1998 Mercury Villager tow

Trailer Brakes
Separate trailer brakes are required on most trailers weighing
over 1,500 lbs. (680 kg).
WARNING
Do not connect a trailer's hydraulic brake system directly
to your vehicle's brake system. Your vehicle may not
have enough braking power and your chances of having a
collision greatly increase.
Trailer Lamps
Make sure your trailer lamps conform to federal and local
regulations.
Class I Trailer Tow electrical wiring provides two circuits (right
hand and left hand) to operate trailer stop/turn tail lamps. Each
stop/turn circuit will operate one combination stop/turn light
bulb (# 1157, 3157, 2357, or 3357) on the trailer. Never add more than
one trailer light bulb to one circuit.
WARNING
Always replace a fuse with one that has the specified
amperage rating. Using a fuse with a higher amperage rating
can cause severe wire damage and could start a fire.
Driving
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Trailer Tow Module (If equipped)
The trailer tow module on your vehicle (if equipped) allows
turn/stop lamp control on a trailer being towed by your vehicle.
The trailer tow package includes:
mtrailer tow module which is protected by the vehicle stop
lamp fuse
mone SAE J1239 specified connector
mone extension harness within the rear bumper
mheavy duty battery
mfull size spare
If you need further assistance in wiring a trailer to your vehicle,
contact your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
Driving While You Tow
Be especially careful when driving while you tow a trailer. Never
drive faster than 45 mph (70 km/h) when you tow in hilly
country on hot days. Also, anticipate stops so that you can brake
gradually.
If you use the speed control while you are towing on very long,
steep grades, the speed control may shut off automatically.
This is caused by the decrease of vehicle speed 5 mph (8 km/h)
lower than set speed.
When descending a steep grade with a trailer, operate in Drive
rather than Overdrive. If additional braking is needed, shift into 2
(Second) or 1 (First) gear.
Servicing Your Vehicle If You Tow
If you tow a trailer for a long distance, your vehicle will need to
be serviced more frequently than usual. See theMaintenance
Schedulebooklet in the Owner's portfolio.
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Trailer Towing Tips
Before starting on a trip, practice turning, stopping and backing
in an area away from heavy traffic. Get to know the ªfeelº of
the vehicle/trailer combination.
Practice backing up. Back up very slowly, with someone outside
at the rear of your trailer to guide you. Place your hand at
the bottom of the steering wheel and move it in the direction you
want the rear of the trailer to swing. Slight movement of the
steering wheel results in a much larger movement of the rear of
the trailer.
When turning, drive slightly beyond the normal turning point so
the trailer wheels will clear curbs or other obstructions.
Allow more room for stopping with a trailer attached. Trailer
brakes should be applied first, whether manually or automatically
controlled, when approaching a stop.
For an easy-to-operate vehicle/trailer combination, the trailer
tongue load should be approximately 10-15% of the loaded trailer
weight.
Make a thorough check of your equipment before starting out on
the road. After you have traveled about 50 miles (80 km), stop
in a protected area and double-check your hitch and electrical
connections. Also check trailer wheel lug nuts for tightness.
When stopped in traffic for long periods of time in hot weather,
place the gearshift selector lever in Park (P) to increase the
engine idle speed. This aids in engine cooling and air conditioner
efficiency. If the engine overheats, press the air intake selector
button to select the fresh air position to stop the air conditioner
compressor. Increase the engine speed for a short time.
Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. However,
if you must park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the
trailer's wheels as follows:
Driving
237

Changing a Flat Tire
If you get a flat tire while you are driving, do not apply the
brake heavily. Instead, gradually decrease the speed. Hold the
steering wheel firmly and slowly move to a safe place on the side
of the road. Park on a level spot, turn off the ignition, set the
parking brake, and turn on the hazard flashers.
The Temporary Spare Tire
Your vehicle has a temporary spare tire (unless you ordered the
optional full-size spare tire). This spare tire is smaller than a
regular tire and is designed for emergency use only. Use it only
when you get a flat tire and replace it as soon as you can. This spare
tire is marked with the words TEMPORARY USE ONLY so
that you can easily identify it.
WARNING
If you use the temporary spare tire continuously or do not
follow these precautions, the tire could fail, causing
you to lose control of the vehicle, possibly injuring yourself
or others.
When you drive with the temporary spare tire, DO NOT:
mexceed 50 mph (80 km/h) under any circumstances
mload your vehicle so that it is heavier than the maximum
vehicle load rating listed on the tire decal
mtow a trailer
muse tire chains
mtry to repair the temporary spare tire or remove it from its
wheel
muse the wheel for any other type of vehicle
254

