1997 FORD ESCORT Owners Manual

Hold the brake the pedal
down while you move the
gearshift lever from position to
position. If you do not hold the
brake pedal down, your vehicle
may move unexpectedly and
cause injury.
Moving a locked gearshift
Automatic transaxle vehicles are
equipped with a shift-lock safety
feature that prevents the gearshift
from being moved out of P without
the brake pedal depressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift
out of P with the brake pedal
depressed:
1. Continue depressing the brake
pedal, and remove the shift-lock
override cap with a 2.5 cm (1
inch) or longer screwdriver.
2. Insert the screwdriver into the
shift-lock override opening and
push down.
P
R
N
D
D
L
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97

3. Push and hold the thumb
button.
4. Move the gearshift.
If it is necessary to use the above
procedure to move the gearshift, it
is possible that a fuse has blown
and the vehicle's brakelamps may
not be operating properly. For
more information on fuses and fuse
replacement, refer toFuses and
relaysin theRoadside
emergencieschapter.
Do not drive your vehicle
until you verify that the
brakelamps are working.
If an automatic transaxle vehicle
gets stuck in mud or snow it may
be rocked out of the spot. To rock
the vehicle out, shift between
forward and reverse gears in a
steady rhythm. Press lightly on the
accelerator in each gear. Do not
rock the vehicle for more than a
few minutes; this could damage
the vehicle.
Do not spin the wheels at
over 55 km/h (35 mph).
The tires may fail and injure a
passenger or bystander.
P
R
N
D
D
L
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98

Manual
To move the manual transaxle
gearshift:
²Depress the brake pedal and
then the clutch.
²Move the gearshift to the
selected gear.
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into R. Shift
through the neutral position (in
the center) before moving the
gearshift into R. If R is not
engaged, move the gearshift lever
back to the neutral position,
release the clutch, and try again.
HI LOOFF*A/C*MAX
A/CTUNE
DISCS

SEEK
TUNE
SCAN
EJ REW FF
BAL BASSTREBFADE TAPE
CD AM
FM
–+1
SIDE 1-22
345
COMP1
SIDE 1-2VOL–
PUSH ONLMIRRORR0000000002030405060
70
80
90
10 0
11 020 40608010 0
12 0
16 0
18 0 140FUEL FILLCHEF1/22
13RPM x 1000RESET
SET
ACC
SET XXXX XXXOFF
4 25 3 1
R
2INT
1 OFF MIST
4 25 3 1
R
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99

Upshifting
For normal acceleration:
Upshift from... At the following speed:
1 to 2 22 km/h (14 mph)
2 to 3 40 km/h (25 mph)
3 to 4 58 km/h (36 mph)
4 to 5 72 km/h (45 mph)
For cruising:
Upshift from... At the following speed:
1 to 2 18 km/h (11 mph)
2 to 3 35 km/h (22 mph)
3 to 4 51 km/h (32 mph)
4 to 5 66 km/h (41 mph)
Upshift light (if equipped)
Thelight in the instrument
cluster illuminates to indicate
when to shift for the best fuel
economy. The vehicle will not be
harmed if the transaxle is not
shifted when the light illuminates,
but the vehicle will use more fuel.
The
light can be ignored when
you are:
²downshifting
²driving on steep hills
²using the engine to brake the
vehicle
²seeking more power for a
difficult acceleration
To maximize gearshift
performance:
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100

²Do not drive with your foot
resting on the clutch pedal and do
not use the clutch pedal to hold
the vehicle at a standstill. These
actions will reduce clutch life.
²Downshift on steep hills to
reduce the vehicle's chances of
stalling and to prevent
unnecessary brake wear.
LOADING YOUR VEHICLE
Before loading a vehicle, familiarize
yourself with these terms:
²Base curb weightÐ weight of
the vehicle including any
standard equipment, fluids,
lubricants, etc. It does not
include passengers or
aftermarket equipment.
²PayloadÐ combined maximum
allowable weight of cargo,
passengers and optional
equipment.
²GVW (Gross vehicle weight)
Ðbase curb weight plus the
payload weight (including
passengers, cargo and optional
equipment). Remember, the
GVW is not a limit or a
specification.
²GVWR (Gross vehicle weight
rating)Ð maximum total
weight of the base vehicle,
passengers, optional equipment,
and cargo. The GVWR is specific
to each vehicle and is listed on
the Safety Compliance
Certification Label on the
driver's door pillar.
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101

²GAWR (Gross axle weight
rating)Ð carrying capacity for
each axle system (front and
rear). This amount is specific to
each vehicle and is listed on the
Safety Compliance Certification
Label on the driver's door pillar.
Payload = Gross vehicle weight
rating - Base curb weight
To obtain correct weights, try
taking your vehicle to a shipping
company or an inspection station
for trucks.
Do not use replacement tires with
lower weight capacities than the
originals because they may lower
the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR
limitations. (Replacement tires
with a higher weight limit than the
originals do not increase the
GVWR and GAWR limitations.)
If the GVWR or the GAWR
specified on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label is
exceeded, your vehicle may be
damaged or you may lose control
and cause injury.
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is capable of towing a
trailer up to 454 kg (1000 lb) gross
trailer weight with a maximum
tongue load of 45 kg (100 lb). The
trailer should have 18.6 m
2(20 ft2)
or less frontal area.
Do not exceed the maximum loads
stated on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label. For load
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specification terms found on the
label, refer toLoading your
vehiclein this chapter. Remember
to figure in the tongue load of your
loaded trailer when figuring the
total weight.
Towing trailers beyond the
maximum recommended
gross trailer weight exceeds the
limits of the vehicle and could
result in engine damage,
transaxle/axle damage, structural
damage, loss of control, and
personal injury.
Preparing to tow
Use the proper equipment for
towing a trailer and make sure it is
properly attached to your vehicle.
See your dealer or a reliable trailer
dealer if you require assistance.
Auxiliary coolers are recommended
for the power steering system and
automatic transaxle system (if
equipped ) if you are planning on:
²traveling farther than 80 km (50
miles).
²towing in hilly terrain.
²towing frequently.
Using a hitch
Do not use hitches that clamp onto
the vehicle bumper. Use a load
carrying hitch.
Distribute the load so that only 10
to 15% of the total weight of the
trailer is on the tongue. Tie down
the load so that it does not shift
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and change the weight on the
hitch.
Using trailer brakes
Use electric brakes or manual,
automatic, or surge-type hydraulic
brakes that meet federal and local
regulations. Install and adjust the
brakes according to the
manufacturer's instructions.
Do not connect a trailer's
hydraulic brake system
directly to your vehicle's brake
system. Your vehicle may not
have enough braking power and
your chances of having a
collision greatly increase.
Using safety chains
Always connect the trailer's safety
chains to the vehicle. To connect
the chains, cross the chains under
the trailer tongue and attach to the
vehicle frame or hook retainers
(not the bumper). Make sure there
is enough slack to allow the vehicle
to turn corners.
Using trailer lamps
See your local trailer dealer or
rental agency for the proper
instructions and equipment for
hooking up trailer lamps.
Do not hook the trailer lights
directly into the vehicle's lighting
system wiring. If the trailer lamps
are not installed properly, the
warning lights in the instrument
cluster may not work properly.
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