1999 Mercury Mystique maintenance

Maintenance and care
205
Interior lamps
(sunroof equipped vehicles)
Open the lamp assembly.
The bulbs can be replaced after the
contact plate has been hinged
back.
Interior lamps with reading
lamps (if equipped)
Remove the clip located on lens to
access the center bulb.
To replace the reading lamp bulbs,
remove the two retaining screws to
access the back of the lamp. Then,
unclip the bulb covers and replace
the bulb.
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Maintenance and care
206
FunctionTrade number
3457 NA
9005
9006
893
1157
1156 Front /turn lamp
Headlamp (high)
Headlamp (low)
Foglamp/License plate lamp
Rear tail/turn/brake lamp
Backup lamp
Bulb specifications
2723
C5W High-mounted brake lamp
Interior lamp211-2
License plate lamp
Reading lamp
578
31MMCen 4/13/99 2:18 PM Page 206

Maintenance and care
207
Aiming the headlamps
Your vehicle is equipped with a
Vehicle Headlamp Aim Device
(VHAD) on each headlamp body.
Each headlamp may be properly
aimed in the horizontal direction
(left/right) and the vertical
direction (up/down).
A non-zero bubble reading (vertical
indicator) does not necessarily
indicate out-of-aim headlamps. If
your vehicle is not positioned
on a
level surface
, the slope will be
included in the vertical indication.
Therefore, vertical and horizontal
headlamp adjustment should be
performed only when beam
direction appears to be incorrect.
AIMING THE HEADLAMPS
The alignment of your headlamps
should be checked if:
¥ Oncoming motorists frequently
signal you to deactivate your high
beams, and your high beams are
not activated.
¥ The headlamps do not seem to
provide enough light for clear night
vision.
¥ The headlamp beams are pointed
substantially away from a slightly
down and to the right position.
31MMCen 4/13/99 2:18 PM Page 207

Maintenance and care
208
Adjusting the horizontal aim
1. Make sure the vehicle is on a
level surface
.
2.With the hood open, locate the
horizontal indicator and adjusting
screw. Through the viewing hole on
the outboard side of the headlamp.
3. Turn the horizontal adjusting
screw until the Ò0Ó reference mark
on the horizontal indicator aligns
with the arrow pointer on the
adjusting screw assembly.
You will need one 7 mm box
wrench, open end wrench or T-15
Torx drive.
If the vehicle has been in an
accident, the vehicleÕs front
structure should be properly
aligned before aiming the
headlamps.
31MMCen 4/13/99 2:18 PM Page 208

Maintenance and care
209
Adjusting the vertical aim
The numbers shown on the vial
indicate beam direction in degrees
up or down.
1. Make sure the vehicle is on level
ground.
2. With the hood open, locate the
bubble level vertical aim indicator,
and adjusting screw. It is visible
when viewed from the above the
rear of the headlamp.
3. Turn the vertical adjusting screw
until the bubble is centered over
the Ò0Ó reference mark on the
vertical indicator.
4. When the horizontal and vertical
indicators are set on Ò0Ó, the
headlamp are properly aimed.
31MMCen 4/13/99 2:18 PM Page 209

Maintenance and care
210
Washing your vehicle
Only use car washing areas
that have environmentally
friendly drainage systems.
VEHICLE CARE
Wash your vehicle regularly with
cold or lukewarm water. Never use
strong detergents or soap. If your
vehicle is particularly dirty, use a
quality car wash detergent. Always
use a clean sponge, washing glove
or similar device and plenty of
water for best results. To avoid
spots, avoid washing when the
hood is still warm, immediately
after or during exposure to strong
sunlight.
31MMCen 4/13/99 2:18 PM Page 210

Maintenance and care
211
Waxing your vehicle
The best way to determine when
the paintwork needs waxing is by
noting when water stops beading
on the surface. This could be every
three or four months depending on
operating conditions.
Use only carnauba or synthetic-
based waxes. Remove any bugs and
tar before waxing the vehicle. Use
cleaning fluid or alcohol with a
clean cloth to remove bugs. Use tar
remover to remove any tar spots.
During winter months, it is
especially important to wash the
vehicle on a regular basis. Large
quantities of dirt and road salt are
difficult to remove, and they also
cause damage to the vehicle.
Remove or lower any exterior
accessories, such as antennas,
before entering a car wash.
Remove particles such as bird
droppings, tree sap, insect remains,
tar spots, road salt and industrial
fallout immediately.
After washing, apply the brakes
several times to dry them.
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Repairing paint chips
Minor scratches or paint damage
from road debris may be repaired
with touch-up paint, paint repair
foil or aerosol spray from the Ford
accessories line. Observe the
application instructions on the
products.
Cleaning the wheels
Wash the wheels with the same
detergent you use to clean the
body of your vehicle. Do not use
acid-based wheel cleaners, steel
wool, fuel or strong detergents.
Never use abrasives that will
damage the finish of special wheel
surfaces. Use a tar remover to
remove grease and tar.
Maintenance and care
212
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