1997 Mercury Mountaineer Owner's Manuals

when tires are cold (after the
vehicle has been parked for at
least one hour or driven less than
5 km (3 miles).
The cold pressure amount is listed
on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label located on the
inside driver's door latch pillar.
Improperly inflated tires
can affect vehicle handling
and can fail suddenly, possibly
resulting in loss of vehicle
control.
Rotating your tires
Rotate your tires at regular
intervals to ensure even wear.
Rotation intervals are listed in the
Service Guide.
Your wheels and tires are
match±mounted for improved ride.
Before you begin a tire repair,
mark the wheel and tire to ensure
proper alignment when
remounting.
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161

Four tire rotation
Five tire rotation
Replacing the tires
Replace the tires when the wear
band is visible through the tire
treads.
When replacing full size
tires, never mix radial bias
belted or bias-type tires. Use
only the tire sizes that are listed
on the tire pressure decal.
Make sure all replacement
tires are of the same size,
type, load-carrying capacity, and
tread design, e.g., ªAll Terrainº,
as originally offered by Ford.
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162

Failure to follow these
precautions may adversely
affect the handling of the vehicle
and make it easier to lose control
and roll over.
IDENTIFYING TIRE TYPES
Refer to the Safety Compliance
Certification Label to determine
the specific size tire and wheel
Ford Motor Company recommends
for use on this vehicle.
All wheel/tire combinations
(including spare) must be the
same size for AWD equipped
vehicles.
SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
Snow tires must be the
same size and grade as the
tires you currently have on your
vehicle.
The tires on your vehicle have all
weather treads to provide traction
in rain and snow. However in some
climates, you may need to use
snow tires and chains. Follow
these guidelines when using snow
tires and chains:
²Use only SAE Class ªSº chains.
²Install chains securely, verifying
that the chains do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
²Install tire chains on rear tires
only.
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163

²Drive cautiously. If you hear the
chains rub or bang against your
vehicle, stop and re-tighten the
chains. If this does not work,
remove the chains to prevent
damage to your vehicle.
²If possible, avoid fully loading
your vehicle.
²Remove the tire chains when
they are no longer needed. Do
not use tire chains on dry roads.
²The suspension insulation and
bumpers will help prevent
vehicle damage. Do not remove
these components from your
vehicle when using snow tires
and chains.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT AUTOMOTIVE FUEL
Do not overfill the fuel
tank. The pressure in an
overfilled tank may cause
leakage and lead to fuel spray
and fire.
If you do not use a proper
fuel cap, the pressure in
the fuel tank can damage the
fuel system or cause it to work
improperly in a collision.
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164

If you replace your fuel
cap with an aftermarket
fuel filler cap, the customer
warranty may be void if any
damage to the fuel tank and/or
fuel system occurs.
If the fuel cap is venting
vapor or you hear a hissing
sound, wait until it stops before
completely removing the cap.
Automotive fuels can
cause serious injury or
death if misused or mishandled.
Extinguish all smoking materials
and any open flames before fueling
your vehicle.
Automotive fuels can be harmful or
fatal if swallowed. If fuel is
swallowed call a physician
immediately, even if no symptoms
are apparent. The toxic effects of
fuels may not be visible for many
hours.
Fuels can also be harmful if
absorbed through the skin. If fuel
is splashed on the skin, promptly
remove contaminated clothing and
wash skin thoroughly with soap
and water.
If fuel is splashed in the eyes,
remove contact lenses, flush with
plenty of water for 15 minutes, and
seek medical attention.
Be particularly careful if you are
taking ªAntabuseº or other forms
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165

of disulfiram for the treatment of
alcoholism. Breathing gasoline
vapors or skin contact could
possibly cause an adverse reaction.
Consult a physician immediately.
Cleaner air
Ford approves the use of gasolines
to improve air quality, including
reformulated gasolines, that
contain oxygenates such as a
maximum of 10% ethanol or 15%
MTBE. There should be no more
than 5% methanol with cosolvents.
Octane recommendations
Your vehicle is designed to use
regular gasoline with an (R+M)/2
octane rating of 87. We do not
recommend gasolines labeled as
9regular9in high altitude areas that
are sold with octane ratings of 86
or even less.
Do not be concerned if your
vehicle sometimes knocks lightly.
However, if it knocks heavily under
most driving conditions on the
recommended octane fuel, see
your dealer or a qualified service
technician to prevent any engine
damage.
Fuel quality
If you are experiencing starting,
rough idle or hesitation problems
try a different brand of fuel. If the
condition persists, see your dealer
or a qualified service technician.
The American Automobile
Manufacturers Association (AAMA)
87
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166

issued a gasoline specificaton to
provide information on high quality
fuels that optimize the
performance of your vehicle. We
recommend the use of gasolines
that meet the AAMA specification
if they are available.
It should not be necessary to add
any aftermarket products to your
fuel tank if you continue to use a
high-quality fuel.
Choosing the right fuel
Use only UNLEADED FUEL. The
use of leaded fuel is prohibited by
law and could damage your
vehicle. The damage may not be
covered by your warranty.
Your vehicle was not designed to
use fuel containing
manganese-based additives such as
MMT. Additionally, vehicles
certified to California emission
standards (indicated on the
underhood Vehicle Emissions
Control Information label) are
designed to operate on California
reformulated gasolines. If
California reformulated gasoline is
not available when you refuel, your
vehicle can be operated on
non-California fuels. However, even
though your engine will perform
adequately on other gasolines, the
performance of the emission
control devices and systems may
be adversely affected. Repair of
damage caused by using a fuel that
your vehicle was not designed for
may not be covered by your
warranty.
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167

Calculating fuel economy
1. Fill the tank completely and
record the initial odometer
reading.
2. Each time you fill the tank,
record the amount of fuel added
(in liters or gallons).
3. After at least three to five fuel
tank fill-ups, fill the fuel tank and
record the final odometer reading.
Keep a record for at least one
month. This will provide an
accurate estimate of the vehicle's
fuel economy.
4. Use one of the following
equations to calculate fuel
economy:
Liters used x 1004Total
kilometers travelled
Total miles travelled4Total
gallons used
The fuel economy figures provided
by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and Transport
Canada (TC) are obtained from
laboratory tests under simulated
road conditions and may not
reflect actual road conditions or
individual driving styles. The EPA
fuel economy estimate is not a
guarantee, but a guideline of
projected fuel economy.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT THE EMISSION
CONTROL SYSTEM
Your vehicle is equipped with a
catalytic converter which enables
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