Mercury Mountaineer 1998 Owner's Manuals

²license plate lamp
²tail lamps
²back-up lamps
Do not remove lamp bulbs unless
they can be replaced immediately
with new ones. If a bulb is
removed for an extended period of
time, contaminants may enter the
lamp housings and affect lamp
performance.
Replacing headlamp bulbs
Handle a halogen
headlamp bulb carefully
and keep out of children's reach.
Grasp the bulb only by its plastic
base and do not touch the glass.
The oil from your hand could
cause the bulb to break the next
time the headlamps are
operated.
If the bulb is accidentally
touched, it should be cleaned
with rubbing alcohol before
being used.
To remove the headlamp bulb:
1. Make sure headlamp switch is in
OFF position, then open the hood.
If you are replacing the driver side
headlamp, unclip the electronic
module on the right side of the
battery and move it out of the way.
2. Locate the headlamp bulb
through the hole in the upper
radiator support assembly.
Maintenance and care
191

3. Disconnect the electrical
connector from the bulb by pulling
the connector rearward.
4. Remove the bulb retaining ring
by rotating it counterclockwise
(when viewed from the rear) about
an eighth of a turn to free it from
the bulb socket, and by sliding the
ring off the plastic base. Keep the
ring because it will be used again
to retain the new bulb.
5. Remove the old bulb from its
socket by gently pulling it straight
back out of the socket. Do not turn
the bulb while removing it.
To install the new bulb:
1. With the flat side of the bulb's
plastic base facing upward, insert
the glass end of the bulb into the
socket. You may need to turn the
bulb left or right to line up the
grooves in the plastic base with
the tabs in the socket. When the
grooves are aligned, push the bulb
into the socket until the plastic
base contacts the rear of the
socket.
2. Slip the bulb retaining ring over
the plastic base until it contacts
the rear of the socket by rotating it
clockwise until you feel a ªstop.º
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192

3. Push the electrical connector
into the rear of the plastic base
until it snaps, locking it into
position.
4. Turn the headlamps on and
make sure they work properly. If
the headlamp was correctly aligned
before you changed the bulb, you
should not need to align it again.
Bulb specifications
Function Number of bulbs Trade number
Park/turn lamps
(front)4
3156 NAK
Headlamps 2 9007
Rear stop/tail lamps 2 3157K
Rear turn lamps 2 3156K
Rear license plate
lamps2
3156
Backup lamp 2 3156K
Rear/turn/sidemarker 2 916NA
Cargo lamp 1 211-2
Interior overhead lamp 1 912 (906)
Front door courtesy
lamp1
168
Map lamps 2 168 (T10)
Ashtray lamp 1 161
To replace all instrument panel lights - see your dealer.
Maintenance and care
193

AIMING THE HEADLAMPS
Your vehicle is equipped with a
Vehicle Headlamp Aim Device
(VHAD) on each headlamp. Each
headlamp may be properly aimed
in the vertical (up/down) and the
horizontal (left/right) directions
using your VHAD system. The
headlamps on your vehicle are
properly aimed at the assembly
plant, and vertical and horizontal
indicators of the VHAD system are
calibrated.
A bubble (vertical indicator) that
is not centered between the two
red lines does not necessarily
indicate out-of-aim headlamps. If
your vehicle is not positioned on a
level surface, the slope will be
included in the vertical indication.
Therefore, vertical and horizontal
headlamp adjustment should be
performed only when the beam
direction appears to be incorrect.
You will need one 4 mm wrench or
socket with ratchet to make the
adjustments.
The following procedure assumes
that the factory set horizontal
indicator reference has not
changed and the vehicle's front
structure is in its factory alignment
condition. If the vehicle has been
in an accident requiring the front
end of the vehicle to be repaired,
the horizontal indicator should be
recalibrated by the servicing
facility according to instructions in
the vehicle's Workshop Manual.
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Maintenance and care
194

