1998 Mercury Mountaineer Owner's Manuals

Make sure the corresponding lights
illuminate briefly. If a light fails to
illuminate, have the vehicle
serviced.
²If the driver's safety belt is
fastened, the light (
) will not
illuminate.
STARTING THE ENGINE
1. Turn the key to 5 (START)
without pressing the accelerator
pedal and release as soon as the
engine starts. The key will return
to 4 (ON).
2. If the engine does not start
within five seconds, wait ten
seconds and try again.
3. If the engine does not start in
two attempts OR if the
temperature is below -12ÉC (10ÉF),
depress the accelerator and start
the engine while holding the
accelerator down. Release the
accelerator when the engine starts.
4. After idling for a few seconds,
apply the brake and release the
parking brake.
Using the engine block heater
(if equipped)
An engine block heater warms the
engine coolant, which improves
starting, warms up the engine
faster and allows the
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2
1
5
4
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heater-defroster system to respond
quickly. They are strongly
recommended if you live in a
region where temperatures reach
-23ÉC (-10ÉF) or below.
For best results, plug the heater in
at least three hours before starting
the vehicle. Using the heater for
longer than three hours will not
harm the engine, so the heater can
be plugged in the night before
starting the vehicle.
To prevent electrical
shock, do not use your
heater with ungrounded
electrical systems or
two-pronged (cheater) adapters.
Guarding against exhaust
fumes
Although odorless and colorless,
carbon monoxide is present in
exhaust fumes. Take precautions
to avoid its dangerous effects.
If you ever smell exhaust
fumes of any kind inside
your vehicle, have your dealer
inspect and fix your vehicle
immediately. Do not drive if you
smell exhaust fumes. These
fumes are harmful and could kill
you.
Have the exhaust and body
ventilation systems checked
whenever:
²the vehicle is raised for service
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²the sound of the exhaust system
changes
²the vehicle has been damaged in
a collision
Important ventilating
information
If the engine is idling while the
vehicle is stopped in an open area
for long periods of time, open the
windows at least 2.5 cm (one
inch).
Adjust the heating or air
conditioning (if equipped) to bring
in fresh air.
Improve vehicle ventilation by
keeping all air inlet vents clear of
snow, leaves and other debris.
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99

BRAKES
Your brakes are self-adjusting.
Refer to the ªService Guideº for
scheduled maintenance.
Occasional brake noise is normal
and often does not indicate a
performance concern with the
vehicle's brake system. In normal
operation, automotive brake
systems may emit occasional or
intermittent squeal or groan noises
when the brakes are applied. Such
noises are usually heard during the
first few brake applications in the
morning; however, they may be
heard at any time while braking
and can be aggravated by
environmental conditions such as
cold, heat, moisture, road dust, salt
or mud. If a ªmetal-to-metal,º
ªcontinuous grindingº or
ªcontinuous squealº sound is
present while braking, the brake
linings may be worn-out and
should be inspected by a qualified
service technician.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
On vehicles equipped with an
anti-lock braking system (ABS), a
noise from the hydraulic pump
motor and pulsation in the pedal
may be observed during ABS
braking events. Pedal pulsation
coupled with noise while braking
under panic conditions or on loose
gravel, bumps, wet or snowy roads
is normal and indicates proper
functioning of the vehicle's
anti-lock brake system. If the
vehicle has continuous vibration or
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shudder while braking, felt mainly
in the steering wheel, the vehicle
most likely needs service.
The ABS operates by detecting the
onset of wheel lock up during
brake applications and
compensating for this tendency.
The front wheels are prevented
from locking even when the brakes
are firmly applied. The
accompanying illustration depicts
the advantage of an ABS equipped
vehicle (on bottom) to a non-ABS
equipped vehicle (on top) during
hard braking.
ABS warning lamp
The
ABSwarning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates for
about five seconds when starting
the vehicle. If an ABS fault is
detected, the light will remain on
and your vehicle should be
serviced as soon as possible.
Normal braking is still effective
unless the BRAKE warning lamp is
also illuminated.
Using ABS
²In an emergency or when
maximum efficiency from the
ABS is required, apply
continuous full force on the
brake. The ABS will be activated
immediately, thus allowing you
to retain full steering control of
your vehicle and, providing
!
BRAKE
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there is sufficient space, will
enable you to avoid obstacles
and bring the vehicle to a
controlled stop.
²We recommend that you
familiarize yourself with this
braking technique. However,
avoid taking any unnecessary
risks.
Parking brake
Apply the parking brake whenever
the vehicle is parked. To set the
parking brake, press the parking
brake pedal down until the pedal
stops.
The BRAKE warning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates and
remains illuminated (when the
ignition is turned 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) (automatic
transmission) or in 1 (First)
(manual transmission).
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
!
BRAKE
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your vehicle in an emergency.
Since the parking brake applies
only the rear brakes, the vehicle's
stopping distance will be adversely
affected.
Pull the release lever to release
the brake. Driving with the parking
brake on will cause the brakes to
wear out quickly and reduce fuel
economy.
AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM
(IF EQUIPPED)
The air suspension system is
designed to improve ride, handling
and general vehicle performance
during:
²certain road conditions
²steering maneuvers
²braking
²accelerations
This system maintains the vehicle
height at a constant level by
automatically adding air or
releasing air from the springs to
offset changes in vehicle loads.
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The air suspension shut-off switch
is located in the cargo area behind
the left rear quarter trim panel.
On vehicles equipped with
Air Suspension, turn OFF
the Air Suspension switch prior
to jacking, hoisting or towing
your vehicle.
Normal vehicle operation does not
require any action by the driver.
TRANSMISSION OPERATION
Automatic transmission
operation
Brake-shift interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a
brake-shift interlock feature that
prevents the gearshift from being
moved from P (Park) unless the
brake pedal is depressed.
If you cannot move the gearshift
out of P (Park) with the brake
pedal depressed:
1. Apply the parking brake, turn
ignition key to LOCK, then remove
the key.
2. Insert the key and turn it to
OFF. Apply the brake pedal and
shift to N (Neutral).
3. Start the vehicle.
If it is necessary to use the above
procedure to move the gearshift, it
is possible that a fuse has blown.
Refer toFuses and relaysin the
Roadside emergencieschapter.
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