
Brake system warning
•Standard instrument cluster
•Optional instrument cluster
To confirm the brake system
warning light is functional, it will
momentarily illuminate when the
ignition is turned to the ON position (alternatively for some vehicles
when the ignition is moved from the ON position to START position, the
light will momentarily illuminate prior to reaching the START position).
It also illuminates if the parking brake is engaged. If the brake system
warning light does not illuminate as described, seek service immediately.
Illumination after the parking brake is released indicates low brake fluid
level or a brake system malfunction and the brake system should be
serviced immediately by a qualified technician. Refer toBrakesin the
Drivingchapter for more information.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
To confirm the anti-lock brake
system (ABS) warning light is
functional it will momentarily
illuminate when the ignition is
turned to the ON position
(alternatively for some vehicles when the ignition is moved from the ON
position to the START position, the light will momentarily illuminate just
prior to reaching the START position). If the light remains on, continues
to flash or fails to illuminate, have the ABS serviced immediately. If the
ABS light remains on, it means the anti-lock brake system has
malfunctioned and is disabled, however, the normal brake system will
still function unless the brake warning light also remains illuminated and
parking brake is off. Refer toBrakesin theDrivingchapter for more
information.
!
BRAKE
ABS
2003 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Instrument Cluster
12

HEADLAMP CONTROL
Turns the lamps off.
Turns on the parking
lamps, instrument panel lamps,
license plate lamps and tail lamps.
Turns the headlamps on.
Autolamp control
The autolamp system provides light
sensitive automatic on-off control of
the exterior lights normally
controlled by the headlamp control.
The autolamp system also keeps the
lights on for a predetermined period
of time after the ignition switch is
turned to OFF.
•To turn autolamps on, rotate the
control counterclockwise to the
next position from OFF.
•To turn autolamps off, rotate the control clockwise past OFF to the
parking lamp position
, then back to OFF.
The headlamps will also turn on when the windshield wipers are
activated, after a 10–20 second delay.
Daytime running lamps (DRL) (if equipped)
Turns the highbeam headlamps on with a reduced output. To activate:
•the key must be in the ON position,
•the parking brake released, and
•the headlamp control is in the OFF or Parking lamps position.
Always remember to turn on your headlamps at dusk or during
inclement weather. The Daytime Running Light (DRL) System
does not activate your tail lamps and generally may not provide
adequate lighting during these conditions. Failure to activate your
headlamps under these conditions may result in a collision.
2003 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
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Lights
Lights
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5. Turn the headlamps on and make sure they work properly. If the
headlamp was correctly aligned before you changed the bulb, you should
not need to align it again.
Replacing front parking lamp/turn signal bulbs
The park/turn lamp bulbs can be replaced with out removing the
headlamp assembly.
1. Make sure headlamp switch is in OFF position, then open the hood.
2. Remove the radiator cover by turning the three knobs to the unlock
position.
3. Loosen the parking lamp retainer, on the outside of the lamp, screw
and pull the lamp assembly forward.
4. Disconnect the electrical
connector from the bulb by pulling
rearward.
5. Rotate the bulb socket
counterclockwise and remove from
lamp assembly.
6. Carefully pull bulb straight out of
the socket and push in the new bulb
until it snaps, locking it into
position.
7. To complete installation, follow the removal procedure in reverse
order.
Replacing tail lamp/brake/turn lamp bulbs
The tail lamp, the brake lamp and the turn signal lamp bulbs are located
in the tail lamp assembly. Follow the same steps to replace either bulb.
2003 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
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Lights
59

same ignition cycle if the occupant buckles and remains buckled for
approximately 30 seconds. Confirmation is not given for the one time
disable.
Deactivating/activating the BeltMinder feature
The driver and front passenger BeltMinder are
deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.
Read steps1-4thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
The driver and front passenger BeltMinder features can be
deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
•The parking brake is set
•The gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic transmission)
•The ignition switch is in the OFF position
•The driver and front passenger safety belts are unbuckled
To reduce the risk of injury, do not deactivate/activate the Belt
Minder feature while driving the vehicle.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN (or ON) position. (DO NOT
START THE ENGINE)
2. Wait until the safety belt warning light turns off. (Approximately 1
minute)
•Step 3 must be completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt
warning light turns off.
3. For the seating position being disabled, buckle then unbuckle the
safety belt 9 times, ending in the unbuckled state. (Step 3 must be
completed within 50 seconds after the safety belt warning light turns
off.)
