2000 Mercury Sable air condition

Displaying outside temperature
Press OUTSIDE TEMP to display
the outside air temperature. It will
be displayed until OUTSIDE TEMP
is pressed again or until any other
control is pressed. When the EATC
system is off and OUTSIDE TEMP is
pressed, the outside temperature
will only be displayed for four
seconds.
The outside temperature reading is most accurate when the vehicle is
moving. Higher readings may be obtained when the vehicle is not
moving. The readings that you get may not agree with temperatures
given on the radio due to differences in vehicle and station locations.
Operating tips
²In humid weather, select Fbefore driving. This will reduce
fogging on your windshield. After a few minutes, select any desired
position.
²To prevent humidity buildup inside the vehicle, don't drive with the
climate control system in the OFF position.
²Don't put objects under the front seat that will interfere with the
airflow to the back seats.
²Remove any snow, ice or leaves
from the air intake area (at the
bottom of the windshield).
²If your vehicle has been parked with the windows closed during hot
weather, the air conditioner will do a much faster job of cooling if you
drive for two or three minutes with the windows open. This will force
most of the hot, stale air out of the vehicle. Then operate the air
conditioner as you would normally.
AUTO
TEMPOFFTEMP
MAX
A/C
OUTSIDE
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27

²If the air conditioner works well in MAX A/C but not in normal A/C,
this may indicate that the cabin air filter (if equipped) needs to be
replaced.
²Do not place objects over the defroster outlets. These objects can
block airflow and reduce your ability to see through your windshield.
Also, avoid placing small objects on top of your instrument panel.
These objects can fall down into the defroster outlets and block
airflow and possibly damage your climate control system.
Do not place objects on top of the instrument panel, as these
objects may become projectiles in a collision or sudden stop.
AUXILIARY POWER POINT
The auxiliary power point is located on the instrument panel.
Do not plug optional electrical accessories into the cigarette lighter. Use
the power point.
USING YOUR AUDIO SYSTEM
AM/FM Stereo
Controls and features
28

SAFETY RESTRAINTS
Personal Safety System
The Personal Safety System provides an improved overall level of frontal
crash protection to front seat occupants and is designed to help further
reduce the risk of air bag-related injuries. The system is able to analyze
different occupant conditions and crash severity before activating the
appropriate safety devices to help better protect a range of occupants in
a variety of frontal crash situations.
Your vehicle's Personal Safety System consists of:
²Driver and passenger dual-stage air bag supplemental restraints. Refer
to theAir bag supplemental restraintssection in this chapter.
²Front safety belts with pretensioners, energy management retractors,
and safety belt usage sensors. Refer to theSafety beltssection in this
chapter.
²Driver's seat position sensor.
²Front crash severity sensor.
²Restraints Control Module (RCM) with impact and safing sensors.
²An indicator light and back-up tone.
²The electrical wiring for the air bags, crash sensor(s), safety belt
pretensioners, front safety belt usage sensors and driver's seat position
sensor.
How does the personal safety system work?
The Personal Safety System uses a collection of sensors to gather
information about the driver's seat position, driver and front outboard
passenger's safety belt usage and accident severity. Then, dual-stage
inflating air bags are combined with safety belt pretensioners and energy
management retractors to help provide enhanced occupant protection in
frontal crashes.
The driver's seat position sensor determines if the seat is fore or aft of a
reference position. Similarly, the safety belt usage sensors determine if
the driver and front outboard passenger safety belts are fastened. These
sensors provide the ability to tailor the air bag deployment based upon
how close the driver's seat is to the steering wheel and whether or not
the safety belts are fastened.
The dual-stage air bags offer the ability to tailor the air bag inflation with
two energy levels. A lower, less forceful energy level is provided for more
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78

