1997 FORD E SERIES ESP

If any of these things happen, even
intermittently, have the SRS
serviced at your dealership or by a
qualified technician immediately.
Unless serviced, the system may
not function properly in the event
of a collision.
Disposal of air bags and air bag
equipped vehicles
For disposal of air bags or air bag
equipped vehicles, see your local
dealership or qualified technician.
Air bags MUST BE disposed of by
qualified personnel.
SAFETY RESTRAINTS FOR
CHILDREN
Important child restraint
precautions
You are required by law to use
safety restraints for children in the
U.S. and Canada. If small children
ride in your vehicle (generally
children who are four years old or
younger and who weigh 18 kg [40
lbs] or less), you must put them in
safety seats made especially for
children. Check your local and
state laws for specific
requirements regarding the safety
of children in your vehicle.
Never let a passenger hold
a child on his or her lap
while the vehicle is moving. The
passenger cannot protect the
child from injury in a collision.
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58

Make sure the corresponding lights
illuminate briefly. If a light fails to
illuminate, have the vehicle
serviced.
²If the driver's safety belt is
fastened, the
light does not
illuminate.
STARTING PROCEDURE
Starting the engine
1. Turn the key to 5 (Start)
without pressing the accelerator.
The key will return to 4 (On).
2. If the engine does not start
within five seconds, wait ten
seconds and try again.
3. If the engine does not start in
two attempts OR the temperature
is below Ð12ÉC (10ÉF), depress
accelerator and start the engine
while holding the accelerator
down. Release accelerator when
engine starts.
4. After idling for a few seconds,
apply the brake and release the
parking brake.
Using the engine block heater
(if equipped)
An engine block heater warms the
engine coolant, which improves
starting, warms up the engine
3
2
1
5
4
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Starting
77

faster and allows the
heater-defroster system to respond
quickly. They are strongly
recommended if you live in a
region where temperatures reach
Ð23ÉC (±10ÉF) or below.
For best results, plug the heater in
at least three hours before starting
the vehicle. Using the heater for
longer than three hours will not
harm the engine, so the heater can
be plugged in the night before
starting the vehicle.
To prevent electrical
shock, do not use your
heater with ungrounded
electrical systems or
two-pronged (cheater) adapters.
Guarding against exhaust
fumes
Although odorless and colorless,
carbon monoxide is present in
exhaust fumes. Take precautions
to avoid its dangerous effects.
If you ever smell exhaust
fumes of any kind inside
your vehicle, have your dealer
inspect and fix your vehicle
immediately. Do not drive if you
smell exhaust fumes. These
fumes are harmful and could kill
you.
Have the exhaust and body
ventilation systems checked
whenever:
²the vehicle is raised for service
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Starting
78

Front axle jacking points:
²All models
3. Turn the jack handle clockwise
until the wheel is completely off
the ground.
4. Remove the lug nuts with the
lug nut wrench.
5. Replace the flat tire with the
spare tire.
If your vehicle has dual rear
wheels, there are locating pins on
the hubs and wheels with
corresponding holes. When you
install the wheel make sure that
the pins are aligned with the
proper holes.
If your vehicle has single rear
wheels, thread the lug nuts on the
studs with the beveled face toward
the wheel.
If your vehicle has dual rear
wheels, thread the two element
swiveling lug nut on the studs with
the flange facing toward the wheel.
6. Use the lug nut wrench to screw
the lug nut snugly against the
wheel.
Roadside emergencies
118

SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS
To help you service your vehicle:
²We highlight do-it-yourself items
in the engine compartment for
easy location.
²As possible, we design parts that
can be replaced without tools.
²We provide you with a ªService
Guideº which makes tracking
routine service for your vehicle
easy.
If your vehicle requires
professional service, your
dealership can provide necessary
parts and service. Check your
ªWarranty Information Bookletº to
find out which parts and services
are covered.
Use only recommended fuels,
lubricants, fluids and service parts
conforming to specifications.
Motorcraft parts are designed and
built to provide the best
performance in your vehicle.
Precautions when servicing
your vehicle
Be especially careful when
inspecting or servicing your
vehicle. Here are some general
precautions for your safety:
²Do not work on a hot engine.
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Maintenance and care
124

Automotive fluids are not
interchangeable; do not use engine
coolant, antifreeze or windshield
washer fluid outside of its specified
function and vehicle location.
When adding engine coolant
Ford recommends Ford Premium
Cooling System Fluid, which is an
optimized formula that will protect
all metals and rubber elastomers
used in Ford engines for four years
or 80,000 km (50,000 miles).
It is neither necessary nor
recommended to use supplemental
coolant additives in your
gasoline-powered vehicle. These
additives may harm your engine
cooling system.
When you change or add engine
coolant, it is important to maintain
engine coolant concentration
between 40% (-24ÉC [-11ÉF]) and
60% (-52ÉC [-62ÉF]), depending on
your local climate conditions.
A coolant concentration below 40%
will result in a loss of freeze
protection. A concentration above
60% may cause the engine to
overheat on a warm day.
Refer toLubricant specifications
in theSpecifications and
capacitieschapter. Use only a
premium nationally-recognized
brand name engine coolant or
equivalent.
Always dispose of used
automotive fluids in a responsible
manner. Follow your community's
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Maintenance and care
137

4. The relearning process will
automatically complete as you
drive the vehicle.
²If you do not allow the engine to
relearn its idle, the idle quality
of your vehicle may be adversely
affected until the idle is
eventually relearned.
²If the battery has been
disconnected or a new battery
has been installed, the clock and
preset radio stations must be
reset once the battery is
reconnected.
²Always dispose of used
automotive batteries in a
responsible manner. Follow your
community's standards for
disposal. Call your local
recycling center to find out
more about recycling automotive
batteries.
Disconnecting dual batteries (if
equipped)
Gasoline engines
Disconnect:
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Maintenance and care
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conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices,
and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction A B C
The traction grades, from highest
to lowest are A, B, and C, and they
represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured
under test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
braking (straightahead) traction
tests and does not include
cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature A B C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing
the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to
dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature
can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can
lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test
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Maintenance and care
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