2004 Mercury Mountaineer sensor

Heated outside mirrors(if equipped)
Both mirrors are heated
automatically to remove ice, mist
and fog when the rear window
defrost is activated.
Do not remove ice from the
mirrors with a scraper or
attempt to readjust the mirror
glass if it is frozen in place.
These actions could cause
damage to the glass and mirrors.
Fold-away mirrors
Pull the side mirrors in carefully
when driving through a narrow
space, like an automatic car wash.
Automatic dimming rear view mirror
Your vehicle may be equipped with
an inside rear view mirror with an
auto-dimming feature. When the
auto-dimming mirror is turned on,
as indicated by an illuminated green
LED to the left of the button on
mirror, it will detect bright
lights(glare) from behind the vehicle, and will change from the normal,
high reflective state, to the darkened state to minimize glare.
When the auto-dimming mirror is turned on, it will automatically return
to the normal, high reflective, state whenever the vehicle is placed in
R(reverse) to ensure a clear view while backing up.
Do not block the sensor located to the right of the mirror button or the
sensor located on the back side of the mirror as this may impair mirror
performance.
2004 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driver Controls
50

3. Locate compass sensor mounted
at base of mirror.
4. Press the button on the top of
the compass module until ZONE
appears in the instrument cluster
display.
5. Release pressure on the button and then slowly press it down again.
6. Continue to press until ZONE
appears in the instrument cluster
display, then release. The display
should show the current zone
number.
7. Press until the desired zone
number appears. The display will flash and then return to normal
operation. The zone is now updated.
Compass calibration adjustment
Perform this adjustment in an open area free from steel structures and
high voltage lines:
For optimum calibration, turn off all electrical accessories (heater/air
conditioning, wipers, etc.) and make sure all vehicle doors are shut.
1. Start the vehicle.
2. Locate compass sensor mounted at base of mirror.
3. Press the button on the top of
the compass module until ZONE
appears in the instrument cluster
display. Continue to hold down until
ZONE disappears and CAL is
displayed (approximately eight
seconds) and release.
4. Drive the vehicle slowly (less than 5 km/h [3 mph]) in circles until
CAL indicator turns off (4–5 complete circles).
5. The compass is now calibrated.
2004 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driver Controls
62

Warning display Status
Check tire pressure (if
equipped)Warning returns after the ignition key
is turned from OFF to ON.
Tire pressure monitor fault (if
equipped)
Tire pressure sensor fault (if
equipped)
Check AdvanceTrac
(if
equipped)
Check AWD (vehicles equipped
with AdvanceTrac
only)
AWD Disabled (vehicles
equipped with AdvanceTrac

only)
Low washer fluid level
Door ajar
Change oil soon
Oil change required
TEMPORARY AWD LOCK (vehicles equipped with AdvanceTrac

only).Displayed when the AWD system automatically locks to prevent
damage from overheating.
AWD LOCK OFF and AWD AUTO ON (vehicles equipped with
AdvanceTrac
only).Displayed when the AWD system is completely
cooled down from being overheated.
CHECK ENGINE TEMPERATURE.Displayed when the engine
coolant is overheating. Stop the vehicle as soon as safely possible, turn
off the engine and let it cool. Check the coolant and coolant level. Refer
toEngine coolantin theMaintenance and specificationschapter. If
the warning stays on or continues to come on, contact your dealer as
soon as possible.
TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED.Indicates the transmission is
overheating. This warning may appear when towing heavy loads or when
driving in a low gear at a high speed for an extended period of time.
Stop the vehicle as soon as safely possible, turn off the engine and let it
cool. Refer toTransmission fluidin theMaintenance and
specificationschapter. If the warning stays on or continues to come on,
contact your dealer for transmission service as soon as possible.
2004 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driver Controls
71

TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR FAULT (if equipped).Displayed when
the Tire pressure monitoring system is malfunctioning. If the warning
stays on or continues to come on, have the system checked by your
dealer.
TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR FAULT (if equipped).Displayed when a
Tire pressure sensor is malfunctioning. If the warning stays on or
continues to come on, have the system checked by your dealer.
LOW WASHER FLUID LEVEL.Indicates the washer fluid reservoir is
less than one quarter full. Check the washer fluid level. Refer to
Windshield washer fluidin theMaintenance and specifications
chapter.
CHECK ADVANCETRAC
(if equipped).Displayed when the
AdvanceTrac
system is not operating properly. If this message is
displayed on the message center the AdvanceTrac
system will be
partially operable. If this warning stays on while the engine is running,
contact your dealer for service as soon as possible. For further
information, refer toAdvanceTrac
stability enhancement systemin
theDrivingchapter.
AWD DISABLED (vehicles equipped with AdvanceTrac
only).
Displayed for 4 seconds then SEE OWNER’S MANUAL will display
indicating that the AWD system is not operating properly. For further
information, refer toDisabling AWDin theDrivingchapter. See your
dealer as soon as possible
CHECK AWD (vehicles equipped with AdvanceTrac
only).
Displayed when the AWD system is not operating properly. If the warning
stays on or continues to come on, contact your dealer immediately.
DOOR AJAR.Displayed when a door or liftgate is not completely
closed.
CHANGE OIL SOON/OIL CHANGE REQUIRED.Displayed when the
engine oil life remaining is 5 percent or less. When oil life left is between
5% and 0%, the CHANGE OIL SOON message will be displayed. When oil
life left reaches 0%, the OIL CHANGE REQUIRED message will be
displayed.
An oil change is required whenever indicated by the message center and
according to the recommended maintenance schedule. USE ONLY
RECOMMENDED ENGINE OILS.
2004 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driver Controls
73

