2000 Mercury Mystique maintenance

Maintenance and care
217 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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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
218Repairing paint chips
Minor scratches or paint damage
from road debris may be repaired
with the Ultra Touch Prep and
Finishing Kit (# F7AZ-19K507-BA).
Lacquer Touch-up Paint (# ALBZ-
19500-XXXXA) or Exterior Acrylic
Spray Lacquer (# ALAZ-19500-
XXXXA) from the Ford Car Care
Chemicals line. Please not that the
part numbers (shown as XXXX
above) will vary with your vehicle’s
specific coloring. Observe the
application instructions on the
products.
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Maintenance and care
219 Cleaning the engine
Engines are more efficient when
they are clean because grease and
dirt buildup act as insulators and
keep the engine warmer than
normal. Follow these guidelines to
clean your engine:
• Take care when using a power
washer to clean the engine. The
high pressure fluid could penetrate
the sealed parts and cause damage.
• Do not spray with cold water, to
avoid cracking the engine block.
• Cover the alternator to prevent
water damage when cleaning the
engine.
• Never wash or rinse the engine
while it is running; water in the
running engine may cause internal
damage.
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Cleaning plastic exterior parts
Use a vinyl cleaner for routine
cleaning of plastic. Clean with a tar
remover if necessary. Do not clean
plastic parts with thinners, solvents
or petroleum-based cleaners.
Cleaning the exterior lamps
Wash the exterior lamps with the
same detergent you use to wash
the exterior of your vehicle. Use
glass cleaner or tar remover if
necessary.
To avoid scratching the lamps, do
not use a dry paper towel, chemical
solvents or abrasive cleaners to
clean the lamps.
Cleaning the wiper blades
If the wiper blades do not wipe
properly, clean both the windshield
and wiper blades using undiluted
windshield wiper solution or a mild
detergent. Rinse thoroughly with
clean water. To avoid damaging the
blades, do not use fuel, kerosene,
paint thinner or other solvents.
Maintenance and care
220
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Maintenance and care
221 Cleaning the interior fabric
Remove dust and loose dirt with a
whisk broom or a vacuum cleaner.
Remove fresh spots immediately.
Follow the directions that come
with the cleaner.
Cleaning the instrument panel
OFF LO PNL/FLR
PANEL
A/CFLOOR
DEF FLR
DEF
MAX
A/C HI/
POWER AUDIO AM/FM
SCAN
SEEK 31245ANSSIDE 1-2EJECTVOLUME
000123000010 20 3040506070
80
90
10 0
110
120
13 0MPH20 406055
80120 10 0
14 0
160
18 0
200EF12
03x 1000
4
5
6
7
8
CHECK
ENGINE TRACTION
CONTROLO/D
OFF
MIRRORS
CLOCK
H C
Clean the instrument panel with a
damp cloth, then dry with a dry
cloth.
Any cleaner or polish that
increases the gloss of the upper
portion of the instrument panel
should be avoided. The dull finish
in this area is to help protect the
driver from undesirable windshield
reflection.
Cleaning leather seats
(if equipped)
For routine cleaning, wipe the
surface with a soft, damp cloth. For
more thorough cleaning, wipe the
surface with a leather and vinyl
cleaner or a mild soap.
Ford recommends using the
Deluxe Leather Care Kit
F8AZ-196253-AA, which is
available from your Ford dealer.
This mild cleaner and special pad
cleans the leather and maintains its
natural beauty. Follow the
instructions on the cleaner label.
Regular cleaning of your leather
upholstery helps maintain its
resiliency and color.
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Maintenance and care
222Cleaning and maintaining the
safety belts
Clean the safety belts with a mild
soap solution recommended for
cleaning upholstery or carpets and
warm water. Do not bleach or dye
the belts, because these actions
may weaken the belt webbing.
Check the safety belt system
periodically to make sure there are
no nicks, wear or cuts.
Cleaning and caring for your
vehicle
Refer to the Customer assistance
chapter for a list of Ford-approved
cleaners, polishes and waxes.
Ford recommends that all
safety belt assemblies and
attaching hardware should be
inspected by a qualified technician
after any collision. Safety belt
assemblies not in use during a
collision should also be inspected
and replaced if either damage or
improper operation is noted.
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Customer assistance
233 • sales disputes between customer
and dealer except those associated
with warranty repairs or concerns
with the vehicle's performance as
designed
• a request for reimbursement of
consequential expenses unless a
service or product concern is being
reviewed
• items not covered by the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty
(including maintenance and wear
items)
• alleged personal injury/property
damage claims
• cases currently in litigation
• vehicles not used primarily for
family, personal or household
purposes (except in states where
the Dispute Settlement Board is
required to review commercial
vehicles).
• vehicles with non-U.S.
warranties
Concerns are ineligible for review if
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty
has expired at receipt of your
application and in certain states
eligibility is dependent upon the
customer's possession of the
vehicle.
Eligibility may differ according to
state law. For example see the
unique brochures for California,
West Virginia, Georgia and
Wisconsin purchasers/lessees.Board membership
The Board consists of:
• three consumer representatives
• a Ford or Lincoln-Mercury
dealership representative
Consumer candidates for Board
membership are recruited and
trained by an independent
consulting firm. The dealership
Board member is chosen from Ford
and Lincoln-Mercury dealership
management, recognized for their
business leadership qualities.
What the Board needs
To have your case reviewed you
must complete the application in
the DSB brochure and mail it to the
address provided on the
application form.
Your application is reviewed and, if
it is determined to be eligible, you
will receive an acknowledgement
indicating:
• the file number assigned to your
application
• the toll-free phone number of
the DSB's independent
administrator
• Your dealership and a Ford
Motor Company representative are
asked to submit statements at this
time.
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Customer assistance
234To properly review your case, the
Board needs the following
information:
• legible copies of all documents
and maintenance or repair orders
relevant to the case
• the year, make, model, and
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) listed on your vehicle
ownership license
• the date of repair(s) and mileage
at the time of occurrence(s)
• the current mileage
• the name of the dealer who sold
or serviced the vehicle
• a brief description of your
unresolved concern
• a brief summary of the action
taken by the dealer(s) and Ford
Motor Company
• the names (if known) of all the
people you contacted at the
dealership(s)
• a description of the action you
expect to resolve your concern
• You will receive a letter of
explanation if your application does
not qualify for Board review.Oral presentations
If you would like to make an oral
presentation indicate YES to
question #6 on the application.
While it is your right to make an
oral presentation before the Board,
this is not a requirement and the
Board will decide the case whether
or not an oral presentation is made.
Oral presentation may be
requested by the Board as well.
Making a decision
Board members review all available
information related to each
complaint, including oral
presentations, and arrive at a fair
and impartial decision.
Every effort is made to decide the
case within 40 days of the date that
all requested information is
received by the Board. Since the
Board generally meets once a
month, it may take more than a
month before the Board can
consider some cases.
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