1999 FORD ESCORT air condition

Your vehicle was not designed to use fuel or fuel additives with metallic
compounds, including manganese-based compounds containing MMT.
Repairs to correct the effects of using a fuel for which your vehicle was
not designed may not be covered by your warranty.
Octane recommendations
Your vehicle is designed to use
ªRegularº unleaded gasoline with an
(R+M)/2 octane rating of 87. We do
not recommend the use of gasolines
labeled as ªRegularº that are sold
with octane ratings of 86 or lower in high altitude areas.
Do not be concerned if your engine sometimes knocks lightly. However, if
it knocks heavily under most driving conditions while you are using fuel
with the recommended octane rating, see your dealer or a qualified
service technician to prevent any engine damage.
Fuel quality
If you are experiencing starting, rough idle or hesitation driveability
problems during a cold start, try a different brand of ªRegularº unleaded
gasoline. ªPremiumº unleaded gasoline is not recommended (particularly
in the United States) because it may cause these problems to become
more pronounced. If the problems persist, see your dealer or a qualified
service technician.
It should not be necessary to add any aftermarket products to your fuel
tank if you continue to use a high quality fuel.
Cleaner air
Ford approves the use of gasolines to improve air quality, including
reformulated gasolines that contain oxygenates up to 10% ethanol or
15% MTBE.
Running out of fuel
Avoid running out fuel because this situation may have an adverse affect
on powertrain components.
If you have run out of fuel:
²You may need to crank the engine several times after refueling before
the system starts to pump the fuel from the tank to the engine.
87(R+M)/2 METHOD
Maintenance and care
155

²Idling for long periods of time (greater than one minute) may waste
fuel.
²Anticipate stopping; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop.
²Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel economy.
²Slow down gradually.
²Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 88 km/h [55 mph] uses 15%
less fuel than traveling at 105 km/h [65 mph]).
²Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
²Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
²Using speed control (if equipped) may improve fuel economy. Speed
control can help maintain a constant speed and reduce speed changes.
You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain as
unnecessary shifting between third and fourth gears may occur and
could result in reduced fuel economy.
²Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
²Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
²Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
²Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
²Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
²Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant Specifications.
²Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle Scheduled Maintenance Guide.
Conditions
²Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
²Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
2 km/h [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
Maintenance and care
158

If other than Ford, Motorcraft or Ford-authorized parts are used for
maintenance replacements or for service of components affecting
emission control, such non-Ford parts should be equivalent to genuine
Ford Motor Company parts in performance and durability.
Do not park, idle, or drive your vehicle in dry grass or other dry
ground cover. The emission system heats up the engine
compartment and exhaust system, which can start a fire.
Illumination of the charging system warning light, ªService Engine Soonº
light or the temperature warning light, fluid leaks, strange odors, smoke
or loss of oil pressure, could indicate that the emission control system is
not working properly.
Exhaust leaks may result in entry of harmful and potentially
lethal fumes into the passenger compartment.
Do not make any unauthorized changes to your vehicle or engine. By
law, vehicle owners and anyone who manufactures, repairs, services,
sells, leases, trades vehicles, or supervises a fleet of vehicles are not
permitted to intentionally remove an emission control device or prevent
it from working. Information about your vehicle's emission system is on
the Vehicle Emission Control Information Decal located on or near the
engine. This decal identifies engine displacement and gives some tune up
specifications.
Please consult your ªWarranty Guideº for complete emission warranty
information.
Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) testing
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to pass an I/M test of
the on-board diagnostics system. If your ªCheck Engine/Service Engine
Soonº light is on, refer to the description in theWarning Lights and
Chimessection of theInstrumentationchapter. Your vehicle may not
pass the I/M test with the ªCheck Engine/Service Engine Soonº light on.
If the vehicle's powertrain system or its battery has just been serviced,
the on-board diagnostics system is reset to a ªnot ready for I/M testº
condition. To ready the on-board diagnostics system for I/M testing, a
minimum of 30 minutes of city and highway driving is necessary as
described below:
²First, at least 10 minutes of driving on an expressway or highway.
Maintenance and care
160

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 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
the Ultra Touch Prep and Finishing Kit (#F7AZ-19K507±BA), touch-up
paint (#ALBZ-19500±XXXXA), or aerosol paint spray (#ALAZ-19500±
XXXXA) from the Ford Car Care Chemicals line. Please note that the
part numbers (shown as XXXX above) will vary with your vehicle's
specific coloring. Observe the application instructions on the products.
Maintenance and care
170

