1998 Mercury Grand Marquis wiper blades

Keep batteries out of reach of children. Batteries contain sulfuric
acid. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Shield your eyes
when working near the battery to protect against possible splashing of
acid solution. In case of acid contact with skin or eyes, flush
immediately with water for a minimum of 15 minutes and get prompt
medical attention. If acid is swallowed, call a physician immediately.
Because your vehicle's engine is electronically controlled by a computer,
some control conditions are maintained by power from the battery. When
the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the engine must
relearn its idle conditions before your vehicle will drive properly. To
begin this process:
1. Put the gearshift in P (Park), turn off all accessories and start the
engine.
2. Let the engine idle for at least one minute.
3. The relearning process will automatically complete as you drive the
vehicle.
²If you do not allow the engine to relearn its idle, the idle quality of
your vehicle may be adversely affected until the idle is eventually
relearned.
²If the battery has been disconnected or a new battery has been
installed, the clock and the preset radio stations must be reset once
the battery is reconnected.
²Always dispose of automotive
batteries in a responsible manner.
Follow your community's
standards for disposal. Call your
local recycling center to find out
more about recycling automotive batteries.
WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES
Check the wiper blades at least twice a year or when they seem less
effective. Substances such as tree sap and some hot wax treatments used
by commercial car washes reduce the effectiveness of wiper blades.
Checking the wiper blades
If the wiper blades do not wipe properly, clean both the windshield and
wiper blades using undiluted windshield wiper solution or a mild
Maintenance and care
122

detergent. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. To avoid damaging the
blades, do not use fuel, kerosene, paint thinner or other solvents.
Changing the wiper blades
When replacing wiper blade assemblies, always use a Motorcraft part or
equivalent. To make replacing the wipers easy, turn the ignition to ACC,
then turn the wipers on. When the wipers reach the vertical position,
turn the ignition to LOCK.
To replace the wiper blades:
1. Pull the wiper arm away from the
windshield and lock into the service
position.
2. Turn the blade at an angle from
the wiper arm. Push the lock pin
with a screwdriver to release the
blade and pull the wiper blade down
toward the windshield to remove it
from the arm.
3. Attach the new wiper to the
wiper arm and press it into place
until a click is heard.
INFORMATION ABOUT TIRE QUALITY GRADES
New vehicles are fitted with tires
that have their Tire Quality Grade
(described below) molded into the
tire's sidewall. These Tire Quality
Grades are determined by standards
that the United States Department
of Transportation has set.
Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic tires for use on
passenger cars. They do not apply
to deep tread, winter-type snow
tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches or limited production tires as defined in
Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 575.104(c)(2).
Maintenance and care
123

CLEANING AND CARING FOR YOUR VEHICLE
Refer to the ªCustomer Assistance Guideº for a list of Ford-approved
cleaners, polishes and waxes.
Washing your vehicle
Wash your vehicle regularly with
cold or lukewarm water. Never use
strong detergents or soap. If your
vehicle is particularly dirty, use a
quality car wash detergent. Always
use a clean sponge, washing glove
or similar device and plenty of water
for best results. To avoid spots,
avoid washing when the hood is still
warm, immediately after or during
exposure to strong sunlight.
During winter months, it is especially important to wash the vehicle on a
regular basis. Large quantities of dirt and road salt are difficult to
remove and also cause damage to the vehicle.
Remove any exterior accessories, such as antennas, before entering a car
wash. If you have wax applied to the vehicle at a commercial car wash, it
is recommended that you clean the wiper blades and windshield as
described inCleaning the wiper blades and windshield.
After washing, apply the brakes several times to dry them.
Waxing your vehicle
Wax when water stops beading on the surface. This could be every three
or four months, depending on operating conditions.
Use only carnauba or synthetic-based waxes. Use cleaning fluid or
alcohol with a clean cloth to remove any bugs and tar before waxing
vehicle. Use tar remover to remove any tar spots.
Avoid getting wax on the windshield. If you have wax applied at a
commercial car wash, it is recommended that you clean the wiper blades
and windshield as described inCleaning the wiper blades and
windshield.
Repairing paint chips
Minor scratches or paint damage from road debris may be repaired with
touch-up paint, repair foil or aerosol paint spray from the Ford accessory
Maintenance and care
137

