tow Mercury Sable 1999 s User Guide

Disarming the system
You can disarm the system by any of the following
actions:
²Unlock the doors by
using your remote
entry transmitter.
²Unlock the doors by
using your keyless
entry pad.
²Unlock the doors or liftgate with a key. Turn the
key full travel (toward the front of the vehicle) to
make sure the alarm disarms.
²Turn ignition to ACC or ON.
²Press control on the
remote entry
transmitter. This will
disarm the system
when the alarm is
sounding.
KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM
With the keyless entry
keypad, you can:
²lock or unlock the
vehicle doors and liftgate (wagons) without using
the key.
²arm and disarm the perimeter alarm system (if
equipped)
See alsoRemote entry systemandPerimeter
alarm systemin this chapter for more information.
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Controls and features
62

3rd seat (wagon only)
The third seat faces the rear of the vehicle. For
height and weight limits, see the label on the seat
cushion. When the seat is down, the back of your
wagon has a flat surface for carrying cargo.
To open up the seat:
1. Unlock the floor
panel with the key,
then use the handle to
fold the floor panel
toward the front of the
car.
2. Remove the cargo
cover. The cargo cover
must be removed or
the seatback will not
latch in the upright
position.
3. Lift the remote latch
release on the left side
of the compartment
and fold the remaining
floor panel until it
latches. Make sure the
seatback is locked in
the upright position.
To close the seat, make sure the safety belts are
properly stowed, then lift the remote latch release
and push the seat down until it latches. Pull up on
the handle and push the floor panel into place.
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73

The lap belts should fit snugly and as low as
possible around the hips, not around the
waist.
Front and rear seat occupants, including
pregnant women, should wear safety belts
for optimum protection in an accident.
Each seating position in your vehicle has a
specific safety belt assembly which is made
up of one buckle and one tongue that are designed
to be used as a pair. 1) Use the shoulder belt on
the outside shoulder only. Never wear the shoulder
belt under the arm. 2) Never swing the safety belt
around your neck over the inside shoulder. 3)
Never use a single belt for more than one person.
Due to folding rear seats, sometimes the buckles and
tongues toward the center of the vehicle may be
hidden by the rear edge of the seat cushion. Pull
them out so they will be accessible.
While you are fastened in the seat belt, the shoulder
belt adjusts to your movement. However, if you
brake hard, turn hard or your vehicle receives an
impact of 8 km/h (5 mph) or more, the safety belt
will become locked and help reduce your forward
movement.
To unfasten the belt, push the red release button on
the end of the buckle. This allows the tongue to
unlatch from the buckle. While the belt retracts,
guide the tongue to its original position to prevent it
from striking you or the vehicle.
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81

4. Insert the belt
tongue into the proper
buckle (the buckle
closest to the direction
the tongue is coming
from) for that seating
position until you hear
a snap and feel the
latch engage. Make
sure the tongue is
latched securely by pulling on it.
5. To put the retractor
in the automatic
locking mode, grasp
the shoulder portion of
the belt and pull
downward until all of
the belt is extracted
and a click is heard.
6. Allow the belt to retract. The belt will click as it
retracts to indicate it is in the automatic locking
mode.
7. Pull the lap belt
portion across the child
seat toward the buckle
and pull up on the
shoulder belt while
pushing down with
your knee on the child
seat.
8. Allow the safety belt
to retract to remove
any slack in the belt.
9. Before placing the
child in the seat,
forcibly tilt the seat
forward and back to
make sure the seat is
securely held in place.
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93

VEHICLE LOADING
Before loading a vehicle, familiarize yourself with the
following terms:
²Base Curb Weight: Weight of the vehicle
including any standard equipment, fluids,
lubricants, etc. It does not include passengers or
aftermarket equipment.
²Payload: Combined maximum allowable weight
of cargo, passengers and optional equipment. The
payload equals the gross vehicle weight rating
minus base curb weight.
²GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight): Base curb
weight plus payload weight. The GVW is not a
limit or a specification.
²GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating):
Maximum total weight of the base vehicle,
passengers, optional equipment and cargo. The
GVWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the
Safety Compliance Label on the driver's door pillar.
²GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating): Carrying
capacity for each axle system. The GAWR is
specific to each vehicle and is listed on the Safety
Compliance Label on the driver's door pillar.
²GCW (Gross Combined Weight): The
combined weight of the towing vehicle (including
passengers and cargo) and the trailer.
²GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating):
Maximum combined weight of towing vehicle
(including passengers and cargo) and the trailer.
The GCWR indicates the maximum loaded weight
that the vehicle is designed to tow.
²Maximum Trailer Weight Rating: Maximum
weight of a trailer the vehicle is permitted to tow.
The maximum trailer weight rating is determined
by subtracting the vehicle curb weight for each
engine/transmission combination, any required
option weight for trailer towing and the weight of
the driver from the GCWR for the towing vehicle.
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²Maximum Trailer Weight: maximum weight of
a trailer the loaded vehicle (including passengers
and cargo) is permitted to tow. It is determined
by subtracting the weight of the loaded trailer
towing vehicle from the GCWR for the towing
vehicle.
²Trailer Weight Range: Specified weight range
that the trailer must fall within that ranges from
zero to the maximum trailer weight rating.
Remember to figure in the tongue load of your
loaded trailer when figuring the total weight.
Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR
specified on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label.
Do not use replacement tires with lower load
carrying capacities than the originals because they
may lower the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR
limitations. Replacement tires with a higher limit
than the originals do not increase the GVWR and
GAWR limitations.
The Certification Label, found on the inside pillar of
the driver's door, lists several important vehicle
weight rating limitations. Before adding any
additional equipment, refer to these limitations. If
you are adding weight to the front of your vehicle,
(potentially including weight added to the cab), the
weight added should not exceed the Front Axle
Reserve Capacity (FARC). Additional frontal weight
may be added to the front axle reserve capacity
provided you limit your payload in other ways (i.e.
restrict the number of passengers or amount of
cargo carried).
You may add equipment throughout your vehicle if
the total weight added is equal to or less than the
Total Axle Reserve Capacity (TARC) weight. You
should NEVER exceed the Total Axle Reserve
Capacity.
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Always ensure that the weight of passengers, cargo
and equipment being carried is within the weight
limitations that have been established for your
vehicle including both Gross Vehicle Weight and
Front and Rear Gross Axle Weight Rating limits.
Under no circumstance should these limitations be
exceeded. Exceeding any vehicle weight rating
limitation could result in serious damage to the
vehicle and/or personal injury.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Do not drive quickly through standing water,
especially if the depth is unknown. Traction or brake
capability may be limited and if the ignition system
gets wet, your engine may stall. Water may also
enter your engine's air intake and severely damage
your engine.
If driving through deep or standing water is
unavoidable, proceed very slowly. Never drive
through water that is higher than the bottom of the
hubs.
Once through the water, always try the brakes. Wet
brakes do not stop the vehicle as effectively as dry
brakes. Drying can be improved by moving your
vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the
brake pedal.
Driving through deep water where the
transmission is submerged may allow water
into the transmission and cause internal
transmission damage.
TRAILER TOWING
Your vehicle is classified as a light duty towing
vehicle. The amount of weight you can safely tow
depends on the type of engine you have in your
vehicle. Your vehicle does not come from the factory
fully equipped to tow. No towing packages are
available through Ford or Mercury/Lincoln dealers.
Do not tow a trailer until your vehicle has been
driven at least 800 km (500 miles). If towing with a
station wagon, inflate the rear tires to 35 psi.
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112

