2003 LINCOLN AVIATOR engine overheat

until the coolant temperature returns to the normal range. Refer to
Engine coolant temperature gaugein theInstrument cluster
chapter.
•Anticipate stops and brake gradually.
•Do not exceed the GCWR rating or transmission damage may occur.
Servicing after towing
If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more
frequent service intervals. Refer to your scheduled maintenance guide for
more information.
Trailer towing tips
•Practice turning, stopping and backing up before starting on a trip to
get the feel of the vehicle trailer combination. When turning, make
wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles.
•Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached.
•If you are driving down a long or steephill, shift to a lower gear. Do
not apply the brakes continuously, as they may overheat and become
less effective.
•The trailer tongue weight should be 10–15% of the loaded trailer
weight.
•After you have traveled 80 km (50 miles), thoroughly check your
hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts.
•To aid in engine/transmission cooling and A/C efficiency during hot
weather while stopped in traffic, place the gearshift lever in P (Park).
•Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. If you must
park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer’s wheels.
Launching or retrieving a boat
Disconnect the wiring to the trailer before backing the trailer
into the water. Reconnect the wiring to the trailer after the
trailer is removed from the water.
When backing down a rampduring boat launching or retrieval:
•do not allow the static water level to rise above the bottom edge of
the rear bumper.
•do not allow waves to break higher than 15 cm (6 inches) above the
bottom edge of the rear bumper.
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cooling system must be drained and refilled with a 50/50 mixture of
engine coolant and distilled water as soon as possible. Water alone
(without engine coolant) can cause engine damage from corrosion,
overheating or freezing.
•Do not usealcohol, methanol, brine, extra inhibitors or additives in
the coolant system. These can cause engine damage.
•Do not mix with recycled coolant unless from a Ford-approved
recycling process (seeUse of Recycled engine coolantsection).
Adding engine coolant
Only a qualified technician should add engine coolant to your
vehicle.If the coolant level is LOW or if there are any coolant system
problems, contact you local Lincoln dealer.
Do not put engine coolant in the windshield washer fluid
container. If sprayed on the windshield, engine coolant could
make it difficult to see through the windshield.
Do not add engine coolant when the engine is hot. Steam and
scalding liquids released from a hot cooling system can burn you
badly. Also, you can be burned if you spill coolant on hot engine parts.
Recycled engine coolant
•Motorcraft Premium Engine Coolant (green-colored):For
vehicles equipped with this coolant, use only recycled engine coolant
produced by a Ford Motor Company approved process and meeting
specification ESE-M97B44–A.
•Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant yellow-colored):For
vehicles equipped with this coolant, do NOT use recycled engine
coolant since a Ford Motor Company approved recycling process is
not yet available.
Follow your community’s regulations and standards for disposing
and recycling of automotive fluids.
Coolant refill capacity
To find out how much fluid your vehicle’s cooling system can hold, refer
toRefill capacitiesin this chapter.
Severe climates
If you drive in extremely cold (less than –36° C [–34° F]) or extremely
hot climates, it may be necessary to adjust the coolant concentration
levels.
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•Extreme cold:increase the coolant concentration above 50%.
NEVER increase the coolant concentration above 60%.
•Extreme hot:it is acceptable to decrease the coolant concentration
below 50%.NEVER decrease the coolant concentration below
40%.
The coolant concentration in severe climates must always be
between 40% and 60%.Coolant concentrations not within the
40%-60% range may cause engine damage.
Refer to the chart on the coolant container to ensure the coolant
concentration in your vehicle will provide adequate protection at the
temperatures in which you drive.
What you should know about fail-safe cooling
If the engine coolant supply is depleted, this feature allows the vehicle to
be driven temporarily before incremental component damage is incurred.
The “fail-safe” distance depends on ambient temperatures, vehicle load
and terrain.
How fail-safe cooling works
If the engine begins to overheat:
•The engine coolant temperature
gauge will move to the red (hot)
area.
•The
and thesymbol
will illuminate.
•The “Service Engine Soon”
indicator light will illuminate.
If the engine reaches a preset over-temperature condition, the engine
will automatically switch to alternating cylinder operation. Each disabled
cylinder acts as an air pump and cools the engine.
When this occurs the vehicle will still operate. However:
•The engine power will be limited.
•The air conditioning system will be disabled.
Continued operation will increase the engine temperature:
•The engine will completely shut down.
•Steering and braking effort will increase.
Once the engine temperature cools, the engine can be re-started. Take
your vehicle to a service facility as soon as possible to minimize engine
damage.
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