•After step 3, the restraint system warning light (airbag light) will be
turned on for three seconds.
4. Within 10 seconds of the light turning on, buckle then unbuckle the
safety belt.
•This will disable the BeltMinder feature for that seating position if it is
currently enabled. As confirmation, the restraint system warning light
will flash 4 times per second for 3 seconds.
2003 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
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STARTING
Positions of the ignition
1. ACCESSORY, allows the electrical
accessories such as the radio to
operate while the engine is not
running.
2. LOCK, locks steering wheel
(police vehicles only), the automatic
transmission gearshift lever and
allows key removal.
3. OFF, shuts off the engine and all
accessories without locking the steering wheel. This position also allows
the automatic transmission shift lever to be moved from the P (Park)
position without the brake pedal being depressed.
When the key is in the ignition OFF position, the automatic
transmission shift lever can be moved from the P (Park) position
without the brake pedal depressed. To avoid unwanted vehicle
movement, always set the parking brake.
4. ON, all electrical circuits operational. Warning lights illuminated. Key
position when driving.
5. START, cranks the engine. Release the key as soon as the engine
starts.
Preparing to start your vehicle
Engine starting is controlled by the powertrain control system. This
system meets all Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment standard
requirements regulating the impulse electrical field strength of radio
noise.
When starting a fuel-injected engine, avoid pressing the accelerator
before or during starting. Only use the accelerator when you have
difficulty starting the engine. For more information on starting the
vehicle, refer toStarting the enginein this chapter.
Extended idling at high engine speeds can produce very high
temperatures in the engine and exhaust system, creating the risk
of fire or other damage.
3
1
2
5
4
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Driving
Driving
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4. Make sure the parking brake is
set.
5. Turn the key to 4 (ON) without
turning the key to 5 (START).
Make sure the corresponding lights illuminate or illuminate briefly. If a
light fails to illuminate, have the vehicle serviced.
•If the driver’s safety belt is fastened, the
light may not illuminate.
HOOD
1
2
34
5
2003 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
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The ABS operates by detecting the
onset of wheel lockup during brake
applications and compensates for
this tendency. The wheels are
prevented from locking even when
the brakes are firmly applied. The
accompanying illustration depicts
the advantage of an ABS equipped
vehicle (on bottom) to a non-ABS
equipped vehicle (on top) during hard braking with loss of front braking
traction.
Using ABS
•In an emergency or when maximum efficiency from the four-wheel
ABS is required, apply continuous force on the brake. The four wheel
ABS will be activated immediately, thus allowing you to retain steering
control of your vehicle and, providing there is sufficient space, will
enable you to avoid obstacles and bring the vehicle to a controlled
stop.
•The anti-lock system does not reduce stopping distance. Always leave
enough room between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to
stop.
•We recommend that you familiarize yourself with this braking
technique. However, avoid taking any unnecessary risks.
ABS warning lamp
ABS
TheABSwarning lamp in the instrument cluster momentarily illuminates
when the ignition is turned to the ON position. If the light does not
illuminate momentarily at start up, remains on or continues to flash, the
ABS needs to be serviced.
With the ABS light on, the anti-lock
brake system is disabled and normal
braking is still effective unless the
brake warning light also remains
illuminated with parking brake
released. (If your brake warning lamp illuminates, have your vehicle
serviced immediately.)
!
BRAKE
2003 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driving
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Parking brake
Apply the parking brake whenever
the vehicle is parked. To set the
parking brake, press the parking
brake pedal down until the pedal
stops.
The BRAKE warning lamp in the
instrument cluster illuminates and
remains illuminated (when the
ignition is turned ON) until the
parking brake is released.
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure that the
gearshift is securely latched in P (Park).
The parking brake is not recommended to stop a moving vehicle.
However, if the normal brakes fail, the parking brake can be used to stop
your vehicle in an emergency. Since the parking brake applies only the
rear brakes, the vehicle’s stopping distance will increase greatly and the
handling of your vehicle will be adversely affected.
Pull the release lever to release the
brake. Driving with the parking
brake on will cause the brakes to
wear out quickly and reduce fuel
economy.
TRACTION CONTROL(IF EQUIPPED)
Your vehicle may be equipped with the optional Traction Control
system. This system helps you maintain the stability and steerability of
HOOD
!
BRAKE
2003 Crown Victoria(cro)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driving
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