1999 Mercury Mystique lock

98
To stow the built-in child seat
Return the child seat cushion to
the upright position, then press
firmly in the center and top of the
child seat.
Inspecting the built-in child
seat after a collision
All built-in child restraints,
including seats, buckles, retractors,
seat latches, interlocks and
attaching hardware should be
inspected by your dealer or a
qualified technician after any
collision. If the child seat was in
use during a collision, Ford
recommends replacing it. Built-in
child restraints not in use during a
collision should be inspected and
replaced if either damage or
improper operation is noted.
the bottom of the chest clip and
pull the halves apart to open the
chest clip.
2. Press the release button on the
crotch safety belt buckle.
3. Slide the shoulder belts off the
childÕs shoulders and remove the
child.

99
included with the safety seat you
put in your vehicle. If you do not
install and use the safety seat
properly, the child may be injured
in a sudden stop or collision.
Ford recommends the use of a
child safety seat having a top tether
strap. Install the child safety seat in
a seating position which is capable
of providing a tether anchorage.
For more information on top tether
straps see
Attaching safety seats
with tether straps
in this chapter.
When installing a child safety seat:
¥ Use the correct safety belt
buckle for that seating postion.
¥ Make sure the tongue is securely
fastened in the buckle.
¥ Keep the buckle release button
pointing up and away from the
safety seat, with the tongue
between the child seat and the
release button, to prevent
accidental unbuckling.
¥ Put the safety belt in the
automatic locking mode. Refer to
Using automatic locking modein
this chapter.

101
5. To put the retractor in the
automatic locking mode, grasp the
shoulder portion of the belt and
pull downward until all of the belt
is extracted and a click is heard.
6. Allow the belt to retract. The
belt will click as it retracts to
indicate it is in the automatic
locking mode.
7. Pull the lap belt portion across
the child seat toward the buckle
and pull up on the shoulder belt
while pushing down with your knee
on the child seat.
is latched securely by pulling on it.

102
seat, forcibly tilt the seat forward
and back to make sure the seat is
securely held in place.
10. Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is in automatic locking
mode (you should not be able to
pull more belt out). If the retractor
is not locked, unbuckle the belt and
repeat steps two through nine.
Check to make sure the child seat
is properly secured before each
use.
Attaching safety seats with
tether straps
Some manufacturers make safety
seats that include a tether strap
that goes over the back of the
vehicle seat and attaches to an
anchoring point. Other
manufacturers offer their tether
strap as an accessory. Contact the
manufacturer of your child safety
seat for information about ordering
a tether strap.

Starting
111
USING THE ENGINE BLOCK
HEATER (if equipped)
An engine block heater warms the
engine coolant, which improves
starting, warms up the engine
faster and allows the heater-
defroster system to respond
quickly. It is strongly recommended
if you live in a region where
temperatures reach Ð23¡C (Ð10¡F)
or below.
For best results, plug the heater in
at least three hours before starting
the vehicle. Using the heater for
more than three hours will not
harm the engine, so the heater can
be plugged in the night before
starting the vehicle.
To prevent electrical shock,
do not use your heater with
ungrounded electrical systems or
two-pronged (cheater) adapters.
21MSten 4/13/99 2:23 PM Page 111

Driving
112
BRAKES
Your brakes are self-adjusting.
Refer to the ÒScheduled
Maintenance GuideÓ for
maintenance intervals.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
(if equipped)
The ABS operates by detecting the
onset of wheel lock-up during
brake applications and
compensating for this tendency.
The wheels are prevented from
locking even when the brakes are
firmly applied, helping to ensure
that the vehicle can be steered and
the driver can avoid obstacles.
Operation of the anti-lock
braking system
The anti-lock braking system is not
employed during normal braking. It
becomes operational only when it
senses differences in the rotational
speed of the road wheels,
indicating that they are about to
lock-up. Its operation is indicated
by a pulsing of the brake pedal. Do
not release the pedal while braking.
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Driving
113
Two important
rules when
braking in
emergencies with
ABS:
1.
Apply full force
on both brake
and clutch pedal
(if equipped).
Braking with ABS
¥ In an emergency, apply full force
on the brake pedal. In vehicles
with manual transaxles, you must
also depress the clutch pedal. The
anti-lock braking system will be
activated immediately, allowing
you to retain full steering control
of your vehicle and, providing
there is sufficient space, will
enable you to avoid obstacles.
¥ We recommend that you
familiarize yourself with this
braking technique. However,
avoid taking any unnecessary
risks.
¥ Although the ABS ensures
optimum braking efficiency,
stopping distances can vary
greatly, depending on the road
surface and conditions. Use of
the ABS cannot eliminate the
dangers inherent in driving too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
hydroplaning, excessive cornering
speed, or poor road surfaces.
2.
Steer around the
obstacle. No matter
how hard you brake,
steering control is
maintained.
22MDren 4/13/99 3:40 PM Page 113

Driving
117
TRANSAXLE OPERATION
Automatic transaxle
(if equipped)
Vehicles equipped with an
automatic transaxle are equipped
with a brake-shift interlock feature
that prevents the gearshift lever
from being moved from the
P (Park) position unless the brake
pedal is depressed.
Putting your vehicle in gear
You must push the thumb button
to move the gearshift to the
position you choose.
To operate:
1. Start the engine.
2. Depress and hold the brake
pedal.
3. Move the gearshift lever out of
P (Park).
Speed sensitive power steering
(if equipped)
The steering system is speed
sensitive. This means that the
steering effort is light for parking
and heavier for highway driving.
However, if you have to swerve
around an object or another
vehicle, your vehicle will have full
power assist.
22MDren 4/13/99 3:40 PM Page 117