traction control Mercury Mountaineer 1998 Owner's Manuals

the vehicle decelerates to the
proper vehicle speed.
CONTROL-TRAC AUTOMATIC
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM
(IF EQUIPPED)
The 4WD system uses all four
wheels to power the vehicle. This
increases traction, enabling you to
drive your 4x4 over terrain and
road conditions not normally
traveled by two-wheel drive
vehicles.
Power is supplied to all four
wheels through a transfer case that
allows you to select a four-wheel
drive mode best suited for your
current driving conditions.
Positions of the Control-Trac
system
The Control-Trac system functions
in three modes:
²The 4WD AUTO mode provides
four-wheel drive with full power
delivered to the rear axle, and
to the front axle as required for
increased traction. This is
appropriate for normal on-road
operating conditions, such as
dry road surfaces, wet
pavement, snow and gravel.
HIGH
LOW AUTO
Driving
111

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

Regulations Part 575.104(c)(2).
U.S. Department of
Transportation-Tire quality
grades:The U.S. Department of
Transportation requires Ford to
give you the following information
about tire grades exactly as the
government has written it.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire grade 150
would wear one and one-half
(1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire grade
100. The relative performance of
tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices,
and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction A B C
The traction grades, from highest
to lowest are A, B, and C, and they
represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured
under test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Maintenance and care
177

The traction grade
assigned to this tire is
based on braking (straight
ahead) traction tests and does
not include cornering (turning)
traction.
Temperature A B C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing
the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to
dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature
can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can
lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required
by law.
The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a
tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
Maintenance and care
178

replacement/additional
transmitters ...............................49
replacing the batteries .............48
Reporting safety defects ..........212
Safety restraints
automatic locking mode
(retractor) ............................69,70
extension assembly ..................71
for children ...............................78
lap and shoulder belts .............68
maintenance ..............................72
proper use .................................66
warning light and
chime ...............................11,71,72
Safety seats for children
attaching with tether straps ....85
automatic locking mode
(retractor) .................................82
tether anchorage hardware .....85
Seats ............................................62
adjusting the seat, manual .......62
adjusting the seat, power ........63
folding rear seats ......................65
lumbar support .........................64
rear seat access ........................65
Servicing your vehicle ..............154
precautions when servicing ...154
Snowplowing .................................3
Special notice
utility-type vehicles ....................3
Specification chart, lubricants .207
Speed control ..............................26
canceling a set speed ...............29
indicator light ...........................30
resuming a set speed ...............30
tap up/tap down .......................28
turning off .................................26
Speedometer ...............................12
Starting your vehicle ........94,95,97
Storage compartments
overhead storage
compartment .............................33Tachometer
mechanical cluster ...................14
Tilt steering wheel ......................31
Tires ....................................176,179
checking the pressure ............179
replacing ..................................181
rotating ....................................179
snow tires and chains ............182
treadwear ................................177
Traction-lok rear axle ........123,172
Trailer towing ............................127
tips ...........................................132
Transfer case
fluid checking .........................172
Transmission .............................169
automatic
operation .........................104,105,
106,107,108,109,110
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................169
Trip odometer .............................14
Turn signal
lever ...........................................25
Vehicle dimensions ...................209
Vehicle headlamp aiming
device (VHAD) .........................194
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ..........................................211
Vehicle loading ..........................123
Ventilating your vehicle .............99
Warning chimes .............................6
Windows
power windows, operating .......39
Windshield washer fluid and
wipers
checking and adding fluid .....163
checking and replacing wiper
blades ......................................175
operation ...................................32
Wrecker towing .........................152
Index
215