1997 Mercury Mountaineer Owner's Manuals

ABS warning light
TheABSlight in the instrument
cluster illuminates and remains
illuminated if an ABS fault is
detected. Have your vehicle
serviced as soon as possible.
Normal braking operation is still
effective unless the
light is
also illuminated.
Parking brake
The parking brake should be used
whenever the vehicle is parked.
Push pedal downward to set the
parking brake.
The
light in the instrument
cluster illuminates and remains
illuminated (when the ignition is
turned to ON) until the parking
brake is released.
Always set the parking
brake fully and make sure
that the gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park).
The parking brake is not designed
to stop a moving vehicle. However,
if the normal brakes fail, the
parking brake can be used to stop
your vehicle in an emergency.
Since the parking brake applies
only the rear brakes, the vehicle's
stopping distance will increase
greatly and the handling of your
vehicle will be adversely affected.
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Pull release handle towards you to
release parking brake.
If the parking brake is fully
released, but the
warning light remains on,
have the brakes checked
immediately. They may not be
working properly.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
OPERATION (4R70W)
Hold the brake pedal down
while you move the
gearshift from position to
position. If you do not hold the
brake pedal down, your vehicle
may move unexpectedly and
injure someone.
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Pull gearshift lever towards you
and downward to move the
automatic gearshift.
P - ParkAlways come to a
complete stop before shifting into
or out of P (Park).
Always set the parking
brake fully and make sure
that the gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park).
R - ReverseAlways come to a
complete stop before shifting into
or out of R (Reverse).
N - NeutralVehicle is free to roll.
Do not leave the vehicle
unattended with the
transfer case in the N (Neutral)
position. Always set the parking
brake fully and turn off the
ignition when leaving the vehicle.
P RND21
P RND21
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D- OverdriveThe normal
driving position for the best fuel
economy. Transmission operates in
gears 1-4.
D(Overdrive) can be
disengaged by pressing the
transmission control switch on the
gearshift lever. The transmission
control indicator light on
instrument cluster will remain off.
D - DriveNot shown on the
display. Activate by pressing
transmission control switch.
O/D
OFFwill illuminate on the
instrument cluster. Transmission
operates in gears 1-3. Provides
more engine braking than
D(Overdrive) and is useful when
towing a trailer or heavy loads
through hilly areas.
To return to normal overdrive
mode, press the transmission
control switch again.
O/D
OFFwill turn
off.
When starting your vehicle, the
transmission will automatically
return to normal
D(Overdrive)
mode.
2 - SecondUse 2 (Second) to
start-up on slippery roads or to
provide additional engine braking
0P RND21
UNLEADED
FUEL ONLY
RPM x 100012345
6H
C
F
E
RSM
SET
ACC
COAST OFF ON
SRS
- +H
H
L L020
1030405060
70
80
90
110
120000000oooo
km/h100
20406080100
120
140
160
180
O/D
ON/OFF
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on downgrades. Transmission
operates in gears 1-2.
1 - LowUse 1 (Low) to provide
maximum engine braking on steep
downgrades. Upshifts can be made
by shifting to 2 (Second) or to
D(Overdrive). Selecting 1 (Low)
at higher speeds causes a shift to 2
(Second), and will shift to 1 (Low)
after vehicle decelerates to the
proper speed.
Brake-shift interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a
brake-shift interlock feature that
prevents the gearshift from being
moved from P unless the brake
pedal is depressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift
out of P with the brake pedal
depressed:
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn ignition key to LOCK, then
remove the key.
3. Insert the key and turn to OFF.
4. Apply brake pedal and shift to N
(Neutral).
5. Start the vehicle.
If it is necessary to use the above
procedure to move the gearshift, it
is possible that a fuse has blown
and the vehicle's brakelamps may
not be operating properly. Refer to
Fuses and relaysin theRoadside
emergencieschapter.
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Do not drive your vehicle
until you verify that the
brakelamps are working.
If your vehicle gets stuck in the
mud or snow it may be rocked out
of the spot. To rock the vehicle
out, shift between forward and
reverse gears in a steady rhythm.
Press lightly on the accelerator in
each gear. Do not rock the vehicle
for more than a few minutes,
because it could damage the
vehicle.
Do not spin the wheels at
over 55 km/h (35 mph).
The tires may fail and injure a
passenger or bystander.
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle is equipped with a
full-time All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
transfer case. Power is constantly
supplied to all four wheels through
a transfer case. The AWD system is
full-time and has no external
controls.
The AWD transfer case utilizes a
viscous clutch that distributes
torque to the front and rear
differentials (approximately 35%
front and 65% rear). The viscous
clutch is filled with a high viscosity
fluid; seeLubricant specifications
for more information.
All utility-type and AWD vehicles
have special design and equipment
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features to make them capable of
performing in a wide variety of
off-road applications. Specific
design characteristics give them
higher centers of gravity than
ordinary passenger cars.
Utility and four-wheel
drive vehicles are NOT
designed for cornering at speeds
as high as passenger cars any
more than low-slung sports cars
are designed to perform
satisfactorily under off-road
conditions. Avoid sharp turns or
abrupt maneuvers in these
vehicles.
DRIVING OFF ROAD WITH ALL-
WHEEL DRIVE (AWD)
Your vehicle is specially equipped
for driving on sand, snow, mud,
and rough terrain and has
operating characteristics that are
somewhat different from
conventional vehicles, both on and
off road. The following information
will help you learn to properly use
AWD.
When using 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.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle
damage from concealed objects
such as rocks and stumps. You
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should either know the terrain or
examine maps of the area before
driving. Map out your route before
driving in the area. For more
information on driving off-road,
readFour-Wheelingin your
owner's portfolio.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to
keep all four wheels on the most
solid area of the trail. Do not
reduce the tire pressures but shift
to a lower gear and drive steadily
through the terrain. Apply the
accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning the wheels.
Mud and water
If you must drive through high
water, drive slowly. Traction or
brake capability may be limited.
When driving through water,
determine the depth; avoid water
higher than the bottom of the hubs
(if possible) and proceed slowly. 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.
Drying can be improved by moving
your vehicle slowly while applying
light pressure on the brake pedal.
After driving through mud, clean
off residue stuck to rotating
driveshafts and tires. Excess mud
stuck on tires and rotating
driveshafts causes an imbalance
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