1998 Mercury Villager Owner's Manuals

mDo not place objects under the front seats unless your vehicle
is equipped with an underseat storage compartment.
Improperly stored objects will interfere with the flow of air to
the back seats.
mRemove any snow, ice, or leaves from the area below the
windshield on the outside of your vehicle. They could block the
air intake.
Heating and Air Conditioning System (If equipped)
Turning on the heat
You can heat the inside of your vehicle and defrost the
windshield using the function selector buttons located in the
control assembly in the instrument panel.
The six function selector buttons are: OFF, Mix (
), Defrost
(
), Panel (), Panel/Floor (), and Floor (). If your
vehicle is equipped with a rear seat climate control system, the
instrument panel will also include a rear seat climate control lever.
To turn on the rear passenger compartment control system,
select REAR, 1, 2, 3, or 4. With the lever set to REAR, rear seat
passengers will have control of rear fan speed on the rear seat
climate control panel. Positions 1, 2, 3, or 4 will control rear
fan speed from the front control panel. The temperature of the air
from the rear system is controlled by the rear passenger
compartment climate control system.
Controls and Features
61

The standard heating system and the heating portion of the heating
and air conditioning system are essentially identical. There is
one exception, however; the air conditioning compressor may
automatically engage when the Defrost position is selected to aid in
defogging and defrosting the inside glass. When Defrost is
selected, the A/C compressor will automatically operate when
the outside temperature is above approximately 40É F (4É C),
whether or not the A/C button is illuminated. Manual
selection and illumination of the A/C button in defrost mode
does not override the automatic compressor operation discussed
above. Refer to the heating system operating instructions
covered previously for a more detailed explanation of heating
system operation.
Heating and air conditioning climate control system panel
62

Turning on the air conditioner
To cool your vehicle quickly in warm weather:
1. Press one of the function selector buttons (typically Panel, but
Panel/Floor, Floor or Mix can be selected).
2. Turn the temperature control knob to COOL.
3. Press the A/C button. The indicator light on the A/C button
will illuminate.
4. The air intake selector button may be in the outside air mode
or the recirculated air mode. The outside air mode is
recommended for best A/C performance when the vehicle
interior is very warm. As interior air comfort is reached, you
may decide to switch to the recirculated air mode.
5. Turn the fan speed knob to the position of your choice.
6. If your vehicle is equipped with the rear passenger compartment
air conditioning unit, it will be on when the front A/C is on
and the rear climate control lever is set to REAR, 1, 2, 3, or 4.
Refer to the previous section for an explanation of the
heating system.
7. Adjust your instrument panel registers.
8. If the inside of your vehicle is very warm, you may want to
drive for a few minutes with the windows down and the air
conditioner on. This forces most of the hot, stale air out of the
vehicle and allows the air conditioner to cool down the
interior more quickly.
The air conditioner may be used to cool the outside air being
drawn into your vehicle, but using recirculated air is more
economical and cools your vehicle more quickly.
Controls and Features
63

NOTE: The A/C button independently toggles the A/C system's
compressor signal and indicator light ON and OFF in
the Panel, Panel/Floor, Floor, Defrost and Mix functions.
The A/C button will not operate or light when the
system is set in the OFF position. The A/C button will
operate in defrost but will not override previously
discussed automatic operation.
Cooling your vehicle with outside air
Cooling your vehicle with air conditioned outside air is quieter
but less economical than using recirculated air. It also has less
cooling capacity.
To cool your vehicle using outside air:
1. Turn the air intake selector button off (the outside air
position). The air conditioning unit directs outside air through
the instrument panel registers.
2. Press one of the function selector buttons.
3. Press the A/C button. The indicator light on the A/C button
will illuminate.
4. Turn the temperature control knob to COOL.
5. Turn the fan speed knob to the position of your choice.
6. Make sure the registers in the instrument panel are open.
During periods of high humidity, vapor may be emitted from the
air outlets when using the A/C with outside air. Correct this
by switching to recirculated air with the A/C button.
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Ventilating your vehicle with outside air
In mild weather, you can ventilate your vehicle with outside air.
If the outside temperature is less than 70É F (21É C), you can
add cool air to your vehicle without using air conditioning. You
will get better fuel economy this way.
The procedure for ventilating your vehicle with the standard
heating system or with the air conditioning system is the same.
Refer to the previous section for instructions on how to ventilate
with outside air.
Improving fuel economy
Whenever you turn on the air conditioning, your vehicle uses
more fuel because the air conditioning compressor is running. To
get better fuel economy while cooling your vehicle, do not use
the air conditioner on mild days. Instead, set the air intake selector
button in the outside air position and turn the temperature
control knob to the COOL position.
Operating tips
When stopped in traffic for long periods of time in hot weather,
place the automatic transaxle gearshift selector lever in P
(Park) or in N (Neutral) to increase the engine idle speed. This
aids in engine cooling and air conditioner efficiency. If the engine
overheats, choose the outside air position and turn off the A/C
to stop the compressor for a short time.
When your vehicle's engine is operated at full throttle, the air
conditioner compressor will automatically be turned off to allow
maximum engine power. This may occur during passing or
when climbing steep grades. The compressor will return to normal
operation within a few seconds after full throttle is no longer
needed.
Controls and Features
65

NOTE: The compressor will not operate when the outside
temperature is less than about 40É F (4É C).
Rear Passenger Compartment Climate Control System
for Vehicles with Non-Automatic Temperature
Control Systems (If equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped with rear passenger compartment
climate controls, the rear seat occupants can select their own
personal climate comfort level.
The rear seat climate control system is controlled from the main
climate control system on the instrument panel. If the main
system is off, the rear system will also be off. If the rear passenger
compartment climate control lever is set in OFF, the rear
climate controls are turned off. If the lever is set in any of the fan
speed positions (1-4), air will be discharged from the rear seat
vents at the corresponding speed. However, when the lever is set
at REAR, rear seat passengers can control their own fan speed.
The rear passenger compartment climate control system has a fan
speed knob which controls the speed at which air is
discharged from the vents. The vent selection switch determines
whether the air is discharged from the upper vents or the
lower (floor) vents. The temperature control knob controls the air
temperature.
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NOTE: For maximum heating and cooling for front seat
passengers, set the rear fan switch to the OFF position.
Automatic Temperature Control System
The control for your Automatic Temperature Control (ATC) is
located at the center of the instrument panel above the radio. The
ATC operates only when the ignition key is turned to the ON
position and the engine is running.
To turn the ATC on, push the AUTOMATIC button or any of the
five airflow function selector buttons:
,,,,
or
.
To turn the ATC off, press the OFF button.
To change the temperature in the display window, select any
temperature between 65É F (18É C) and 85É F (29É C) using
the
TEMPbutton.
Rear seat climate control system panel
Controls and Features
67

The ATC maintains the temperature you select and
automatically controls the airflow for your comfort. It also allows
you to override the automatic operation of airflow and fan
speed with manual function selector buttons and the fan speed
dial.
When you select the AUTOMATIC button, the system determines
airflow location and fan speed automatically. It also
automatically determines whether you will be receiving fresh
outside airflow, recirculated interior airflow, or a combination of
both. You can manually override the airflow source (outside
or recirculated air) and airflow location by selecting one of the
function selector buttons. You can also manually override the fan
speed by rotating the fan speed dial.
Whether you operate in the AUTOMATIC mode or manually
override the AUTOMATIC mode settings, the ATC will continue
to maintain the air temperature you have selected. However,
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