2000 Mercury Mountaineer brakes

To set a speed
²Press SET/SET ACC/SET ACCEL.
For speed control to operate, the
speed control must be ON and
the vehicle speed must be greater
than 48 km/h (30 mph).
If you drive up or down a steep hill, your vehicle speed may vary
momentarily slower or faster than the set speed. This is normal.
Speed control cannot reduce the vehicle speed if it increases above the
set speed on a downhill. If your vehicle speed is faster than the set
speed while driving on a downhill, you may want to shift to the next
lower gear or apply the brakes to reduce your vehicle speed.
If your vehicle slows down more than 16 km/h (10 mph) below your set
speed on an uphill, your speed control will disengage. This is normal.
Pressing RES/RSM/RESUME will re-engage it.
Do not use the speed control in heavy traffic or on roads that
are winding, slippery, or unpaved.
To set a higher set speed
²Press and hold SET/SET ACC/
SET ACCEL. Release the control
when the desired vehicle speed is
reached or
²Press and release SET/SET ACC/
SET ACCEL. Each press will
increase the set speed by
1.6 km/h (1 mph) or
²Accelerate with your accelerator
pedal. When the desired vehicle
speed is reached, press and release SET/SET ACC/SET ACCEL.
RSM
SET
ACC
COAST
RSM
SET
ACC
COAST
Controls and features
78

The front and rear outboard safety restraints in the vehicle are
combination lap and shoulder belts. The front passenger and rear seat
outboard safety belts have two types of locking modes described below:
Vehicle sensitive mode
The vehicle sensitive mode is the normal retractor mode, allowing free
shoulder belt length adjustment to your movements and locking in
response to vehicle movement. For example, if the driver brakes
suddenly or turns a corner sharply, or the vehicle receives an impact of
approximately 8 km/h (5 mph) or more, the combination safety belts will
lock to help reduce forward movement of the driver and passengers.
Automatic locking mode
In this mode, the shoulder belt is automatically pre-locked. The belt will
still retract to remove any slack in the shoulder belt.
The automatic locking mode is not available on the driver safety belt.
When to use the automatic locking mode
²Anytimea child safety seat is installed in a passenger front or
outboard rear seating position (if equipped). Children 12 years old and
under should be properly restrained in the rear seat whenever
possible. Refer toSafety Restraints for ChildrenorSafety Seats for
Childrenlater in this chapter.
How to use the automatic locking mode
²Buckle the combination lap and
shoulder belt.
Seating and safety restraints
119

BRAKES
Your service brakes are self-adjusting. Refer to the scheduled
maintenance guide for scheduled maintenance.
Occasional brake noise is normal and often does not indicate a
performance concern with the vehicle's brake system. In normal
operation, automotive brake systems may emit occasional or intermittent
squeal or groan noises when the brakes are applied. Such noises are
usually heard during the first few brake applications in the morning;
however, they may be heard at any time while braking and can be
aggravated by environmental conditions such as cold, heat, moisture,
road dust, salt or mud. If a ªmetal-to-metal,º ªcontinuous grindingº or
ªcontinuous squealº sound is present while braking, the brake linings
may be worn-out and should be inspected by a qualified service
technician.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
On vehicles equipped with an anti-lock braking system (ABS), a noise
from the hydraulic pump motor and pulsation in the pedal may be
observed during ABS braking events. Pedal pulsation coupled with noise
while braking under panic conditions or on loose gravel, bumps, wet or
snowy roads is normal and indicates proper functioning of the vehicle's
anti-lock brake system. The ABS performs a self-check after you start
the engine and begin to drive away. A brief mechanical noise may be
heard during this test. This is normal. If a malfunction is found, the ABS
warning light will come on. If the vehicle has continuous vibration or
shudder in the steering wheel while braking, the vehicle should be
inspected by a qualified service technician.
The ABS operates by detecting the
onset of wheel lockup during brake
applications and compensates for
this tendency. The wheels are
prevented from locking even when
the brakes are firmly applied. The
accompanying illustration depicts
the advantage of an ABS equipped
vehicle (on bottom) to a non-ABS
equipped vehicle (on top) during hard braking with loss of front braking
traction.
Driving
144

ABS warning lampABS
TheABSwarning lamp in the instrument cluster momentarily illuminates
when the ignition is turned to the ON position. If the light does not
illuminate momentarily at start up, remains on or continues to flash, the
ABS needs to be serviced.
With the ABS light on, the anti-lock
brake system is disabled and normal
braking is still effective unless the
brake warning light also remains
illuminated with parking brake
released. (If your brake warning lamp illuminates, have your vehicle
serviced immediately.)
Using ABS
²In an emergency or when maximum efficiency from the ABS is
required, apply continuous force on the brake. The ABS will be
activated immediately, thus allowing you to retain full steering control
of your vehicle and, providing there is sufficient space, will enable you
to avoid obstacles and bring the vehicle to a controlled stop.
²The Anti-Lock system does not decrease the time necessary to apply
the brakes or always reduce stopping distance. Always leave enough
room between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to stop.
²We recommend that you familiarize yourself with this braking
technique. However, avoid taking any unnecessary risks.
Parking brake
Apply the parking brake whenever
the vehicle is parked. To set the
parking brake, press the parking
brake pedal down until the pedal
stops.
!
BRAKE
Driving
145

