1996 FORD CONTOUR Owners Manual

220
[SV22200(ALL)02/94]
10-1/2 pica
art:0001222-A
The windshield washer fluid reservoir
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[SV22300(ALL)03/95]
Adding washer fluid
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[SV22400(ALL)05/95]
RWARNING
Do not put windshield washer fluid in the container for
the engine coolant.
[SV22450(ALL)05/95]
If sprayed to clean the glass, engine coolant or antifreeze could
make it difficult to see through the windshield.
%*
[SV22500(ALL)01/95]
Use specially formulated windshield washer fluid rather than
plain water, because specially formulated washer fluids contain
additives that dissolve road grime. For safety reasons, washer
fluids containing an appropriate antifreeze such as methanol
should be used in freezing weather (temperatures below32ÊF
[0ÊC]). State or local regulations on Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOC's) may restrict use of the most common antifreeze,
methanol. Washer fluids containing non-methanol antifreeze
agents should be used only if they provide cold weather
protection without damaging the vehicle's paint finish, wiper
blades, and windshield washer system.
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Servicing Your Contour
221
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[SV23200(ALL)03/95]
Wiper Blades
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[SV23300(ALL)03/95]
Check the windshield wiper blades at least twice a year. Also
check them whenever they seem less effective than usual.
Substances such as tree sap and some hot wax treatments used
by commercial car washes reduce the effectiveness of wiper
blades.
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[SV23400(ALL)03/95]
If the blades do not wipe properly, clean both the windshield
and the wiper blades. Use undiluted windshield washer solution
or a mild detergent. Rinse thoroughly with clear water. Do not
use fuel, kerosene, paint thinner, or other solvents to clean your
wiper blades. These will damage your blades.
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[SV23500(ALL)03/95]
To make reaching the wiper blades easy, simply turn the
ignition to the ACC position and turn your wipers on. Wait for
them to reach a vertical position and turn the ignition to the
OFF position. Do not move the wipers manually. Manually
moving the wipers across the windshield may damage them.
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[SV23600(ALL)03/01]
Wiper blade replacement
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[SV23700(OZ)03/95]
If the wiper blades still do not work properly after you clean
them, you may need to replace the wiper blade assembly or the
blade element. When replacing the wiper blade assembly, blade
refill, or wiper arm always use a Motorcraft part or equivalent. To
replace the blades, follow the instructions that come with them.
[SV23716(ALL)11/94]
Passenger Compartment Air Filter Replacement
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[SV23719(ALL)04/95]
In your climate control system, you may have a filter that cleans
the air before it enters the interior of the vehicle. This filter
should be replaced at the intervals in theMaintenance Schedule
and Recordbooklet.
[SV23723(ALL)04/95]
To replace the passenger compartment air filter:
[SV23726(ALL)02/95]1.
Remove both windshield wiper arms. With the wiper arm in
the horizontal position, lift the arm away from the
windshield while pulling the retaining clip at the base
toward the windshield. Release the wiper arm, then lift it off
the base.
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222
[SV23730(ALL)07/94]
7-1/2 pica art:0001242-A
The screws on the grille
[SV23736(ALL)02/95]2.
Remove the plastic caps from the screws on the grille.
Remove the screws.
[SV23741(ALL)02/95]3.
Open the hood. Pull off the rubber weatherstrip at the back
of the engine compartment. Remove the screws that hold the
grille, separate the two halves and remove the grille.
[SV23746(ALL)11/93]
13-1/2 pica
art:0001243-A
Removing the grille
[SV23751(ALL)07/94]4.
The filter is in a housing at the back of the engine
compartment, on the left side. Pull off the two clips on the
sides of the housing. Slide out the housing and filter.
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Servicing Your Contour
223
[SV23756(ALL)07/94]
13-1/2 pica
art:0001244-B
Removing the passenger compartment air filter
[SV23761(ALL)07/94]5.
Slide the filter out of the housing, replace with the new
filter, and slide the housing and passenger compartment air
filter back into place. Reinstall the clips on the housing.
[SV23766(ALL)11/93]6.
Replace the grille and wiper arms.
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[SV23800(ALL)03/95]
Tires
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[SV23900(ALL)03/95]
Look at your tires each time you fill your fuel tank. If one tire
looks lower than the others, check the pressure in all of them.
