1999 LINCOLN TOWN CAR fuel tank

2. Poor fuel quality or water in the fuel.
3. The fuel cap may not have been properly installed and securely
tightened.
These temporary malfunctions can be corrected by filling the fuel tank
with good quality fuel and/or properly installing and securely tightening
the gas cap. After three driving cycles without these or any other
temporary malfunctions present, theService Engine Soonlight should
turn off. (A driving cycle consists of a cold engine startup followed by
mixed city/highway driving.) No additional vehicle service is required.
If theService Engine Soonlight remains on, have your vehicle serviced
at the first available opportunity.
Light is blinking:
Engine misfire is occurring which could damage your catalytic converter.
You should drive in a moderate fashion (avoid heavy acceleration and
deceleration) and have your vehicle serviced at the first available
opportunity.
Under engine misfire conditions, excessive exhaust temperatures
could damage the catalytic converter, the fuel system, interior
floor coverings or other vehicle components, possibly causing a fire.
Air bag readiness
Momentarily illuminates when the
ignition is turned ON. If the light
fails to illuminate, continues to flash
or remains on, have the system
serviced immediately.
Safety belt
Momentarily illuminates when the
ignition is turned to the ON position
to remind you to fasten your safety
belts. For more information, refer to
theSeating and safety restraints
chapter.
AIR
BAG
Instrumentation
7

Odometer
Registers the total kilometers
(miles) of the vehicle.
Fuel gauge
Displays approximately how much
fuel is in the fuel tank (when the
key is in the ON position). The fuel
gauge may vary slightly when the
vehicle is in motion. The ignition
should be in the OFF position while
the vehicle is being refueled. When
the gauge first indicates empty,
there is a small amount of reserve
fuel in the tank. When refueling the vehicle from empty indication, the
amount of fuel that can be added will be less than the advertised
capacity due to the reserve fuel.
A minimum of six gallons must be added or removed from the fuel tank
in order for the gauge to instantaneously update. If less than six gallons
is the change, the gauge will take between five to ten minutes to update.
Speedometer
Indicates the current vehicle speed.
TRUNK AJAR DOOR AJAR
TRAC OFF AIR SUSPENSION
O/D OFF TRAC ACTIVE
SPEED CONTROL COMPASSkmCIRCLE
SLOWLY
F
E1
2
FILL ON
LEFT<
10
2030405060
70
80
90
100
120206080
40100
120
160 140
180
MPHkm/h
110
Instrumentation
13

²see how many kilometers/miles
you can drive before running out
of fuel.
²see how many liters/gallons of
fuel remain in the fuel tank.
²monitor the average fuel
economy.
²monitor the instantaneous fuel economy.
²monitor the average speed.
²check the distance traveled during a trip on either Trip A or Trip B.
You can select different features for the message center to display by
using the message center controls located in the center of the
instrument panel.
Selectable features
Select
Each press of the SELECT control
will select a different feature as
follows:
²FUEL ECON AVG
²FUEL REMAIN (if equipped)
²DIST TO EMPTY
²AVG SPEED
²TRIP A/TRIP B
²E/M
For descriptions of the SELECT features, refer to ªMessage center
functionsº later in this chapter.
Reset
Press this control to reset the
selected message center function to
zero. (The only functions which can
be reset are FUEL ECON AVG, TRIP
A or B, and AVG SPEED.)
WASHER
LTR/100km
km MILES/GALFUEL ECON AVG
FUEL REMAIN
DIST TO EMPTY
AVG SPEED
TRIP A B
E/M
WASHER
LTR/100km
km MILES/GALFUEL ECON AVG
FUEL REMAIN
DIST TO EMPTY
AVG SPEED
TRIP A B
E/M
SELECT
RESET
Instrumentation
15

Checking your highway fuel economy using the electronic
message center display
The following procedure will allow you to accurately monitor your actual
highway fuel economy. Since this procedure requires the vehicle speed
control system to be set to highway speeds, it must be run only on suitable
roadways where long distance speed control can be safely maintained.
You may notice gradual improvement in fuel economy over the course of
your vehicle's break-in period (approximately 1 600 kilometers
[1 000 miles]).
1. Set the speed control. Refer toSpeed controlin theControls and
featureschapter.
2. Select FUEL ECON AVERAGE.
3. Press the RESET control to clear
the system memory.
²Actual highway fuel economy is
now displayed.This current
average measure will change as
the speed control system changes the engine speed to maintain a
constant vehicle speed. This is most noticeable in hilly environments.
4. Drive the vehicle at least 8 km (5 miles) with the speed control
system engaged to display a stabilized average.
5. Record the highway fuel economy for future reference.
It is important to press the RESET control after setting the speed
control to get accurate highway fuel economy readings.
FUEL REMAIN
This function shows the approximate
amount of fuel in the fuel tank in
whole numbers (liters or gallons). If
your tank is full or nearly full, the
display will be ªFº. If your tank is
empty or nearly empty, the display
will be ªEº.
FUEL ECON AVG
FUEL REMAIN
DIST TO EMPTY
AVG SPEED
TRIP A B
E/M
SELECT
RESET
FUEL ECON AVG
FUEL REMAIN
DIST TO EMPTY
AVG SPEED
TRIP A B
E/M
Instrumentation
18

