1999 Mercury Mountaineer ECO mode

Drive± Not shown on the display. Activate by pressing the transmission
control switch on the end of the gearshift lever with the gearshift in the
position. The TCIL will illuminate on the instrument cluster.
Transmission operates in gears one through four.
(Drive) provides
more engine braking than
(Overdrive) and is useful whenever driving
conditions (i.e., city traffic, hilly terrain, etc.) cause the transmission to
excessively shift between
(Overdrive) and(Drive). Also deactivate
(Overdrive) when:
²driving with a heavy load
²towing a trailer up or down steep hills
²additional engine braking is desired. If towing a trailer, refer to
Driving while you towin theTrailer Towingchapter.
To return to
(Overdrive) mode, press the transmission control switch.
The TCIL will no longer be illuminated.
Each time the vehicle is started, the transmission will automatically
return to normal overdrive mode.
2 (Second)
Use 2 (Second) to start-up on
slippery roads or to provide
additional engine braking on
downgrades. Transmission operates
in third gear.
1 (First)
Use 1 (First) to provide maximum
engine braking on steep
downgrades. Upshifts can be made
by shifting to 2 (Second) or to
(Overdrive). Selecting 1 (Low)
at higher speeds causes the transmission to shift to a lower gear and will
shift to 1 (First) after the vehicle decelerates to the proper vehicle
speed.
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151

Forced Downshifts
To gain acceleration in(Overdrive) or Drive (O/D OFF) when passing
another vehicle, push the accelerator to the floor. The transmission will
downshift to the appropriate gear: fourth, third, second or first gear.
FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) OPERATION (IF EQUIPPED)
When Four±wheel drive (4WD) is engaged, power is supplied to all four
wheels through a transfer case. 4WD power can be selected when
additional driving power is desired.
If equipped with the Electronic Shift 4WD System, and the
instrument panel control is moved to 4WD Low while the vehicle
is moving, the system will not engage and no damage will occur to
the 4WD system.
All utility-type vehicles and 4WD vehicles have special design and
equipment features to make them capable of performing in a wide
variety of off-road applications. Specific design characteristics give them
higher centers of gravity than ordinary passenger cars.
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.
4WD operation is not recommended on dry pavement. Doing so could
result in difficult disengagement of the transfer case, increased tire wear
and decreased fuel economy.
CONTROL-TRAC AUTOMATIC FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM
(IF EQUIPPED)
The 4WD system uses all four wheels to power the vehicle. This
increases traction, enabling you to drive your 4x4 over terrain and road
conditions not normally traveled by two-wheel drive vehicles.
Power is supplied to all four wheels through a transfer case that allows
you to select a four-wheel drive mode best suited for your current
driving conditions.
Driving
152

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