steering Mercury Sable 1999 Owner's Manuals

modulation.º Signal modulation is a process radio
stations use to increase their strength/volume
relative to other stations.
²Terrain.Hills, mountains and tall buildings
between your vehicle's antenna and the radio
station signal can cause FM reception problems.
Static can be caused on AM stations by power
lines, electric fences, traffic lights and
thunderstorms. Moving away from an interfering
structure (out of its ªshadowº) returns your
reception to normal.
²Station overload.Weak signals are sometimes
captured by stronger signals when you pass a
broadcast tower. A stronger signal may
temporarily overtake a weaker signal and play
while the weak station frequency is displayed.
The audio system automatically switches to single
channel reception if it will improve the reception of
a station normally received in stereo.
Audio system warranties and service
Refer to the ªWarranty Guideº for audio system
warranty information.
If service is necessary, see your dealer or a qualified
technician.
POSITIONS OF THE IGNITION
1. ACCESSORY, allows
the electrical
accessories such as the
radio to operate while
the engine is not
running.
2. LOCK, locks the
steering wheel,
automatic transmission gearshift lever and allows
key removal.
3. OFF, shuts off the engine and all accessories
without locking the steering wheel.
1
23
4
5
Controls and features
40

Rear window wiper and washer (wagon only)
The rear wiper control
is located under the
headlamp controls
Press the wiper control
to activate the rear
wiper. Press again to
turn off the wiper.
Press the washer
control to activate the
rear washer. The wiper
will come on when the
washer control is
pressed, if it is not
already on.
HAZARD FLASHER
For information on the hazard flasher control, refer
toHazard flasherin theRoadside emergencies
chapter.
TILT STEERING
Pull the tilt 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.
Never adjust the steering wheel when the
vehicle is moving.
Controls and features
46

TRUNK REMOTE CONTROL
Press the remote trunk
release control on the
instrument panel to the
left of the steering
wheel.
LIFTGATE (WAGON ONLY)
You can open the
entire liftgate or just
the liftgate window. To
open the entire liftgate,
pull the release handle
hidden under the
exterior trim panel just
above the license plate.
You must lock the liftgate with the key or power
lock control; it does not lock automatically.
The window locks when the liftgate is locked. To
open the window, make sure the liftgate and window
are unlocked, then press the outside lock cylinder.
The window can only be opened from the outside.
To prevent any damage to the liftgate and window,
close them completely before driving.
Controls and features
53

BRAKES
Your service brakes are self-adjusting. Refer to the
scheduled maintenance guide for scheduled
maintenance.
Occasional brake noise is normal and often does not
indicate a performance concern with the vehicle's
brake system. In normal operation, automotive brake
systems may emit occasional or intermittent squeal
or groan noises when the brakes are applied. Such
noises are usually heard during the first few brake
applications in the morning; however, they may be
heard at any time while braking and can be
aggravated by environmental conditions such as
cold, heat, moisture, road dust, salt or mud. If a
ªmetal-to-metal,º ªcontinuous grindingº or
ªcontinuous squealº sound is present while braking,
the brake linings may be worn-out and should be
inspected by a qualified service technician.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) (if equipped)
On vehicles equipped with an anti-lock braking
system (ABS), a noise from the hydraulic pump
motor and pulsation in the pedal may be observed
during ABS braking events. Pedal pulsation coupled
with noise while braking under panic conditions or
on loose gravel, bumps, wet or snowy roads is
normal and indicates proper functioning of the
vehicle's anti-lock brake system. The ABS performs a
self-check at 17 km/h (10 mph) after you start the
engine and begin to drive away. A brief mechanical
noise may be heard during this test. This is normal.
If a malfunction is found, the ABS warning light will
come on. If the vehicle has continuous vibration or
shudder in the steering wheel while braking, the
vehicle should be inspected by a qualified service
technician.
Driving
101

The ABS operates by
detecting the onset of
wheel lockup during
brake applications
and compensating for
this tendency. The
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 with
loss of front braking traction.
ABS warning lamp
The
ABSwarning lamp in the instrument cluster
momentarily illuminates when the ignition is turned
on and the engine is off. If the light does not
illuminate momentarily at start up, remains on or
continues to flash, the ABS needs to be serviced.
With the ABS light on,
the anti-lock brake
system is disabled and
normal braking is still
effective unless the brake warning light also remains
illuminated with parking brake released. (If your
brake warning lamp illuminates, have your vehicle
serviced immediately).
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
there is sufficient space, will enable you to avoid
obstacles and bring the vehicle to a controlled
stop.
P!
BRAKE
Driving
102