Towing a trailer places an additional load on your
vehicle's engine, transaxle, brakes, tires and
suspension. Inspect these components carefully after
towing.
The amount of weight that you can tow depends on
the type of engine in your vehicle. See the following
charts:
3.0L 2-Valve Vulcan Engine
Model Passenger
Load-#/kg
(lbs.)Luggage
Load-kg
(lbs.)Max Trailer
Wt.-kg (lbs.)
Sedan 5/340 (750) 0 365 (800)
4/270 (600) 70 (150) 365 (800)
2/135 (300) 70 (150) 500 (1 100)
2/135 (300) 0 565 (1 250)
Wagon 4/270 (600) 0 365 (800)
2/135 (300) 70 (150) 430 (950)
2/135 (300) 0 500 (1 100)
The above chart is based on the specified vehicle at
a maximum GCW (Vehicle weight + Trailer weight)
equal to 2 245 kg (4 950 lbs.).
3.0L 4-Valve Duratec Engine
Model Passenger
Load-#/kg
(lbs.)Luggage
Load-kg
(lbs.)Max Trailer
Wt.-kg (lbs.)
Sedan 5/340 (750) 0 590 (1 300)
2/135 (300) 70 (150) 725 (1 600)
2/135 (300) 0 795 (1 750)
Wagon 5/340 (750) 70 (150) 455 (1 000)
2/135 (300) 70 (150) 660 (1450)
2/135 (300) 0 725 (1 600)
The above chart is based on the specified vehicle at
a maximum GCW (Vehicle weight + Trailer weight)
equal to 2 470 kg (5 450 lbs.).
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Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR
specified on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label.
Towing trailers beyond the maximum
recommended gross trailer weight exceeds
the limit of the vehicle and could result in engine
damage, transaxle damage, structural damage, loss
of control, and personal injury.
Preparing to tow
Use the proper equipment for towing a trailer, and
make sure it is properly attached to your vehicle.
See your dealer or a reliable trailer dealer if you
require assistance.
Hitches
Do not use hitches that clamp onto the vehicle
bumper. Use a load carrying hitch. You must
distribute the load in your trailer so that 10% of the
total weight of the trailer is on the tongue.
Safety chains
Always connect the trailer's safety chains to the
vehicle. To connect the trailer's safety chains, cross
the chains under the trailer tongue and allow slack
for turning corners.
If you use a rental trailer, follow the instructions that
the rental agency gives to you.
Do not attach safety chains to the bumper.
Trailer brakes
Electric brakes and manual, automatic or surge-type
brakes are safe if installed properly and adjusted to
the manufacturer's specifications. The trailer brakes
must meet local and Federal regulations.
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114

Do not connect a trailer's hydraulic brake
system directly to your vehicle's brake
system. Your vehicle may not have enough braking
power and your chances of having a collision
greatly increase.
The braking system of the tow vehicle is rated for
operation at the GVWR not GCWR.
Trailer lamps
Trailer lamps are required on most towed vehicles.
Make sure your trailer lamps conform to local and
Federal regulations. See your dealer or trailer rental
agency for proper instructions and equipment for
hooking up trailer lamps.
Driving while you tow
Do not drive faster than 88 km/h (55 mph) when
towing a trailer. Do not drive faster than 72 km/h
(45 mph) with any weight on the trailer while
towing on a hot day or in hilly country.
Speed control may shut off if you are towing on
long, steep grades.
When towing a trailer:
²Use D (Drive) or a lower gear when towing up or
down steep hills. This will eliminate excessive
downshifting and upshifting for optimum fuel
economy and transaxle cooling.
²Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
Servicing after towing
If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle
will require more frequent service intervals. Refer to
your maintenance guide and or service guide for
more information.
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