1997 Mercury Mountaineer 4WD

operation of the anti-lock brake
system.
Parking
Before leaving the driver's seat,
you should make sure that the
gearshift is engaged in P (Park)
with an automatic transmission or
either 1 (First) or R (Reverse)
with a manual transmission. Set
the parking brake fully, shut off
the ignition and remove the key.
On some 4WD vehicles, when the
transfer case is in the N (Neutral)
position, the engine and
transmission are disconnected
from the rest of the driveline.
Therefore, the vehicle is free to
roll even if the automatic
transmission is in P (Park) or the
manual transmission is in gear. Do
not leave the vehicle unattended
with the transfer case in N
(Neutral) position. Always set the
parking brake fully and turn off the
ignition when leaving the vehicle.
DRIVING OFF-ROAD WITH 4WD
OR AWD
When using 4WD or AWD,
maintain steering wheel control at
all times, especially in rough
terrain. Since sudden changes in
terrain can result in abrupt
steering wheel motion, make sure
you grip the steering wheel from
the outside. Do not grip the
spokes.
Driving off-road with 4WD or AWD
9

Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle
damage from concealed objects
such as rocks and stumps. You
should either know the terrain or
examine maps of the area before
driving. Map out your route before
driving in the area. To maintain
steering and braking control of
your vehicle, you must have all
four wheels on the ground and
they must be rolling, not sliding or
spinning.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to
keep all four wheels on the most
solid area of the trail. Avoid
reducing the tire pressure. Instead,
shift to a lower gear and drive
steadily through the terrain. Apply
the accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning the wheels.
If you must reduce the tire
pressure for whatever reason in
sand, make sure you re-inflate the
tires as soon as possible.
Avoid excessive speed because
vehicle momentum can work
against you and cause the vehicle
to become stuck to the point that
assistance may be required from
another vehicle. Remember, you
may be able to back out the way
you came if you proceed with
caution.
Mud
Be cautious of sudden changes in
vehicle speed or direction when
you are driving in mud. Even 4WD
Driving off-road with 4WD or AWD
10

and AWD vehicles can lose traction
in slick mud. As when you are
driving over sand, apply the
accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning your wheels. If the vehicle
does slide, steer in the direction of
the slide until you regain control of
the vehicle.
After driving through mud, clean
off residue stuck to rotating
driveshafts and tires. Excess mud
stuck on tires and rotating
driveshafts causes an imbalance
that could damage vehicle
components.
ªTread Lightlyº is an educational
program designed to increase
public awareness of land-use
regulations and responsibilities in
our nations wilderness areas. Ford
joins the U.S. Forest Service and
the Bureau of Land Management in
encouraging you to help preserve
our national forest and other
public and private lands by
ªtreading lightly.º
Driving off-road with 4WD or AWD
11

Water
Before driving through water,
determine the depth. Avoid water
higher than the bottom of the
wheel hubs. Proceed slowly to
avoid splashing, if the ignition
system gets wet, the vehicle may
stall.
Once through water, always try the
brakes. Wet brakes do not stop the
vehicle as effectively as dry brakes.
You can dry the brakes faster by
driving the vehicle slowly while
applying light pressure on the
brake pedal.
Deep snow
4WD and AWD vehicles are unique
in that they can be driven in deep
snow that would stop a
conventional two-wheel drive
vehicle. Shift to a low gear and
maintain steady pressure on the
accelerator. This will help prevent
spinning the wheels while
maintaining sufficient momentum
to keep from bogging down. Using
tire chains will also help.
Never drive with chains on the
front tires of 4WD or AWD vehicles
without also putting them on the
rear tires. This could cause the
rear to slide and swing around
during braking.
Driving on hills
Although natural obstacles may
make it necessary to travel
Driving off-road with 4WD or AWD
12

