1999 Mercury Mystique fuel

Maintenance and care
159
Precautions when servicing
your vehicle
Be especially careful when
inspecting or servicing your
vehicle. Here are some general
precautions for your safety:
¥ Do not work on a hot engine.
The cooling fan is automatic
and may come on at any
time. Always disconnect the
negative terminal of the battery
before working near the fan.
¥ If you must work with the engine
running, avoid wearing loose
clothing or jewelry that could get
caught in moving parts. Take
precautions with long hair.
¥ Do not work on a vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
space, unless you are sure you have
enough ventilation.
¥ Keep all lit cigarettes, open
flames and other lit material away
from the battery and all fuel related
parts.
If you disconnect the battery, the
engine must ÒrelearnÓ its idle
conditions before your vehicle will
drive properly, as explained under
Battery in this chapter.
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Maintenance and care
165
ADDFULL
Engine oil
Use SAE 5W-30 motor oil
CERTIFIED FOR GASOLINE
ENGINES by the American
Petroleum Institute.
Do not use supplemental engine oil
additives, oil treatments or engine
treatments. They are unnecessary
and could, under certain
conditions, lead to engine damage
which is not covered by Ford
Warranty.
Checking the engine oil
Check the engine oil each time you
fuel your vehicle.
To check the oil:
1. Make sure the vehicle is on level
ground. If the engine is warm, turn
the engine off and wait a few
minutes for the oil to drain into the
oil pan.
2. Set the parking brake and ensure
the gearshift is securely latched in
P (Park). Put the manual gearshift
in 1 (first) or R (Reverse).
3. Open the hood. Protect yourself
from engine heat.
4. Locate and carefully remove the
engine oil dipstick.
5. Wipe the dipstick clean. Insert
the dipstick fully, then remove it
again. The oil level should be in the
range shown on the dipstick.
2.0 l DOHC
2.5 l DOHC
AMERICANPETROLEUMINSTITUTE
CERTIFIED
FOR
GASOLINE
ENGINES
AMERICANPETROLEUMINSTITUTECERTIFIEDFOR
GASOLINE
ENGINES
Motorcraft
Do not exceed MAX!
Do not exceed MAX!
31MMCen 4/13/99 2:17 PM Page 165

Maintenance and care
180
Checking wiper blades
Check the wiper blades on your
vehicle for roughness by running
the tips of your fingers over the
edge of the blade.
Traces of grease, silicone and fuel
prevent wiper blades from
functioning properly. We
recommend Ford cleaning
solutions or equivalent to clean
wiper blades.
Change the wiper blades on your
vehicle at least once a year.
Cabin air filter replacement
In your climate control system, you
have a filter that cleans the air
before it enters the interior of the
vehicle. This filter should be
replaced at the intervals in the
maintenance guide and or service
guide.
To replace the cabin air filter:
1. Unscrew the nut in the base of
each windshield wiper arm.
Remove the windshield wiper arms.
31MMCen 4/13/99 2:17 PM Page 180

Maintenance and care
188
The tires on your vehicle have all-
weather treads to provide traction
in rain and snow. However, in some
climates, using snow tires and
chains may be necessary. Ford
offers snow chains as a Ford
approved accessory and
recommends use of these or their
equivalents on approved tires. See
your dealer or a qualified service
technician for more information on
tire chains for your vehicle. Follow
these guidelines when using snow
tires and chains:
¥ Install chains securely, verifying
that the chains do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
¥ Install the chains on the front
tires only.
¥ Do not use tire chains on 205/60
tires and 205/55R16 Z rated tires.
Steering, suspension and body
components may be damaged by
use of chains.
Snow tires must be the same
size and grade as the tires
you currently have on your
vehicle.
Using snow tires and chains
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Maintenance and care
189
Change over from winter to
summer tires as soon as road
conditions allow, this will reduce
fuel consumption and noise in the
vehicleÕs interior.
¥ Drive cautiously. If you hear the
chains rub or bang against the
vehicle, stop and retighten them. If
this does not work, remove the
chains to prevent vehicle damage.
¥ Local regulations may prohibit or
restrict the use of tire chains.
Investigate the laws and
regulations in your area before
installing chains.
¥ Avoid overloading your vehicle.
¥ Do not use tire chains on
temporary spare tires.
¥ Remove the tire chains when
they are no longer needed. Do not
use chains on dry roads.
¥ The suspension insulation and
bumpers will help prevent vehicle
damage. Do not remove these
components from the vehicle when
using snow tires and chains.
31MMCen 4/13/99 2:17 PM Page 189

Maintenance and care
190
IMPORTANT FUEL
INFORMATON
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.
If you do not use the proper
fuel cap, the pressure in the
fuel tank can damage the fuel
system or cause it to work
improperly in a collision.
The fuel system may be
under pressure. If the fuel
cap is venting vapor or if you hear
a hissing sound, wait until it stops
before completely removing the
cap.
Automotive fuels can cause
serious injury or death if
misused or mishandled.
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Maintenance and care
191
Observe the following guidelines
when handling automotive fuel:
¥ Extinguish all smoking materials
and any open flames before fueling
your vehicle.
¥ Always turn off the vehicle
before fueling.
¥ Make sure the fuel cap is
correctly fitted after fueling.
Failure to do so may cause the on
board diagnostic system to
illuminate the CHECK ENGINE
light.
¥ Automotive fuels can be harmful
or fatal if swallowed. If fuel is
swallowed, call a physician
immediately, even if no symptoms
are immediately apparent. The
toxic effects of fuel may not be
visible for hours.
¥ Fuels can also be harmful if
absorbed through the skin. If fuel is
splashed on the skin, promptly
remove contaminated clothing and
wash skin thoroughly with soap
and water.
¥ If fuel is splashed in the eyes,
remove contact lenses (if worn),
flush with water for 15 minutes and
seek medical attention.
¥ Be particularly careful if you are
taking ÒAntabuseÓ or other forms of
disulfiram for the treatment of
alcoholism. Breathing gasoline
vapors or skin contact could cause
an adverse reaction. Consult a
physician immediately.
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Maintenance and care
192
Choosing the right fuel
Use only UNLEADED FUEL. The
use of leaded fuel is prohibited by
law and could damage your vehicle.
The damage may not be covered by
your warranty.
Your vehicle was not designed to
use fuel containing manganese-
based additives such as MMT.
Additionally, vehicles certified to
California emission standards
(indicated on the underhood
Vehicle Emission Control
Information label) are designed to
operate on California reformulated
gasolines. If California reformulated
gasoline is not available when you
refuel, your vehicle can be
operated on non-California fuels.
However, even though your engine
will perform adequately on other
gasolines, the performance of the
emission control devices and
systems may be adversely affected.
Repair of damage caused by a fuel
that your vehicle was not designed
for may not be covered by your
warranty.
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