1998 FORD ESCORT Owners Manual

²Wagon model
²Wagon model
5
2
1
4
Capacities and specifications
185

IDENTIFYING YOUR VEHICLE
Safety compliance label
The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration Regulations
require that a Safety Compliance
Certification Label be affixed to a
vehicle and prescribe where the
Safety Compliance Certification
Label may be located. The Safety
Compliance Certification Label is
located on the front door latch
pillar on the driver's side.
Vehicle identification number
The vehicle identification number
is attached to a metal tag and is
located on the driver side
instrument panel.
Engine number
The engine number (the last eight
numbers of the vehicle
identification number) is stamped
on the engine block, transmission,
frame and transfer case (if so
equipped).
MFD. BY FORD MOTOR CO. IN U.S.A.
EXT PNT: XXXXXX XXXXXX RC: XX DSO: XXXX F0000
BAR INT TR TP/PS R AXLE TR SPR T0000
X XX XXX X XX X XXXX
UTC
ÑFOHT-15294A10-GA
MAXIMUM LOAD=OCCUPANTS + LUGGAGE=XXXKG/XXXXLB
OCCUPANTS: X TOTAL X FR X 2ND X RR OCCUPANTS LUGGAGE
XX XXXKG/XXXXLB
TIRE: XXXX/XXXXX XXX X XXXKG/XXXXLB
PRESSURE (FR) XXX kPa/33 PSI COLD
PRESSURE (RR) XXX kPa/33 PSI COLD
TRAILER TOWING - SEE OWNER GUIDE
DATE: XXXXX GVWR:XXXXX LB/ XXXXX KG
VIN: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX TYPE: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX FGAWR: XXXXXX/XXXXXXX RGAWR: XXXXXXX/XXXXXXX
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL
MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS IN EFFECT ON THE
DATE OF MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
AIR BAG
Capacities and specifications
186

REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
(U.S. ONLY)
If you believe that your vehicle has
a defect that could cause a crash,
or could cause injury or death, you
should immediately inform the
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) in
addition to notifying Ford Motor
Company.
If NHTSA receives similar
complaints, it may open an
investigation, and if it finds that a
safety defect exists in a group of
vehicles, it may order a recall and
remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you,
your dealer or Ford Motor
Company.
To contact NHTSA, you may either
call the Auto Safety Hotline
toll-free at 1±800±424±9393
(202±366±0123 in the Washington
D.C. area) or write to:
NHTSA
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street
Washington D.C. 20590
You can also obtain other
information about motor vehicle
safety from the Hotline.
Reporting safety defects
187

Air bag supplemental restraint
system ..........................................58
and child safety seats ..............60
description ................................59
disposal ......................................63
indicator light ...........................62
passenger air bag .....................61
Air cleaner filter .......................148
Air conditioning
manual heating and air
conditioning system ............21,24
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
description ................................88
Anti-theft system ........................44
arming the system ....................44
disarming a triggered system ..46
disarming an untriggered
system .......................................45
Battery .......................................145
Brake fluid
checking and adding ..............136
Brakes ..........................................87
anti-lock .....................................87
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light .............................88
fluid, checking and adding ....136
Break-in period .............................2
Bulbs, replacing ........................163
specifications ..........................172
Cargo cover .................................39
Changing a tire .........................113
Child safety seats ........................66
Chime
headlamps on ............................12
Cleaning your vehicle ...............175
built-in child seat ...................179
engine compartment ..............176
fabric ........................................178
instrument panel ....................178
plastic parts ............................177
safety belts ..............................179
tail lamps .................................178washing ....................................175
waxing .....................................175
wheels ......................................176
Clutch
fluid ..........................................137
Defrost
rear window ..............................25
Emission control system ..........160
Engine
service points ...................130,131
Engine block heater ...................84
Engine coolant
checking and adding .......138,139
disposal ....................................141
refill capacities ........................141
Engine oil ...........................132,134
changing oil and oil filter .......135
checking and adding .......132,134
Exhaust fumes ............................85
Floor mats ...................................38
Foglamps .....................................28
Fuel
calculating fuel economy .......159
improving fuel economy ........103
octane rating ...........................157
quality ......................................158
running out of fuel .................158
safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................155
Fuel gauge ...................................14
Fuel pump shut-off switch ..39,104
Fuses ..............106,107,108,110,112
Gauges, Mechanical ....................13
engine coolant temperature
gauge .........................................14
Hazard flashers .........................104
Headlamps ...................................26
daytime running lights .............26
flashing ......................................27
high beam .................................27
Heating ........................................18
Index
188