common, moderate-severity impacts. A higher energy level is provided
for the most severe impacts. Whether or not the air bag deploys at all
can also be different for the driver versus the passenger based upon
driver's seat position and safety belt usage allowing further tailoring of
the system.
Determining if the personal safety system is operational
The Personal Safety System uses a warning indicator light in the
instrument cluster or a back-up tone to indicate the condition of the
system. Refer to theRestraints Warning Indicatorsection in the
Instrumentationchapter. Routine maintenance of the Personal Safety
System is not required.
The RCM (restraints control module) monitors its own internal circuits
and the circuits for the air bag supplemental restraints, crash sensor(s),
safety belt pretensioners, front safety belt usage sensors and driver's seat
position sensor. In addition, the RCM also monitors the restraints
warning indicator light in the instrument cluster. A difficulty with the
system is indicated by one or more of the following:
²The indicator light will either
flash or stay lit.
²The indicator light will not
illuminate immediately after
ignition is turned on.
²A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and indicator light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the Personal
Safety System serviced at your dealership or by a qualified technician
immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in
the event of a collision.
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79

When are the front air bags and pretensioners deployed?
Front air bags and pretensioners are
designed to activate in frontal and
near-frontal collisions, not rollover,
side-impacts, or rear-impacts unless
the collision causes sufficient
longitudinal deceleration. The fact
that the pretensioners or air bags
did not activate in a collision does
not mean that something is wrong
with the system. Rather, it means
the Personal Safety System
determined the occupant conditions
or crash severity were not appropriate to activate these safety devices.
Safety belt precautions
Always drive and ride with your seatback upright and the lap
belt snug and low across the hips.
To reduce the risk of injury, make sure children sit where they
can be properly restrained.
Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap while the
vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the child from
injury in a collision.
All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag SRS is
provided.
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or
outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas
are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and
safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
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80

The air bag supplemental restraints are an intergral part of the Personal
Safety System. They are designed to be deployed in cases where the
Personal Safety System has determined the occupant conditions and
crash severity are appropriate to activate these devices. Refer to the
Personal Safety Systemsection in this chapter.
Important supplemental restraint system precautions
Air bags DO NOT inflate slowly or
gently and the risk of injury from a
deploying air bag is greatest close to
the trim covering the air bag
module.
All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always
properly wear their safety belts, even when an air bag SRS is
provided.
Always transport children 12 years old and under in the back
seat and always properly use appropriate child restraints.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
recommends a minimum distance of at least 25 cm (10 inches)
between an occupant's chest and the driver air bag module.
Never place your arm over the air bag module as a deploying air
bag can result in serious arm fractures or other injuries.
Steps you can take to properly position yourself away from the airbag:
²Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
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94

Determining if the system is operational
The supplemental restraint system uses a warning indicator in the
instrument cluster or a back-up tone to indicate the condition of the
system. Refer to theRestraints Warning Indicatorsection in the
Instrumentationchapter. Routine maintenance of the air bag is not
required.
A difficulty with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:
²The readiness light (same light
for front and side air bag system)
will either flash or stay lit.
²The readiness light will not
illuminate immediately after ignition is turned on.
²A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and light are repaired.
If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the supplemental
restraint system serviced at your dealership or by a qualified technician
immediately. Unless serviced, the system may not function properly in
the event of a collision.
How do the air bag supplemental restraints work?
The air bags inflate and deflate
rapidly upon activation. After air bag
deployment, it is normal to notice a
smoke-like, powdery residue or
smell the burnt propellant. This may
consist of cornstarch, talcum
powder (to lubricate the bag) or
sodium compounds (e.g., baking
soda) that result from the
combustion process that inflates the
air bag. Small amounts of sodium
hydroxide may be present which
may irritate the skin and eyes, but
none of the residue is toxic.
While the system is designed to help
reduce serious injuries, contact with
a deploying air bag may also cause abrasions, swelling or temporary
hearing loss. Because air bags must inflate rapidly and with considerable
force, there is the risk of death or serious injuries such as fractures,
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96

Important ventilating information
If the engine is idling while the vehicle is stopped in an open area for
long periods of time, open the windows at least 2.5 cm (one inch).
Adjust the heating or air conditioning (if equipped) to bring in fresh air.
Improve vehicle ventilation by
keeping all air inlet vents clear of
snow, leaves and other debris.
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