1997 Mercury Mountaineer Owner's Manuals

Checking and adding washer
fluid for the liftgate
The opening for this reservoir is
located on the left side of the
vehicle above the tail lamp. Be
sure to close the cover after filling
and before closing the liftgate. The
reservoir must be filled slowly to
allow trapped air to escape. Use of
a funnel is recommended for easier
filling.
CHECKING AND ADDING
ENGINE COOLANT
Check the engine coolant level in
the reservoir at least once a
month.
If the engine coolant has not been
checked for a long period of time,
the engine coolant reservoir may
eventually empty. If this occurs,
add engine coolant to the coolant
reservoir. For more information on
engine coolant maintenance, refer
toAdding engine coolant to the
reservoirin this chapter.
Automotive fluids are not
interchangeable; do not
use engine coolant, antifreeze, or
windshield washer fluid outside
of their specified function and
vehicle location.
When adding engine coolant
Ford recommends Ford Premium
Cooling System fluid, which is an
optimized formula that will protect
all metals and rubber elastomers
used in Ford engines for four years
Maintenance and care
145

or 80,000 km (50,000 miles). It is
not necessary and not
recommended to use supplemental
coolant additives in your
gasoline-powered vehicle. These
additives may harm your engine
cooling system.
When you change or add engine
coolant, it is important to maintain
your engine coolant concentration
between 40% (-24ÉC [11ÉF]) and
60% (-52ÉC [-62ÉF]), depending on
your local climate conditions. A
coolant concentration below 40%
may cause the engine to overheat
on a warm day.
Do not use engine coolant that
does not meet all 14 requirements
of Ford Specification ESE-M97B44-A.
The use of an improper coolant
may void your warranty for the
engine cooling system. Use only a
premium nationally-recognized
brand name engine coolant.
Always dispose of used
automotive fluids in a responsible
manner. Follow your community's
standards for disposing of these
types of fluids. Call your local
recycling center to find out more
about recycling automotive fluids.
Adding engine coolant
Never remove the coolant
recovery cap while the
engine is running or hot.
Maintenance and care
146

1. Before you remove the coolant
recovery cap, turn the engine off
and let it cool. Even when the
engine is cool, be careful when
removing the recovery cap. Wrap a
thick cloth around the cap for safe
removal.
2. When the engine is cool, lift the
cap.
3. Step back while pressure
releases.
4. When you are sure that all the
pressure has been released,
remove the recovery cap.
5. Stand away from the reservoir
opening; hot steam may blow out
or hot engine coolant may even
splash out.
6. Add engine coolant until the
level is between the MAX and MIN
lines on the engine coolant
recovery reservoir.
Follow the recommended service
interval for changing engine
coolant as outlined in theService
Guide. For coolant recovery
reservoir capacity, refer to
Lubricant specificationsin the
Capacities and specifications
chapter.
RADIATOR
COOLANT
ONLY


MAX
MIN
Maintenance and care
147

Checking the cooling system
hoses
Before adding or replacing coolant,
inspect all cooling system hoses
for:
²deterioration
²leaks
²loose clamps
CHECKING AND ADDING
POWER STEERING FLUID
Check the power steering fluid at
least twice a year by completing
the following steps:
1. Start the engine.
2. When the engine coolant
temperature gauge reaches the
normal zone, turn off the engine.
CH
Maintenance and care
148

3. Visually inspect the fluid level in
the power steering reservoir.
4. If necessary, add power steering
fluid until the fluid level reaches
MAX. Do not overfill the power
steering reservoir.
²As a maintenance precaution,
visually inspect the lines and
hoses of the power steering
system for leaks and damage.
²If new fluid is frequently
required, consult a qualified
service technician.
²Use fluid certified to meet Ford
Motor Company lubricant
specifications. Refer toRefill
capacitiesandLubricant
specificationslater in this
chapter.
CHECKING AND ADDING
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FLUID
Check the automatic transmission
fluid according to the scheduled
intervals in theService Guide.
Before adding any fluid, make sure
the correct type will be used. This
information is indicated on the
dipstick.
Your vehicle should not be
driven if the fluid level is
below the bottom hole in the
dipstick and outside
temperatures are above 10ÉC
(50ÉF).
DONOTOVERFILLPOWERSTEERINGFLUID
MAX
MIN
Maintenance and care
149

Your vehicle does not use up
transmission fluid. However, it is
recommended that you check the
transmission fluid at least twice a
year. The fluid level should be
checked if the transmission is not
working properly, i.e., the
transmission slips or shifts slowly
or if you notice some sign of fluid
leakage.
It is preferable to check the
transmission fluid level at normal
operating temperature, after
approximately 32 km (20 miles) of
driving. However, if necessary, you
can check the fluid level without
driving to obtain a normal
operating temperature if the
outside temperature is above 10ÉC
(50ÉF).
If the vehicle has been operated
for an extended period at high
speeds, 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.
1. Park the vehicle on a level
surface.
2. Start the engine and move the
gearshift lever through all of the
gear ranges. Allow sufficient time
for each gear to change.
3. Latch the gearshift lever in
P(Park), set the parking brake and
leave the engine running.
4. Remove the dipstick, wiping it
clean with a clean, dry rag.
5. Install the dipstick.
P R N D 2 1
Maintenance and care
150

6. Remove the dipstick and inspect
the fluid level.
The fluid level should be within
the crosshatched area, or if the
vehicle has not been driven,
between the holes near the bottom
of the indicator.
7. If necessary, add fluid in .25 L
(1/2 pint) increments through the
filler tube until the level is at the
correct area on the dipstick. If an
overfill occurs, excess fluid should
be removed by a qualified
technician.
²Use fluid certified to meet Ford
Motor Company lubricant
specifications. Refer toRefill
capacitiesandLubricant
specificationslater in this
chapter.
Always dispose of used
automotive fluids in a responsible
manner. Follow your community's
standards for disposing of these
types of fluids. Call your local
recycling center to find out more
about recycling automotive fluids.
DON'T ADD IF IN CROSSHATCHED AREA • CHECK WHEN HOT IDLING IN PARK
Maintenance and care
151

Checking and adding transfer
case fluid
1. Clean the filler plug.
2. Remove the filler plug and
inspect the fluid level.
3. Fluid level should be at the
bottom of the opening.
When adding transfer case
fluid:
²Use fluid certified to meet Ford
Motor Company lubricant
specifications. Refer toRefill
capacitiesandLubricant
specificationslater in this
chapter.
Maintenance and care
152