ESP Mercury Mountaineer 1997 Four Wheeling Supplement

How your vehicle differs from
other vehicles
4WD and AWD vehicles can differ
from some other vehicles in a few
noticeable ways. Your 4WD or
AWD may be:
²Higher Ð to allow it to travel
over rough terrain without
getting hung up or damaging
underbody components, and to
accommodate 4WD components.
²Shorter Ð to give it the
capability to approach inclines
and drive over the crest of a hill
without getting hung up or
damaging underbody
components. A shorter
wheelbase may make your
vehicle quicker to respond to
steering inputs than a vehicle
with a longer wheelbase.
²Narrower Ð to provide greater
maneuverability in tight spaces,
particularly in off-road use.
These differences that make your
4WD or AWD so versatile also
make it handle differently than an
ordinary passenger car.
4WD and AWD systems
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rather than attempt a sudden
return to the pavement which
could cause the vehicle to slide
sideways out of control or
rollover. Remember, your safety
and the safety of others should
be your primary concern.
Emergency maneuvers
²In an unavoidable emergency
situation where a sudden sharp
turn must be made, remember
to avoid ªover-drivingº your
vehicle, i.e., turn the steering
wheel only as rapidly and as far
as required to avoid the
emergency. Excessive steering
will result in less vehicle control,
not more. Additionally, smooth
variations of the accelerator
and/or brake pedal pressure
should be utilized if changes in
vehicle speed are called for.
Avoid abrupt steering,
acceleration or braking. Use all
available road surface to return
the vehicle to a safe direction of
travel.
²In the event of an emergency
stop, avoid skidding the tires
and do not attempt any sharp
steering wheel movements.
²If the vehicle goes from one
type of surface to another (i.e.,
from concrete to gravel) there
will be a change in the way the
vehicle responds to a maneuver
(steering, acceleration or
barking). Again, avoid these
abrupt inputs.
4WD or AWD operation on the road
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operation of the anti-lock brake
system.
Parking
Before leaving the driver's seat,
you should make sure that the
gearshift is engaged in P (Park)
with an automatic transmission or
either 1 (First) or R (Reverse)
with a manual transmission. Set
the parking brake fully, shut off
the ignition and remove the key.
On some 4WD vehicles, when the
transfer case is in the N (Neutral)
position, the engine and
transmission are disconnected
from the rest of the driveline.
Therefore, the vehicle is free to
roll even if the automatic
transmission is in P (Park) or the
manual transmission is in gear. Do
not leave the vehicle unattended
with the transfer case in N
(Neutral) position. Always set the
parking brake fully and turn off the
ignition when leaving the vehicle.
DRIVING OFF-ROAD WITH 4WD
OR AWD
When using 4WD or AWD,
maintain steering wheel control at
all times, especially in rough
terrain. Since sudden changes in
terrain can result in abrupt
steering wheel motion, make sure
you grip the steering wheel from
the outside. Do not grip the
spokes.
Driving off-road with 4WD or AWD
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and AWD vehicles can lose traction
in slick mud. As when you are
driving over sand, apply the
accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning your wheels. If the vehicle
does slide, steer in the direction of
the slide until you regain control of
the vehicle.
After driving through mud, clean
off residue stuck to rotating
driveshafts and tires. Excess mud
stuck on tires and rotating
driveshafts causes an imbalance
that could damage vehicle
components.
ªTread Lightlyº is an educational
program designed to increase
public awareness of land-use
regulations and responsibilities in
our nations wilderness areas. Ford
joins the U.S. Forest Service and
the Bureau of Land Management in
encouraging you to help preserve
our national forest and other
public and private lands by
ªtreading lightly.º
Driving off-road with 4WD or AWD
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