1997 FORD ESCORT Owners Manual

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.
CHECKING AND CHANGING
YOUR AIR FILTER
If the vehicle is operated in very
dusty or sandy areas, replace the
filter more often than the
recommended intervals.
Do not drive without an air
filter; this could result in
excessive engine wear.
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145

Changing your air filter
1. Unlock the clamp that holds the
engine air cleaner assembly in
place by releasing the clamp
locking clip on the front portion of
the assembly.
²The clamp will spring open and
remain attached to the left side
of the assembly.
2. Swing the left side of the
assembly open.
3. Remove the air filter element
from the open end of the engine
air cleaner assembly and replace it
with a new element.
²When replacing the element, be
sure to align the nubs on both
the air cleaner element and the
open end of the air cleaner
assembly. If these nubs are not
aligned, the new element will
not fit properly within the
assembly and the assembly may
malfunction.
4. Swing the left side of the
assembly closed and secure the
locking clamp.
CHECKING AND CHANGING
YOUR WIPER BLADES
Check the windshield wiper blades
at least twice a year; also check
them whenever the wipers seem
less effective than usual.
Substances such as tree sap and
some hot wax treatments used by
commercial car washes can reduce
the effectiveness of wiper blades.
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146

To make reaching the wiper blades
easy, simply turn the ignition to
the ON position and turn the
wipers on. Wait for them to reach
a vertical position and turn the
ignition to LOCK. Do not move the
wipers manually across the
windshield, this may cause damage
to the wipers.
Inspect the wiper arm pivots on a
regular basis to ensure that the
wiper arms move freely. Lubricate
the pivot points as necessary.
Replacing wiper blades
If the wiper blades do not work
properly after cleaning,
replacement of the blade assembly
or the blade element may be
necessary.
There are three different lengths
of wiper blades on your vehicle.
The driver side wiper blade is 51
cm (20 in) long, and the passenger
side wiper blade is 44.5 cm (17.5
in) long, and the rear window
wiper is 35 cm (13.75 in) long.
Ensure that you install the correct
length wiper blade in the correct
location.
To replace the wiper blades:
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147

1. Pull the wiper arm away from
the windshield and lock into the
service position.
2. Turn the blade at an angle from
the wiper arm. Push the lock pin
with a screwdriver to release the
blade and pull the wiper blade
down toward the windshield to
remove it from the arm.
3. Attach the new wiper to the
wiper arm and press it into place
until a click is heard.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT TIRE GRADES
The U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT) requires
Ford to give its customers the
following tire information:
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150
would wear 1
1¤2times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon
the actual 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.
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148

Traction A B C
The traction grades, from highest
to lowest, are A, B, and C; they
represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
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; they represent
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.
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 A and B
represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required
by law.
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149

The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a
tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
build up and possible tire failure.
SERVICING YOUR TIRES
Checking the tire pressure
Check the tire pressure
periodically and inflate tires as
necessary. To check the tire
pressure, insert the tire pressure
gauge into the valve stem.
The cold pressure amount is listed
on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label located on the
passenger's door inside latch pillar.
Improperly inflated tires
can affect vehicle handling
and can fail suddenly, possibly
resulting in loss of vehicle
control.
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150

Rotating your tires
Rotate your tires at regular
intervals to ensure even wear.
These intervals are listed in the
Service Guide.
²Four-tire rotation
²Five-tire rotation
Replacing the tires
Replace the tires when the wear
band is visible through the tire
treads.
When replacing full size;
tires, never mix radial bias
belted or bias-type tires. Use
only the tire sizes that are listed
on the tire pressure decal.
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151

Make sure all replacement
tires are of the same type,
load-carrying capacity, and tread
design (e.g. ªAll Terrainº), as
originally offered by Ford.
Failure to follow these
precautions may adversely
affect the handling of the vehicle
and make it easier to lose control
and roll over.
IDENTIFYING TIRE TYPES
Your vehicle requires the use of
the following tire types: wagon and
sedan 18565R14 tires and
T115/70D14 mini-spare. When
purchasing replacemment tires for
your vehicle, consult your Ford or
Lincoln-Mercury dealer or qualified
service technician to assure that
correct tire types are used.
USING SNOW TIRES AND
CHAINS
Snow tires must be the
same size and grade as the
tires currently on your vehicle.
The tires on your vehicle have all
weather treads to provide traction
in rain and snow. However, in some
climates using snow tires and
chains may be necessary. Follow
these guidelines when using snow
tires and chains:
²Use only SAE Class ªSº chains.
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