2005 LINCOLN TOWN CAR wheel alignment

PANEL DIMMER CONTROL
Use to adjust the brightness of the
instrument panel during headlight
and parklamp operation.
•Rotate the thumbwheel from left
to right to brighten the
instrument panel.
•Rotate the thumbwheel from right
to left to dim the instrument
panel.
During full daylight, the instrument panel will still be visible with the
headlamps operating.
Domelamp Control
The panel dimmer control also controls the domelamp operation.
•Rotate the thumbwheel fully to the right, past detent to activate the
domelamp.
•In order to turn off the domelamp, rotate the thumbwheel to the left.
AIMING THE HEADLAMPS
The headlamps on your vehicle are properly aimed at the assembly plant.
If your vehicle has been in an accident the alignment of your headlamps
should be checked by a qualified service technician.
Vertical aim adjustment
1. Park the vehicle directly in front of a wall or screen on a level surface,
approximately 25 feet (7.6 meters) away.
•(1) 8 feet (2.4 meters)
•(2) Center height of lamp to
ground
•(3) 25 feet (7.6 meters)
•(4) Horizontal reference line
2. Measure the height of the
headlamp bulb center from the
ground and mark an 8 foot (2.4
meter) horizontal reference line on
the vertical wall or screen at this
height (a piece of masking tape works well).
2005 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Lights
107

•Avoid potholes and objects on the road
•Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking
If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc.,do notrapidly
spin the tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire and cause an
explosion. A tire can explode in as little as three to five seconds.
Never spin the tires in excess of the 35 mph (55 km/h) point
indicated on the speedometer.
Highway hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there’s always the possibility that you
may eventually have a flat tire on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic. This may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving, or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road. Stop and
inspect the tires for damage. If a tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and replace it with your spare tire and wheel. If
you cannot detect a cause, have the vehicle towed to the nearest repair
facility or tire dealer to have the vehicle inspected.
Tire and wheel alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or cause damage to your tires. If your
vehicle seems to pull to one side when you’re driving, the wheels may be
out of alignment. Have a qualified technician at a Ford or
Lincoln/Mercury dealer check the wheel alignment periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by a qualified technician
at a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer. Front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles
and those with an independent rear suspension (if equipped) may
require alignment of all four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular tire wear.
2005 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
222

•Rear Wheel Drive (RWD)
vehicles/Four Wheel Drive
(4WD)/ All Wheel Drive (AWD)
vehicles (front tires at top of
diagram)
Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.
Note:If your tires show uneven wear ask a qualified technician at a
Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealership to check for and correct any wheel
misalignment, tire imbalance or mechanical problem involved before tire
rotation.
Note:Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire/wheel. A
dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that is
different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels. If
you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel it is intended for temporary use
only and should not be used in a tire rotation.
Note:After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
Snow tires must be the same size and grade as the tires you
currently have on your vehicle.
The tires on your vehicle have all weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, you may need to use snow
tires and chains.
2005 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
224

Aggressive driving in any road conditions can cause you to lose
control of your vehicle increasing the risk of severe personal
injury or property damage. The occurrence of a Traction Control

event is an indication that at least some of the tires have exceeded
their ability to grip the road; this may lead to an increased risk of loss
of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death. If you
experience a severe road event, SLOW DOWN.
STEERING
To prevent damage to the power steering system, never hold the steering
wheel at its furthest turning points (until it stops) for more than a few
seconds when the engine is running.
It is also important to maintain a proper power steering fluid level in the
power steering fluid reservoir:
•Do not operate the vehicle with a low power steering pump fluid level
(below the MIN mark on the reservoir).
•Some noise is normal during operation. If the noise is excessive, check
for low power steering pump fluid level before seeking service by your
dealer.
•Heavy or uneven steering efforts may be caused by low power steering
pump fluid level. Check for low power steering pump fluid level before
seeking service by your dealer.
•Do not fill the power steering pump reservoir above the MAX mark on
the reservoir, as this may result in leaks from the reservoir.
If the power steering system breaks down (or if the engine is turned
off), you can steer the vehicle manually, but it takes more effort.
If the steering wanders or pulls, check for:
•an improperly inflated tire
•uneven tire wear
•loose or worn suspension components
•loose or worn steering components
•improper steering alignment
Speed sensitive steering
The steering in your vehicle is speed sensitive. At high speeds, steering
assist will decrease to improve steering feel. At lower speeds,
maneuverability will be increased.
2005 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Driving
242

•Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
•Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
•You 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.
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
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 inscheduled maintenance information.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] 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
8–10 miles (12–16 km) 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.
2005 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
304

Remote entry system
illuminated entry ....................153
locking/unlocking doors .........150
opening the trunk ...................151
Reverse sensing system ...........248
Roadside assistance ..................251
S
Safety Belt Maintenance ..........182
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ..........167, 170, 172–175
Safety defects, reporting ..........275
Safety restraints ...............167, 170,
172–175
belt minder .............................177
extension assembly ................181
for adults .........................172–174
for children .............................193
lap belt ....................................175
Occupant Classification
Sensor ......................................169
safety belt maintenance .........182
warning light and chime 176–177
Safety seats for children ..........196
Seat belts
(see Safety restraints) .............167
Seats ..........................................162
child safety seats ....................196
easy access/easyout feature ..166
memory seat ...................154, 166
Servicing your vehicle ..............282
Spark plugs, specifications ......311,
316
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................314, 316
Speed control ............................132
Starting your vehicle ........235–237jump starting ..........................260
Steering
speed sensitive .......................242
Steering wheel
controls ....................................135
tilting .......................................116
T
Tilt steering wheel ....................116
Tires ...........................204–205, 209
alignment ................................222
care ..........................................220
changing ..........................209, 211
checking the pressure ............207
inspecting and inflating .........206
label .........................................220
replacing ..................................209
rotating ....................................223
safety practices .......................221
sidewall information ...............215
snow tires and chains ............224
spare tire .................................210
terminology .............................205
tire grades ...............................205
treadwear ........................204, 220
Towing .......................................231
recreational towing .................234
trailer towing ..........................231
wrecker ....................................266
Traction control ........................241
Traction-lok rear axle ...............247
Transmission .............................243
brake-shift interlock (BSI) ....243
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................308
fluid, refill capacities ..............312
lubricant specifications ..314, 316
Trunk .........................................147
remote release ................143, 151
2005 Town Car(tow)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA_English(fus)
Index
327