1997 FORD CONTOUR ECU

102
%*
[SS14200(ALL)01/96]
Safety Seats for Children
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[SS14300(ALL)01/96]
Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight
of the child. Always follow the safety seat manufacturer's
instructions when installing and using the safety seat.
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[SS14400(ALL)01/96]
Ford recommends the use of a child safety seat having a top
tether strap. Install the child safety seat in a seating position
which is capable of providing a tether anchorage. For more
information on top tether straps seeAttaching Safety Seats With
Tether Strapsin this chapter.
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[SS14500(ALL)03/96]
Your vehicle is equipped with a right front passenger air bag.
Air bags deploy with great force, faster than the blink of an eye.
Front passengers, especially children and small adults, must
never sit on the front edge of the seat, stand near the glove
compartment of the instrument panel, or lean over near the air
bag cover when the vehicle is moving. All occupants should sit
with their backs against the seatback, move the seat to the most
rearward position if possible and use the safety belts. Children
weighing less than 40 lbs. (18 kg) always should use child or
infant seats.
%*
[SS14600(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
When using forward-facing child seats move the
passenger seat as far back from the instrument panel as
possible. Never secure rear-facing infant seats in the front
seat.
[SS14700(ALL)12/95]
THE FORCE OF THE RAPIDLY INFLATING PASSENGER AIR
BAG COULD PUSH THE TOP OF THE REAR-FACING SEAT
AGAINST THE VEHICLE SEATBACK, ARMRESTS OR
CONSOLE. REAR-FACING INFANT SEATS MUST ALWAYS
BE SECURED IN THE REAR SEAT. Failure to follow these
instructions could result in serious injury.
File:06cdsso.ex
Update:Thu Sep 12 11:03:20 1996

Seating and Safety Restraints
103
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[SS14800(ALL)01/96]
All child restraint systems are designed to be secured in vehicle
seats by lap belts or by the lap portion of a lap-shoulder belt.
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[SS14900(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
If you do not properly secure the safety seat, the child
occupying the seat may be injured during a collision or
sudden stop. An unsecured safety seat could also injure
other passengers.
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[SS15000(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
Carefully follow all of the manufacturer's instructions
included with the safety seat you put in your vehicle. If
you do not install and use the safety seat properly, the
child may be injured in a sudden stop or collision.
*
[SS15100(ALL)01/96]
When installing a child safety seat, be sure to use the correct
safety belt buckle for that seating position, and make sure the
tongue is securely fastened in the buckle. For a shoulder/lap
belt combination with a sliding tongue, make sure the retractor
is in the automatic locking mode.
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[SS15200(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
Always keep the buckle release button pointing upward
and away from the child seat, with the tongue between
the child seat and the release button as shown in the
following illustration.
File:06cdsso.ex
Update:Thu Sep 12 11:03:20 1996

Seating and Safety Restraints
111
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[SS16800(ALL)02/96]6.
Before placing the child in the child seat, forcibly tilt the seat
from side to side, and tug it forward to make sure that the
seat is securely held in place. See Figure 7.
[SS16900(ALL)12/95]
17-1/2 pica
art:0001276-BFile:06cdsso.ex
Update:Thu Sep 12 11:03:20 1996

112
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[SS17000(ALL)02/96]7.
Double check that the retractor is in the automatic locking
mode. Try to pull more belt out of the retractor. If you
cannot, the belt is in the automatic locking mode. See
Figure 8.
[SS17100(ALL)12/95]
17-1/2 pica
art:0001277-B[SS17200(ALL)12/95]8.
Check to make sure that the child seat is properly secured
prior to each use. If the belt is not locked, repeat steps 4
through 7.
[SS17300(ALL)12/95]
To remove retractor from automatic lock mode, unbuckle the
belt and allow the webbing to retract fully. A click will be
heard as the belt retracts. The belt is back in normal operating
mode (vehicle sensitive emergency locking mode) when this
click disappears.
File:06cdsso.ex
Update:Thu Sep 12 11:03:20 1996

