1996 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL light

condition occurring. A warm up cycle consists
of engine start from a cold condition (engine at
ambient temperature) and running until the
engine reaches normal operating temperature.
On the fourth engine start up, the Service
Engine Soon light will turn off as soon as the
engine begins to crank. It is not necessary to
have the engine serviced.
Under certain conditions, the Service Engine
Soon Light may come on if the fuel cap is not
properly installed. If the Service Engine Soon
Light comes on and you suspect that the fuel
cap is not properly installed, pull off the road as
soon as it is safely possible and turn off the
engine. Remove and replace the cap, making
sure it is properly seated.
After completing the three consecutive warm
up cycles and on the fourth engine start up, the
Service Engine Soon Warning Light should
turn off. If the light does not go off after the
fourth engine re-start, have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer or a qualified
technician.
58High Beam LightThis light comes on when the headlamps are turned
to high beam or when you flash the lights.
Chime for Headlamps On
This chime sounds if the driver or any passenger
door is open when the parking lamps or headlamps
are on. The chime sounds until you close the door,
turn off the lamps or turn the ignition to the ON
position.

Air Bag Readiness Light
The air bag system uses a readiness light and
a tone to indicate the condition of the system.
The readiness light is in the instrument
cluster. When you turn the ignition key to the
ON position, this light will light up for six (6)
seconds and then turn off. This indicates that
the system is operating normally. NOTE:
Regularly scheduled maintenance of the air
bag system is not required.AIRBAGIf the light fails to Ruminate, continues to
flash, remains on, or you hear a beeping
sound, have the system serviced at your Ford
or Lincoln-Mercury dealer immediately.Anti-Theft Alarm Light
(If equipped)
This light flashes on and off when the ignition is
turned to the OFF position and any door is
opened. As soon as you lock the doors, the light
glows steadily. Within 30 seconds of closing all
the doors, the light goes out. This indicates that
the alarm system is armed.ANTI-THEFTSee Anti-Theft System in the Features chapter for
more information.
59

The Instrument Cluster
In addition to warning lights, the instrument
cluster has a message center/odometer, a
speedometer, tachometer, fuel and coolant
temperature gauges.
The Electronic Message Center (M/C)
The Electronic Message Center only works
when the ignition is in the ON position.
Each time the WC is powered the display goes
through a self test by displaying the PLEASE
FASTEN SEATBELT message. This self test
is used to stabilize the systems before reporting
the status to you.
60The message center tells you about the
condition of your vehicle by two methods: operator selectable features continuous warning reporting of
monitored systems
You can select different features for the M/C to
display by using the message center control
buttons located to the right of the instrument
cluster. You will hear a tone when you press one
of these buttons. However, if the M/C detects a
warning from any of the monitored systems, then
the M/C will display the appropriate warning
message.

Lincoln RESCU System
(If equipped)
Lincoln RESCU runs a self-test when you start
your vehicle. During this test, the Lincoln RESCU
warning light, located in the overhead console, will
briefly illuminate. If a problem is detected during
the self-check, the light will remain lit and the
message "RESCU FAILURE" will be displayed on
the vehicle's message center for several seconds.If the warning light fails to briefly illuminate
when you start your vehicle or if it remains
lit, have your Lincoln RESCU System
checked by an authorized Lincoln/Mercury
dealer as soon as possible. Your system may
be inoperative.
68

Light
Instrument panel
70ClusterHood release handleRear window def roster/heated

The button that controls the rear window
defroster and heated outside rearview mirrors
Clear away any snow that is on the rear window
and outside rearview mirrors before using the
defroster. With the engine running, push the
defroster button.
After approximately 10 minutes, the defroster
will turn off. If the window or mirrors are still
not clear, turn the defroster on again.The defroster will turn off when the ignition key is
turned to the OFF or START position.
The heating elements are bonded to the inside of
the rear window. Do not use sharp objects to
scrape the inside of the rear window or use
abrasive cleaners to clean it. Doing so could
damage the heating elements.
The Interior and Exterior Lights
Daytime Running Light System
(Canadian vehicles only)
The Daytime Running Light (DRL) system turns
the high beam headlamps on, with a reduced light
output, when:
œ The headlamp system is in the OFF position,
and
œ The vehicle is running, and
œ The vehicle has a fully released parking brake.
81

The high beam indicator light on the instrument
cluster will not be on.
NOTE:If you have a vehicle with an
automatic lighting system, the DRL system is
active until the automatic system turns on the
headlamps.
NOTE:You may notice that the lights
flicker when the vehicle is turned on or off. This
is a normal condition./!\WARNINGThe Daytime Running Light (DRL)system will not illuminate the taillamps and parking lamps. Turn onyour headlamps at dusk. Failure to doso may result in a collision.Turning On the Exterior Lights
To turn on the headlamps, parking lamps, side
markers, and tail lamps, use the rotary switch
that is to the left of the steering wheel.
82The knob for the exterior lights
To turn on the parking lamps, tail lamps,
and license plate lamps, turn the knob
clockwise to the first position.
For more information about how the high
beams work, refer to the Steering Column
Controls chapter.

Cleaning the Exterior Lamps
Do not use dry paper towel, chemical solvents or
abrasive cleaners to clean the lamps, as these
may cause scratches or crack the lamps.
Setting the Autolamp On/Off Delay System
By using the autolamp, you can set the
headlamps to: turn on the lamps automatically at night turn off the lamps automatically during
daylight keep the lamps on for up to three minutes
after you turn the key to OFF.Autolamp switch
The autolamp sitch on the left side of
the instrument panel
To use the autolamp:
1. Make sure the headlamp knob is in
the OFF position. If the knob for the
headlamps is ON, you cancel the
autolamp.
83