1996 FORD WINDSTAR maintenance

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Servicing Your Windstar
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How Ford Makes Servicing Your Vehicle
Easy
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Ford has two goals for servicing your vehicle.
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When we can, we design parts that do not need to be
serviced.
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We want to make servicing your vehicle as easy as possible.
To help you:
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We highlight do-it-yourself items in yellow in your engine
compartment so that you can find them easily.
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When possible, we design parts Ð such as the headlamp
bulbs Ð that can be replaced without tools.
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We give you aMaintenance Schedule and Recordbooklet that
makes tracking routine service for your vehicle easy.
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This chapter tells you about the basic parts that you need to
check and service regularly.
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If you need professional servicing, see the chapter onCustomer
Assistancein this Owner Guide.
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Check yourWarranty InformationBooklet to find out which parts
are covered.
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Precautions When Servicing Your Vehicle
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Be especially careful when inspecting or servicing your vehicle.
Here are some general precautions for your safety:
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If you must work with the engine running, avoid wearing
loose clothing or jewelry that could get caught in moving
parts.
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Do not work on a vehicle in an enclosed space with the
engine running, unless you are sure you have enough
ventilation.
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Servicing Your Windstar
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Comparisons With Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) Fuel Economy Estimates
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EPA fuel economy figures are obtained from laboratory tests
under simulated road conditions and therefore are estimates
which may not reflect the actual conditions you experience. The
tests also do not exactly duplicate your personal style of
driving, including all your stops, starts, and lane changes. Other
factors that may affect fuel economy include using the air
conditioning, driving speed, vehicle load and tire inflation
pressure. The EPA fuel economy estimate is not a guarantee
that you will achieve the fuel economy shown.
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Improving Fuel Economy
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You can improve the fuel economy for your vehicle in three
ways:
[SV13600(ALL)09/93]1.
Maintain your vehicle effectively. A well-tuned, properly
maintained vehicle gives you better fuel economy. Follow the
schedules for maintaining your vehicle that are in the
Maintenance Schedule and Recordbooklet.
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Drive your vehicle efficiently. Change your driving habits to
conserve fuel:
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Do not drive with your foot on the brake.
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Watch traffic so that you do not have to stop suddenly.
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Do not accelerate suddenly. Drive at a steady speed
whenever you can.
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Do not let the engine idle for a long time.
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Do not carry loads that are too heavy. To find out the limits
for the loads that your vehicle can carry, seeDriving with a
heavy loadin the Index.
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Servicing Your Windstar
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Neveruse:
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ªNon-Detergentº oils
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Oils labeled API SA, SB, SC, SD, SE, SF or SG
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Additional engine oil additives, oil treatments or engine
treatments
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Engine oils with anSAE 5W-30viscosity arePREFERREDfor
your vehicle. They provide the best engine performance, fuel
economy and engine protection for all climates down to-15ÊF
(-25ÊC).
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Synthetic engine oils which are CERTIFIED and of the preferred
viscosity may be used in your engine. The engine oil and oil
filter must still be changed according to the maintenance
schedule.
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Checking and Adding Engine Oil
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Since the proper amount of engine oil is important for safe
engine operation, check the oil using the dipstick each time you
put fuel in your vehicle. Remember the engine must be off, the
oil must be warm and the vehicle must be parked on level
ground.
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Checking the engine oil level:
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Turn the engine off after it has warmed up and allow a few
minutes for the engine oil to drain back into the oil pan.
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Set the parking brake, making sure the gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park).
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Open the hood. Protect yourself from engine heat.
[SV16200(ALL)08/94]4.
Locate the dipstick labelled ªEngine Oilº and carefully pull it
out of the engine.
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[SV16300(ALL)01/95]5.
Wipe the dipstick clean and put it back into position, making
sure it is fully seated.
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7-1/2 pica art:0050073-D
Engine oil dipstick
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Carefully, pull the dipstick out again. If the oil level is below
the ªADD 1 QT.º line, add engine oil as necessary. If the oil
level is beyond the letter ªFº in FULL, engine damage or
high oil consumption may occur and some oil must be
removed from the engine.
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Put the dipstick back in and make sure it is fully seated.
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It may be necessary to add some oil between oil changes. Make
sure you use a CERTIFIED engine oil of the preferred viscosity.
Your vehicle's warranty coverage may not apply if engine
damage is caused by the use of improper engine oil.
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Add engine oil through the oil filler cap highlighted in yellow.
