1997 Mercury Mountaineer brakes

The outboard safety restraints in
the vehicle are combination lap
and shoulder safety belts. The
front and rear seat passenger
outboard safety belts have the two
types of locking modes described
below:
Vehicle sensitive (Emergency)
locking mode
The vehicle sensitive mode is the
normal retractor mode, allowing
free shoulder belt length
adjustment to your movement and
locking in response to vehicle
movement. For example, if the
driver brakes suddenly, turns a
corner sharply, or the vehicle
receives an impact of 8 km/h (5
mph) or more the combination
safety belts will lock to help
reduce forward movement of the
driver and passengers.
The front seat belt system can also
be made to lock manually by
quickly pulling on the shoulder
belt. Rear seat belts cannot be
made to lock up by pulling quickly
on the belt.
Seating and safety restraints
65

BRAKES
The anti-lock brake system
(ABS)
Anti-lock brake operation differs
slightly from standard brake
operation.
Apply the brakes steadily. DO NOT
pump the brakes in a panic stop.
The brake system will prevent
wheel lockup by automatically
releasing and reapplying the
brakes.
Even with ABS, the brakes could
lock up on roads with alternating
slippery and dry patches or with
loose surfaces such as snow or
gravel. Be careful when braking.
The ABS conducts a self-test each
time the vehicle is driven. A
mechanical noise may be heard
while the system conducts its
self-test.
Occasional brake squeal during
light to moderate stops is normal.
Significantly increased squeal is an
indicator that brake service is
needed.
After driving through standing
water, gently apply the brakes
several times to dry them.
If driving down a long or steep hill,
shift to a lower gear and do not
apply the brakes continuously.
Continuously applying the brakes
on a hill could overheat them and
make them less effective.
Driving
96

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.
Driving
97

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.
Driving
98

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
Driving
104

heavy load. If vehicle speed drops
more than 15 - 25 km/h (8 - 14
mph) the speed control will cancel
automatically. Resume speed with
accelerator pedal.
If speed control cancels after
climbing the hill, reset speed by
pressing and holding the SET
ACCEL button or returning to
previous speed by pressing the
RESUME button (to resume
speeds over 50 km/h [30 mph]).
Automatic transmissions may shift
frequently while driving up on
steep grades. Eliminate frequent
shifting by shifting out of
D(Overdrive) into D (Drive).
Driving on snow and ice
An AWD vehicle has advantages
over two-wheel drive vehicles in
snow and ice but can skid like any
other vehicle.
Avoid sudden applications of
power and quick changes of
direction on snow and ice. Apply
the accelerator slowly and steadily
when starting from a full stop.
When braking, apply the brakes as
you normally would. In order to
allow the anti-lock brake system
(ABS) to operate properly, keep
steady pressure on the brake
pedal.
Allow more stopping distance and
drive slower than usual. Consider
using one of the lower gears.
If the vehicle is stuck, shift the
transmission in a steady motion
Driving
106

Do not use replacement tires with
lower weight capacities than the
original because they may lower
the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR
limitations. Replacement tires with
a higher weight limit than the
originals do not increase the
GVWR and GAWR limitations.
TRAILER TOWING
Your vehicle may tow a Class I or
II trailer provided the maximum
trailer weight is less than or equal
to the maximum trailer weight
listed for your engine and rear axle
ratio. See theTrailer towing table
later in this chapter.
Do not exceed the maximum loads
stated on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label. Refer to
Vehicle loadingfor a definition of
the terms on the label.
Your vehicle's load capacity is
designated by weight, not by
volume, so you cannot necessarily
use all available space when
loading a vehicle.
Distribute the trailer load so that
only 10 to 15% of the total weight
of the trailer is on the tongue. Tie
down the load so that it does not
shift and change the weight on the
hitch.
Towing a trailer places an
additional load on your vehicle's
engine, transmission, axle, brakes,
tires and suspension. Inspect these
components carefully before and
after any towing operation.
Driving
110

bumper has a Class II rating (1590
kg/3500 lb trailer weight and 159
kg/350 lb tongue weight).
Safety chains
Always connect the trailer's safety
chains to the vehicle. To connect
chains when towing with the step
bumper, cross the chains under the
trailer tongue and allow slack for
turning corners. Connect the
chains to the holes in the
underside of the hitch plate for a
Class II frame mounted hitch.
When using a frame mounted
trailer hitch, attach the safety
chains to the frame mounted hitch
using the recommendations
supplied by the hitch
manufacturer.
Trailer brakes
Trailer brakes are required on
most towed vehicles weighing over
680 kg/ 1500 lb. Use electric
brakes or manual, automatic, or
surge-type hydraulic brakes that
meet Federal and local regulations.
Install and adjust the brakes
according to the manufacturer's
instructions.
Do not connect a trailer's
hydraulic brake system
directly to your vehicle's brake
system. Your vehicle may not
have enough braking power and
your chances of having a
collision greatly increase.
Driving
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