1997 FORD EXPLORER service

²OFF ÐOutside air is shut out
and the fan will not operate.
²PNL & FLR ÐDirects air
through the instrument panel
registers and front floor vent
and rear air ducts (if equipped).
²FLOOR ÐDirects airflow
through the front floor vent and
rear air ducts (if equipped).
²FLR & DEF ÐDirects outside
air through the floor vents and
defroster.
²DEFROST ÐDirects outside
air through the defroster. Use
this mode to demist and defog
the windshield. In humid
weather, select DEF before
starting your engine to help to
prevent windshield fogging.
To toggle between Fahrenheit and
Celsius:
²Press the MAX A/C and
OFF control at the same
time.
²If the battery is disconnected,
the display will revert to
Fahrenheit.
Servicing the EATC
If the EATC is not operating
properly, consult your dealer or
qualified service technician.
AUDIO SYSTEM
Refer to theAudio Guidefor
instructions on how to operate the
audio system.
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Controls and features
36

Failure to follow these
instructions will affect the
performance of the safety belts
and increase the risk of personal
injury.
The right front passenger
air bag is not designed to
restrain occupants in the front
seating position.
Do not place objects or
mount equipment on or
near the air bag covers that may
come into contact with an
inflating air bag.
Do not attempt to service,
repair, or modify the Air
Bag Supplemental Restraint
System or its fuses. See your
Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
Children and air bags
For additional important safety
information, read all information
on safety restraints in this guide.
Children should always wear their
safety belts. Failure to follow these
instructions may increase the risk
of injury in a collision.
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Seating and safety restraints
90

The diagnostic module monitors its
own internal circuits and the
supplemental air bag electrical
system readiness (including the
impact sensors), the system wiring,
the air bag system readiness light,
the air bag back up power and the
air bag ignitors.
Determining if the system is
operational
The SRS uses a readiness light in
the instrument cluster or a tone to
indicate the condition of the
system. Refer to theAir bag
readinesssection in the
Instrumentationchapter. Routine
maintenance of the air bag is not
required.
A difficulty with the system is
indicated by one or more of the
following:
²The readiness light will either
flash or stay lit.
²The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.
²A group of five beeps will be
heard. The tone pattern will
repeat periodically until the
problem and light are repaired.
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.
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Seating and safety restraints
93

Improve vehicle ventilation by
keeping all air inlet vents clear of
snow, leaves and other debris.
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
²the sound of the exhaust system
changes
²the vehicle has been damaged in
a collision
Preparing to start the vehicle
Engine starting is controlled by the
spark ignition system. This system
meets all Canadian
Interference-Causing Equipment
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Starting
112

Make sure the following 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
Special conditions when
starting
Starting the engine
1. Turn the key to 5 (Start)
without pressing the accelerator
and release as soon as the engine
starts. 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
0ABS
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CHECK
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70
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10020406080100
120
140
160
180
MPH km/hDOOR
AJARCHECK
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O/D
OFF4WD
LOW 4WD SPEED
CONT
3
2
1
5
4
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Starting
115

BRAKES
Your brakes are self-adjusting.
Refer to the ªService Guideº for
maintenance scheduling.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
(if equipped)
The ABS operates by detecting the
onset of wheel lock up during
brake applications and
compensating for this tendency.
The front wheels are prevented
from locking even when the brakes
are firmly applied. The
accompanying illustration depicts
the advantage of an ABS equipped
vehicle (on bottom) to a non-ABS
equipped vehicle (on top) during
hard braking.
Using ABS
²In an emergency, apply full force
on the brake. The ABS will be
activated immediately, thus
allowing you to retain full
steering control of your vehicle
and, providing there is sufficient
space, will enable you to avoid
obstacles and bring the vehicle
to a quiet stop.
²We recommend that you
familiarize yourself with this
braking technique. However,
avoid taking any unnecessary
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Driving
117

Ride control switch (All wheel
drive vehicles with Automatic
Ride Control only)
The Ride Control switch provides
direct control of the Automatic
Ride Control system. The switch
doesnotcontrol or change the
performance of the All Wheel
Drive system.
The switch should be placed in the
Normal position for all on road and
most dirt, gravel or snow covered
roads. For severe off-road
conditions where additional body
ground clearance is desired and
vehicle speeds are below 30 mph,
the Off-road position should be
selected.
Service switch
The Automatic Ride Control
service switch is mounted in the
jack storage area. The switch
should be turned off to deactivate
the system during jacking, hoisting,
towing or transport of the vehicle
to avoid unexpected vehicle
movement.
TRANSMISSION OPERATION
Driving an automatic
transmission (if equipped)
Brake-shift interlock
Vehicles equipped with an
automatic transmission are
equipped with a brake-shift
interlock feature that prevents the
gearshift lever from being moved
from the P (Park) position unless
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Driving
121

Allow more stopping distance and
drive slower than usual. Consider
using one of the lower gears.
Control trac system indicator
lights
4WD and 4WD LOW indicator
lights are located in the instrument
cluster. If either light flashes, see
your dealer or qualified service
technician.
The indicator lights will also
illuminate under the following
conditions:
²4WD AUTO modeÐ Neither
light will illuminate.
²4WD HIGH modeÐ Only the
4WD high light illuminates.
²4WD LOW modeÐ The 4WD
LOW light illuminates.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
SYSTEM (5.0L ENGINES ONLY)
Your vehicle is equipped with an
all wheel drive (AWD) transfer
case. Power is constantly supplied
to all four wheels through the
transfer case. The AWD system is
full time and has no external
controls.
Like all utility type vehicles, your
AWD vehicle has special design
and equipment features that make
it capable of performing in a
variety of off-road applications.
Specific design characteristics give
these vehicles higher centers of
gravity than ordinary passenger
cars.
4WD
4WD
LOW
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Driving
134