Horizontal aim adjustment
1. With the hood open, locate the
horizontal indicator and adjusting
screw. They are located below the
viewing hole at the rear of the
headlamp assembly.
2. Use a 4mm wrench or socket to
turn the horizontal adjusting screw
until the ª0º mark on the yellow
dial lines up with the reference
mark on the marker (as shown)
when viewed directly from above.
Vertical aim adjustment
1. Park the vehicle on a level
surface.
2. With the hood open, locate the
bubble level and vertical
adjustment screw. The adjustment
screw is located on the outboard
side of the headlamp.
3. The ªUPº and ªDNº on the
bubble indicate the directional
change (up or down) of the
vertical aim.
4.Usea4mmwrench or socket to
turn the vertical adjusting screw
clockwise or counterclockwise until
the bubble is centered over the ª0º
mark.
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Maintenance and care
195

Repeat the above process to the
other headlamp, if necessary.
CLEANING AND CARING FOR
YOUR VEHICLE
Refer to the ªCustomer Assistance
Guideº for a list of Ford-approved
cleaners, polishes and waxes.
Washing your vehicle
Wash your vehicle regularly with
cold or lukewarm water. Never use
strong detergents or soap. If your
vehicle is particularly dirty, use a
quality car wash detergent. Always
use a clean sponge, washing glove
or similar device and plenty of
water for best results. To avoid
spots, avoid washing when the
hood is still warm, immediately
after or during exposure to strong
sunlight.
During winter months, it is
especially important to wash the
vehicle on a regular basis. Large
quantities of dirt and road salt are
difficult to remove and also cause
damage to the vehicle. Remove any
exterior accessories, such as
antennas, before entering a car
wash.
After washing, apply the brakes
several times to dry them.
Waxing your vehicle
Wax when water stops beading on
the surface. This could be every
three or four months, depending
on operating conditions.
Maintenance and care
196

Use only carnauba or
synthetic-based waxes. Remove
any bugs and tar before waxing
vehicle. Use cleaning fluid or
alcohol with a clean cloth to
remove. Use tar remover to
remove any tar spots.
Repairing paint chips
Minor scratches or paint damage
from road debris may be repaired
with touch-up, paint repair foil or
aerosol paint spray from the Ford
accessory line. Observe the
application instructions on the
products.
Remove particles such as bird
droppings, tree sap, insect
remains, tar spots, road salt and
industrial fallout immediately.
Cleaning the engine
Engines are more efficient when
they are clean because grease and
dirt buildup keep the engine
warmer than normal. When
washing:
²Take care when using a power
washer to clean the engine. The
high pressure fluid could
penetrate the sealed parts and
cause damage.
²Do not spray with cold water to
avoid cracking the engine block
or other engine components.
²Cover the highlighted areas to
prevent water damage when
cleaning the engine.
Maintenance and care
197

²5.0L
²4.0L SOHC
Maintenance and care
198

²4.0L EFI
²Never wash or rinse the engine
while it is running; water in the
running engine may cause
internal damage.
Cleaning the wheels
Wash with the same detergent as
the body of your vehicle. Do not
use acid-based wheel cleaners,
steel wool, fuel or strong
detergents. Never use abrasives
that will damage the finish of
special wheel surfaces. Use a tar
remover to remove grease and tar.
Cleaning plastic exterior parts
Use vinyl cleaner for routine
cleaning. Clean with a tar remover
if necessary. Do not clean plastic
parts with thinners, solvents or
petroleum-based cleaners.
Maintenance and care
199

Cleaning the exterior lamps
Wash with the same detergent as
the exterior of your vehicle. Use
glass cleaner or tar remover if
necessary.
To avoid scratching the lamps, do
not use a dry paper towel,
chemical solvents or abrasive
cleaners.
Cleaning the wiper blades
If the wiper blades do not wipe
properly, clean the windshield and
wiper blades with undiluted
windshield wiper solution or a mild
detergent. Rinse thoroughly with
clean water. To avoid damaging the
blades, do not use fuel, kerosene,
paint thinner or other solvents.
Cleaning the instrument panel
Clean with a damp cloth, then dry
with a dry cloth.
Avoid cleaner or polish that
increases the gloss of the upper
portion of the instrument panel.
The dull finish in this area helps
protect the driver from undesirable
windshield reflection.
Cleaning the interior fabric
Remove dust and loose dirt with a
whisk broom or a vacuum cleaner.
Remove fresh spots immediately.
Follow the directions that come
with the cleaner.
Maintenance and care
200