High beams
indicator light ...........................10
Hood
release lever ............................128
Ignition
positions of the ignition ...........26
Instrument panel
lighting up panel and
interior .......................................17
Jump-starting your
vehicle .................................118,120
attaching cables ......................119
disconnecting cables ..............120
Keys
key in ignition chime ...............12
Lamps
dome lamps ........................36,171
fog lamps .................................167
headlamps ...............................165
high-mount brakelamp ...........167
interior lamps ....................36,171
map lamps ..........................36,172
tail lamps .................................169
License plate lamps ..................171
Lights, warning and indicator
air bag ..........................................9
anti-lock brakes (ABS) ............10
anti-theft ...................................10
brake ..........................................10
charging system ........................11
check coolant ............................11
liftgate ajar ................................11
low fuel ........................................7
oil pressure ...............................11
safety belt ...................................9
service engine soon .................7,8
turn signal indicator .................10
Lubricant specifications ...........181
Luggage rack .............................103
Mirrors
side view mirrors (power) .......17
Moon roof ....................................35Odometer .....................................15
Panic alarm feature, remote
entry system ................................42
Parking brake ..............................89
Parts (see Motorcraft parts) ....180
Power steering
fluid, checking and adding ....142
Rear window
wiper ..........................................35
Refill capacities for fluids ........180
Relays .................................106,113
Remote entry system .................39
illuminated entry ......................44
locking/unlocking doors ......40,41
replacement/additional
transmitters ...............................43
replacing the batteries .............42
Reporting safety defects ..........187
Safety restraints
automatic locking mode
(retractor) ............................53,54
extension assembly ..................56
for children ...............................63
for second row bench
seats ............................73,74,78,79
lap and shoulder belts .............52
maintenance ..............................57
proper use .................................51
warning light and chime .....11,57
Safety seats for children
attaching with tether straps ....70
automatic locking mode
(retractor) .................................67
tether anchorage
hardware ..............................70,71
Seats ............................................47
adjusting the seat, manual .......47
folding rear seats ......................50
head restraints ..........................47
Servicing your vehicle ..............123
precautions when servicing ...123
Index
189

Sliding moon roof (see
Moonroof) ....................................35
Speed control ..............................28
canceling a set speed ...............32
resuming a set speed ...............33
tap up/tap down ..................30,31
turning off .................................29
Speedometer ...............................15
Starting your vehicle ........80,81,84
Tachometer
mechanical cluster ...................16
Tilt steering wheel ......................33
Tires ....................................149,152
checking the pressure ............152
replacing ..................................153
rotating ....................................152
snow tires and chains ............154
treadwear ................................150
Trailer towing ............................100
tips ....................................102,122
Transaxle .....................................90
automatic operation ..94,95,96,97
manual operation .......90,91,92,93
Transmission .............................143
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) ......................143,145Trip odometer .............................15
Trunk
using the remote entry
system to open .........................41
Turn signal
lever ...........................................27
Vehicle dimensions ...................183
Vehicle headlamp aiming
device (VHAD) .........................172
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ..........................................186
Vehicle loading ............................97
Ventilating your vehicle .............86
Warning chimes .............................6
Windows
power windows, operating .......37
Windshield washer fluid and
wipers
checking and adding fluid .....137
checking and replacing wiper
blades ......................................148
operation ...................................34
Wrecker towing .........................121
Index
190

Recommended fuel Unleaded fuel only - 87 octane
Fuel tank capacity 48.5L (12.8 gallons)
Engine oil Use Motorcraft 5W30 Super
Premium Motor Oil, Ford
Specification WSS-M2C153-G
Tire size and pressure Refer to Tire Pressure Decal on
passenger's door panel
Hood release Pull handle under the left side of
the instrument panel
Oil capacity (with filter change) Sedan/wagon-3.8L (4.0 quarts)
ZX2-4.25L (4.5 quarts)
Coolant capacity Automatic transaxle-6.0L
(6.3 quarts)
Manual transaxle-5.0L (5.3 quarts)
Power steering fluid capacity Fill to line on reservoir
Automatic transmission capacity 3.9L (4.1 quarts)
Manual transmission capacity 3.35L (3.55 quarts)
Filling station information
192