2004 Mercury Sable check engine light

Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant specificationsin
this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle scheduled maintenance guide.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
12–16 km (8–10 miles) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
•Close windows for high speed driving.
EPA window sticker
Every new vehicle should have the EPA window sticker. Contact your
dealer if the window sticker is not supplied with your vehicle. The EPA
window sticker should be your guide for the fuel economy comparisons
with other vehicles.
It is important to note the box in the lower left corner of the window
sticker. These numbers represent the Range of L/100 km (MPG)
expected on the vehicle under optimum conditions. Your fuel economy
may vary depending upon the method of operation and conditions.
2004 Sable(sab)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
209

Please consult yourWarranty Guidefor complete emission warranty
information.
On board diagnostics (OBD-II)
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer that monitors the engine’s
emission control system. This system is commonly known as the On
Board Diagnostics System (OBD-II). This OBD-II system protects the
environment by ensuring that your vehicle continues to meet
government emission standards. The OBD-II system also assists the
service technician in properly servicing your vehicle. When theCheck
engine/Service engine soonlight illuminates, the OBD-II system has
detected a malfunction. Temporary malfunctions may cause yourCheck
engine/Service engine soonlight to illuminate. Examples are:
1. The vehicle has run out of fuel. (The engine may misfire or run
poorly.)
2. Poor fuel quality or water in the fuel.
3. The fuel cap may not have been securely tightened.
These temporary malfunctions can be corrected by filling the fuel tank
with good quality fuel and/or properly tightening the fuel cap. After three
driving cycles without these or any other temporary malfunctions
present, theCheck engine/Service engine soonlight should turn off. (A
driving cycle consists of a cold engine startup followed by mixed
city/highway driving.) No additional vehicle service is required.
If theCheck engine/Service engine soonlight remains on, have your
vehicle serviced at the first available opportunity.
Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) testing
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to pass an I/M test of
the on-board diagnostics system. If your
indicator is on, refer to the
description in theWarning lights and chimessection of the
Instrument Clusterchapter. Your vehicle may not pass the I/M test with
the
indicator on.
If the vehicle’s powertrain system or its battery has just been serviced,
the on-board diagnostics system is reset to a“not ready for I/M test”
condition. To ready the on-board diagnostics system for I/M testing, a
minimum of 30 minutes of city and highway driving is necessary as
described below:
•First, at least 10 minutes of driving on an expressway or highway.
•Next, at least 20 minutes driving in stop-and-go, city-type traffic with
at least four idle periods.
2004 Sable(sab)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
211

A
Accessory delay ..........................48
Air bag supplemental restraint
system ........................107–108, 113
and child safety seats ............109
description ......................108, 113
disposal ....................................115
driver air bag ..........108, 110, 114
indicator light .........................113
operation .................108, 110, 114
passenger air bag ...108, 110, 114
side air bag ..............................113
Air cleaner filter .......................229
Air conditioning ..........................25
Antifreeze
(see Engine coolant) ................196
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ..............................133
Anti-theft system ........................85
arming the system ....................85
disarming a triggered system ..86
Audio system (see Radio) ...15, 18
Automatic transaxle
fluid, adding ............................214
fluid, checking ........................214
fluid, refill capacities ..............230
fluid, specification ..................233
Automatic transmission
driving an automatic
overdrive .................................138
Auxiliary power point .................47
Axle
lubricant specifications ..........231
B
Battery .......................................194acid, treating emergencies .....194
jumping a disabled battery ....162
maintenance-free ....................194
replacement, specifications ...229
servicing ..................................194
BeltMinder .................................102
Brakes ........................................132
anti-lock ...................................133
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light ...........................133
fluid, checking and adding ....214
fluid, refill capacities ..............230
fluid, specifications .........231, 233
lubricant specifications ..231, 233
parking ....................................134
shift interlock ..........................136
Bulbs ............................................34
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....230
Cargo area shade ........................69
Cargo cover .................................69
Cargo net ...............................68–69
CD changer .................................20
CD-single premium ...............15, 18
Cell phone use ............................67
Certification Label ....................235
Changing a tire .........................157
Child safety restraints ..............116
child safety belts ....................116
Child safety seats ......................118
attaching with tether straps ..123
in front seat ............................120
in rear seat ......................120, 122
Cigar lighter
Power Point ..............................47
2004 Sable(sab)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Index
Index
241

Instrument panel
cleaning ...................................182
cluster ........................................10
lighting up panel and
interior .......................................30
J
Jack ............................................157
positioning ...............................157
storage .....................................157
Jump-starting your vehicle ......162
K
Keyless entry system .................80
Keys
positions of the ignition .........128
L
Lamps
autolamp system .......................29
bulb replacement
specifications chart ..................34
daytime running light ...............29
fog lamps ...................................29
headlamps .................................29
headlamps, flash to pass ..........30
instrument panel, dimming .....30
interior lamps .....................32–35
replacing
bulbs ..................34, 36, 38–41, 43
Lane change indicator
(see Turn signal) ........................32
Liftgate ........................................68
Lights, warning and indicator ....10
anti-lock brakes (ABS) ..........133
Load limits .................................140Locks
childproof ..................................73
doors ..........................................72
Lubricant specifications ...231, 233
Luggage rack ...............................71
Lumbar support, seats ...............88
M
Message center ...........................57
english/metric button ...............62
system check button ................63
warning messages .....................63
Mirrors ...................................47–48
automatic dimming rearview
mirror ........................................48
heated ........................................49
side view mirrors (power) .......49
Moon roof ....................................53
Motorcraft parts ................206, 229
O
Octane rating ............................204
Oil (see Engine oil) ..................190
Overdrive ...................................137
P
Parking brake ............................134
Parts (see Motorcraft parts) ....229
Passenger Occupant
Classification Sensor ...................92
Pedals (see Power adjustable
foot pedals) .................................50
Power adjustable foot pedals .....50
Power distribution box
(see Fuses) ...............................154
2004 Sable(sab)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Index
244