diagonally up or down a hill or
steep incline, you should always
try to drive straight up or straight
down.Avoid driving crosswise
or turning on steep slopes or
hills. A danger lies in losing
traction, slipping sideways and
possibly rolling over. Whenever
driving on a hill, determine
beforehand the route you will use.
Do not drive over the crest of a hill
without seeing what conditions are
on the other side. Do not drive in
reverse over a hill without the aid
of an observer.
When climbing a steep slope or
hill, start in a lower gear rather
than downshifting to a lower gear
from a higher gear once the ascent
has started. This reduces strain on
the engine and the possibility of
stalling.
If you do stall out, Do not try to
turnaround because you might roll
over. It is better to back down to a
safe location.
Apply just enough power to the
wheels to climb the hill. Too much
power will cause the tires to slip,
spin or lose traction, resulting in
loss of vehicle control.
Driving off-road with 4WD or AWD
13

Descend a hill in the same gear
you would use to climb up the hill
to avoid excessive brake
application and brake overheating.
Do not descend in neutral,
disengage overdrive or manually
shift to a lower gear. When
descending a steep hill, avoid
sudden hard braking as you could
lose control. When you brake hard,
the front wheels can't turn and if
they aren't turning, you won't be
able to steer. The front wheels
have to be turning in order to
steer the vehicle. Rapid pumping
of the brake pedal will help you
slow the vehicle and still maintain
steering control.
If your vehicle has anti-lock
brakes, apply the brakes steadily.
Do not ªpumpº the brakes.
TRAILER TOWING
Your 4WD or AWD vehicle may be
equipped for towing trailers (or
may require a trailer tow package),
provided that the combined total
weight of the vehicle and trailer is
less than or equal to the
recommended Gross Combination
Weight Rating (GCWR). Refer to
ªFord Recreation Vehicle and
Trailer Towing Guide,º the
ªOwner's Guideº or see an
authorized Ford or
Lincoln/Mercury Dealer for
additional information.
Trailer Towing
14

TIRES, REPLACEMENT
REQUIREMENTS
Your 4WD or AWD vehicle is
equipped with tires designed to
provide for safe ride and handling
capability.
Do not use a size and type of tire
and wheel other than that
originally provided by Ford
because it can affect the safety
and performance of your vehicle,
which could lead to loss of vehicle
control or rollover and serious
injury. Make sure all tires and
wheels on the vehicle are of the
same size, type, tread design,
brand and load-carrying capacity. If
you have questions regarding tire
replacement, see an authorized
Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer.
If you nevertheless decide to equip
your 4WD or AWD for off-road use
with tires larger than what Ford
recommends, you should not use
these tires for highway driving.
If you use any tire/wheel
combination not recommended by
Ford, it may adversely affect
vehicle handling and could cause
steering, suspension, axle or
transfer case failure.
Do not useºaftermarket lift kitsº or
other suspension modifications,
whether or not they are used with
larger tires and wheels.
These ªaftermarket lift kitsº could
adversely affect the vehicle's
handling characteristics, which
could lead to loss of vehicle
Tires, replacement requirements
15

All-Wheel Drive System, The .......3
AWD Vehicle Operation ................6
Cargo, Hauling and Vehicle
Handling ......................................18
Differences in Four-Wheel
Drive ..............................................5
Driving Off-Road with 4WD .........9
Driving Off-Road with AWD .........9
Emergency Maneuvers .................7
Four-by-Four Operation ...............6
Four-Wheel Drive System, The ...3
Hauling Cargo and Vehicle
Handling ......................................18
Hills, Driving on ..........................12
If Your Vehicle Goes Off the
Edge of the Pavement ..................6
Introduction ..................................2Lift Kits ........................................15
Maintenance and Modifications .17
Mud, Driving in ...........................10
Off-Road Driving ...........................9
Operating Your AWD Vehicle
on the Road ...................................6
Operating Your Four-by-Four
on the Road ...................................6
Parking ...........................................9
Sand, Driving in ..........................10
Snow, Deep, Driving in ...............12
Snow/Ice, Driving in .....................8
Tires, Replacement
Requirements ..............................15
Trailer Towing .............................14
Water, Driving in .........................12
Index
20