2000 Mercury Mystique engine

Maintenance and care
175 • A large amount of water without
engine coolant may be added, in
case of emergency, to reach a
vehicle service location. In this
instance, the cooling system must
be drained and refilled with a 50/50
mixture of engine coolant and
distilled water as soon as possible.
Water alone (without engine
coolant) can cause engine damage
from corrosion, overheating or
freezing.
•Do not use alcohol or
methanol or any engine
coolants mixed with alcohol or
methanol antifreeze (coolant).
Alcohol and other liquids can cause
engine damage from overheating or
freezing.
•Do not add extra inhibitors
or additives to the coolant.
These can be harmful and
compromise the corrosion
protection of the engine coolant.
•Do not mix with recycled
coolant unless the bottle label
states compliance with Ford
specification ESE-M97B44-A.
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Maintenance and care
176
MAX
MIN
1. Before you begin, turn the
engine off and let it cool.
2. When the engine is cool, wrap a
thick cloth around the coolant
pressure relief cap on the coolant
reservoir (an opaque plastic
bottle). Slowly turn the cap
counterclockwise (left) until the
pressure begins to release.
3. Step back while the pressure
releases (you may hear a hissing
sound).
4. When you are sure that all the
pressure has been released from
the cooling system, use the cloth to
turn the cap counterclockwise and
remove it.
5. Fill the coolant reservoir slowly
with the proper coolant mixture
(see above) to within the “cold full“
or the “cold fill range“ level on the
reservoir.
6. Replace the cap. Turn until
tightly installed. (Cap must be
tightly installed to prevent coolant
loss.)
To avoid personal injury,
make sure the engine is cool
before unscrewing the coolant
pressure relief cap. The cooling
system is under pressure; steam
and hot liquid can come out
forcefully when the cap is
loosened slightly.
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Maintenance and care
177 After any coolant has been added,
check the coolant concentration
(see Checking engine coolant
section). If the concentration is not
50/50 (protection to -34°F /-36°C),
drain some coolant and adjust the
concentration. It may take several
drains and additions to obtain a
50/50 coolant concentration.
Whenever coolant has been added,
the coolant level in the coolant
reservoir should be checked the
next few times you drive the
vehicle. If necessary, add enough
50/50 concentration of engine
coolant and distilled water to bring
the liquid level to the proper level.
If you have to add more than
1.0 liter (1.0 quart) of engine
coolant per month, have your
dealer check the engine cooling
system. Your cooling system may
have a leak. Operating an engine
with a low level of coolant can
result in engine overheating and
possible engine damage.
Changing engine coolant
Change your engine coolant
according to the appropriate
schedule listed in the “Scheduled
Maintenance Guide“. It is important
that the engine coolant be changed
at the specified intervals. The
corrosion protection of engine
coolant is depleted with time and
usage. Use of engine coolant with
depleted corrosion protection may
result in damage to the coolant
system. Color, specific gravity and
freeze point of the coolant are not indicators of depletion.
To find out how much fluid your
vehicle’s cooling system can hold,
refer to the Refill capacities in the
Capacities and Specifications
chapter. Fill your coolant reservoir
following the directions given in
the Adding engine coolant
section.
Coolant usage in severe winter
climate
If you drive in extremely cold
climates less than -34°F (-36°C), it
may be necessary to increase the
coolant concentration above 50 %.
Refer to the chart on the coolant
container to ensure the coolant
concentration in your vehicle will
provide adequate freeze protection.
Never increase the engine
coolant concentration above
60 %(protection to -60°F). At a
level over 60 %, your engine could
overheat and become damaged.
Coolant usage in hot climate
If you drive in hot climates, it is still
necessary to maintain the coolant
concentration at 50/50 coolant and
water. Do not allow the
concentration to fall below
40 % coolant.At a concentration
less than 40 %, the corrosion
protection to your engine and
cooling components may be
compromised and permanent
damage may result.
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Maintenance and care
178
Checking and adding power
steering fluid
Switch off the engine. With the
steering system at normal
operating temperature, the fluid
level should come up to the MAX
mark.
If the fluid level drops below the
MIN mark, add the specified fluid.
Refer to the Capacities and
specificationschapter.MAX
MIN Disposal of used engine coolant
Used engine coolant should be
disposed of in an appropriate
manner. Follow your community’s
regulations and standards for
recycling and/or disposal of
automotive fluids. Use of recycled engine coolant
Ford Motor Company recommends
the use of recycled engine coolant
produced by Ford-approved
processes. However, not all coolant
recycling processes produce
coolant that meets Ford
specification ESE-M97B44A. Use of
such coolant may harm the engine
and coolant system components.
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Maintenance and care
180
3. With the parking brake engaged
and your foot on the brake pedal,
start the engine and move the
gearshift lever through all of the
gear ranges. Allow sufficient time
for each gear to engage.
4. Latch the gearshift lever in P
(Park) and leave the engine
running.
5. Remove the dipstick, wiping it
with a clean, dry lint free rag.
6. Install the dipstick making sure
it is fully seated in the filler tube.
7. Remove the dipstick and inspect
the fluid level. The fluid level
should be in the designated areas
for normal and room temperature.
Low fluid level
Do not drive the vehicle if the fluid
level is below the hole at the
bottom of the dipstick.
Correct fluid level
The transaxle fluid level should be
checked at normal operating
temperatures 66°C - 77°C (150°F -
170°F) on a level surface. The
normal operating temperature can
be reached after approximately
30 km (20 miles) of driving.
The transaxle fluid should be in
this range if at normal operating
temperature of 66°C - 77°C
(150°F - 170°F).Do not drive if below this area
Normal operating temperature
66°C - 77°C (150°F - 170°F)
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Maintenance and care
185 Relearning the idle function
Because your vehicle’s engine is
electronically controlled, some
control conditions are maintained
by power from the battery. When
the battery is disconnected or a
new battery is installed, the
computer must “relearn” its idle
conditions before your vehicle can
drive properly. To begin this
process:
1. Put the automatic transaxle
gearshift in P (Park). Put the
manual transaxle gearshift in
neutral.
2. Turn off all accessories and start
the vehicle.
3. Let the engine idle for at least
one minute.
4. The “relearning” process will
automatically complete as you
drive the vehicle.
• If you do not allow the engine to
“relearn” its idle, the idle quality of
your vehicle may be adversely
affected until the idle is eventually
“relearned”.
• If the battery has been
disconnected or if a new battery
has been installed, the clock and
preset radio stations must be reset
once the battery is reconnected.
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Maintenance and care
187 2. Remove the plastic caps from
the screws on the grille. Remove
the screws.
3. Open the hood. Pull off the
rubber weatherstrip at the back of
the engine compartment. Remove
the screws that hold the grille,
separate the two halves and
remove the grille.
4. The filter is in a housing at the
back of the engine compartment,
on the passenger side. Pull off the
two clips on the sides of the
housing. Slide out the top part of
the housing and filter.
5. Slide the filter out of the
housing, replace with the new filter
and slide the top part of the
housing and cabin air filter back
into place. Reinstall the clips on the
housing.
6. Replace the grille and wiper
arms.
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Maintenance and care
197 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 enginelight.
• 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 “Antabuse” 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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