steering Mercury Mountaineer 1998 Owner's Manuals

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UNLEADED
FUEL ONLY
RSM
SET
ACC
COAST OFF ON
SRS
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H
Instrument cluster
(pg. 6)Speed control
(pg. 26)
Driver side air
bag
(pg. 73) Headlamp
control
(pg. 16)
Instrument panel
dimmer switch
(pg. 17)Tilt steering
wheel lever
(pg. 31)
Turn signal and
wiper/washer
control
(pg. 25)
Instrumentation
4

TILT STEERING
Pull the steering control toward
you to move the steering wheel up
or down. Hold the control while
adjusting the wheel to the desired
position, then release the control
to lock the steering wheel in
position.
Never adjust the steering
wheel when the vehicle is
moving.
HAZARD FLASHER
For information on the hazard
flasher control, refer toHazard
lights controlin theRoadside
emergencieschapter.
Controls and features
31

Do not place objects or
mount equipment on or
near the air bag cover on the
steering wheel or in front seat
areas that may come into contact
with a deploying air bag. Failure
to follow this instruction may
increase the risk of personal
injury in the event of a collision.
Do not attempt to service,
repair, or modify the Air
Bag Supplemental Restraint
System or its fuses. See your
Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
Children and air bags
For additional important safety
information, read all information
on safety restraints in this guide.
Children should always wear their
safety belts. Failure to follow these
instructions may increase the risk
of injury in a collision.
Air bag can kill or injure a
child in a child seat. If you
must use a forward-facing child
seat in the front seat, move seat
all the way back.
Seating and safety restraints
75

shudder while braking, felt mainly
in the steering wheel, the vehicle
most likely needs service.
The ABS operates by detecting the
onset of wheel lock up during
brake applications and
compensating for this tendency.
The front wheels are prevented
from locking even when the brakes
are firmly applied. The
accompanying illustration depicts
the advantage of an ABS equipped
vehicle (on bottom) to a non-ABS
equipped vehicle (on top) during
hard braking.
ABS warning lamp
The
ABSwarning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates for
about five seconds when starting
the vehicle. If an ABS fault is
detected, the light will remain on
and your vehicle should be
serviced as soon as possible.
Normal braking is still effective
unless the BRAKE warning lamp is
also illuminated.
Using ABS
²In an emergency or when
maximum efficiency from the
ABS is required, apply
continuous full force on the
brake. The ABS will be activated
immediately, thus allowing you
to retain full steering control of
your vehicle and, providing
!
BRAKE
Driving
101

your vehicle in an emergency.
Since the parking brake applies
only the rear brakes, the vehicle's
stopping distance will be adversely
affected.
Pull the release lever to release
the brake. Driving with the parking
brake on will cause the brakes to
wear out quickly and reduce fuel
economy.
AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM
(IF EQUIPPED)
The air suspension system is
designed to improve ride, handling
and general vehicle performance
during:
²certain road conditions
²steering maneuvers
²braking
²accelerations
This system maintains the vehicle
height at a constant level by
automatically adding air or
releasing air from the springs to
offset changes in vehicle loads.
Driving
103

Shifting from 4WD LOW to 4WD
AUTO or 4WD HIGH
1. Bring the vehicle to a stop.
2. Depress the brake.
3. Place the gearshift in N
(Neutral) (automatic transmission)
or depress the clutch (manual
transmission).
4. Move the 4WD control to the
4WD AUTO or 4WD HIGH position.
Driving off-road with 4WD
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.HIGH
LOW AUTO
Driving
114

hill before driving over the crest.
When climbing a steep hill, start in
a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from
a higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the
engine and the possibility of
stalling.
When descending a steep hill,
avoid sudden braking. Rapid
pumping of the brake pedal will
help slow the vehicle and still
maintain steering control.
When speed control is on and you
are driving uphill, your vehicle
speed may drop considerably,
especially if you are carrying a
heavy load.
If vehicle speed drops more than
16 km/h (10 mph), the speed
control will cancel automatically.
Resume speed with accelerator
pedal.
If speed control cancels after
climbing the hill, reset speed by
pressing and holding the SET
ACCEL button (to resume speeds
over 50 km/h (30 mph).
Automatic transmissions may shift
frequently while driving up steep
grades. Eliminate frequent shifting
by shifting out of
(Overdrive)
into D (Drive).
Driving on snow and ice
A 4WD vehicle has advantages
over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice
but can skid like any other vehicle.
Driving
117

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

If the transmission and transfer
case are submerged in water, their
fluids should be checked and
changed, if necessary.
Water intrusion into the
transmission may damage the
transmission.
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.
Driving on hilly or sloping
terrain
When driving on a hill, avoid
driving crosswise or turning on
steep slopes. You could lose
traction and slip sideways. Drive
straight up, straight down or avoid
the hill completely. Know the
conditions on the other side of a
hill before driving over the crest.
When climbing a steep hill, start in
a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from
a higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the
engine and the possibility of
stalling.
When descending a steep hill,
avoid sudden braking. Rapid
pumping of the brake pedal will
help slow the vehicle and still
maintain steering control.
Driving
121

HAZARD LIGHTS CONTROL
Use only in an emergency to warn
traffic of vehicle breakdown,
approaching danger, etc. The
hazard flashers can be operated
when the ignition is off.
²The hazard lights control is
located on top of the steering
column.
²Depress hazard lights control to
activate all hazard flashers
simultaneously.
²Depress control again to turn
the flashers off.
FUEL PUMP SHUT-OFF SWITCH
If the engine cranks but does not
start after a collision, the fuel
pump shut-off switch may have
been activated. The ªFuel Resetº
indicator light will illuminate in the
instrument cluster. The shut-off
switch is a device intended to stop
the electric fuel pump when your
vehicle has been involved in a
substantial jolt.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the
OFF position.
2. Check the fuel system for leaks.
3. If no fuel leak is apparent, reset
the fuel pump shut-off switch by
pushing in the button on the
switch.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the
ON position. Pause for a few
Roadside emergencies
135