Always follow these precautions:
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[SV24200(ALL)03/95]
n
Keep your tires inflated to the recommended pressures.
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[SV24300(ALL)02/95]
n
Stay within the recommended load limits (seeLoad limitsin
the Index).
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[SV24500(ALL)02/95]
n
Make sure the weight of your load is evenly distributed.
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[SV24550(ALL)10/89]
n
Drive at safe speeds.
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224
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[SV24700(ALL)01/95]
If you do not take these precautions, your tires may fail or go
flat.
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[SV24750(ALL)06/95]
Ford Motor Company recommends obeying posted speed limits.
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[SV24800(ALL)05/95]
RWARNING
Driving too fast for conditions creates the possibility of
loss of vehicle control. Driving at very high speeds for
extended periods of time may result in damage to vehicle
components.
[SV25000(ALL)02/95]
At least once a month, check the pressure in all your vehicle's
tires, including the spare. Use an accurate tire pressure gauge.
Check the tire pressure when tires are cold (after the vehicle has
been parked for at least one hour or has been driven less than
3 miles [5 km]). You can find the proper cold pressure and load
limits of recommended size tires on the Tire Pressure Decal on
the left front door lock facing.
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[SV25075(ALL)05/95]
RWARNING
Improperly inflated tires can affect vehicle handling and
can fail suddenly, possibly resulting in loss of vehicle
control.
%*
[SV25100(ALL)02/95]
Tire Rotation
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[SV25200(ALL)04/95]
Because your vehicle's front and rear tires perform different
jobs, they often wear differently. To make sure your tires wear
evenly and last longer, rotate them as indicated in the following
diagram.
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[SV25300(ALL)04/95]
Do not include the spare tire as part of your rotation.
[SV25350(ALL)02/95]
If you notice that the tires wear unevely, have them checked.
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Servicing Your Contour
225
[SV25400(ALL)02/94]
13-1/2 pica
art:0001224-A
Rotating the tires
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[SV25700(ALL)04/95]
Replacing the Tires
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[SV25900(ALL)05/95]
Replace any tires that show wear bands. When your tire shows
a wear band, it has only 1/16 inch (2 mm) of tread left.
[SV26150(ALL)05/94]
7-1/2 pica art:0001317-A
A worn-out tire
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[SV26175(ALL)01/95]
Because your vehicle's tires may wear unevenly, you may need
to replace them before a wear band appears across the entire
tread. Some spots wear more heavily than others.
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226
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[SV26300(ALL)01/95]
RWARNING
When replacing full size tires, never mix radial,
bias-belted, or bias-type tires. Use only the tire sizes that
are listed on the tire pressure decal. Make sure that all
tires are the same size, speed rating, and load-carrying
capacity. Use only the tire combinations recommended on
the decal. If you do not follow these precautions, your
vehicle may not drive properly and safely.
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[SV26400(ALL)01/95]
Tires that are larger or smaller than your vehicle's original tires
may also affect the accuracy of your speedometer.
%*
[SV27400(ALL)02/95]
Information About Tire Quality Grades
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[SV27500(ALL)01/95]
New vehicles are fitted with tires that have their Tire Quality
Grade (described below) molded into the tire's sidewall. These
Tire Quality Grades are determined by standards that the
United States Department of Transportation has set.
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[SV27550(ALL)01/95]
Tire Quality Grades apply to new pneumatic tires for use on
passenger cars. They do not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches or limited production
tires as defined in Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part
575.104(c)(2).
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[SV27600(ALL)01/95]
U.S. Department of Transportation Ð 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.
%*
[SV27799(ALL)01/95]
Treadwear
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[SV27800(ALL)01/95]
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 graded 150
would wear one and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The relative
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Servicing Your Contour
227 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.
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[SV27999(ALL)01/95]
Traction A B C
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[SV28000(ALL)01/95]
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 controlled conditions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance. Warning: The traction grade assigned
to this tire is based on braking (straightahead) traction tests and
does not include cornering (turning) traction.
*
[SV28299(ALL)01/95]
Temperature A B C
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[SV28300(ALL)01/95]
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. Warning: 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.
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Update:Thu Jan 25 12:09:28 1996