ignition Mercury Mountaineer 2003 s Owner's Guide

Determining if the Personal Safety System is operational
The Personal Safety System uses a warning light in the instrument
cluster or a back-up tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer
to theWarning Lightsection in theInstrument Clusterchapter.
Routine maintenance of the Personal Safety System is not required.
The Restraints Control Module (RCM) monitors its own internal circuits
and the circuits for the air bag supplemental restraints, crash sensor(s),
safety belt pretensioners, front safety belt buckle sensors, and the driver
seat position sensor. In addition, the RCM also monitors the restraints
warning light in the instrument cluster. A difficulty with the system is
indicated by one or more of the following:
•The warning light will either flash or stay lit.
•The warning light will not illuminate immediately after the ignition is
turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and warning light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the Personal
Safety System serviced at your dealership or by a qualified technician
immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in
the event of a collision.
Safety restraints precautions
Always drive and ride with your seatback upright and the lap
belt snug and low across the hips.
To reduce the risk of injury, make sure children sit where they
can be properly restrained.
Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap while the
vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the child from
injury in a collision.
All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag (SRS) is
provided.
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Conditions of operation
If... Then...
The driver’s safety belt is not
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the ON
position...The safety belt warning light
illuminates 1-2 minutes and the
warning chime sounds 4-8 seconds.
The driver’s safety belt is
buckled while the indicator
light is illuminated and the
warning chime is sounding...The safety belt warning light and
warning chime turn off.
The driver’s safety belt is
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the ON
position...The safety belt warning light and
indicator chime remain off.
BeltMinder
The BeltMinder feature is a supplemental warning to the safety belt
warning function. This feature provides additional reminders to the
driver that the driver’s safety belt is unbuckled by intermittently
sounding a chime and illuminating the safety belt warning lamp in the
instrument cluster.
If... Then...
The driver’s safety belt is not
buckled before the vehicle has
reached at least 5 km/h (3
mph) and 1-2 minutes have
elapsed since the ignition
switch has been turned to
ON...The BeltMinder feature is activated -
the safety belt warning light
illuminates and the warning chime
sounds for 6 seconds every 30
seconds, repeating for approximately
5 minutes or until safety belt is
buckled.
The driver’s safety belt is
buckled while the safety belt
indicator light is illuminated
and the safety belt warning
chime is sounding...The BeltMinder feature will not
activate.
The driver’s safety belt is
buckled before the ignition
switch is turned to the ON
position...The BeltMinder feature will not
activate.
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Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt to avoid the Belt
Minder chime. Sitting on the safety belt will increase the risk of
injury in an accident. To disable (one-time) or deactivate the Belt
Minder feature please follow the directions stated below.
One time disable
Any time the safety belt is buckled and then unbuckled during an
ignition ON cycle, the BeltMinder will be disabled for that ignition cycle
only.
Deactivating/activating the BeltMinder feature
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
•the parking brake is set
•the gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic transmission) or the neutral
position (manual transmission).
•the ignition switch is in the OFF position
•all vehicle doors are closed
•the driver’s safety belt is unbuckled
•the parklamps/headlamps are in OFF position (If vehicle is equipped
with Autolamps, the Autolamps featureMUSTbe turned off.)
Read steps1-9thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
BeltMinder deactivation/activation procedure
To reduce the risk of injury, do not deactivate/activate the Belt
Minder feature while driving the vehicle.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN (or ON) position. (DO NOT
START THE ENGINE)
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off. (Approximately 1–2
minutes)
•Steps 3–5 must be completed within 60 seconds or the procedure will
have to be repeated.
3. Buckle then unbuckle the safety belt three times, ending with the
safety belt unbuckled. This can be done before or during BeltMinder
warning activation.
4. Turn on the parklamps/headlamps, turn off the parklamps/headlamps.
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•diagnostic module.
•and the electrical wiring which connects the components.
The diagnostic module monitors its own internal circuits and the
supplemental air bag electrical system warning (including the impact
sensors), the system wiring, the air bag system readiness light, the air
bag back up power and the air bag ignitors.
Determining if the system is operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the system. Refer toAir bag readinesssection
in theInstrument clusterchapter. Routine maintenance of the air bag is
not required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness light will either
flash or stay lit.
•The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and/or light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your dealership or by a qualified technician immediately. Unless
serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a
collision.
Safety Canopysystem (if equipped)
Do not place objects or
mount equipment on or
near the headliner at the siderail
that may come into contact with a
deploying Safety Canopy
. Failure
to follow these instructions may
increase the risk of personal injury
in the event of a collision.
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A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
•The readiness light (same light as for front air bag system) will either
flash or stay lit.
•The readiness light will not illuminate immediately after ignition is
turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the SRS serviced
at your dealership or by a qualified technician immediately. Unless
serviced, the system may not function properly in the event of a collision
or rollover event.
Disposal of air bags and air bag equipped vehicles (including
pretensioners)
See your local dealership or qualified technician. Air bags MUST BE
disposed of by qualified personnel.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR CHILDREN
See the following sections for directions on how to properly use safety
restraints for children. Also seeAir bag supplemental restraint system
(SRS)in this chapter for special instructions about using air bags.