Seating and Safety Restraints
113
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[SS17400(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
Carefully follow all of the manufacturer's instructions
included with the safety seat you put in your vehicle. If
you do not install and use the safety seat properly, the
child may be injured in a sudden stop or collision.
[SS17500(ALL)12/95]
Installing Child Safety Seats in the Rear Center Seating
Position
[SS17600(ALL)04/96]
Some child safety seats may be too wide to fit in the rear center
seat. If you wish to install a child safety seat in the rear center
seating position, choose a child safety seat with a base that can
fit between the safety belt buckles. Otherwise, secure the child
safety seat in another seating position.
%*
[SS17700(ALL)04/96]
Attaching Safety Seats With Tether Straps
*
[SS17800(ALL)04/96]
Some manufacturers make safety seats that include a tether
strap that goes over the back of the vehicle seat and attaches to
an anchoring point. Other manufacturers offer the tether strap
as an accessory. Contact the manufacturer of your child safety
seat for information about ordering a tether strap.
[SS17900(ALL)12/95]
To install a tether from a child safety seat in the front seat,
route the tether strap under the vehicle seat head restraint and
hook the tether hook into the hole in the tongue of the center
rear lap belt. After the hook is in the hole, pull on the loose end
of the lap belt webbing to shorten the belt and tighten the
tether strap.
[SS18000(ALL)12/95]
To install a tethered child safety seat in the rear seat, you will
need tether anchorage hardware.
File:06cdsso.ex
Update:Thu Sep 12 11:03:20 1996

128
%*
[GF02300(ALL)01/96]
Parking Brake
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[GF02400(ALL)03/96]
The parking brake should be used whenever you park your
vehicle.
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[GF02500(ALL)01/96]
The parking brake lever is located between the front seats. To
set the parking brake, put your foot on the brake pedal while
pulling the parking brake handle fully and firmly upward.
*
[GF02600(ALL)01/96]
To release the parking brake, put your foot on the brake pedal,
pull the handle upward and push the button. Then lower the
handle to the released position while holding the button in.
*
[GF02700(ALL)01/96]
RWARNING
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure that
the gearshift is securely latched in P (Park) (automatic
transaxle) or in 1 (First) (manual transaxle).
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[GF02800(ALL)01/96]
RWARNING
To prevent personal injury, do not release the parking
brake while outside the vehicle.
*
[GF02900(ALL)02/96]
RWARNING
If the parking brake is fully released, but the Brake
System light remains on, have the brakes checked
immediately. They may not be working properly.
*
[GF03000(ALL)03/96]
The parking brake is not designed to stop a moving vehicle, but
you can use the parking brake to stop your vehicle in an
emergency if the normal brakes fail. However, since the parking
brake applies only the rear brakes, the stopping distance will
increase greatly and the handling of your vehicle will be
adversely affected.
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Update:Thu Sep 12 11:04:39 1996

132
[GF05800(ALL)12/95]
13-1/2 pica
art:0001264-C
Overriding the brake shift interlock
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[GF05900(ALL)12/95]
The console-mounted 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 LOCK or
removed from the steering column. TO REMOVE THE KEY, the
gearshift levermustbe in P (Park).
*
[GF06000(ALL)01/96]
Once the gearshift is secure in the desired position, release the
brake pedal and use the accelerator as necessary.
File:09cdgfo.ex
Update:Thu Sep 12 11:04:39 1996

Driving
135
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[GF07500(ALL)03/96]
When to use 2 (Second)
[GF07600(ALL)12/95]
When your vehicle is in 2 (Second), it automatically starts off in
second gear. Use 2 (Second) to help drive up moderately steep
hills or restart from a standstill on slippery roads. It prevents
the transaxle from frequently shifting up and down. It also
gives more engine braking than D (Drive) (with Transaxle
Control Switch activated) when going down hills.
[GF07700(ALL)12/95]
Do not go faster than 55 mph (90 km/h) in this gear. You can
upshift from 2 (Second) into D (Overdrive) at any speed.
*
[GF07800(ALL)01/96]
When to use 1 (First)
[GF07900(ALL)12/95]
This position limits the transaxle to first gear. It helps brake the
vehicle when going down hills where 2 (Second) is not
sufficient.
[GF08000(ALL)12/95]
Do not go faster than 38 mph (60 km/h) in this gear. You can
upshift from 1 (First) to 2 (Second) or from 1 (First) to D
(Overdrive) at any speed.
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[GF08100(ALL)03/96]
P (Park)
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[GF08200(ALL)01/96]
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.
*
[GF08300(ALL)03/96]
RWARNING
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure the
gearshift is latched in P (Park). Turn off the ignition
whenever you leave your vehicle.
*
[GF08400(ALL)01/96]
RWARNING
Never leave your vehicle unattended while it is running.
File:09cdgfo.ex
Update:Thu Sep 12 11:04:39 1996