1997 FORD ESCORT brake fluid

Safety belt
The safety warning light/chime is a
reminder to fasten your safety belt.
One of the following will take
place:
²If the lap/shoulder belt is not
buckled before the key is turned
to the ON position, the
will
illuminate for approximately one
minute or until the safety belt is
buckled.
²If the lap/shoulder belt is
buckled while
is illuminated
and the chime is sounding, both
will turn off.
²If the lap/shoulder belt is
buckled before the key is turned
to the ON position, neither light
or chime will activate.
Upshift (if equipped)
Illuminates when it is best to shift
to the next highest manual
transaxle gear for the maximum
fuel economy.
Brake
Illuminates when the parking brake
is activated and the ignition is
keyed to ON or the brake fluid
level is low. In addition, with the
parking brake off, the light will
illuminate when the engine is
cranked.
!P
BRAKE
Instrumentation
8

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.
Driving
101

IDENTIFYING COMPONENTS IN
THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
41
3
9
6
5
2
7
8
1. Engine oil dipstick
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Windshield washer fluid
5. Coolant reservoir
6. Steering fluid reservoir
7. Automatic transmission dipstick
8. Battery
9. Air filter assembly
Maintenance and care
129

CHECKING AND ADDING
BRAKE FLUID
Brake fluid should be checked and
refilled as needed at least once a
year:
²Clean the reservoir cap before
removal to prevent dirt or water
from entering the reservoir.
²Visually inspect the fluid level.
²If necessary, add brake fluid
until the level reaches MAX.
²Use only a DOT 3 brake fluid
certified to meet Ford
specifications. Refer to
Lubricant specificationsin the
Capacities and specifications
chapter.
Brake fluid is toxic.
If you use brake fluid that
is not DOT 3, you will
cause permanent damage.
Do not let the reservoir in
the master cylinder run
dry. This may cause the brakes
to fail.
MAX
MIN
Maintenance and care
133

CHECKING AND ADDING
MANUAL TRANSAXLE CLUTCH
FLUID
The brake fluid reservoir and
clutch master cylinder are part of
the same unit; both are refillable
through the brake fluid reservoir
with brake fluid. During normal
operation, the fluid level in the
brake fluid reservoir will rise
slowly. For more information on
brake fluid maintenance, refer to
Checking and adding brake fluid
in this chapter.
CHECKING AND ADDING
WASHER FLUID
What you should know about
washer fluid
In freezing weather (temperatures
below 0ÉC [32ÉF], washer fluid
containing a small amount of
antifreeze is used. State or local
regulations on volatile organic
compounds may restrict the use of
methanol, a common type of
antifreeze. Use a non-methanol
antifreeze in freezing weather only
if the fluid does not damage the
paint finish, wiper blades, or
washer system.
Washer fluid contains
methanol and is poisonous.
Follow all instructions on the
bottle of washer fluid.
Maintenance and care
134

It is best to check the transaxle
fluid level at the normal operating
temperature, after approximately
35 km (20 miles) of driving. If the
transaxle fluid level must be
checked under different
circumstances, make sure the
outside temperature is above 10 ÉC
(50 ÉF) to obtain an accurate fluid
level check.
Checking the automatic
transaxle fluid
1. Park the vehicle on a level
surface.
2. With the vehicle running and the
brake pedal depressed, move the
gearshift through each of the gear
ranges, allowing each gear to
engage.
3. Move the gearshift to P.
P
R
N
D
D
L
R
N
D
D
LP
ON
II
ACC
I
LOCK
0
START
III
Maintenance and care
140

4 Set the parking brake.
5. Remove the dipstick and wipe it
with a clean, dry rag.
6. Install the dipstick.
7. Remove the dipstick and inspect
the fluid level.
Your vehicle should not be
driven if the fluid level is
below the bottom hole in the
dipstick and outside
temperatures are above 10 ÉC
(50 ÉF).
When adding automatic
transaxle fluid:
²Ensure that the correct type is
added. For automatic transaxle
fluid specifications, refer to
Capacities and specifications
in this chapter.
20¡C65¡C65¡C (149¡F) 20¡C 68¡F) FAOZ
Maintenance and care
141

Capacities Ð liters (quarts) 2.0 liter SPI engine
Engine Oil Ð including filter /
excluding filter3.8 L (4.0 qt) / 3.3 L (3.5 qt)
Manual transaxle 3.35 L (3.55 qt)
Automatic transaxle Ð full torque
converter / empty torque
converter3.9 L (4.1 qt) / 6.3 L (6.7 qt)
Radiator filler cap 110 kPa (16 psi)
Engine coolant
Iautomatic transaxle
Imanual transaxle6.0 L (6.3 qt)
5.0 L (5.3 qt)
LUBRICANT SPECIFICATIONS
Item Ford part
nameFord part
numberFord
specification
Brake master
cylinderFord High
Performance
DOT 3 Motor
Vehicle Brake
FluidC6AZ-19542-AB ESA-M6C25-A,
DOT 3
Constant
velocity jointsCV Joint
Grease Ð High
TemperatureE43Z-19590-A ESP-MIC207-A
Door
weatherstripsSilicone
Lubricant
(tube)
(aerosol)COAZ-19553-AA
D7AZ-19553-AAESR-M13P4-A
ESR-M13P4-A
Engine coolant Ford Premium
Cooling System
FluidE2FZ-19549-AA,
-BESE-M97B44-A
Capacities and specifications
180