wheel Mercury Mountaineer 1998 s User Guide

If your vehicle gets stuck
If the vehicle is stuck, shift the
transmission in a steady motion
between forward and reverse
gears. Allow the transmission to
engage, then press lightly on the
accelerator.
Do not rock the vehicle for
more than a few minutes. The
transmission and tires may be
damaged or the engine can
overheat.
Do not spin the wheels at
over 56 km/h (35 mph).
The tires may fail and injure a
passenger or bystander.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to
keep all four wheels on the most
solid area of the trail. Do not
reduce the tire pressures but shift
to a lower gear and drive steadily
through the terrain. Apply the
accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning the wheels.
Mud and water
If you must drive through high
water, drive slowly. Traction or
brake capability may be limited.
When driving through water,
determine the depth; avoid water
higher than the bottom of the hubs
(if possible) and proceed slowly. If
the ignition system gets wet, the
vehicle may stall.
Driving
115

Avoid sudden applications of
power and quick changes of
direction on snow and ice. Apply
the accelerator slowly and steadily
when starting from a full stop.
When braking, apply the brakes as
you normally would. In order to
allow the anti-lock brake system
(ABS) to operate properly, keep
steady pressure on the brake
pedal.
Allow more stopping distance and
drive slower than usual. Consider
using one of the lower gears.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
(5.0L ENGINES ONLY)
Your vehicle is equipped with a
full-time All Wheel Drive (AWD)
transfer case. Power is supplied to
all four wheels all the time with no
need to shift between two-wheel
drive and four-wheel drive.
For the lubricant specification and
refill capacity of the AWD transfer
case refer toCapacities and
specificationschapter.
Utility and four-wheel
drive vehicles arenot
designed for cornering at speeds
as high as passenger cars any
more than low-slung sports cars
are designed to perform
satisfactorily under off-road
conditions. Avoid sharp turns or
abrupt maneuvers in these
vehicles.
Driving
118

Driving off-road with AWD
Your vehicle is specially equipped
for driving on sand, snow, mud and
rough terrain and has operating
characteristics that are somewhat
different from conventional
vehicles, both on and off the road.
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.
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. For
more information on driving
off-road, read the ªFour Wheelingº
supplement in your owner's
portfolio.
If your vehicle gets stuck
If the vehicle is stuck, shift the
transmission in a steady motion
between forward and reverse
gears. Allow the transmission to
engage, then press lightly on the
accelerator.
Do not rock the vehicle for
more than a few minutes. The
transmission and tires may be
damaged or the engine can
overheat.
Driving
119

Do not spin the wheels at
over 56 km/h (35 mph).
The tires may fail and injure a
passenger or bystander.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to
keep all four wheels on the most
solid area of the trail. Do not
reduce the tire pressures but shift
to a lower gear and drive steadily
through the terrain. Apply the
accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning the wheels.
Mud and water
If you must drive through high
water, drive slowly. Traction or
brake capability may be limited.
When driving through water,
determine the depth; avoid water
higher than the bottom of the hubs
(if possible) and proceed slowly. If
the ignition system gets wet, the
vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the
brakes. Wet brakes do not stop the
vehicle as effectively as dry brakes.
Drying can be improved by moving
your vehicle slowly while applying
light pressure on the brake pedal.
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 drive
components.
Driving
120

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 passengers or
aftermarket equipment.
²Payload: Combined maximum
allowable weight of cargo,
passengers and optional
equipment. The payload equals
the gross vehicle weight rating
minus base curb weight.
Driving
123

maximum GCWR for your type
engine and rear axle ratio.
3. Weigh your vehicle as you
customarily operate the vehicle
without cargo. To obtain correct
weights, try taking your vehicle to
a shipping company or an
inspection station for trucks.
4. Subtract your loaded vehicle
weight from the maximum GCWR
on the following charts. This is the
maximum trailer weight your
vehicle can tow and must fall
below the maximum shown under
maximum trailer weight on the
chart.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Do not drive quickly through
standing water, especially if the
depth is unknown. Traction or
brake capability may be limited
and if the ignition system gets wet,
your engine may stall. Water may
also enter your engine's air intake
and severely damage your engine.
If driving through deep or standing
water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly. Never drive through water
that is higher than the bottom of
the hubs (truck)/wheel rims (car).
Once through the water, always try
the brakes. Wet brakes do not stop
the vehicle as effectively as dry
brakes. Drying can be improved by
moving your vehicle slowly while
applying light pressure on the
brake pedal.
Driving
126

Trailer towing tips
²Practice turning, stopping and
backing up in an area before
starting on a trip to get the feel
of the vehicle trailer
combination. When turning,
make wider turns so the trailer
wheels will clear curbs and
other obstacles.
²Allow more distance for
stopping with a trailer attached.
²The trailer tongue weight should
be 10±15% of the loaded trailer
weight.
²After you have traveled 80 km
(50 miles), thoroughly check
your hitch, electrical
connections and trailer wheel
lug nuts.
²When stopped in traffic for long
periods of time in hot weather,
place the gearshift in P (Park)
and increase idle speed. This
aids engine cooling and air
conditioner efficiency.
²Vehicles with trailers should not
be parked on a grade. If you
must park on a grade, place
wheel chocks under the trailer's
wheels.
Launching or retrieving a boat
When backing down a ramp during
boat launching or retrieval,
²Do not allow the static water
level to rise above the bottom
edge of the rear bumper and
Driving
132

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

Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingDescription
14 10A 4 Wheel Anti-Lock Brake System
(4WABS) Module, 4WABS Main
Relay
15 7.5A Instrument Cluster
16 30A Windshield Wiper Motor, Wiper
Hi-Lo Relay, Wiper Run/Park
Relay
17 7.5A Cigar Lighter
18 15A Drivers Unlock Relay, All unlock
Relay, All Lock Relay
19 25A PCM Power Diode
20 7.5A RAP Module, Generic Electronic
Module (GEM), Radio
21 15A Flasher (Hazard)
22 20A Auxiliary Power Socket
23 15A Turn Signals
24 - Not Used
25 7.5A Generic Electronic Module
(GEM), Instrument Cluster
26 10A Battery Saver Relay, Electronic
Shift Relay, Interior Lamp Relay,
Power Window Relay, Electronic
Shift Control Module,
Transmission Control
27 15A Switch, DRL, Backup Lamps
Switch, DTR Sensor, Instrument
Illumination Dimming Module,
Dome/Map Lamp, GEM, Electric
Shift, Interior Lights, Glove Box
Lamp and Switch
28 7.5A Generic Electronic Module
(GEM), Radio
29 15A Radio
Roadside emergencies
140

Always replace the cover
to the Power Distribution
Box before reconnecting the
battery or refilling fluid
reservoirs.
The high-current fuses are coded
as follows.
Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingDescription
1 50A** I/P Fuse Panel
2 40A** Blower Motor Relay
3 50A** 4 Wheel Anti-Lock Brake System
(4WABS) Module
4 20A** Mainlight Switch, Instrument
Cluster
5 50A** Ignition Switch, Starter Relay
6 20A** Transfer Case Relay
5432110 9 8 7 612 11 10 9
876 5
432 1
14 15 13
BLOWER
MOTOR
RELAYSTARTER
RELAY
FOG LAMP
RELAY WASH PUMP
RELAYHORN RELAY FUEL PUMP
RELAY PCM
POWER
RELAY WIPER PARK
RELAY
WIPER HI/LO
RELAYA/C RELAY
321
Roadside emergencies
142