2001 Mercury Sable oil

Checking and adding washer fluid for the liftgate (if equipped)
The opening for the reservoir is
located on the passenger side under
the tail lamp. Refill this reservoir
with the same fluid you use for your
windshield.
ENGINE COOLANT
Checking engine coolant
Your vehicle was factory-filled with a 50/50 engine coolant and water
concentration. If the concentration of coolant falls below 40% or above
60%, the engine parts could become damaged or not work properly.A
50/50 mixture of coolant and water provides the following:
²freeze protection down to -36É C (-34É F).
²boiling protection up to 129É C (265É F).
²protection against rust and other forms of corrosion.
²enables calibrated gages to function properly.
Maintenance and care
162

²Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel economy.
²Slow down gradually.
²Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 88 km/h [55 mph] uses 15%
less fuel than traveling at 105 km/h [65 mph]).
²Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
²Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
²You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if
unnecessary shifting between third and fourth gear occurs.
Unnecessary shifting of this type could result in reduced fuel
economy.
²Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
²Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
²Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
²Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
²Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
²Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant Specifications.
²Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle scheduled maintenance guide.
Conditions
²Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
²Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
²Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
²Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
²Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
12±16 km (8±10 miles) of driving.
Maintenance and care
189

5. Disconnect the electrical
connector from the bulb by pulling
rearward.
6. Remove the bulb retaining ring by
rotating it counterclockwise.
7. Remove the old bulb from the
lamp assembly by pulling it straight
out of the lamp assembly.
To install the new bulb:
Handle a halogen headlamp bulb carefully and keep out of
children's reach. Grasp the bulb only by its plastic base and do
not touch the glass. The oil from your hand could cause the bulb to
break the next time the headlamps are operated.
1. Install the new bulb in lamp assembly by pushing straight in with the
flat surface of the bulb's plastic base facing upward. You may need to
turn the bulb slightly to align the grooves in the plastic base with the
tabs in the lamp assembly.
Maintenance and care
194

Cleaning the wheels
Wash with the same detergent as the body of your vehicle. Do not use
acid-based or alcohol-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.
The brushes used in some automatic car washes may damage the finish
on your wheels. Before going to a car wash, find out if the brushes are
abrasive.
Cleaning non-painted plastic exterior parts
Use vinyl cleaner for routine cleaning. Clean with a tar remover if
necessary. Do not clean plastic parts with thinners, solvents or
petroleum-based cleaners.
Cleaning mirrors
Do not clean your mirrors with a dry cloth or abrasive materials. Use a
soft cloth and mild detergent and water. Be careful when removing ice
from outside mirrors because you may damage the reflective surface.
Cleaning the exterior lamps
Wash with the same detergent as the exterior of your vehicle. If
necessary, use a tar remover such as Ford Extra Strength Tar and Road
Oil Remover (B7A-19520±AA).
To avoid scratching the lamps, do not use a dry paper towel, chemical
solvents or abrasive cleaners.
Cleaning the windshield, wiper blades and rear window
If the wiper blades do not wipe properly, clean the wiper blade rubber
element with undiluted windshield washer solution or a mild detergent.
To avoid damaging the blades, do not use fuel, kerosene, paint thinner or
other solvents.
If the wiper still does not wipe properly, this could be caused by
substances on the windshield or rear window such as tree sap and some
hot wax treatments used by commercial car washes. Clean the outside of
the windshield or rear window with a non-abrasive cleaner such as Ford
Ultra-Clear Spray Glass Cleaner, (E4AZ-19C507±AA), available from your
Ford Dealer.Do notuse abrasive cleansers on glass as they may cause
scratches. The windshield or rear window is clean if beads do not form
when you rinse it with water. The windshield, rear window and wiper
Maintenance and care
206

Do not use chemical solvents or strong detergents when cleaning
the seat mounted side air bag. Such products could contaminate
the side air bag system and affect performance of the side air bag in a
collision.
Woodtone trim
Wipe stains with a soft cloth and a multi-purpose cleaning solution.
Inside windows
Use Ultra-Clear Spray Glass Cleaner (E4AZ-19C507±AA) for the inside
windows if they become fogged.
Cleaning and maintaining the safety belts
Clean the safety belts with a mild soap solution recommended for
cleaning upholstery or carpets. 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, tears or cuts. If your vehicle has been involved in an accident,
refer to theSafety belt maintenancesection in theSeating and safety
restraintschapter.
Cleaning leather seats (if equipped)
To clean, simply use a soft cloth dampened with water and a mild soap.
Wipe the leather again with a damp cloth to remove soap residue. Dry
with a soft cloth. For tougher soiling concerns, Ford recommends using
the Deluxe Leather Care Kit F8AZ-19G253±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.
Do not use household cleaning products, alcohol solutions,
solvents or cleaners intended for rubber, vinyl or plastics.
Cleaning the interior fabric
Remove dust and loose dirt with a whisk broom or a vacuum cleaner.
Remove fresh spots immediately. Do not use household or glass cleaners.
These agents can stain and discolor the fabric. Use a mild soap and
water solution if necessary.
Maintenance and care
209

