1996 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL wheel

To change the position of the steering wheel, pull
the release lever on the column toward you. Tip
the steering wheel to the desired position.
Release the lever to lock the steering wheel in
place.
Speed Control
Your vehicle has speed control, so you can
automatically maintain a constant speed above 30
mph (48 km/h). The switches to operate the
speed control are on the steering wheel.
Use of radio transmitting equipment that is not
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or
in Canada the Canadian Radio and
Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
approved may cause the speed control to
malfunction. Therefore, use only properly
installed FCC (CRTC in Canada) approved radio
transmitting equipment in your vehicle.NOTE: Since your vehicle has an Automatic
Overdrive Transaxle, you may want to drive in D
(Drive) when driving in hilly terrain, at higher
altitudes, or when pulling a trailer. This will
improve speed control performance.
NOTE: Do not shift to N (Neutral) when using
the speed control. This will cause the engine to
overspeed.
95

The speed control switches on the steering
wheel
To set the speed control:
1.Press and release the ON switch.
2. Accelerate to the desired speed above 30 mph
(50 km/h) using the accelerator pedal.
963. Press the SET ACCEL switch and release it
immediately to set your speed. If you keep this
switch pressed, your speed will continue to
increase.
4.Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Your vehicle will maintain the speed you set.
If you drive up or down a steep hill, your vehicle
may momentarily slow down or speed up, even
though the speed control is on. This is normal.
When driving uphill, especially with a heavy load,
significant speed drops may occur. If the speed
drops more than 8-14 mph (13-23 km/h) the
automatic speed control will, by design, be
cancelled. If this happens, your vehicle may
require manual operation to maintain your desired
speed.

2. Rotate the thumbwheel from "0" to " 1 " (the
lowest heat level). Allow five minutes for the
heat level to stabilize.
3. If the heat level is not high enough for comfort,
select increased heat levels "2' through "5" (the
maximum level). Allow at least two minutes
for the heat level to stabilize at any new level
selected.
4. If the heated seat switch is not turned off ("0"
on the thumbwheel), the seat will heat up to the
selected temperature level each time the car is
started.
NOTE: Cooling the seat down takes considerably
longer than increasing its heat level.
118Cleaning the Seats
Leather
For routine cleaning, wipe the surface with a
soft, damp cloth. For more thorough cleaning,
wipe the surface with a leather and vinyl cleaner
or a mild soap.
Wipe the surface with a damp, soft cloth, then
dry and buff with a dry, soft cloth.
Fabric
Remove dust and loose dirt with a whisk broom
or a vacuum cleaner. Remove fresh spots
immediately. Follow the directions that come
with the cleaner.
NOTE: Before using any cleaner, test it on a
small, hidden area of fabric. If the fabric's color
or texture is adversely affected by a particular
cleaner, do not use it.

At zero pressure, the Securitires will provide you
with a minimum driving capability of approximately
20 miles (30 kms). How you drive and the actual
amount of air pressure left in your tires will
determine exactly how many miles can be driven.
To extend the mileage and help prevent damage to
low or deflated tires, you should: not exceed 55 mph (90 km/h) and drive at a
reduced rate of speed, if possible avoid excessive hard steering and braking
maneuvers, if possible stop periodically to allow the tires to cool down/! WARNINGIf your vehicle is driven with a low tire, thetire itself may become very hot. Allow thetire and wheel to cool before attempting tochange it.142Pressure Alert System
Each of your Securitires is monitored by a low
tire pressure sensor. A warning will appear in
the overhead console when the pressure in one
of your tires drops below acceptable levels or if
the system has malfunctioned.
Low Tire Pressure Warning Light Overhead
consoleLow Tire Pressure Warning in the overhead
console

Servicing Your Securitires/!\ WARNINGDo not use aerosol tire inflator/sealer withSecuritires. Doing so may damage the tire'spressure sensor.If you cannot service your Securitire immediately,
replace it with your mini-spare as soon as it is safe
to do so.
Your mini-spare tire can be used until your
Securitire has been repaired. See Tires in the
Servicing chapter of this guide for more information
on using the spare.
It is recommended that you always have your
Securitires serviced by an authorized Michelin tire
dealer. Each Securitire is equipped with a
pressure sensor around the wheel rim. This
sensor could be damaged when removing and
installing the tire. Servicing a Securitire at
144locations other than your Michelin tire dealer
lmay adversely affect your warranty.
If you have questions concerning your
Securitires or servicing, please call the Michelin
Tire Information Line at 1-800-847-3435 or
contact your local Michelin tire dealer.
Lincoln RESCU System
(If equipped) /!\ WARNINGIt is important that you understand thelimitations of your Lincoln RESCUSystem prior to initiating an activation.See Lincoln RESCU System Limitationslater in this chapter for details.

