2001 Mercury Sable towing

WRECKER TOWING
If you need to have your vehicle towed, contact a professional towing
service or, if you are a member, your roadside assistance center.
It is recommended that your vehicle be towed with a wheel lift or flatbed
equipment. Do not tow with a slingbelt. Ford Motor Company has not
approved a slingbelt towing procedure.
If your vehicle is to be towed from the rear using wheel lift equipment, it
is recommended that the front wheels (drive wheels) be placed on a
dolly to prevent damage to the transaxle.
If your vehicle must be towed with the drive wheels on the ground:
²Place the transaxle in N (Neutral).
²DO NOT exceed the distance of 80 km (50 miles).
²DO NOT exceed the speed of 56 km/h (35 mph).
If the vehicle is towed by other means or incorrectly, vehicle
damage may occur.
Ford Motor Company provides a towing manual for all authorized tow
truck operators. Have your tow truck operator refer to this manual for
proper hook-up and towing procedures for your vehicle.
Roadside emergencies
152

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

IDENTIFYING YOUR VEHICLE
Certification label
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration Regulations require
that a Certification Label be affixed
to a vehicle and prescribe where the
Certification Label may be located.
The Certification Label is located on
the front door latch pillar on the
driver's side.
1
4
MFD. BY FORD MOTOR CO. IN U.S.A.
EXT PNT: XXXXXX XXXXXX RC: XX DSO: XXXX F0000
BAR INT TR TP/PS R AXLE TR SPR T0000
X XX XXX X XX X XXXX
UTC
ÑFOHT-15294A10-GA
MAXIMUM LOAD=OCCUPANTS + LUGGAGE=XXXKG/XXXXLB
OCCUPANTS: X TOTAL X FR X 2ND X RR OCCUPANTS LUGGAGE
XX XXXKG/XXXXLB
TIRE: XXXX/XXXXX XXX X XXXKG/XXXXLB
PRESSURE (FR) XXX kPa/33 PSI COLD
PRESSURE (RR) XXX kPa/33 PSI COLD
TRAILER TOWING - SEE OWNER GUIDE
DATE: XXXXX GVWR:XXXXX LB/ XXXXX KG
VIN: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX TYPE: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX FGAWR: XXXXXX/XXXXXXX RGAWR: XXXXXXX/XXXXXXX
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL
MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS IN EFFECT ON THE
DATE OF MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE.
Capacities and specifications
215

Ford Extended Service Plan
You can get more protection for your new car or light truck by
purchasing Ford Extended Service Plan (Ford ESP) coverage. Ford ESP
is an optional service contract which is backed by Ford Motor Company
or Ford Motor Service Company (in the U.S.) and Ford of Canada (in
Canada). It provides the following:
²benefits during the warranty period depending on the plan you
purchase (such as: reimbursement for rentals; coverage for certain
maintenance and wear items)
²protection against covered repair costs after your Bumper to Bumper
Warranty expires
You may purchase Ford ESP from any participating Ford and Lincoln
Mercury and Ford of Canada dealer. There are several plans available in
various time, distance and deductible combinations which can be tailored
to fit your own driving needs. Ford ESP also offers reimbursement
benefits for towing and rental coverage.
When you buy Ford ESP, you receive Peace-of-Mind protection
throughout the United States and Canada, provided by a network of
more than 5,000 participating Ford or Lincoln Mercury and Ford of
Canada dealers.
If you did not take advantage of the Ford Extended Service Plan at the
time of purchasing your vehicle, you may still be eligible. Please contact
your dealer for further information. Since this information is subject to
change, please ask your dealer for complete details about Ford Extended
Service Plan coverage options, or visit the Ford ESP website at
www.ford-esp.com.
Getting the service you need
At home
Ford Motor Company and Ford of Canada have authorized dealerships to
service your vehicle. When you need warranty repairs your selling dealer
would like you to return to it for that service, but you may also take your
vehicle to another Ford Motor Company or Ford of Canada dealership
authorized for warranty repairs. Certain warranty repairs require special
training though, so not all dealers are authorized to perform all warranty
repairs. That means that depending on the warranty repair needed, the
vehicle may need to be taken to another dealer. If a particular dealership
can not assist you, then contact the Customer Relationship Center.
Customer assistance
217

GAWR ......................................128
GVWR ......................................128
trailer towing ..........................128
Locks
autolock .....................................71
childproof ..................................57
Lubricant specifications ...212±213
Lumbar support, seats ...............79
M
Mirrors .........................................54
cleaning ...................................206
heated ........................................58
side view mirrors (power) .......58
Moon roof ....................................54
Motorcraft parts ................186, 210
O
Octane rating ............................185
Odometer .....................................15
Oil (see Engine oil) ..................157
Overdrive ...................................124
P
Panic alarm feature, remote
entry system ................................65
Parking brake ............................120
Parts (see Motorcraft parts) ....210
Pedals (see Power
adjustable foot pedals) ...............46
Power adjustable foot pedals .....46
Power distribution box
(see Fuses) ...............................141Power door locks ........................57
Power steering ..........................122
fluid, checking and adding ....167
fluid, refill capacity ................211
fluid, specifications .........212±213
R
Radio ............................................29
Relays ................................138, 143
Remote entry system ...........63, 65
illuminated entry ......................65
locking/unlocking doors ...........64
opening the trunk .....................64
panic alarm ...............................65
replacement/additional
transmitters ...............................65
replacing the batteries .............66
Roof rack ...................................134
S
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ............13, 81, 83±87, 89
Safety defects, reporting ..........230
Safety restraints ..............81, 83±90
belt minder ...............................92
cleaning the safety belts ..95, 209
extension assembly ..................91
for adults .............................84±87
for children .....................103±104
lap belt ......................................89
warning light
and chime ........................9, 13, 92
Safety seats for children ..........105
Seat belts
(see Safety restraints) ...............81
Seats ............................................77
Index
235

child safety seats ....................105
cleaning ...........................208±209
SecuriLock passive
anti-theft system ...................73, 75
Servicing your vehicle ..............153
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................210, 213
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................212±213
Speed control ..............................47
Speedometer ...............................14
Starting your vehicle ........113, 115
jump starting ..........................147
Steering wheel
tilting .........................................52
T
Tachometer .................................14
Tires ...........................143, 178±180
changing ..........................143±144
checking the pressure ............180
replacing ..................................181
rotating ....................................180
snow tires and chains ............181
tire grades ...............................179
treadwear ................................179
Towing .......................................130
recreational towing .................133
trailer towing ..........................130
wrecker ....................................152
Traction control ..................46, 121
active light ..................................8
Transaxle
automatic operation ...............123
fluid, refill capacities ..............211lubricant specifications ..........213
Transmission
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................168
lubricant specifications ..........212
Trip odometer .............................15
Trunk .........................61, 63±64, 76
remote release ..........................60
Turn signal ..............................8, 50
V
Vehicle dimensions ...................213
Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN) ...........................216
Vehicle loading ..........................128
Ventilating your vehicle ...........117
W
Warning chimes ...........................13
Warning lights (see Lights) .........8
Washer fluid ..............................161
Water, Driving through .............129
Windows
power .........................................56
rear wiper/washer .....................51
Windshield washer fluid and
wipers
checking and adding fluid .....161
checking and cleaning ....177±178
liftgate reservoir .....................162
operation ...................................50
replacing wiper blades ...........178
Wrecker towing .........................152
Index
236