To reset the oil monitoring system to 100% after each oil change
[approximately 8,000 km (5,000 miles) or 180 days] perform the following:
1. Select this function from the
SETUP control for current display
mode.
2. Press and release the RESET
control to display “HOLD RESET
TO CONFIRM”.
3. Press and hold the RESET
control to display “OIL LIFE SET
TO 100%”. Your oil life is now reset.
To reset the oil monitoring system to your personalized oil life %:
1. From step 3 above.
2. Release the RESET control
momentarily, then press RESET and
SETUP controls at the same time to
activate a service mode which will
display “OIL LIFE XX% RESET TO
ALTER”.
3. Press RESET until you find your personalized OIL LIFE XX%.
4. With your personalized OIL LIFE XX% displayed, press SETUP to
continue the system check.
DATA ERR.These messages indicate improper operation of the vehicle
network communication between electronic modules.
•Fuel computer
•Oil life
•Charging system
•Door sensor
•Washer fluid•Brake fluid
•Compass
•Outside temperature
•Engine sensor
2004 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Driver Controls
74

2. Pull the seat release lever located
on top of the seatback while lifting
the seatback into the upright
position.
3. The seatback will latch into place.
The third row seat is equipped with combination lap and shoulder belts
in both seating positions. For information on the proper operation of the
safety restraints, refer toSafety Restraintsin this chapter.
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:
•Driver and passenger dual-stage air bag supplemental restraints.
•Front safety belts with pretensioners, energy management retractors,
and safety belt usage sensors.
•Driver’s seat position sensor.
•Front crash severity sensor.
•Restraints Control Module (RCM).
•Restraint system warning light and back-up tone.
•The electrical wiring for the air bags, crash sensor(s), safety belt
pretensioners, front safety belt usage sensors, driver seat position
sensor, and indicator lights.
2004 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
102

How does the personal safety system work?
The Personal Safety System can adapt the deployment strategy of your
vehicle’s safety devices according to crash severity and occupant
conditions. A collection of crash and occupant sensors provides
information to the Restraints Control Module (RCM). During a crash, the
RCM activates the safety belt pretensioners and/or either one or both
stages of the dual-stage air bag supplemental restraints based on crash
severity and occupant conditions.
The fact that the pretensioners or air bags did not activate for both front
seat occupants in a collision does not mean that something is wrong with
the system. Rather, it means the Personal Safety System determined the
accident conditions (crash severity, belt usage, etc.) were not
appropriate to activate these safety devices. Front air bags are designed
to activate only in frontal and near-frontal collisions, not rollovers,
side-impacts, or rear-impacts unless the collision causes sufficient
longitudinal deceleration.
Driver and passenger dual-stage air bag supplemental restraints
The dual-stage air bags offer the capability to tailor the level of air bag
inflation energy. A lower, less forceful energy level is provided for more
common, moderate-severity impacts. A higher energy level is used for
the most severe impacts. Refer toAir bag Supplemental Restraints
section in this chapter.
Front crash severity sensor
The front crash severity sensor enhances the ability to detect the
severity of an impact. Positioned up front, it provides valuable
information early in the crash event on the severity of the impact. This
allows your Personal Safety System to distinguish between different
levels of crash severity and modify the deployment strategy of the
dual-stage air bags and safety belt pretensioners.
Driver’s seat position sensor
The driver’s seat position sensor allows your Personal Safety System to
tailor the deployment level of the driver dual-stage air bag based on seat
position. The system is designed to help protect smaller drivers sitting
close to the driver air bag by providing a lower air bag output level.
Front safety belt usage sensors
The front safety belt usage sensors detect whether or not the driver and
front outboard passenger safety belts are fastened. This information
allows your Personal Safety System to tailor the air bag deployment and
2004 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
103

safety belt pretensioner activation depending upon safety belt usage.
Refer toSafety Beltsection in this chapter.
Front safety belt pretensioners
The front outboard safety belt pretensioners are designed to tighten the
safety belts of the driver and front ouboard passenger firmly against the
occupant’s body during a collision. This maximizes the effectiveness of
the safety belts and helps properly position the occupant relative to the
air bag to improve protection. The safety belt pretensioners can be either
activated alone or, if the collision is of sufficient severity, together with
the air bags.
Front safety belt energy management retractors
The front outboard safety belt energy management retractors allow
webbing to be pulled out of the retractor in a gradual and controlled
manner in response to the occupant’s forward momentum. This helps
reduce the risk of force-related injuries to the occupant’s chest by
limiting the load on the occupant. Refer toSafety Beltsection in this
chapter.
Determining if the Personal Safety System is operational
The Personal Safety System uses a warning light in the instrument
cluster or a back-up tone to indicate the condition of the system. Refer
to theWarning Lightsection in theInstrument Clusterchapter.
Routine maintenance of the Personal Safety System is not required.
The Restraints Control Module (RCM) monitors its own internal circuits
and the circuits for the air bag supplemental restraints, crash sensor(s),
safety belt pretensioners, front safety belt buckle sensors, and the driver
seat position sensor. In addition, the RCM also monitors the restraints
warning light in the instrument cluster. A difficulty with the system is
indicated by one or more of the following:
•The warning light will either flash or stay lit.
•The warning light will not illuminate immediately after the ignition is
turned on.
•A series of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will repeat
periodically until the problem and warning 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.
2004 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
104