1999 Mercury Mystique ignition

87
the instrument cluster or a
secondary warning light to indicate
the condition of the system. Refer
to the
Air bag readinesssection in
the
Instrumentationchapter.
Routine maintenance of the air bag
is not required.
A difficulty with the system is
indicated by one or more of the
following:
¥ The readiness light will either
flash or stay lit.
¥ The readiness light will not
illuminate after ignition is turned
on.
¥ The air bag secondary warning
light will flash five times. The
pattern will repeat periodically
until the problem or the readiness
light is repaired.
If any of these things happen, even
intermittently, have the SRS
serviced at your dealership or by a
qualified technician immediately.
Unless serviced, the system may
not function properly in the event
of a collision.
O/D
OFFTRACTION
CONTROL

Starting
107
PREPARING TO START THE
VEHICLE
Engine starting is controlled by the
spark ignition system. This system
meets all Canadian Interference-
Causing Equipment standard
requirements regulating the
impulse electrical field strength of
radio noise.
When starting a fuel-injected
engine, avoid pressing the
accelerator pedal before or during
starting. Only use the accelerator
pedal when you have difficulty
starting the engine. For more
information on starting the vehicle,
refer to
Starting the enginein this
chapter.
Before starting the vehicle:
1. Make sure all vehicle occupants
have buckled their safety belts. For
more information on safety belts
and their proper usage, refer to the
Seating and safety restraints
chapter.
2. Make sure the headlamps and
vehicle accessories are off.
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Driving
115
TRACTION CONTROL
(if equipped)
This system prevents wheel spin at
all speeds. The control will toggle
this function on and off, but the
feature defaults to on after each
cycle of the ignition key.
The traction control system
controls excessive wheel spin by
automatically applying and
releasing the brakes in conjunction
with engine torque reductions.
This can occur when accelerating
on a slippery road, a loose surface
or when pulling away on a hill. The
traction control lamp flashes on the
instrument panel when the system
is functioning to regulate tire
traction.
When the ignition is turned to the
on position, the traction control
system light comes on for
approximately three (3) seconds. If
the light does not come on when
the ignition is turned to the on
position or if it remains on when
the traction control system is
turned on, have the system
serviced by your dealer or a
qualified service technician. You
can continue to drive and do not
need to have the vehicle towed in.
You should not take unnecessary
driving risks because of the
systemÕs safety potential.
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Driving
118
Overriding the brake-shift
interlock feature
If it is necessary to use this
procedure to move the gearshift
lever, it is possible that a fuse has
blown and the vehicleÕs brakelamps
may not be working. Refer to
Fuses
and relays
in the Roadside
emergencies
chapter.
If you cannot move the gearshift
lever from P (Park) with the brake
pedal depressed:
1. Turn the ignition off and remove
the ignition key.
2. Apply the parking brake and the
brake pedal.
3. Insert a screwdriver or similar
item about 5 cm (2 inches) into the
square opening to the right of the
gearshift at the base of the console.
4. Rotate the screwdriver point
rearward.
5. Push and hold the thumb button
and move the gearshift.
6. Remove the screwdriver when
the gearshift moves from the P
(Park) position.
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Driving
119
¥P(Park)
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into P (Park). This
locks the transaxle and prevents
the front wheels from rotating.
¥R(Reverse)
The vehicle only moves backward.
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting in or out of R
(Reverse).
P= Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
R= Reverse . . . . . . . . . . .
N= Neutral . . . . . . . . . . . .
D= Drive: Gear 1 to 4
with overdrive . . . . . .
Gear 1 to 3
with overdrive
cancelled . . . . . . . . . .
2= Gear 2 . . . . . . . . . . . .
1= Gear 1 . . . . . . . . . . . .
Driving
Never leave a vehicle
unattended while it is
running.
The console-mounted gearshift will
lock when you turn the key to the
lock position. When the gearshift is
in any position except P (Park),
the ignition key cannot be turned
to lock or removed from the
steering column. To remove the
key, the gearshift lever must be in
P (Park).
Once the gearshift is secure in the
desired position, release the brake
pedal and use the accelerator as
necessary.
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Driving
125
Parking
1. Apply the brake and the clutch
and shift into neutral.
2. Engage the parking brake.
3. Shift into 1 (First) or R
(Reverse).
4. Turn the ignition off.
Do not park your vehicle in
Neutral, it may move
unexpectedly and injure someone.
Use 1 (first) gear and set the
parking brake.
Reverse
To shift into R (Reverse):
1. Completely stop your vehicle.
2. Depress the clutch pedal to the
floor and place the gearshift lever
in the neutral position. Do not
release the clutch pedal.
3. If the following direction is not
followed, a grinding noise may
occur.
Wait a minimum of three seconds
before attempting to shift into R
(Reverse) gear.
4. Push the gearshift lever
completely to the right, pull up the
ring on the stalk of the gearshift
lever, and then pull rearward on
the gearshift lever to engage the R
(Reverse) gear.
5. If the R (Reverse) gear is
engaged, slowly release the clutch
pedal from the floor.
1
2
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Roadside emergencies
137
HAZARD FLASHER CONTROL
Use only in an emergency to warn
traffic of vehicle breakdown or
approaching danger. Depress to
activate. Depress again to switch
off. The hazard lights can be
operated when the ignition is off.
Off
ResSet
AccCoast
On
FUEL PUMP SHUT-OFF SWITCH
If the engine cranks, but does not
start or does not start after a
collision, the fuel pump shut-off
switch may have been activated.
The shut-off switch is a device
intended to stop the electric fuel
pump when your vehicle has been
involved in a substantial jolt.
Once the shut-off switch is
activated, you must reset the
switch by hand before you can start
your vehicle. The switch is located
on the side panel in front of the
driverÕs side door.
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Roadside emergencies
138
If your engine cranks but does not
start after a collision or substantial
jolt:
1. Turn the ignition key to the off
position.
2. Check under the vehicle for
leaking fuel.
3. If you do not see or smell fuel,
push the red reset button down. If
the button is already set, you may
have a different mechanical
problem.
4. Turn the ignition key to the on
position for a few seconds, then
turn it to the off position.
5. Check under the vehicle again
for leaking fuel. If you see or smell
fuel, do not start your vehicle
again. If you do not see or smell
fuel, you can try to start your
vehicle again.
If you see or smell fuel, do
not reset the switch or try to
start your vehicle. Have all the
passengers get out of the vehicle
and call the local fire department
or a towing service.
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