Important child restraint precautions
You are required by law to use safety restraints for children in the U.S.
and Canada. If small children (generally children who are four years old
or younger and who weigh 18 kg [40 lbs] or less) ride in your vehicle,
you must put them in safety seats made especially for children. Check
your local and state or provincial laws for specific requirements
regarding the safety of children in your vehicle. When possible, always
place children under age 12 in the rear seat of your vehicle. Accident
statistics suggest that children are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seating position.
Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap while the
vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the child from
injury in a collision.
Always follow the instructions and warnings that come with any infant or
child restraint you might use.
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STARTING
Positions of the ignition
1. OFF/LOCK, shuts off the engine
and all accessories/locks the steering
wheel, gearshift lever and allows key
removal.
2. ACC, allows the electrical
accessories such as the radio to
operate while the engine is not
running. This position also unlocks
the steering wheel.
3. ON, all electrical circuits
operational. Warning lights illuminated. Key position when driving.
4. START, cranks the engine. Release the key as soon as the engine
starts.
Important safety precautions
When the engine starts, the idle RPM runs faster to warm the engine. If
the engine idle speed does not slow down automatically, have the vehicle
checked.
Before starting the vehicle:
1. Make sure all occupants buckle their safety belts. For more
information on safety belts and their proper usage, refer to theSeating
and safety restraintschapter.
2. Make sure the headlamps and electrical accessories are off.
•Make sure the parking brake is
set.
4
3
2
1
Driving
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Four-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS)
Your vehicle is equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). This
system helps you maintain steering control during emergency stops by
keeping the brakes from locking. Noise from the ABS pump motor and
brake pedal pulsation may be observed during ABS braking; any
pulsations or mechanical noise you may feel or hear is normal.
ABS warning lamp
ABS
TheABSlamp in the instrument cluster momentarily illuminates when
the ignition is turned to ON. If the light does not illuminate during start
up, remains on or flashes, the ABS may be disabled and may need to be
serviced.
Even when the ABS is disabled,
normal braking is still effective. (If
your BRAKE warning lamp
illuminates with the parking brake
released, have your brake system serviced immediately.)
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).
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PREPARING TO DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than
other types of vehicles.
In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a safety belt.
Your vehicle has larger tires and increased ground clearance, giving the
vehicle a higher center of gravity than a passenger car.
Vehicles with a higher center of gravity such as utility and
four-wheel drive vehicles handle differently than vehicles with a
lower center of gravity. 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, excessive speed and abrupt
maneuvers in these vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously could result in
an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death.
Loaded vehicles, with a higher center of gravity, may handle
differently than unloaded vehicles. Extra precautions, such as
slower speeds and increased stopping distance, should be taken when
driving a heavily loaded vehicle.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION
Brake-shift interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a brake-shift interlock feature that prevents
the gearshift lever from being moved from P (Park) when the ignition is
in the ON position unless brake pedal is depressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift lever out of P (Park) with ignition in
the ON position and the brake pedal depressed:
1. Apply the parking brake, turn ignition key to LOCK, then remove the
key.
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5. Return the cover plate (rotate
clockwise) to the closed position.
Start the vehicle.
If it is necessary to use the above procedure to move the gearshift lever,
it is possible that a fuse has blown or the vehicle’s brakelamps are not
operating properly. Refer toFuses and relaysin theRoadside
emergencieschapter.
Do not drive your vehicle until you verify that the brakelamps
are working.
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure the gearshift is
latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition to the LOCK position and
remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake warning lamp
remains illuminated, the brakes may not be working properly.
See your dealer or a qualified service technician.
Driving with a 5–speed automatic transmission
Your transmission is equipped with an adaptive learning strategy found in
the vehicle computer. This feature is designed to increase durability, and
provide consistent shift feel over the life of the vehicle. A new vehicle or
transmission may have firm and/or soft shifts. This operation is
considered normal and will not affect function or durability of the
transmission. Over time, the adaptive learning process will fully update
transmission operation. Additionally, whenever the battery is
disconnected or a new battery installed, the strategy must be relearned.
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P (Park)
This position locks the transmission and prevents the rear wheels from
turning.
To put your vehicle in gear:
•Start the engine
•Depress the brake pedal
•Move the gearshift lever into the desired gear
To put your vehicle in P (Park):
•Come to a complete stop
•Move the gearshift lever and securely latch it in P (Park)
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure the gearshift is
latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition to the LOCK position and
remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
R (Reverse)
With the gearshift lever 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 lever in N (Neutral), the vehicle can be started and is
free to roll. Hold the brake pedal down while in this position.
D (Overdrive)
The normal driving position for the best fuel economy. Transmission
operates in gears one through five. D (Overdrive) can be deactivated by
pressing the transmission control switch on the end of the gearshift
lever. This will illuminate the O/D OFF lamp and activate Drive.
Drive (not shown)
Drive is activated when the transmission control switch is pressed.
•This position allows for all forward gears except overdrive.
•O/D OFF lamp is illuminated.
•Provides engine braking.
•Use when driving conditions cause excessive shifting from O/D to
other gears. Examples: city traffic, hilly terrain, heavy loads, trailer
towing and when engine braking is required.
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