1998 Mercury Mountaineer open hood

²Remove any snow, ice or leaves
from the air intake area (at the
bottom of the windshield under
the hood).
²If your vehicle has been parked
with the windows closed during
hot weather, the air conditioner
will do a much faster job of
cooling if you drive for two or
three minutes with the windows
open. This will force most of the
hot, stale air out of the vehicle.
Then operate your air
conditioner as you would
normally.
²When placing objects on top of
your instrument panel, be
careful to not place them over
the defroster outlets. These
objects can block airflow and
reduce your ability to see
through your windshield. Also,
avoid placing small objects on
top of your instrument panel.
These objects can fall down into
the defroster outlets and block
airflow and possibly damage
your climate control system.
Controls and features
22

OPENING THE HOOD
1. Inside the vehicle, pull the hood
release handle located under the
steering column on the instrument
panel.
2. Go to the front of the vehicle
and release the auxiliary latch that
is located under the front center of
the hood. Lift the hood until the
lift cylinders hold it open.
IDENTIFYING COMPONENTS IN
THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
4.0L SOHC engine
9
13425
867
Maintenance and care
156

7. Power steering fluid reservoir
8. Engine oil dipstick
9. Air filter assembly
ENGINE OIL
Checking the engine oil
Check the engine oil each time you
fuel your vehicle.
1. Make sure the vehicle is on level
ground.
2. Turn the engine off and wait a
few minutes for the oil to drain
into the oil pan.
3. Set the parking brake and
ensure the gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park).
4. Open the hood. Protect yourself
from engine heat.
5. Locate and carefully remove the
engine oil level indicator
(dipstick).
Maintenance and care
158

²license plate lamp
²tail lamps
²back-up lamps
Do not remove lamp bulbs unless
they can be replaced immediately
with new ones. If a bulb is
removed for an extended period of
time, contaminants may enter the
lamp housings and affect lamp
performance.
Replacing headlamp bulbs
Handle a halogen
headlamp bulb carefully
and keep out of children's reach.
Grasp the bulb only by its plastic
base and do not touch the glass.
The oil from your hand could
cause the bulb to break the next
time the headlamps are
operated.
If the bulb is accidentally
touched, it should be cleaned
with rubbing alcohol before
being used.
To remove the headlamp bulb:
1. Make sure headlamp switch is in
OFF position, then open the hood.
If you are replacing the driver side
headlamp, unclip the electronic
module on the right side of the
battery and move it out of the way.
2. Locate the headlamp bulb
through the hole in the upper
radiator support assembly.
Maintenance and care
191

Horizontal aim adjustment
1. With the hood open, locate the
horizontal indicator and adjusting
screw. They are located below the
viewing hole at the rear of the
headlamp assembly.
2. Use a 4mm wrench or socket to
turn the horizontal adjusting screw
until the ª0º mark on the yellow
dial lines up with the reference
mark on the marker (as shown)
when viewed directly from above.
Vertical aim adjustment
1. Park the vehicle on a level
surface.
2. With the hood open, locate the
bubble level and vertical
adjustment screw. The adjustment
screw is located on the outboard
side of the headlamp.
3. The ªUPº and ªDNº on the
bubble indicate the directional
change (up or down) of the
vertical aim.
4.Usea4mmwrench or socket to
turn the vertical adjusting screw
clockwise or counterclockwise until
the bubble is centered over the ª0º
mark.
U
D
U
D
Maintenance and care
195