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.
STEERING
Your vehicle is equipped with power steering. Power
steering uses energy from the engine to help steer
the vehicle.
To prevent damage to the power steering pump:
²Never hold the steering wheel to the extreme
right or the extreme left for more than a few
seconds when the engine is running.
²Do not operate the vehicle with a low power
steering pump fluid level.
If the power steering system breaks down (or if the
engine is turned off), you can steer the vehicle
manually, but it takes more effort.
If the steering wanders or pulls, the condition could
be caused by any of the following:
²underinflated tire(s) on any wheel(s)
²high crown in center of road
²high crosswinds
²wheels out of alignment
²loose or worn components in steering linkage
Driving
104

Trailer towing tips
²Practice turning, stopping and backing up in an
area before starting on a trip to get the feel of the
vehicle trailer combination. When turning, make
wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs
and other obstacles.
²Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer
attached.
²The trailer tongue weight should be 10% of the
loaded trailer weight.
²After you have traveled 80 km (50 miles),
thoroughly check your hitch, electrical
connections and trailer wheel lug nuts.
²When stopped in traffic for long periods of time in
hot weather, place the gearshift in P (Park) and
increase idle speed. This aids engine cooling and
air conditioner efficiency.
²Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a
grade. If you must park on a grade, place wheel
chocks under the trailer's wheels.
Towing your vehicle behind another vehicle
At times, you may want to tow your vehicle behind
another vehicle, such as a recreational vehicle, car
or a truck.
Before you have your vehicle towed:
²Release the parking brake.
²Turn the key in the ignition to OFF.
²Move the gearshift to N (Neutral).
²Unlock the steering wheel.
Do not tow your vehicle at a speed faster than
56 km/h (35 mph) or for a distance greater than
80 km (50 miles), unless the drive wheels are placed
on dollies.
Driving
116

HAZARD FLASHER
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.
RESETTING THE FUEL SHUT-OFF SWITCH
After a collision, if the engine cranks but does not
start, the fuel pump shut-off switch may have been
activated. The shut-off switch is a device intended to
stop the electric fuel pump when your vehicle has
been involved in a substantial jolt. Use the following
procedure to reset the fuel pump shut-off switch.
1. Turn the ignition to the OFF position.
2. Check the fuel system for leaks.
3. If no fuel leak is apparent, reset the Resetting the
fuel shut-off switch by pushing in the reset button.
4. Turn the ignition to the ON position. Pause for a
few seconds and return the key to the OFF position.
5. Make a further check for leaks in the fuel system.
Roadside emergencies
118

Standard fuse amperage rating and color
COLOR
Fuse
Rat-
ingMini
FusesStan-
dard
FusesMaxi
FusesCar-
tridge
Maxi
FusesFuse
Link
Car-
tridge
2A Grey Grey Ð Ð Ð
3A Violet Violet Ð Ð Ð
4A Pink Pink Ð Ð Ð
5A Tan Tan Ð Ð Ð
7.5A Brown Brown Ð Ð Ð
10A Red Red Ð Ð Ð
15A Blue Blue Ð Ð Ð
20A Yellow Yellow Yellow Blue Blue
25A Natural Natural Ð Ð Ð
30A Green Green Green Pink Pink
40A Ð Ð Orange Green Green
50A Ð Ð Red Red Red
60A Ð Ð Blue Ð Yellow
70A Ð Ð Tan Ð Brown
80A Ð Ð Natural Ð Black
Passenger compartment fuse panel
The fuse panel is located below and to the left of
the steering wheel by the brake pedal. Remove the
panel cover to access the fuses.
To remove a fuse use the fuse puller tool provided
on the fuse panel cover.
Roadside emergencies
120

CHANGING THE TIRES
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not apply the
brake heavily. Instead, gradually decrease your
speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly and slowly
move to a safe place on the side of the road.
Temporary spare tire information
The temporary spare tire for your vehicle is labeled
as such. It is smaller than a regular tire and is
designed for emergency use only.
If you use the temporary spare tire
continuously or do not follow these
precautions, the tire could fail, causing you to lose
control of the vehicle, possibly injuring yourself or
others.
When driving with the temporary spare tiredo not:
²exceed 80 km/h (50 mph) under any
circumstances
²load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load
rating listed on the Safety Compliance Label
²tow a trailer
²use tire chains
²drive through an automatic car wash, because of
the vehicle's reduced ground clearance
²try to repair the temporary spare tire or remove it
from its wheel
²use the wheel for any other type of vehicle
Tire change procedure
1. Park on a level surface, activate hazard flashers
and set parking brake.
Roadside emergencies
126