Driving Your ContinentalYour vehicle has an automatic overdrive
transaxle. You may be familiar with the term
"transmission." We use transaxle because it is a
more accurate term for vehicles that have front-
wheel drive.
Driving with an Automatic
Overdrive Transaxle
Your automatic overdrive transaxle provides
fully automatic operation in either (Overdrive) or D (Drive). Driving with the shift
selector in (Overdrive) gives the best fuel
economy for normal driving conditions. For
manual control, start in 1 (First) and then shift
manually.
Your vehicle is equipped with an Electronic
Powertrain Control Module that limits engine
and/or vehicle speeds with a cut-out mode to
promote durability.Putting Your Vehicle in Gear
Your vehicle's gearshift can be on the column
or on the console./! WARNINGHold the brake pedal down while youmove the gearshift lever from position toposition. If you do not hold the brakepedal down, your vehicle may moveunexpectedly and injure someone.179

Driving
When to use (Overdrive) (Overdrive) is the usual driving position for an
automatic overdrive transaxle. It works the same
way D (Drive) works, automatically upshifting or
downshifting as the vehicle speeds or slows.
However, (Overdrive) also shifts into a fourth gear
- an overdrive gear - when your vehicle cruises at a
consistent speed for any length of time. This fourth
gear will increase your fuel economy when you travel
at cruising speeds.(Overdrive) may not be appropriate for certain
terrain. If the transaxle shifts back and forth between
third and fourth gears while you are driving on hilly
roads or if your vehicle requires additional power for
climbing hills, shift to D (Drive).When to use D (Drive)
D (Drive) eliminates the excessive shifting
between third and fourth gears that your
vehicle sometimes does when you are traveling
through hilly terrain in Overdrive. It also
gives more engine braking to ml slow your
vehicle on downgrades than Overdrive.
When to use 1 (First)
Use I (First) when added engine braking is
desired when descending steep hills.
The automatic transaxle will shift to the proper
gear to ascend any grade without any need to
shift to I (First).
P (Park)
Always come to a complete stop before you
shift into P (Park). Make sure that the
gearshift is securely latched in P (Park). This
locks the transaxle and prevents the front
wheels from rotating.
183

/!\ WARNINGAlways set the parking brake fully and makesure that the gearshift is securely latched in P(Park). Never leave your vehicle unattendedwhile it is running.You can tell a column-mounted gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park) if the lever is adjacent to the P
(Park) and you cannot move it without pulling it
toward you and rotating it downward.
You can tell a console-mounted gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park) if the lever is adjacent to the P
(Park) and you cannot move it without pushing in the
thumb button.
The gearshift will lock when you turn the key to the
LOCK position. When the gearshift is in any
position except P (Park), the ignition key cannot be
turned to the LOCK position or removed from the
steering column. To remove the key, the gearshift
lever must be in P (Park).
184Traction ControlÔ Ô (If equipped)
Your vehicle may be equipped with the
optional Traction ControlÔ, system. This
system helps prevent wheel spin in order to
improve tire traction and is an especially useful
feature when you drive in hilly areas or on
slippery, icy or snowy roads.
When the Traction Control system is
controlling wheelspin, an electric motor sound
may be heard from the engine compartment and
engine acceleration may seem slower. This is
normal.
Traction ControlÔ works automatically by
rapidly applying and releasing the brakes and
reducing engine torque to prevent one or both
of the front drive wheels from spinning during
acceleration.
During the Traction ControlÔ function, which
most often occurs during low speed
acceleration on slippery surfaces, a noise may
be heard coming from the engine compartment.
This is normal and may last for a few seconds
during the acceleration of the vehicle.