1997 Mercury Mountaineer check engine

Changing your air filter
1. Loosen the clamp that secures
the air cleaner in place. Separate
the two halves of the air cleaner.
2. Remove the air filter element
from the open end of the engine
air cleaner and replace it with a
new element.
3. Replace the two halves of the
air cleaner and secure the clamp.
CHECKING AND CHANGING
WIPER BLADES
Check the windshield wiper blades
at least twice a year or whenever
the wipers seem less effective than
usual. Substances such as tree sap
and some hot wax treatments used
by commercial car washes can
reduce the effectiveness of wiper
blades.
Maintenance and care
156

If you notice one or more of the
following, the emission system may
not be working properly. Have the
vehicle serviced as soon as
possible.
²Fluid leaks.
²The
andCHECK
ENGINElights
illuminate in the instrument
cluster and remain lit.
²Strange odors.
²Engine runs more than five
seconds after shut-off or engine
misfires, surges, stalls or
backfires.
²Loss of oil pressure.
When servicing your vehicle, never
use a metal exhaust collector. A
metal collector may heat or deform
plastic parts.
Important emission control
information
By law, anyone who manufactures,
repairs, services, sells, leases,
trades vehicles, or supervises a
fleet of vehicles is not permitted to
intentionally remove an emission
control device or prevent it from
working.
Do not make any unauthorized
changes to the vehicle or engine.
Changes that cause more
unburned fuel to reach the exhaust
system can increase the
temperature of the engine or
exhaust system.
Maintenance and care
170

Preparing your vehicle for
inspection/maintenance testing
In some localities it may become a
legal requirement to pass an
Inspection/Maintenance test of the
On-Board Diagnostic (OBD II)
system. If the vehicle's powertrain
system or battery has just been
serviced, the OBD II system is
reset to a not ready for I/M testing
condition. To ready the OBD II
system for I/M testing, the law
specifies that additional mixed city
and highway driving is necessary
to complete the check of the OBD
II system.
The driving modes required to
reach the ready condition consist
of a minimum of 30 minutes of city
and highway driving as described
below:
²20 minutes of driving in stop
and go city-type traffic with at
least four idle periods.
²10 minutes of driving on an
expressway or highway.
Before completing the above
driving modes, the engine must be
warmed up and at operating
temperature. Once started, the
vehicle must not be turned off
during the above driving modes. If
the vehicle owner is unable to
meet the I/M requirements by
using these driving patterns, an
authorized service center can
perform a detailed OBD II Drive
Cycle as it would any other type of
repair work.
Maintenance and care
171

Air bag supplemental restraint
system ............71,74,75,76,77,82,87
and child safety
seats .......................74,76,77,82,87
description ................................73
indicator light ...........................74
Air cleaner filter
replacing ..................................156
All Wheel Drive .........................102
Anti-theft system ........................56
arming the system ....................56
disarming a triggered system ..57
disarming an untriggered
system .......................................57
Audio system (see Electronic
sound system) .............................16
Autolamp system (see
Headlamps) .................................33
Automatic transmission ..............98
fluid, adding ............................149
Battery .......................................153
battery saver .............................58
how to service ........................153
Brake fluid
checking and adding ..............142
Brakelamp
bulb replacement ....................174
Brakes ..........................................97
adjustment ................................96
anti-lock .....................................96
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light .............................97
parking ......................................97
Break-in period .............................3
Bulbs, replacing
specifications ..........................179
Cargo area shade ...................46,47
Cargo cover ............................46,47
Childproof locks ..........................39
Chime ...........................................11
headlamps on ............................12
key-in-ignition ...........................11safety belt ............................11,69
Cleaning your vehicle
built-in child seat ...................184
engine compartment ..............183
exterior ....................................182
instrument panel ....................182
plastic parts ............................182
safety belts ..............................184
washing ....................................181
wheels ......................................182
wiper blades ............................183
Climate control
system ...........................17,18,19,21
air conditioning .........................21
heating .......................................21
Compass, electronic
calibration .................................30
set zone adjustment .................30
Compass/temperature display ...29
Console, description ...................42
Controls
instrument panel ......................13
steering column ........................22
Daytime running light system ...14
Defects, reporting .....................192
Defrost
rear window ..............................15
Driving under special
conditions
towing a trailer .......................114
Electronic sound system ............16
Emission control system ..........168
Engine .................................139,189
Engine block heater ...................93
Engine coolant
checking and adding ..............145
checking hoses .......................148
Engine coolant temperature
gauge ..............................................7
Engine oil
checking and adding .......140,142
Exhaust fumes ............................94
Index
193