To add oil, remove the filler cap and use a funnel to pour oil
into the opening. Be careful not to overfill the engine. Recheck
the oil level after you finish adding oil.
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Changing the Engine Oil and the Oil Filter
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Refer to theMaintenance Schedule and Recordbooklet for
additional information.
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NOTE: Always dispose of used automotive fluids in a
responsible manner. Follow your community's
standards for disposing of these types of fluids. Call
your local recycling center to find out about recycling
automotive fluids.
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Servicing Your Windstar
323
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To find out how much engine coolant mixture your vehicle's
coolant system can hold, seeRefill Capacitieslater in this chapter.
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You may add water by itself only in an emergency, but you
should replace it with a 50/50 mixture of water and coolant as
soon as possible.
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Have your dealer check the engine cooling system for leaks if
you have to add engine coolant more than once a month, or
you have to add more than a quart (liter) at a time.
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Checking hoses
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Inspect all engine and heater system hoses for deterioration,
leaks and loose clamps before adding or replacing engine
coolant. Make whatever repairs or replacements are necessary
using Motorcraft parts or their equivalents.
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Engine coolant drain and flush
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To drain and flush your engine coolant, youMUSTsee your
Ford dealer or refer to the procedure in the service manual.
Failing to do so could result in engine damage.
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Battery
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The Motorcraft maintenance-free battery does not require
additional water during its life of service. The vents are part of
the cover and cannot be removed. For longer, trouble-free
operation, keep the top of the battery clean and dry. Also, make
certain the battery cables are tightly fastened to the battery
terminals.
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If you see any corrosion on the battery cables or terminals,
remove the cables from the terminal and clean them both with a
wire brush. You can neutralize the acid with a solution of
baking soda and water. Reinstall the cables when you are done
cleaning them, and apply a small quantity of grease to the top
of each battery terminal to help prevent corrosion.
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Battery Replacement
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If your original equipment battery requires replacement while
under warranty, it may, in some cases, be replaced by a
Motorcraft low-maintenance battery. The low-maintenance
battery has removable vent caps for checking the electrolyte
level and for adding water, if needed.
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Check your battery's electrolyte level, at least every 12 months
or 12,000 miles (20,000 km), in temperatures up to90ÊF (32ÊC).
Keep the electrolyte in each cell up to the ªlevelº indicator. Do
not overfill the battery cell.
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If the electrolyte level in your battery gets low, you can add
plain tap water to the battery, as long as you do not use hard
water (water with a high mineral or alkali content). If possible,
however, try to only fill the battery cell with distilled water. If
the battery needs water often, have the charging system
checked.
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Help Us Protect Our Environment
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Ford Motor Company strongly recommends that used lead-acid
batteries be returned to an authorized recycling facility for
disposal.
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7-1/2 pica art:0040201-A
Battery recycling symbol
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Servicing Your Windstar
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RWARNING
Always obey posted speed limits. If you drive too fast
for road conditions, you could lose control of your
vehicle. Under some circumstances, driving at very high
speeds for extended periods of time may damage vehicle
components, creating a risk of component failure and a
potential loss of vehicle control. Any time you lose
control of your vehicle, it may result in injury.
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At least once a month, check the pressure in all your tires,
including the spare. Use an accurate tire pressure gauge. Check
the tire pressure when tires are cold, that is, 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 tire pressure
on the Safety Compliance Certification Label located on the
driver's door pillar.
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RWARNING
Improperly inflated tires can affect vehicle handling and
can fail suddenly, possibly resulting in loss of vehicle
control.
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Tire Rotation
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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 at the mileage shown in the
Maintenance Schedule and Recordbooklet which came with your
vehicle.
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Servicing Your Windstar
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Emission Control System
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Your vehicle is equipped with a catalytic converter which
enables your vehicle to comply with applicable exhaust emission
requirements.
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To make sure that the catalytic converter and the other emission
control parts continue to work properly:
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Use only unleaded fuel.
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Avoid running out of fuel.
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Never turn off the ignition while your vehicle is moving,
especially at high speeds.
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Have the services listed in yourMaintenance Schedule and
Recordbooklet performed according to the specified schedule.
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RWARNING
Do not park, idle, or drive your vehicle in dry grass or
other dry ground cover. The emission system heats up
the engine compartment and exhaust system, which can
start a fire.
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RWARNING
Do not remove the floor carpet in your vehicle. Emission
controls cause high exhaust temperatures under the floor.
File:wnsvs.ex
Update:Tue Mar 19 08:16:43 1996