MOTORCRAFT PART NUMBERS
Component 3.0L V6 Vulcan engine 3.0L DOHC V6
Duratec engine
Air filter element
1FA-1683 FA-1683
Fuel filter FG-1006 FG-81006
Battery (standard) BXT-58R BXT-36R
Battery (optional) BXT-36R N/A
Oil filter FL-400-S FL-820-S
PCV valve EV-228 EV-243
Spark plugs
2AWSF-32PP3AWSF-32F
1Do not use oil-impregnated air filter elements. Failure to use the
correct air filter element may result in severe engine damage. The
customer warranty may be voided for any damage to the engine if the
correct air filter element is not used.
2Refer to Vehicle Emissions Control Information (VECI) decal for spark
plug gap information.
3If a spark plug is to be removed for inspection, it must be reinstalled in
the same cylinder. If a spark plug needs to be replaced, use only spark
plugs with the service part number suffix letter as shown on the engine
decal.
Capacities and specifications
210

REFILL CAPACITIES
Fluid Ford Part
NameApplication Capacity
Brake fluid High
Performance
DOT 3 Motor
Vehicle Brake
FluidAll Fill to line on
reservoir
Engine
coolant
1Premium
Engine Coolant3.0L V6 Vulcan
engine11.0L
(11.6 quarts)
3.0L DOHC V6
Duratec engine10.0L
(10.6 quarts)
Engine oil
(includes filter
change)Motorcraft SAE
5W-20 Super
Premium
Motor Oil3.0 V6 Vulcan
engine4.25L (4.5 quarts)
3.0L DOHC V6
Duratec engine5.2L (5.5 quarts)
Fuel tank
capacityN/A All vehicles 68.1L
(18.0 gallons)
Power steering
fluidMotorcraft
MERCONt
AT F3.0L V6 Vulcan
engineKeep in FULL
range on dipstick
3.0L DOHC V6
Duratec engineFill to line on
reservoir
Automatic
transaxle -
4F50NMotorcraft
MERCONtV
AT F3.0L V6 Vulcan
engine12.8L
(13.5 quarts)
3.0L DOHC V6
Duratec engine12.7L
(13.4 quarts)
Automatic
transaxle -
AX4SMotorcraft
MERCONtV
AT F3.0L V6 Vulcan
engine11.6L
(12.2 quarts)
Windshield
washer fluid -
FrontUltra-Clear
Windshield
Washer
ConcentrateAll 2.8L (94.7 oz.)
Capacities and specifications
211

Fluid Ford Part
NameApplication Capacity
Windshield
washer fluid -
RearUltra-Clear
Windshield
Washer
ConcentrateWagon 1.8L (60.9 oz.)
1Use Ford Premium Engine Coolant (green in color). DO NOT USE Ford
Extended Life Engine Coolant (orange in color). Refer toAdding engine
coolant, in the Maintenance and Care chapter.
LUBRICANT SPECIFICATIONS
ItemsFord Part
Name or
equivalentFord Part
NumberFord
Specification
Brake fluid High
Performance
DOT 3 Motor
Vehicle Brake
FluidC6AZ-19542-AB ESA-M6C25-A
and DOT 3
Door latch, hood
latch, auxiliary
hood latch, seat
tracks, trunk
and liftgate
latchesMulti-Purpose
GreaseDOAZ-19584-AA
or
F5AZ-19G209-AAESA-M1C93-B
or
ESR-M1C159-A
Lock cylinders Penetrating and
Lock LubricantMotorcraft XL-1 none
Automatic
transaxle (AX4S
and 4F50N)Motorcraft
MERCONtV
AT FXT-5-QM
MERCONtV
Engine oil Motorcraft SAE
5W-20 Super
Premium Motor
OilXO-5W20-QSP WSS-M2C153-H
and API
Certification
Mark
Constant
velocity jointsCV Joint Grease
(High Temp.)E43Z-19590-A ESP-M1C207-A
Capacities and specifications
212