1996 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL maintenance schedule

Lincoln Customer Assistance Center
If you have questions regarding your Lincoln or the
Lincoln Commitment, call our Customer Assistance
Center:
United States 1-800-521-4140
Canada 1-800-387-9333
You may call the Customer Assistance Center,
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in all time
zones.
Owner Identification Card
Personalized with your name and vehicle
identification number as well as the hotline number
to call for customer service or roadside assistance
service.Your Maintenance Schedule and
Record Booklet
The Maintenance Schedule and Record booklet lists
the services that are most important for keeping
your vehicle in good condition. A record log is also
provided to help you keep track of all services
performed.
About the Warranties
Your vehicle is covered by three types of warranties:
Basic Vehicle Warranty, Extended Warranties
on certain parts, and Emissions Warranties.
Read your Warranty Information Booklet carefully to
find out about your vehicle's warranties and your
basic rights and responsibilities.
If you lose your Warranty Information Booklet, you
can get a new one free of charge. Contact any Ford
or Lincoln-Mercury dealer, or refer to the addresses
and phone numbers on the first page of this owner
guide.
5

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

Driving While You Tow
Be especially careful when driving while you tow a
trailer. Never drive faster than 45 mph (70 km/h)
when you tow in hilly country on hot days. Also,
anticipate stops so that you can brake gradually.
Towing a trailer increases the load on the engine and
transaxle, particularly in hilly country and with
heavier trailers. Under these conditions you may
experience an excessive amount of shifting between
Overdrive and Third gears. Moving the shift selector
to D (Overdrive Lockout) will keep this from
happening and will provide better engine braking.
When driving in less hilly country or with a lighter
trailer load. you may move the gearshift selector
lever to (Overdrive) without experiencing
excessive shifting.
198When driving down steep hills, you should put
the gearshift selector lever in the I (First)
position to shift the transaxle into second gear.
This will provide additional engine braking.
The automatic transaxle will automatically
downshift to the proper gear for driving up a
grade.
If you use the speed control while you are
towing on very long, steep grades, the speed
control may shut off.
Servicing your vehicle if you tow
If you tow a trailer for a long distance, your
vehicle will need to be serviced more frequently
than usual. See the Maintenance Schedule and
Record booklet.

Servicing Your ContinentalService Made Easy
Ford has two goals for servicing your vehicle.
1. When we can, we design parts that do not
need to be serviced.
2. We want to make servicing your vehicle as
easy as possible. To help you: We highlight do-it-yourself items in yellow in
the engine compartment so that you can find them
easily. When possible, we design - such as the
headlamp bulbs-- that can be replaced without
tools. We give you a Maintenance Schedule that
makes tracking routine service for your vehicle
easy. The maintenance schedule is located in
the Maintenance Schedule and Record booklet.This chapter tells you about the basic parts that you
need to check and service regularly.
If your vehicle needs professional servicing, your
dealership can provide the parts and service required.
Check your Warranty Information Booklet to find out
which parts and services are covered. Also see the
Customer Assistance chapter of this Owner Guide.
Ford Motor Company recommends that the Owner
Maintenance Checks listed in the Maintenance
Schedule and Record booklet be performed for the
proper operation of your vehicle. In addition to the
conditions listed in the Owner Maintenance Checklist,
be alert for any unusual noise, vibration, or other
indication that your vehicle may need service. If you
do notice something unusual, see that your vehicle is
serviced promptly.
231

Fuel Economy
Fuel economy is an estimate of the efficiency of
your vehicle and can be calculated as Miles Per
Gallon (MPG) or liters Per 100 Kilometers (L/
100K).
Do not calculate fuel economy during your vehicle's
break-in period. This would not be an accurate
estimate of how much fuel your vehicle will
normally use.
Tocalculate fuel economy:
I .Fill the tank completely and record the initial
odometer reading.
2.Every time you buy fuel record the amount (in
gallons or liters) purchased.
3.After at least three to five tankfuls, fill the fuel
tank and record the final odometer reading.
4. Use these equations to calculate your fuel
economy. English: MPG = (total miles)/(gallons used). Metric: L/100K = (liters used) x 100/(total
kilometers)
Comparisons With EPA Fuel Economy
Estimates
EPA fuel economy figures are obtained from
laboratory tests under simulated road conditions and
may not reflect the actual conditions you experience
or your style of driving. The EPA fuel economy
estimate is not a guarantee that you will achieve the
fuel economy shown.
The following decrease fuel economy: Lack of regular, scheduled maintenance Rapid acceleration and excessive speed Driving with your foot on the brake Sudden stops Extended engine idling
243

The API Certification Mark
Never use:"Non-Detergent" oilsOils labeled API SA, SB, SC, SD, SE, SF or
SGAdditional engine oil additives, oil treatments
or engine treatmentsEngine oils with an SAE 5W-30 viscosity are
PREFERRED for your vehicle. They provide the
best engine performance, fuel economy and engine
protection for all climates down to -15°F (-25°C).
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.
Checking and Adding Engine Oil
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.
Checking the engine oil level:
1. 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.
245

Changing the Engine Oil and the Oil
Filter
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule and Record
booklet for recommended intervals./!\ WARNINGContinuous contact with USED motor oilhas caused cancer in laboratory mice.Protect your skin by washing with soap and water.
Engine Coolant
Checking the Engine Coolant
NOTE: Be sure to read and understand
Precautions Men Servicing Your Vehicle at the
beginning of this chapter./!\ WARNINGThe cooling fan is automatic and may comeon at any time. Always disconnect thenegative terminal of the battery beforeworking near the fan.Cold fill levelThe engine coolant reservoir
247

Your vehicle's coolant protects your engine from
overheating in the summer and from freezing in the
winter. Check the level of the coolant at least once
a month. Simply look at the engine coolant
reservoir located in the engine compartment. To
locate the reservoir, see the diagram of your
vehicle's engine under Engine Type, in this chapter.
Check the engine coolant level in the engine coolant
reservoir at least once a month using the following
guidelines.
When your vehicle's engine is cool, the coolant level
in the engine coolant reservoir should be at the top
of the clear portion of the reservoir. If the level is
below the cold fill level, coolant may need to be
added.
The coolant additives also protect the entire cooling
system from internal passageway corrosion and
these additives lubricate the water pump. The
coolant should be serviced as noted in the
Maintenance Schedule and Record booklet.
248Adding engine coolant/!\ WARNINGDo not put engine coolant in the containerfor the windshield washer fluid.If sprayed to clean the glass, engine coolant or
antifreeze could make it difficult to see through the
windshield./!\ WARNINGNever remove the pressure cap while theengine is running or hot. Follow these stepsto avoid personal injury that can be causedby escaping steam or engine coolant.1. Before you remove the cap, turn the engine off
and let it cool. Even when the engine is cool, be
careful when you remove the pressure cap.