change wheel Mercury Mountaineer 1997 Four Wheeling Supplement

All occupants should always wear
the safety belts provided and
children/infants should use
appropriate restraints to minimize
the risk of injury or ejection.
Driving at speeds safe for road
conditions and the use of safety
belts are the best means of
avoiding the possibility of accident
and serious injury.
Ford Motor Company reserves
the right at any time to change
information provided herein,
including specifications, design
or testing procedures without
incurring obligation.
NOTICE TO 4X2 UTILITY
VEHICLE OWNERS
Although this supplement is
primarily directed to 4WD or AWD
vehicle operators, these principles
of safe driving also apply to
operators of two-wheel drive utility
vehicles. Even though you did not
select a 4WD or AWD option for
your vehicle, many of its operating
characteristics are similar to those
of 4WD or AWD vehicles. For this
reason, Ford urges you to read and
understand the contents of this
supplement.
4WD AND AWD SYSTEMS
Your AWD or 4WD (when you
select the 4WD mode), uses all
four wheels to power itself. This
increases traction, enabling you to
Notice to 4x2 utility vehicle owners
3

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
7

Snow and ice
Your 4WD or AWD vehicle will
have advantages over two-wheel
drive vehicles in snow and on ice
by providing increased driving
traction. However, if you suddenly
change speed or direction you may
lose control. 4WD and AWD
vehicles can slide on slippery roads
just like any other vehicle. Should
you start to slide while driving on
snowy or icy roads, turn the
steering wheel in the direction of
the slide until you regain control.
Avoid sudden braking as well.
Although a 4WD or AWD vehicle
may accelerate better than a
two-wheel drive vehicle in snow
and ice, it won't stop any faster,
because as in other vehicles,
braking occurs at all four wheels.
Do not become overconfident as to
road conditions.
Make sure you allow sufficient
distance between you and other
vehicles for stopping. In
emergency stopping situations,
avoid locking of the wheels. Use a
ªsqueezeº technique, push on the
brake pedal with a steadily
increasing force which allows the
wheels to brake yet continue to
roll so that you may steer in the
direction you want to travel. If you
lock the wheels, release the brake
pedal and repeat the squeeze
technique. If your vehicle has
anti-lock brakes, apply the brake
steadily. Do not ªpumpº the
brakes. See your ªOwner's Guideº
for additional information on the
4WD or AWD operation on the road
8

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
9

Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle
damage from concealed objects
such as rocks and stumps. You
should either know the terrain or
examine maps of the area before
driving. Map out your route before
driving in the area. To maintain
steering and braking control of
your vehicle, you must have all
four wheels on the ground and
they must be rolling, not sliding or
spinning.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to
keep all four wheels on the most
solid area of the trail. Avoid
reducing the tire pressure. Instead,
shift to a lower gear and drive
steadily through the terrain. Apply
the accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning the wheels.
If you must reduce the tire
pressure for whatever reason in
sand, make sure you re-inflate the
tires as soon as possible.
Avoid excessive speed because
vehicle momentum can work
against you and cause the vehicle
to become stuck to the point that
assistance may be required from
another vehicle. Remember, you
may be able to back out the way
you came if you proceed with
caution.
Mud
Be cautious of sudden changes in
vehicle speed or direction when
you are driving in mud. Even 4WD
Driving off-road with 4WD or AWD
10