1997 Mercury Mountaineer change time

differences for towing, hauling, and
off-road operation. For this reason,
Mercury urges you to read and
understand the contents of the
Four-Wheelingsupplement.
Breaking in your vehicle
Your new vehicle goes through an
adjustment or breaking-in period
during the first 1,000 miles (1,600
km) of driving. During this period:
²Change your vehicle's speed
often as you drive. Do not drive
at one speed for a long time.
²Use only the type of engine oil
Ford recommends. Do not use
special ªbreak-inº oils.
²Avoid sudden stops. The
break-in period for brake linings
lasts for 1,600 km (1,000 miles)
of highway driving or 160 km
(100 miles) of city driving.
Information about this guide
This guide describes equipment
and gives specifications for
equipment that was in effect when
this guide was approved for
printing. Mercury may discontinue
models or change specifications or
design without any notice and
without incurring obligation.
Introduction
3

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
Driving
103

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

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