* May be sold with the Motorcraft name
A wide selection of accessories is available through your local authorized
Ford, Lincoln-Mercury or Ford of Canada dealer. These quality
accessories have been specifically engineered to fulfill your automotive
needs; they are custom designed to complement the style and
aerodynamic appearance of your vehicle. In addition, each accessory is
made from high quality materials and meets or exceeds Ford's rigid
engineering and safety specifications. Ford accessories are warranted for
up to 12 months or 20,000 km (12,000 miles) on all cars and light trucks
and 12 months with unlimited distance on medium/heavy duty trucks
unless the accessory is installed on a new vehicle, then the warranty
becomes the balance of the new vehicle's warranty or the accessories
warranty, whichever is greater. See your dealer for complete warranty
information and availability.
Not all accessories are available for all models.
Vehicle Security
Remote keyless entry
Styled wheel protector locks
Vehicle security systems
Comfort and convenience
Air conditioner
Air filtration systems
Cargo nets
Cargo organizers
Cargo shades
Cargo trays
Dash trim
Engine block heaters
Gear shift knob
Luggage presenter (Continental only)
Manual sliding rear window
Tire step
Customer assistance
189

Air bag supplemental
restraint system ..........................71
and child safety seats ..............73
description ................................71
disposal ......................................75
driver air bag ............................73
indicator light ........................8,75
operation ...................................73
passenger air bag .....................73
Air cleaner filter ................146,174
Air conditioning ..........................37
Anti-theft system ...................58,59
arming the system ....................59
disarming a
triggered system ..................59,60
disarming an untriggered
system .......................................59
warning light ...............................9
Automatic transaxle ...................95
driving with ...............................97
fluid, refill capacities ..............174
fluid, specification ..................176
Battery .......................................144
acid, treating emergencies .....144
charging system
warning light .............................10
jumping a disabled battery ....117
maintenance-free ....................144
replacement, specifications ...174
servicing ..................................144
Brakes ..........................................89
anti-lock ................................89,90
anti-lock brake system
(ABS) warning light ..............9,89
brake warning light ....................8
fluid, checking and adding ....134
fluid, refill capacities ..............174
fluid, specifications ..........175,176
lubricant specifications ...175,176
parking ......................................90
shift interlock ............................95
Break-in period .............................2Capacities for refilling fluids ....174
Cargo cover .................................54
Child safety restraints ................76
child safety belts ......................76
child safety seats ......................77
Child safety seats ........................77
attaching with tether straps ....80
built-in child seat .....................77
in front seat ..............................78
in rear seat ................................78
tether anchorage
hardware ..............................80,81
Cleaning your vehicle ...............169
engine compartment ..............171
exterior ....................................170
exterior lamps .........................172
instrument panel ....................172
interior .....................................173
plastic parts ............................172
safety belts ..............................173
washing ....................................170
waxing .....................................170
wheels ......................................171
wiper blades ............................172
Clock ..................................19,25,33
Clutch
fluid ..........................................135
operation while driving ............92
recommended shift speeds ......94
Coolant ........................137,139,140
checking and adding ..............138
refill capacities .................139,174
specifications ...................175,176
Customer Assistance ................181
Ford accessories
for your vehicle ......................188
Ford Extended
Service Plan ............................182
Getting assistance outside the
U.S. and Canada .....................187
Getting roadside assistance ...181
Index
194

Headlamps ...................................42
aiming ...............................168,169
bulb specifications ..................167
daytime running lights .............43
flash to pass ..............................43
high beam ..............................9,43
replacing bulbs .......................162
turning on and off ....................42
warning chime ..........................10
Heating ........................................37
heater only system ...................37
heating and air
conditioning system .................39
Hood ..........................................127
Ignition ................................176,177
positions of the ignition ...........42
Infant seats
(see Safety seats) .......................77
Inspection/
maintenance (I/M) testing .......160
Instrument panel ..........................6
cleaning ...................................172
lighting up panel
and interior ...............................14
location of components ..............6
Jump-starting your vehicle ......117
Keys
key in ignition chime ...............10
positions of the ignition ...........42
Lamps
cargo lamps ...............................14
daytime running light ...............43
fog lamps ...................................44
headlamps ..........................42,162
headlamps, flash to pass ..........43
instrument panel, dimming .....14
interior lamps ....................51,167
replacing bulbs ..161,164,165,166
Lane change indicator
(see Turn signal) ........................43
Lights, warning and indicator ......6
air bag ..........................................8anti-lock brakes (ABS) .........9,89
anti-theft .....................................9
brake ............................................8
charging system ........................10
high beam ...................................9
liftgate ajar ................................10
low fuel ........................................7
oil pressure ...............................10
safety belt ...................................8
service engine soon ....................7
turn signal indicator ...................9
Load limits .................................100
GAWR ......................................100
GVWR ......................................100
trailer towing ..........................100
Locks
childproof ..................................52
Lubricant specifications ....175,176
Manual transaxle .........................92
fluid capacities ........................174
lubricant specifications ..........176
reverse .......................................95
Mirrors
side view mirrors (power) .......14
Moon roof ....................................50
Motorcraft parts .................156,174
Octane rating ............................155
Odometer .....................................13
Panic alarm feature, remote
entry system ................................57
Parking brake ..............................90
Parts (see Motorcraft parts) ....174
Power distribution box
(see Fuses) ...............................110
Power door locks ........................52
Power steering ............................91
fluid, checking and adding ....140
fluid, refill capacity ................174
fluid, specifications ..........175,176
Radio ............................................15
Relays .................................107,113
Remote entry system ............55,57
Index
196