1997 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL maintenance schedule

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Finding Information in This GuideAfter you have read this guide once, you will
probably return to it when you have a specific
question or need additional information. To help
you find specific information quickly, you can use
the Quick Index or the Index.
TheQuick Indexat the end of the book provides
a page number following each item which indicates
where detailed information can be found.
To use theIndex, turn to the back of the book
and search in the alphabetical listing for the word
that best describes the information you need. If the
word you chose is not listed, think of other related
words and look them up. We have designed the
Index so that you can find information under a
technical term.
Canadian Owners Ð French VersionFrench Owner Guides can be obtained from your
dealer or by writing to Ford Motor Company of
Canada, Limited, Service Publications, P.O. Box
1580, Station B, Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 4G3.The Lincoln CommitmentThe Lincoln Commitment is more than the prestige
of owning a superior luxury automobile, it is a
comprehensive owner benefits package that is
designed to provide you with services to support
your every driving need. Refer to the Lincoln
Commitment brochure for more information.Your Maintenance Schedule and
Record BookletTheMaintenance Schedulebooklet lists the services
that are most important for keeping your vehicle in
good condition. A record log is also provided to
help you keep track of all services performed.
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15
High Beam LightThis light illuminates when the headlamps are
turned to high beam or when you flash the lights.
Chime for Headlamps OnThis chime sounds if the driver or any passenger
door is open when the parking lamps or headlamps
are on. The chime sounds until you close the door,
turn off the lamps or turn the ignition to the ON
position.Air Bag Readiness LightThe air bag system uses a readiness light and a tone
to indicate the condition of the system. The
readiness light is in the instrument cluster. When
you turn the ignition key to the ON position, this
light will light up for six (6) seconds and then turn
off. This indicates that the system is operating
normally. NOTE: Regularly scheduled maintenance
of the air bag system is not required.
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189
Driving While You TowBe especially careful when driving while you tow a
trailer. Never drive faster than 45 mph (70 km/h)
when you tow in hilly country on hot days. Also,
anticipate stops so that you can brake gradually.
Towing a trailer increases the load on the engine
and transaxle, particularly in hilly country and with
heavier trailers. Under these conditions you may
experience an excessive amount of shifting between
Overdrive and Third gears. Moving the shift selector
to D (Overdrive Lockout) will keep this from
happening and will provide better engine braking.
When driving in less hilly country or with a lighter
trailer load, you may move the gearshift selector
lever toj(Overdrive) without experiencing
excessive shifting.When driving down steep hills, you should put the
gearshift selector lever in the 1 (First) position to
shift the transaxle into second gear. This will
provide additional engine braking.
The automatic transaxle will automatically
downshift to the proper gear for driving up a grade.
If you use the speed control while you are towing
on very long, steep grades, the speed control may
shut off.
Servicing Your Vehicle If You TowIf you tow a trailer for a long distance, your vehicle
will need to be serviced more frequently than usual.
Refer to theMaintenance Schedulebooklet for
additional information.
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219
Maintenance and CareService Made EasyFord has two goals for servicing your vehicle.
1. When we can, we design parts that do not
need to be serviced.
2. We want to make servicing your vehicle as
easy as possible. To help you:q
We highlight do-it-yourself items in yellow in
the engine compartment so that you can find
them easily.
q
When possible, we design parts that can be
replaced without tools.
q
We give you a Maintenance Schedule that
makes tracking routine service for your vehicle
easy. The maintenance schedule is located in
theMaintenance Schedulebooklet.This chapter tells you about the basic parts that you
need to check and service regularly.
If your vehicle needs professional servicing, your
dealership can provide the parts and service
required. Check yourWarranty Information Booklet
to find out which parts and services are covered.
Also see theCustomer Assistancechapter of this
Owner Guide.
Ford Motor Company recommends that the Owner
Maintenance Checks listed in theMaintenance
Schedulebooklet be performed for the proper
operation of your vehicle. In addition to the
conditions listed in theOwner Maintenance
Checklist, be alert for any unusual noise, vibration,
or other indication that your vehicle may need
service. If you do notice something unusual, see
that your vehicle is serviced promptly.
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226Engine Oil RecommendationsWe recommend using Motorcraft oil or an
equivalent oil meeting Ford Specification
WSS-M2C153-F and displaying the American
Petroleum Institute CERTIFICATION MARK on the
front of the container.
The API Certification Mark
Neveruse:q
ªNon-Detergentº oils
q
Oils labeled API SA, SB, SC, SD, SE, SF or SG
q
Additional engine oil additives, oil treatments or
engine treatments
Engine oils with anSAE 5W-30viscosity are
PREFERREDfor your vehicle. They provide the
best engine performance, fuel economy and engine
protection for all climates down to-15ÊF (-25ÊC).
Synthetic engine oils which are CERTIFIED and of
the preferred viscosity may be used in your engine.
The engine oil and oil filter must still be changed
according to the maintenance schedule.
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228It may be necessary to add some oil between oil
changes. Make sure you use a CERTIFIED engine
oil of the preferred viscosity. Your vehicle's
warranty coverage may not apply if engine damage
is caused by the use of improper engine oil.
Add engine oil through the oil filler cap highlighted
in yellow. To add oil, remove the filler cap and use
a funnel to pour oil into the opening. Be careful not
to overfill the engine. Recheck the oil level after 30
minutes to allow the oil to settle.Changing the Engine Oil and the Oil
FilterChange your engine oil and oil filter according to
these mileage and time requirements, whichever
occurs first.
Refer to theMaintenance Schedulebooklet for
additional information.
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238The power steering fluid reservoirUse only MERCONHATF power steering fluid.If the power steering fluid is low, do not drive your
vehicle for a long period of time before adding fluid.
This can damage the power steering pump.
Automatic Transaxle FluidUnder normal circumstances, you do not need to
check the fluid level of the transaxle, since your
vehicle does not use up transaxle fluid. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedulebooklet for replacement
intervals. However, if the transaxle is not working
properly Ð for instance, the transaxle may slip or
shift slowly, or you may notice some sign of fluid
leakage Ð the fluid level should be checked.
NOTE:If the vehicle has been operated for an
extended period at high speeds or in city traffic
during hot weather, or pulling a trailer, the vehicle
should be turned off for about 30 minutes to allow
the fluid to cool before checking.
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247
Tire RotationBecause your vehicle's front and rear tires perform
different jobs, they often wear differently. To make
sure your tires wear evenly and last longer, rotate
them as indicated in the following diagram.
Do not include the spare tire as part of your
rotation.
For tire rotation intervals, see theMaintenance
Schedulebooklet. If you notice that the tires wear
unevenly, have them checked.
Rotating the tires
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