The BRAKE warning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates and
remains illuminated (when the
ignition is turned ON) until the
parking brake is released.
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure that the
gearshift is securely latched in P (Park).
The parking brake is not recommended to stop a moving vehicle.
However, if the normal brakes fail, the parking brake can be used to stop
your vehicle in an emergency. Since the parking brake applies only the
rear brakes, the vehicle's stopping distance will increase greatly and the
handling of your vehicle will be adversely affected.
Pull the release lever to release the
brake. Driving with the parking
brake on will cause the brakes to
wear out quickly and reduce fuel
economy.
STEERING
Your vehicle is equipped with power steering. Power steering uses energy
from the engine to help steer the vehicle.
To prevent damage to the power steering pump:
²Never hold the steering wheel to the extreme right or the extreme left
for more than a few seconds when the engine is running.
²Do not operate the vehicle with a low power steering pump fluid level.
If the power steering system breaks down (or if the engine is turned
off), you can steer the vehicle manually, but it takes more effort.
If the steering wanders or pulls, the condition could be caused by any of
the following:
²underinflated tire(s) on any wheel(s)
!
BRAKE
BRAKE
RELEASE
Driving
146

2. Insert the key and turn it to OFF. Apply the brake pedal and shift to N
(Neutral).
3. Start the vehicle.
If it is necessary to use the above procedure to move the gearshift lever,
it is possible that a fuse has blown or the vehicle's brakelamps are not
operating properly. Refer toFuses and relaysin theRoadside
emergencieschapter.
Do not drive your vehicle until you verify that the brakelamps
are working.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow it may be rocked out by
shifting between forward and reverse gears, stopping between shifts, in a
steady pattern. Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature or damage to the transmission may occur.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few minutes or damage
to the transmission and tires may occur or the engine may
overheat.
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure the gearshift is
latched in P (Park). Turn off the ignition whenever you leave
your vehicle.
If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake warning lamp
remains illuminated, the brakes may not be working properly.
See your dealer or a qualified service technician.
Driving with a 4±speed automatic transmission (if equipped)
To put your vehicle in gear, start the engine, depress the brake pedal,
then move gearshift lever out of P (Park).
Hold the brake pedal down while you move the gearshift lever
from P (Park) to another position. If you do not hold the brake
pedal down, your vehicle may move unexpectedly and injure someone.
Driving
149

Do not spin the wheels at over 56 km/h (35 mph). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Sand
When driving over sand, try to keep all four wheels on the most solid
area of the trail. Do not reduce the tire pressures but shift to a lower
gear and drive steadily through the terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly
and avoid spinning the wheels.
Mud and water
If you must drive through high water, drive slowly. Traction or brake
capability may be limited.
When driving through water, determine the depth; avoid water higher
than the bottom of the hubs (if possible) and proceed slowly. If the
ignition system gets wet, the vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes. Wet brakes do not stop the
vehicle as effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be improved by moving
your vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
After driving through mud, clean off residue stuck to rotating driveshafts
and tires. Excess mud stuck on tires and rotating driveshafts causes an
imbalance that could damage drive components.
If the transmission, transfer case or front axle are submerged in water,
their fluids should be checked and changed, if necessary.
Water intrusion into the transmission may damage the
transmission.
If the rear axle is submerged in water, the rear axle lubricant should be
checked and changed, if necessary. The rear axle is filled with a
synthetic lubricant and does not normally require a lubricant change for
the life of the vehicle. Rear axle lubricant quantities should not need to
be checked unless a leak is suspected.
Driving on hilly or sloping terrain
When driving on a hill, avoid driving crosswise or turning on steep
slopes. You could lose traction and slip sideways. Drive straight up,
straight down or avoid the hill completely. Know the conditions on the
other side of a hill before driving over the crest.
Driving
158

When climbing a steep hill, start in a lower gear rather than downshifting
to a lower gear from a higher gear once the ascent has started. This
reduces the strain on the engine.
When descending a steep hill, avoid sudden braking. Shift to a lower gear
when added engine braking is desired.
When speed control is on and you are driving uphill, your vehicle speed
may drop considerably, especially if you are carrying a heavy load.
If vehicle speed drops more than 16 km/h (10 mph), the speed control
will cancel automatically. Resume speed with accelerator pedal.
If speed control cancels after climbing the hill, reset speed by pressing
and holding the SET ACCEL button (to resume speeds over 50 km/h (30
mph).
Automatic transmissions may shift frequently while driving up steep
grades. Eliminate frequent shifting by shifting out of
(Overdrive) into
D (Drive).
Driving on snow and ice
A 4WD vehicle has advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but
can skid like any other vehicle.
Avoid sudden applications of power and quick changes of direction on
snow and ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and steadily when starting
from a full stop.
When braking, apply the brakes as you normally would. In order to allow
the anti-lock brake system (ABS) to operate properly, keep steady
pressure on the brake pedal.
Allow more stopping distance and drive slower than usual. Consider
using one of the lower gears.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
(5.0L ENGINES ONLY)
Your vehicle is equipped with a full-time All Wheel Drive (AWD) transfer
case. Power is supplied to all four wheels all the time with no need to
shift between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.
For the lubricant specification and refill capacity of the AWD transfer
case refer toCapacities and specificationschapter.
Driving
159