Stowing the spare tire
1. To raise the tire to the stowed position, lay the tire on the
ground with the inboard side facing up. Install the retainer
through the wheel center and slide the tire under the
vehicle. Fit the hex-shaped end of the lug wrench over the hex
nut in the floor of the cargo area. Turn the lug wrench
clockwise until the tire is raised to its original position
underneath the vehicle.
NOTE: The lug wrench ratchets when the tire is raised to the
stowed position. It will not allow you to over-tighten.
2. Check for proper seating against the underbody supports and
retighten if necessary.
WARNING
Make sure the spare tire and jacking equipment are
stowed and secured in the proper storage location.
Preparing to Change the Tire
You should only raise your vehicle with a jack properly placed at
the front or rear jacking points.
1. Make sure that your vehicle will not move or roll and that the
tires and jack are on a level, solid surface. Put the gearshift
lever in P (Park). Set the parking brake and block the wheel Ð
in both directions Ð that is diagonally opposite the tire that
you are changing.
WARNING
When one of the front wheels is off the ground, the
transaxle alone will not prevent the vehicle from moving
or slipping off the jack, even if the vehicle is in P
(Park).
258

WARNING
Never use wheels or lug nuts different than the original
equipment as this could damage the wheel or mounting
system. This damage could allow the wheels to come
off while the vehicle is being driven.
13. Replace the wheel cover by pressing it into place. If you have
the standard wheel covers, you must align the notch in the
wheel cover with the tire's valve stem and align the recess in the
back of the wheel cover with one of the lug nuts. If you
have the optional aluminum wheel, press the center wheel
cap into place after matching up the design of the wheel cap
to the wheel.
14. Make sure the jack is securely fastened. When you replace
the jack in the jack storage compartment, place the base
against the square-shaped fastening bracket and open the jack
slightly so that the jack is snug against the fastening
brackets.
15. Store the flat tire under the vehicle just as you would store
the spare tire. Refer to the section onStowing the Spare Tire
in this chapter.
266

Jump-Starting
1. Make sure that the jumper cables are not in the way of
moving engine parts, then start the booster vehicle. Run the
engine at a moderate speed.
2. Let the discharged battery charge for a few minutes and then
start the disabled vehicle. It may take a couple of tries before
the vehicle starts. If the vehicle does not start after several
attempts, there may be a different problem.
3. When both vehicles are running, let them idle for a few
minutes to charge the discharged battery.
Removing jumper cables
1.Always remove the jumper cables in the reverse order.
Remove the negative (±) end of the jumper cable from the
metallic surface on the engine or frame of the disabled
vehicle.
2. Remove the negative (±) cable from the booster battery.
3. Remove the positive (+) cable from the booster battery.
4. Remove the other end of the positive (+) cable from the
discharged battery.
If you need to replace your battery, seeBatteryin theMaintenance
and Carechapter.
Towing Your Vehicle
If you need to have your vehicle towed, contact a professional
towing service or, if you are a member, your roadside assistance
center.
DO NOT TOW YOUR VILLAGER WITH SLINGBELT
EQUIPMENT. Ford Motor Company has not developed or
approved a T-hook sling-type procedure. Use wheel lift or flatbed
equipment.
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When calling for a tow truck, tell the operator what kind of vehicle
you have. A towing manual is available from Ford Motor
Company for all authorized tow truck operators. Have your tow
truck driver refer to this manual for the proper hook-up and
towing procedures for your vehicle.
Towing the vehicle
Roadside Emergencies
273