²Cover the highlighted areas 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 engine
Cover the underhood electrical connections and terminals of your vehicle
when cleaning the engine compartment. Avoid spraying or splashing
cleaning solvents or detergent solutions on the terminals and
connections. After the cleaning is completed and with the engine not
running, remove the protective cleaning coverings. Exposing electrical
connections and terminals to cleaning solvents and detergent solutions
over a period of time can corrode them and result in electrical system
damage and malfunctions.
Cleaning plastic exterior parts
Use vinyl cleaner for routine cleaning. Clean with a tar remover if
necessary. Do not clean plastic parts with thinners, solvents or
petroleum-based cleaners.
Cleaning the exterior lamps
Wash with the same detergent as the exterior of your vehicle. Use glass
cleaner or tar remover if necessary.
To avoid scratching the lamps, do not use a dry paper towel, chemical
solvents or abrasive cleaners.
Cleaning the wiper blades and windshield
If the wiper blades do not wipe properly, clean the wiper blade rubber
element with undiluted windshield washer solution or a mild detergent.
To avoid damaging the blades, do not use fuel, kerosene, paint thinner or
other solvents.
If the wiper still does not wipe properly, this could be caused by
substances on the windshield such as tree sap and some hot wax
treatments used by commercial car washes. Clean the outside of the
windshield with a non-abrasive cleanser such as the non-abrasive
Bon-Amitpowder. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.Do notuse
abrasive cleansers on glass as they may cause scratches. The windshield
is clean if beads do not form when you rinse it with water. The
windshield and wiper blades should be cleaned on a regular basis, and
blades or rubber elements replaced when worn.
Maintenance and care
139

Aiming headlamps ....................135
Air bag supplemental
restraint system ..........................67
and child safety seats ..............68
description ................................67
disposal ......................................71
indicator light ...........................70
passenger air bag .....................69
Air conditioning
manual heating and air
conditioning system ............25,26
Air suspension
description ................................86
Anti-lock brake system
(ABS)#$description
Battery .......................................120
voltage gauge ............................16
Brake fluid
checking and adding ..............112
Brakes ..........................................82
anti-lock .....................................82
anti-lock brake system
(ABS) warning light .................83
fluid, checking and adding ....112
traction control .........................84
Brake-shift interlock ...................87
Break-in period .............................2
Bulbs, replacing ........................133
specifications ..........................136
Changing a tire .........................100
Child safety seats ........................72
Childproof locks ..........................48
Chime
headlamps on ............................11
Cleaning your vehicle ...............137
engine compartment .......138,139
exterior ....................................140
headlamps ...............................139
plastic parts ............................139
washing ....................................137
waxing .....................................137
wheels ......................................138windows ..................................141
wiper blades ............................139
Climate control system
automatic temperature
control ...................27,28,29,30,32
Clock ............................................33
Compass, electronic ....................43
calibration .................................44
set zone adjustment .................44
Coolant (see Engine coolant)
temperature gauge ...................15
Defrost
rear window ..............................24
Emission control system ..........131
Engine
service points ..........................109
Engine block heater ...................80
Engine coolant
checking and adding ..............114
disposal ....................................115
refill capacities ........................115
Engine oil ...........................110,111
changing oil and oil filter .......112
checking and adding .......110,111
Exhaust fumes ............................81
Floor mats ...................................49
Fuel
calculating fuel economy .......130
improving fuel economy ..........93
octane rating ...........................129
quality ......................................130
running out of fuel .................130
safety information relating
to automotive fuels ................127
Fuel pump shut-off switch .........94
Fuse panels
instrument panel ......................96
power distribution box .............98
Fuses .......................................95,96
Gauges, Mechanical ....................12
fuel gauge ..................................12
Hazard flashers ...........................94
Index
149

head restraints ..........................57
lumbar support .........................60
Servicing your vehicle ..............107
precautions when servicing ...107
Speed control ..............................36
canceling a set speed ...............38
indicator light ...........................39
resuming a set speed ...............39
tap up/tap down ..................37,38
turning off .................................36
Speed sensitive steering ............86
Speedometer ...............................13
Starting your vehicle .............77,80
starting your vehicle if the
battery is disabled ....103,104,105
Steering, power ...........................85
Tilt steering wheel ......................35
Tires ....................................123,125
changing ..................................102
checking the pressure ............125
replacing ..................................126
rotating ....................................125
snow tires and chains ............126
treadwear ................................124
Traction control
active light ................................11
Trailer towing
tips .............................................92
Transmission .............................119
automatic operation .......87,88,89fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................119
Trip odometer .............................15
Trunk
using the remote entry
system to open .........................51
Turn signal
lever ...........................................34
Universal transmitter ..................39
erasing channels .......................42
operating ...................................41
programming .............................40
Vehicle dimensions ...................145
Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN) ...........................147
Vehicle loading ............................89
Ventilating your vehicle .............81
Warning chimes ........................6,22
Wheels
anti-theft lug nuts ..................101
Windows
power windows, operating .......46
Windshield washer fluid and
wipers
checking and adding fluid .....113
checking and
replacing wiper blades ...........122
operation ...................................34
Wrecker towing .........................106
Index
151