engine Mercury Sable 1996 s Service Manual

207
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The parking brake is not designed to stop a
moving vehicle, but you can use the parking
brake to stop your vehicle in an emergency if
the normal brakes fail. However, since the
parking brake applies only the rear brakes, the
stopping distance will increase greatly and the
handling of your vehicle will be adversely
affected.
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[DR19050(ALL)03/95]
Always check the Brake Warning Light each
time you start your engine. Driving with the
parking brake on will cause the brakes to wear
out quickly and will reduce the fuel economy.
*
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Driving Under Special Conditions
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Tips for Safe Driving
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As with any new vehicle, yours may drive and
handle differently from your previous vehicle.
Use care until you become accustomed to its
various features and driving characteristics.
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[DR19400(ALL)03/95]
Operate your vehicle within reasonable limits.
Sudden acceleration, deceleration, turning, or
combinations of these maneuvers can cause a
vehicle to behave differently than anticipated.
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Driving in Bad Weather
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Slippery roads
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On some slippery road surfaces, front-wheel
drive may provide better acceleration than
rear-wheel drive. However, this does not mean
that your vehicle can stop any faster or any
better than a vehicle with rear-wheel drive.
Exercise the same caution while driving on
slippery roads with your front-wheel drive
vehicle as you would with a rear-wheel drive
vehicle.
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[DR20100(ALL)03/95]
q
Do not quickly move the steering wheel
unless necessary.
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209
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By moving the vehicle backward and forward,
you may gain enough momentum to move out
of the spot. Do not rock the vehicle for more
than a few minutes. This may overheat the
engine, damage the transaxle, or damage the
tires. If you are still stuck after a minute or two
of rocking, call for a tow truck.
%*
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High water
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Do not drive through flooded areas unless you
are sure that the water is below the bottom of
the wheel rims.
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[DR21400(ALL)04/94]
If you must drive through high water, drive
slowly. You may have limited traction or wet
brakes, so allow extra stopping distance because
your vehicle will not stop as quickly as usual.
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After you drive through the standing water,
apply your brakes gently several times as your
vehicle moves slowly. This helps to dry the
brakes.
%
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Driving With a Heavy Load
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There are limits to the amount of weight your
vehicle can carry or tow. The total weight of
your vehicle, plus the weight of the passengers
and cargo, should never be more than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). Also, the weight
that your vehicle carries over the front axle and
rear axle should never be more than the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the respective
axle.
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[DR21800(ALL)01/95]
You can find your vehicle's GVWR and GAWR
on the Safety Compliance Certification Label on
the left front door lock facing or on the door
latch post pillar.
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212
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Trailer Towing
[DR22125(ALL)04/95]
Your vehicle is classified as a light duty towing
vehicle. The amount of weight that you can
safely tow depends on the type of engine in
your vehicle. See the following charts:
[DR22150(ALL)04/95]
sixteen pica chart:0000489-H[DR22190(ALL)04/95]
fourteen pica chart:0001436-BFile:fcdrs.ex
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213
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Your vehicle does not come from the factory
fully equipped to tow. No towing packages are
available through Ford or Lincoln/Mercury
dealers.
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Because towing a trailer puts extra strain on
your vehicle, you must follow certain
precautions for your safety and the good of your
vehicle:
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[DR25800(ALL)11/92]
q
Stay within the load limits when you tow.
(SeeKnowing Your Vehicle's Load Limits.)
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q
Carefully and thoroughly prepare your
vehicle for towing, making sure to use the
right equipment and to attach it properly.
(SeePreparing to Towin this chapter.)
*
[DR26000(ALL)01/95]
q
Use extra caution when driving your vehicle
while you tow. (SeeDriving while you towin
this chapter.)
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[DR26100(ALL)01/95]
q
Service your vehicle more frequently if you
tow a trailer. (SeeServicing your vehicle if you
towin this chapter.)
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Do not tow a trailer until your vehicle has been
driven at least 500 miles (800 km).
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RWARNING
Towing trailers beyond the maximum
recommended gross trailer weight
exceeds the limits of the vehicle and
could result in engine damage,
transaxle damage, structural damage,
loss of control, and personal injury.
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216 %
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Connecting the trailer's lights
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Do not connect a trailer's lighting system
wiring directly to your vehicle's lighting system
wiring.To get the proper equipment for
hooking up your trailer's lights, see your local
trailer dealer and your Ford dealer. Be sure to
follow their instructions carefully.
*
[DR29800(ALL)01/95]
If you do not install trailer lights correctly, you
may cause damage to the vehicle's lighting system.
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Driving While You Tow
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[DR30000(ALL)08/95]
Be especially careful when driving while you
tow a trailer. Never drive faster than 45 mph
(70 km/h) when you tow in hilly country on
hot days. Also, anticipate stops so that you can
brake gradually.
[DR30175(ALL)04/95]
When you tow in steep hills, move the
automatic transaxle to 1 (First) (vehicles without
O/D OFF switch) or 2 (Second) (vehicles with
O/D OFF switch) when descending. This will
give more engine braking on downgrades. The
automatic transaxle will automatically downshift
to the proper gear on upgrades.
[DR30200(ALL)04/95]
If you tow in Overdrive while riding through
hilly country, your vehicle may frequently shift
between Overdrive and Third gears. To prevent
your vehicle from shifting too much, move the
gearshift to D (Drive) (column shift without
O/D OFF switch) or push the O/D OFF switch
(column or console shift). This will also give
better braking going down hills.