Flat tire ......................................131
Fluid refill capacities ................185
Foglamps ..............................16,177
Fuel
calculating fuel economy .......167
choosing the right fuel ...........166
improving fuel economy ........116
safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................164
Fuel gauge .....................................7
Fuel pump shut-off switch ..16,118
Fuse panels ...............................120
power distribution box ...........124
Fuses ..........................................119
charts .......................................120
checking and replacing ..........121
Gauges, Mechanical
battery voltage gauge .................7
engine coolant temperature
gauge ...........................................7
engine oil pressure gauge ..........7
fuel gauge ....................................7
odometer .....................................7
speedometer ...............................6
tachometer ..................................6
trip odometer ..............................7
Hazard flashers .............27,118,175
Headlamps ...................................13
autolamp system ..................13,33
daytime running lights .............14
warning chime ..........................12
Hitch ..........................................112
Hood ..........................................138
Ignition
positions of the ignition ...........22
Inspection/maintenance (I/M)
testing ........................................170
Instrument
cluster .........6,7,8,9,11,12,13,14,15,
16,17,18,19,21
Instrument panel ........................13
location of components ...........4,5Jump-starting your vehicle ......132
Keyless entry system .......49,50,52
autolock .....................................51
locking and unlocking doors ....50
programming entry code .........49
Lamps ........................................172
bulb replacement
specifications chart ................179
headlamps ........................173,180
high-mount brakelamp ...........174
illuminated entry system .........41
map lamps ...............................177
replacing bulbs .......................172
tail lamps .................................174
License plate lamps ..................176
Liftgate ........................................39
Lights, warning and indicator .8,11
air bag ..........................................8
anti-lock brakes (ABS) ..............9
anti-theft ...................................10
brake ............................................9
charging system ..........................8
check engine .............................10
check gauges ..............................8
door ajar ......................................8
fuel reset .....................................8
high beam ...................................9
overdrive off ..............................10
safety belt ...................................9
speed control ..............................9
turn signal indicator .................10
Load limits .................................107
Lubricant specifications ...........187
Luggage rack .............................116
Moon roof ....................................33
Motorcraft parts ........................185
Odometer .......................................7
Overdrive .....................................26
Overhead console ........28,29,30,33
compass/temperature display ..29
map lamps ..........................31,177
storage compartment ...............31
Index
194

Parts (see Motorcraft Parts) ...185
Power door locks ........................38
Power steering
fluid, checking and adding ....148
Rear climate control system ......45
Refill capacities for fluids ........185
Relays .................................127,128
Remote entry system
arming and disarming the
anti-theft system .................52,54
locking/unlocking doors ...........53
panic alarm ...............................53
replacement/additional
transmitters ...............................55
replacing the batteries .............54
Repairing paint chips ...............181
Reporting safety defects ..........192
Safety chains, when towing a
trailer .........................................113
Safety defects, reporting ..........192
Safety restraints ..........................63
adjusting the safety belts .........67
automatic locking mode
(retractor) .................................66
center rear lap belt ..................68
cleaning the safety belts ..........71
extension assembly ..................71
lap and shoulder belts .............64
maintenance ..............................69
proper use .................................64
replacement ..............................70
warning light and chime ..........69
Seats
adjusting the seat, manual .......59
adjusting the seats, power .......60
folding rear seats ......................62
head restraints ..........................62
Servicing your vehicle ..............136
precautions when
servicing ...........................136,138
servicing when you tow .........115
Shift-lock system ......................101Spare tire .....................................48
Speed control ..............................23
Speedometer .................................6
Starting your vehicle .............89,91
preparing to start your
vehicle ..................................89,91
starting a warm engine ............92
Steering wheel
tilting .........................................27
Tachometer ...................................6
Tail lamps
bulb replacement ....................174
Tilt steering wheel ......................27
Tire types ..................................163
Tires
changing ..................................128
checking the pressure ............160
replacing ...........................162,163
rotating .............................161,162
snow tires and chains ............163
treadwear ................................159
Towing your vehicle .................135
Trailer towing ..............110,113,114
calculating maximum trailer
weight ......................................111
tips ...........................................115
trailer brakes ...........................113
trailer lamps ............................114
Transfer case
fluid checking .........................152
Trip odometer ...............................7
Turn signal .........................174,176
Vehicle dimensions ...................190
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ..........................................191
Ventilating your vehicle (see
Climate control) ..........................21
Washer fluid ..............................144
rear window reservoir ............145
Windows
power windows,
operating .........................35,36,37
Index
195