DIST TO EMPTY (DTE)
This function estimates
approximately how far you can drive
with the fuel remaining in your tank
under normal driving conditions.
Remember to turn the ignition OFF
when refueling your vehicle.
Otherwise, the display will not show
the addition of fuel for a few kilometers (miles).
The DTE function will flash for 5 seconds and sound a tone for 1 second
when you have approximately:
²80 km (50 miles) left before you run out of fuel
²40 km (25 miles)
²16 km (10 miles)
If ªCOº or ªCSº is displayed, there is a problem with the fuel indication
system and you should contact your dealer for service as soon as
possible.
AVG SPEED
To use this function, select AVG
SPEED and press the RESET
control. Your average speed from
that point will be displayed until
RESET is pressed again.
TRIP A B
These two functions allow you to
see how far you have traveled since
you last reset. Trip A and Trip B are
completely independent and must
be reset individually.
To reset either trip feature to zero,
press the RESET control while the
appropriate trip distance feature
(A or B) is displayed.
FUEL ECON AVG
FUEL REMAIN
DIST TO EMPTY
AVG SPEED
TRIP A B
E/M
FUEL ECON AVG
FUEL REMAIN
DIST TO EMPTY
AVG SPEED
TRIP A B
E/M
FUEL ECON AVG
FUEL REMAIN
DIST TO EMPTY
AVG SPEED
TRIP A B
E/M
SELECT
RESET
Instrumentation
19

wheels (of the same size and specifications) be used as chains may chip
aluminum wheels.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
²Use only SAE Class S chains.
²Install chains securely, verifying that the chains do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
²Drive cautiously. If you hear the chains rub or bang against your
vehicle, stop and re-tighten the chains. If this does not work, remove
the chains to prevent damage to your vehicle.
²If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
²Remove the tire chains when they are no longer needed. Do not use
tire chains on dry roads.
²The suspension insulation and bumpers will help prevent vehicle
damage. Do not remove these components from your vehicle when
using snow tires and chains.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
Important safety precautions
Do not overfill the fuel tank. The pressure in an overfilled tank
may cause leakage and lead to fuel spray and fire.
The fuel system may be under pressure. If the fuel filler cap is
venting vapor or if you hear a hissing sound, wait until it stops
before completely removing the fuel filler cap. Otherwise, fuel may
spray out and injure you or others.
If you do not use the proper fuel filler cap, excessive pressure or
vacuum in the fuel tank may damage the fuel system or cause
the fuel system to work improperly in a collision, which may result in
possible personal injury.
Automotive fuels can cause serious injury or death if misused or
mishandled.
Maintenance and care
161

Fuel Filler Cap
Your fuel tank filler cap has an indexed design with a 1/8 turn on/off
feature.
When fueling your vehicle:
1. Turn the engine off.
2. Carefully turn the filler cap counterclockwise 1/8 of a turn until it
stops.
3. Pull to remove the cap from the fuel filler pipe.
4. To install the cap, align the tabs on the cap with the notches on the
filler pipe.
5. Turn the filler cap clockwise 1/8 of a turn until it stops.
If the ªService Engine Soon/Check Engineº indicator comes on and stays
on when you start the engine, the fuel filler cap may not be properly
installed. Turn off the engine, remove the fuel filler cap and reinstall it
being careful to align the cap properly.
If you must replace the fuel filler cap, replace it with a fuel filler
cap that is designed for your vehicle. The customer warranty may
be void for any damage to the fuel tank or fuel system if the
correct genuine Ford or Motorcraft fuel filler cap is not used.
The fuel system may be under pressure. If the fuel filler cap is
venting vapor or if you hear a hissing sound, wait until it stops
before completely removing the fuel filler cap. Otherwise, fuel may
spray out and injure you or others.
If you do not use the proper fuel filler cap, excessive pressure or
vacuum in the fuel tank may damage the fuel system or cause
the fuel system to work improperly in a collision, which may result in
possible personal injury.
Choosing the right fuel
Use only UNLEADED FUEL. The use of leaded fuel is prohibited by law
and could damage your vehicle.
Do not use gasolines containing methanol. It can damage critical fuel
systems components.
Maintenance and care
163

if ªRegularº unleaded gasoline is recommended 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 modern powertrain components.
If you have run out of fuel:
²You may need to crank the engine several times before the system
starts to pump fuel from the tank to the engine.
²Your ªService Engine Soonº indicator may come on. For more
information on the ªService Engine Soonº indicator, refer to the
Instrumentationchapter.
Fuel Filter
Your vehicle is equipped with a fuel filter that is mounted on the
underbody.
For fuel filter replacement, see your dealer or a qualified service
technician. Refer to the Scheduled Maintenance Guide for the
appropriate intervals for changing the fuel filter.
If you replace the fuel filter, replace it with an authorized
Motorcraft part. The customer warranty may be void for any
damage to the fuel system if an authorized Motorcraft fuel filter
is not used.
ESSENTIALS OF GOOD FUEL ECONOMY
Measuring techniques
Your best source of information about actual fuel economy is you, the
driver. You must gather information as accurately and consistently as
possible. Fuel expense, frequency of fillups or fuel gauge readings are
NOT accurate as a measure of fuel economy. We do not recommend
Maintenance and care
165