ECU Mercury Mountaineer 1998 s User Guide

Tighten the anchor
according to specifications.
Otherwise, the safety seat may
not be properly secured and the
child may be injured in a sudden
stop or collision.
BUILT-IN CHILD SEATS
Built-in child safety seat
(if equipped)
The rear seat may include a
built-in child seat. This child seat
conforms to all Federal and local
motor vehicle safety standard.
Read the labels located on the
child seat cushion and shoulder
belt for information on the built-in
child seat.
Use the built-in child seatonlyif
the child is at least 9 months old,
weighs 9±29 kg (20±60 lb) and the
child's shoulders (top) are below
the shoulder harness slots in the
built-in child seat.
Children not meeting these
requirements should be secured in
an approved aftermarket seat.
Refer toChildren and infant or
child safety seatsin this chapter.
Seating and safety restraints
86

9. Pull on the safety belt tongues
to ensure that they are both
securely latched. If they are not
properly latched, repeat steps
seven and eight.
If necessary, the shoulder belt may
be put in automatic locking mode
(ALR) to limit the child's
movement in the seat. The ALR
mode should be used if the child is
sleeping or attempting to get out
of the seat.
If not placed in ALR mode, the
child seat shoulder belts are in
vehicle sensitive (emergency
locking) mode, which allow some
movement of the shoulder belts
(like adult shoulder belts).
In emergency locking mode, the
shoulder belts of the child seat will
lock in response to hard braking,
hard cornering or if your vehicle is
involved in a collision with an
impact of 8 km/h (5 m.p.h.) or
more.
Activating the automatic locking
mode (ALR) on the built-in child
safety seat
1. Fully extend the right shoulder
belt.
2. Allow the belts to tighten snugly
against the child's shoulders
Seating and safety restraints
91

there is sufficient space, will
enable you to avoid obstacles
and bring the vehicle to a
controlled stop.
²We recommend that you
familiarize yourself with this
braking technique. However,
avoid taking any unnecessary
risks.
Parking brake
Apply the parking brake whenever
the vehicle is parked. To set the
parking brake, press the parking
brake pedal down until the pedal
stops.
The BRAKE warning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates and
remains illuminated (when the
ignition is turned ON) until the
parking brake is released.
Always set the parking
brake fully and make sure
that the gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park) (automatic
transmission) or in 1 (First)
(manual transmission).
The parking brake is not designed
to stop a moving vehicle. However,
if the normal brakes fail, the
parking brake can be used to stop
!
BRAKE
Driving
102

P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into P (Park). Make
sure the gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park).
R (Reverse)
With the gearshift in R (Reverse),
the vehicle will move backward.
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into and out of R
(Reverse).
N (Neutral)
With the gearshift in N (Neutral),
the vehicle can be started and is
free to roll. Hold the brake pedal
down while in this gear.
(Overdrive)
The normal driving position for the
best fuel economy. Transmission
operates in gears one through four.
(Overdrive) can be deactivated
by pressing the transmission
control switch on the end of the
gearshift lever.
The transmission control indicator
light (TCIL) will illuminate on the
instrument cluster.
Drive± Not shown on the display.
Activate by pressing theO/D
ON/OFF
O/ D
OFF
Driving
106

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.
Driving with a 5±speed
automatic transmission
(4.0L engines only)
Understanding gearshift
positions
Hold the brake pedal down
while you move the
gearshift lever from position to
position. If you do not hold the
brake pedal down, your vehicle
may move unexpectedly and
injure someone.
Pull the gearshift lever towards
you and downward to move the
automatic gearshift.
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of P
(Park). Make sure the gearshift is
securely latched in P (Park).
Driving
108

²Do not allow waves to break
higher than 15 cm (six inches)
above the bottom edge of the
rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allow
water to enter critical vehicle
components, adversely affecting
driveability, emissions and
reliability.
If the rear axle is submerged in
water, the rear axle lubricant
should be checked and changed, if
necessary. The rear axle is filled
with a synthetic lubricant and does
not normally require a lubricant
change for the life of the vehicle.
Rear axle lubricant quantities
should not need to be checked
unless a leak is suspected.
Recreational towing (all wheels
on the ground)
Do not tow your vehicle with all
wheels on the ground as vehicle
damage may occur.
LUGGAGE RACK
Maximum load is 44 kg (100 lbs),
evenly distributed. If it is not
possible to distribute the load,
position it as far rearward as
possible. Adjustable tie down loops
(not equipped) must be used to
secure the load.
Driving
133

²Keep all lit cigarettes, open
flames and other lit material
away from the battery and all
fuel related parts.
If you disconnect the battery, the
engine must ªrelearnº its idle
conditions before your vehicle will
drive properly, as explained in
Batteryin this chapter.
Working with the engine off
1. Set the parking brake and
ensure the gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park).
2. Turn off the engine and remove
the key.
3. Block the wheels to prevent the
vehicle from moving unexpectedly.
Working with the engine on
1. Set the parking brake and
ensure the gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park).
2. Block the wheels to prevent the
vehicle from moving unexpectedly.
Do not start your engine
with the air cleaner
removed and do not remove it
while the engine is running.
Maintenance and care
155

7. Power steering fluid reservoir
8. Engine oil dipstick
9. Air filter assembly
ENGINE OIL
Checking the engine oil
Check the engine oil each time you
fuel your vehicle.
1. Make sure the vehicle is on level
ground.
2. Turn the engine off and wait a
few minutes for the oil to drain
into the oil pan.
3. Set the parking brake and
ensure the gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park).
4. Open the hood. Protect yourself
from engine heat.
5. Locate and carefully remove the
engine oil level indicator
(dipstick).
Maintenance and care
158

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. If you need
to use snow tires and chains, you
must install steel wheels of the
same size and specifications as
those originally installed.
Follow these guidelines when using
snow tires and chains:
²Use only SAE Class S chains.
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.
²Do not use tire chains on
aluminum wheels. Chains may
chip the wheels.
Maintenance and care
182