1999 Mercury Mountaineer four wheel drive

When speed control is on and you are driving uphill, your vehicle speed
may drop considerably, especially if you are carrying a heavy load.
If vehicle speed drops more than 16 km/h (10 mph), the speed control
will cancel automatically. Resume speed with accelerator pedal.
If speed control cancels after climbing the hill, reset speed by pressing
and holding the SET ACCEL button (to resume speeds over 50 km/h (30
mph).
Automatic transmissions may shift frequently while driving up steep
grades. Eliminate frequent shifting by shifting out of
(Overdrive) into
D (Drive).
Driving on snow and ice
A 4WD vehicle has advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but
can skid like any other vehicle.
Avoid sudden applications of power and quick changes of direction on
snow and ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and steadily when starting
from a full stop.
When braking, apply the brakes as you normally would. In order to allow
the anti-lock brake system (ABS) to operate properly, keep steady
pressure on the brake pedal.
Allow more stopping distance and drive slower than usual. Consider
using one of the lower gears.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED) (5.0L ENGINES
ONLY)
Your vehicle is equipped with a full-time All Wheel Drive (AWD) transfer
case. Power is supplied to all four wheels all the time with no need to
shift between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.
For the lubricant specification and refill capacity of the AWD transfer
case refer toCapacities and specificationschapter.
Utility and four-wheel drive vehicles arenotdesigned for
cornering at speeds as high as passenger cars any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under
off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers in these
vehicles.
Driving
157

Driving off-road with AWD
Your vehicle is specially equipped for driving on sand, snow, mud and
rough terrain and has operating characteristics that are somewhat
different from conventional vehicles, both on and off the road.
Maintain steering wheel control at all times, especially in rough terrain.
Since sudden changes in terrain can result in abrupt steering wheel
motion, make sure you grip the steering wheel from the outside. Do not
grip the spokes.
Drive cautiously to avoid vehicle damage from concealed objects such as
rocks and stumps.
You should either know the terrain or examine maps of the area before
driving. Map out your route before driving in the area. For more
information on driving off-road, read the ªFour Wheelingº supplement in
your owner's portfolio.
If your vehicle gets stuck
If the vehicle is stuck in mud or snow it may be rocked out by shifting
from forward and reverse gears, stopping between shifts, in a steady
pattern. Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few minutes. The
transmission and tires may be damaged or the engine can
overheat.
Do not spin the wheels at over 56 km/h (35 mph). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all four wheels on the most solid
area of the trail. Do not reduce the tire pressures but shift to a lower
gear and drive steadily through the terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly
and avoid spinning the wheels.
Mud and water
If you must drive through high water, drive slowly. Traction or brake
capability may be limited.
When driving through water, determine the depth; avoid water higher
than the bottom of the hubs (if possible) and proceed slowly. If the
ignition system gets wet, the vehicle may stall.
Driving
158

Habits
²Smooth, moderate operation can yield up to 10% savings in fuel.
²Steady speeds without stopping will usually give the best fuel
economy.
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.
²Drive at reasonable speeds (traveling at 105 km /h [65 mph] uses 15%
more fuel than traveling at 88 km/h [55 mph]).
²Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
²Use of the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
²Use of 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.
Maintenance and care
219

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).
²Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollover/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
²Use of fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
²Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
12±16 km (8±10 miles) of driving.
²Flat terrain driving improves fuel economy over hilly roads.
²Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
²Four-wheel-drive operation (if equipped) is less fuel efficient than
two-wheel-drive operation.
²Close windows for high speed driving.
EPA window sticker
Every new vehicle should have the EPA window sticker. Contact your
dealer if the window sticker is not supplied with your vehicle. The EPA
window sticker should be your guide for the fuel economy comparisons
with other vehicles.
It is important to note the box in the lower left corner of the window
sticker. These numbers represent the Range of Km/L (MPG) expected on
the vehicle, depending upon the driver's method of operation and
conditions.
Maintenance and care
220

Exhaust fumes ..........................142
Floor mats .................................103
Four-Wheel Drive
vehicles ..............................9,10,152
control trac .............................152
description ................153,154,155
driving off road ................155,158
electronic shift ..........................32
Fuel
choosing the right fuel ...........214
comparisons with EPA fuel
economy estimates .................220
detergent in fuel .....................215
filling your vehicle with fuel....213,
216
gauge .........................................15
quality ......................................215
running out of fuel .................216
safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................213
Fuses ............................170,171,172
Gas mileage (see
Fuel economy) .....217,218,219,220
Gauges .........................................11
engine coolant temperature
gauge .........................................12
engine oil pressure gauge ........14
GVWR (Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating)
calculating ...............................162
Hazard flashers .........................169
Headlamps
aiming ......................................227
autolamp system ..................97,98
bulb specifications ..................226
high beam ..............................9,20
warning chime ..........................11
Heating ........................................21
heating and air conditioning
system .............................21,22,23
Hood ..........................................192
Ignition .......................................237Inspection/maintenance (I/M)
testing ........................................222
Instrument panel
cleaning ...................................231
Keyless entry system
autolock ............................109,110
keypad .....................................111
locking and unlocking doors ..112
programming entry
code ..................................111,112
Keys
key in ignition chime ...............11
positions of the ignition ...........80
Lamps
daytime running light ...............20
fog lamps ...................................20
headlamps .................................20
headlamps, flash to pass ..........21
instrument panel, dimming .....21
replacing bulbs ................222,223
,224,225,226
Lane change indicator
(see Turn signal) ........................80
Liftgate ......................................103
Lights, warning and indicator
air bag ..........................................7
anti-lock brakes (ABS) ..............8
anti-theft .....................................9
brake ............................................8
charging system ..........................9
check coolant ..............................9
cruise indicator .........................10
door ajar ....................................10
fuel reset .....................................7
overdrive off ..............................10
safety belt ...................................8
speed control ............................84
turn signal indicator ...................8
Locks
childproof ................................100
Lumbar support, seats .............116
Message center ......................15,16
Index
243