1997 Mercury Mountaineer wiper blades

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

To make reaching the wiper blades
easy, simply turn the ignition to
the ON position and turn the
wipers on. Wait for them to reach
a vertical position and turn the
ignition to LOCK. Do not move the
wipers manually across the
windshield as this may cause
damage to the wipers.
Inspect the wiper arm pivots on a
regular basis to ensure that the
wiper arms move freely. Lubricate
the pivot points as necessary.
Replacing wiper blades
If the wiper blades do not work
properly after cleaning,
replacement of the blade assembly
or the blade element may be
necessary.
There are two different length
wiper blades on your vehicle. The
windshield wiper blades are 45 cm
(17.75 in) long and the liftgate
wiper is 34.9 cm (13 3/4 in) long.
Make sure you install the correct
size wiper blade in the correct
location.
To replace windshield wiper
blades:
1. Pull the wiper arm away from
the windshield and lock it into the
service position.
2. Turn the blade at an angle from
the wiper arm. Depress lock tab
and push wiper mounting arm
away from wiper blade assembly.
3. Attach the new wiper blade by
pulling wiper mounting arm down
Maintenance and care
157

Cleaning the engine
A clean engine is more efficient
than a dirty one because a buildup
of grease and dirt acts as an
insulator and keeps the engine
warmer than normal. Follow these
guidelines to clean your engine:
²Take care when using a power
washer to clean the engine. The
high pressure fluid could
penetrate the sealed parts and
cause damage.
²In order to avoid cracking the
engine block, do not spray with
cold water.
²The alternator, ignition coil
packs, and air intake must be
covered to prevent water
damage when cleaning the
engine.
²Never wash or rinse the engine
while it is running; water in the
running engine may cause
internal damage.
Cleaning the wiper blades
If the wiper blades do not wipe
properly, clean both the windshield
and the wiper blades using
undiluted windshield washer
solution or a mild detergent. Rinse
thoroughly with clean water. Do
not use fuel, kerosene, paint
thinner, or other solvents to clean
your wiper blades; these fluids will
damage your blades.
Maintenance and care
183

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

Windshield
defrosting ..................................21
Windshield washer fluid and
wipers
checking and replacing wiper
blades ......................................156
operation ...................................24
Index
196