Starting your vehicle ........206–208
jump starting ..........................232
Steering wheel
controls ......................................71
tilting .........................................54
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................54
Tire warning ..............................191
Tires ...........................167–168, 191
alignment ................................189
care ..........................................188
changing ..................173, 175, 177
checking the pressure ............170
inspecting and inflating .........169
label .........................................187
replacing ..................................172
rotating ....................................190
safety practices .......................189
sidewall information ...............182
snow tires and chains ............193
spare tire .................................174
terminology .............................168
tire grades ...............................168
treadwear ........................167, 188
Towing .......................................201
recreational towing .................205
trailer towing ..........................201
wrecker ....................................238
Transaxle
automatic operation ...............214
fluid, refill capacities ..............286
lubricant specifications ..........289
2005 Monterey(mty)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Index
299