%*
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If you use the speed control while you are
towing on very long, steep grades, the speed
control may shut off.
[DR30400(ALL)04/95]
Servicing Your Vehicle When You Tow
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[DR30500(ALL)08/93]
If you tow a trailer for a long distance, your
vehicle will need to be serviced more frequently
than usual. Refer to theMaintenance Schedule and
Recordbooklet for additional information.
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217
Roadside Emergencies
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If Your Vehicle Needs a
Jump-Start
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[RE00320(ALL)01/95]
Your vehicle's battery may die if you leave the
lights on or any electrical equipment on after
you turn the engine off. If this happens, you
may be able to jump-start from a booster battery
to start your vehicle.
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RWARNING
Flames, sparks, or lit cigarettes can
cause the gases around the battery to
explode, causing injury and damage.
Keep these things away from the
battery.
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[RE00500(ALL)01/95]
To protect yourself when charging a
battery, always shield your face and
eyes. Make sure that you can breathe
fresh air.
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219
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2. Do not disconnect the battery of the disabled
vehicle. You could damage the vehicle's
electrical system.
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3. Park the booster vehicle close to the hood of
the disabled vehicle.Make sure the vehicles
do not touch each other.Set the parking
brake on both vehicles and stay clear of the
engine cooling fan and other moving parts.
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4. Check all battery terminals and remove any
excessive corrosion before you attach the
jumper cables.
[RE01500(ALL)04/95]
5. Turn on the heater fan in both vehicles. If
you have electronic climate control, press the
VF-DEF button. Turn off all other switches
and lights.
%*
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Connecting the jumper cables
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1. Connect one end of the first jumper cable to
the positive (+) terminal of the discharged
battery. (You can connect either jumper cable
to the positive (+) terminal, as long as you
use the same cable for both positive
terminals.) Most jumper cables have a red
cable and a black cable. The red cable is
generally used for the positive terminals and
the black for the negative ones.
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2. Connect the other end of the first cable to
the positive (+) terminal of the booster
battery.
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3. Connect one end of the second cable to the
negative (s) terminal of the booster battery
Ð NOT to the discharged battery.
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4. Connect the other end of the second cable to
a good metallic surface on the engine or
frame of the disabled vehicle.
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220
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RWARNING
Do not connect the end of the second
cable to the negative (s) terminal of
the discharged battery. If you do, a
spark may cause an explosion of the
gases that normally surround the
battery and could seriously injure
someone.
[RE03100(ALL)04/95]
one third page art:0000388-D
Jumper cable connections
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Jump-Starting
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1. Make sure that the jumper cables are not in
the way of moving engine parts, then start
the booster vehicle. Run the engine at a
moderate speed.
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2. Let the discharged battery charge for a few
minutes and then start the disabled vehicle.
It may take a couple of tries before the
vehicle starts. If the vehicle does not start
after several attempts, there may be a
different problem.
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[RE03800(ALL)03/95]
3. When both vehicles are running, let them
idle for a few minutes to charge the
discharged battery.
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221 %
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Removing jumper cables
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1.Always remove the jumper cables in the
reverse order.Remove the negative (s) end
of the jumper cable from the metallic surface
on the engine or frame of the disabled
vehicle.
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2. Remove the negative (s) cable from the
booster battery.
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3. Remove the positive (+) cable from the
booster battery.
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4. Remove the other end of the positive (+)
cable from the discharged battery.
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After the vehicle is started, let it idle for a while
to let the engine ªrelearnº its idle conditions.
Drive it around for a while with all electrical
accessories turned off to let the battery recharge.
You may need to use a battery charger to fully
recharge the battery.
*
[RE04450(ALL)03/95]
If you need to replace your battery, seeBattery
in theServicing Your Vehiclechapter.
%
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Changing a Tire
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If you get a flat tire while you are driving, do
not apply the brake heavily. Instead, gradually
decrease the speed. Hold the steering wheel
firmly and slowly move to a safe place on the
side of the road. Park on a level spot, turn off
the ignition, set the parking brake, and turn on
the hazard flashers.
[RE04610(ALL)01/95]
NOTE: Tire sealants that are injected through
the valve stem are not to be used to
service punctured tires because they
can produce wheel rust and tire
imbalance.
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225
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RWARNING
When one of the front wheels is off
the ground, the transaxle alone will
not prevent the vehicle from moving
or slipping off the jack, even if the
vehicle is in P (Park). To prevent the
vehicle from moving when you
change a tire, block (in both
directions) the wheel that is
diagonally opposite to the tire being
changed. If the vehicle slips off the
jack, you or someone else could be
seriously injured.
*
[RE08800(ALL)02/95]
2. Get out the spare tire and jack.
*
[RE08850(ALL)05/94]
RWARNING
To avoid injury, never run the engine
with one wheel off the ground when
changing a tire, or at any other time.
The wheel still on the ground could
cause the vehicle to move.
[RE08900(ALL)02/93]
3. Remove wheel covers or aluminum wheel
ornaments with the tapered end of a wheel
nut wrench. Insert the handle of the wrench
between the wheel and ornament and twist
it against the inner wheel cover flange.
*
[RE09200(ALL)01/95]
4. Loosen each wheel lug nut one-half turn
counterclockwise, but do not remove them
until the tire is raised off the ground. You
should pull up on the handle rather than
push to develop maximum force to loosen
wheel lug nuts. SeeAnti-Theft Wheel Lug
Nutslater in this chapter for information on
removing anti-theft lug nuts.
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