1997 FORD ESCORT Owners Manual

²Install chains securely, verifying
that the chains do not touch any
wiring, brake lines, or fuel lines.
²Install tire chains on front tires
only.
²Drive cautiously. If you hear the
chains rub or bang against your
vehicle, stop and retighten the
chains. If this does not work,
remove the chains to prevent
damage to your vehicle.
²When possible, avoid
overloading your vehicle.
²Remove the tire chains when
they are no longer needed. Do
not use tire chains on dry roads.
²The suspension insulation and
bumpers will help prevent
vehicle damage. Do not remove
these components from your
vehicle when using snow tires
and chains.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT AUTOMOTIVE FUEL
Automotive fuels can
cause serious injury or
death if misused or mishandled.
Observe the following guidelines
when handling automotive fuel:
²Extinguish all smoking material
and any open flames before
fueling your vehicle.
²Automotive fuels can be harmful
or fatal if swallowed. If fuel is
swallowed, call a physician
immediately, even if no
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153

symptoms are apparent. The
toxic effects of fuels may not be
evident for many hours.
²Fuels can also be harmful if
absorbed through the skin. If
fuel is splashed on the skin,
promptly remove contaminated
clothing and wash skin
thoroughly with soap and water.
²If fuel is splashed in the eyes,
remove contact lenses, flush
eyes with water for fifteen
minutes, and seek immediate
medical attention.
²Be particularly careful if you are
taking Antabuse or other forms
of disulfiram for the treatment
of alcoholism. Breathing gasoline
vapors or skin contact with fuel
could cause an adverse reaction.
Consult a physician immediately.
If you replace your fuel cap with
an aftermarket fuel filter cap, the
customer warranty may be void if
any damage to the fuel tank and/or
fuel system occurs.
Do not overfill the fuel
tank. The pressure in an
overfilled tank may cause
leakage and lead to fuel spray
and fire.
If you do not use a proper
fuel cap, the pressure in
the fuel tank can damage the
fuel system or cause it to work
improperly in a collision.
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154

If the fuel cap is venting
vapor or you hear a hissing
sound, wait until it stops before
completely removing the cap.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT FUEL
Use only UNLEADED FUEL. The
use of leaded fuel is prohibited by
law and could damage your
vehicle. The damage may not be
covered by your warranty.
Your vehicle was not designed to
use fuel containing
manganese-based additives such as
MMT. Additionally, vehicles
certified to California emission
standards (indicated on the
underhood Vehicle Emissions
Control Information label) are
designed to operate on California
reformulated gasolines. If
California reformulated gasoline is
not available when you refuel, your
vehicle can be operated on
non-California fuels. However, even
though your engine will perform
adequately on other gasolines, the
performance of the emission
control devices and systems may
be adversely affected. Repair of
damage caused by using a fuel that
your vehicle was not designed for
may not be covered by your
warranty.
87
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155

Octane Recommendation
Your vehicle is designed to use regular gasoline with an (R+M)/2
octane rating of 87. We do not recommend gasolines labeled as
``regular'' in high altitude areas that are sold with octane ratings
of 86 or even less.
Do not be concerned if your
vehicle sometimes knocks lightly.
However, if it knocks heavily under
most driving conditions on the
recommended octane fuel, see
your dealer or a qualified service
technician to prevent any engine
damage.
Fuel Quality
If you are experiencing starting,
rough idle or hesitation problems,
try a different brand of fuel. If the
condition persists, see your dealer
or a qualified service technician.
The American Automobile
Manufacturers Association (AAMA)
issued a gasoline specification to
provide information on high quality
fuels that optimize the
performance of your vehicle. We
recommend the use of gasolines
that meet the AAMA specification
if they are available.
It should not be necessary to add
any aftermarket products to your
fuel tank if you continue to use a
high-quality fuel.
Cleaner Air
Ford approves the use of gasolines
to improve air quality, including
reformulated gasolines, that
contain oxygenates such as a
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156

maximum of 10% ethanol or 15%
MTBE. There should be no more
than 5% methanol with cosolvents
and additives to protect the fuel
system.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT THE EMISSION
CONTROL SYSTEM
For more information on your
vehicle's emission control system,
see the Vehicle Emission Control
Information Decal located on the
inside left side of the engine
compartment.
The catalytic converter enables the
vehicle's emission control system
to operate properly.
Follow these guidelines to ensure
proper emission system operation:
²Use only unleaded fuel.
²Avoid running out of fuel.
²Do not turn off the ignition
while your vehicle is in motion.
²Have maintenance performed
according to the intervals in the
Service Guide.
If you notice one or more of the
following, the emission system may
not be working properly; have the
vehicle serviced as soon as
possible:
²fluid leaks
²
,,, lights
illuminate in the instrument
cluster and remain lit
²strange odors
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157

²engine runs more than five
seconds after shut off or engine
misfires, surges, stalls, or
backfires
²loss of oil pressure
Important emission control
information
By law, anyone who manufactures,
repairs, services, sells, leases, or
trades vehicles, or who supervises
a fleet of vehicles is not permitted
to intentionally remove an
emission control device or prevent
it from working. Do not make any
unauthorized changes to the
vehicle or engine. Changes that
cause more unburned fuel to reach
the exhaust system can increase
the temperature of the engine or
exhaust system.
When your vehicle is serviced,
never use a metal exhaust
collector. The use of a metal
collector may melt or deform
plastic parts.
Do not park, idle, or drive
your vehicle in dry grass
or other dry ground cover. The
emission system heats up the
engine compartment and exhaust
system, which can start a fire.
Preparing your vehicle for
inspection / maintenance (I/M)
testing
In some localities it may become a
legal requirement to pass an I/M
test of the on-board diagnostic
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158

(OBD) II system. If the vehicle's
powertrain system or battery has
just been serviced, the OBD II
system is reset to a not ready for
I/M testing condition. To ready the
OBD II system for I/M testing, the
law specifies that a minimum of 30
minutes of city and highway
driving is necessary as described
below:
²At least twenty minutes driving
in stop-and-go, city-type traffic
with at least four idle periods.
²At least ten minutes of driving
on an expressway or highway.
Before completing the above
driving modes, the engine must be
warmed up and at operating
temperature. Once started, the
vehicle must not be turned off
during these modes.
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EXTERIOR LAMPS
REPLACING THE EXTERIOR
BULBS
Check the operation of the
following lamps frequently:
²headlamps
²foglamps (if equipped)
²high-mount brakelamp
²license plate lamp
²tail lamps/backup lamps
²interior overhead lamp
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