2005 Mercury Mountaineer power steering

Although natural obstacles may make it necessary to travel diagonally up
or down a hill or steep incline, you should always try to drive straight up
or straight down.Avoid driving crosswise or turning on steep
slopes or hills. A danger lies in losing traction, slipping sideways and
possibly rolling over. Whenever driving on a hill, determine beforehand
the route you will use. Do not drive over the crest of a hill without
seeing what conditions are on the other side. Do not drive in reverse
over a hill without the aid of an observer.
When climbing a steep slope or hill,
start in a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from a
higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the
engine and the possibility of stalling.
If you do stall out, do not try to
turn around because you might
induce a rollover. It is better to back
down to a safe location.
Apply just enough power to the
wheels to climb the hill. Too much
power can cause the tires to slip,
spin or lose traction, resulting in
loss of vehicle control.
Descend a hill in the same gear you
would use to climb up the hill to
avoid excessive brake application
and brake overheating. Do not
descend in neutral. Disengage
overdrive or manually shift to a
lower gear. When descending a
steep hill, avoid sudden hard
braking as you could lose control. In
a vehicle without four wheel
anti-lock brakes, if you lock up the
front brakes, the front wheels can't
roll and if they aren't rolling, you won't be able to steer. The front wheels
have to be rolling in order to steer the vehicle. Rapid pumping of the
brake pedal will help you slow the vehicle and still maintain steering
control. If your vehicle has four wheel anti-lock brakes, apply and hold
the brakes firmly. Do not ªpumpº the brakes.
Driving Off-Road
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3. Add air to reach the Ford recommended air pressure.
Note:If you overfill the tire, release air by pushing on the metal stem in
the center of the valve. Then recheck the pressure with your tire gauge.
4. Replace the valve cap.
5. Repeat this procedure for each tire, including the spare.
Note:Some spare tires require higher inflation pressure than the other tires.
6. Visually inspect the tires to make sure there are no nails or other objects
embedded that could poke a hole in the tire and cause an air leak.
7. Check the sidewalls to make sure there are no gouges, cuts, bulges or
other irregularities.
TIRE REPLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS
Your vehicle is equipped with tires designed to provide safe ride and
handling capability.
Only use replacement tires and wheels that are the same size
and type (such as P-metric versus LT-metric or all-season versus
all-terrain) as those originally provided by Ford. Use of any tire or
wheel not recommended by Ford can affect the safety and
performance of your vehicle, which could result in an increased risk of
loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
Additionally the use of non-recommended tires and wheels could cause
steering, suspension, axle or transfer case/power transfer unit failure.
See your Owner Guide for additional information. If you have questions
regarding tire replacement, see an authorized Ford or Lincoln/Mercury
dealer.
Make sure all tires and wheels on the vehicle are of the same size, type,
tread design, brand, load-carrying capacity and speed rating because it
can affect the safety and performance of your vehicle, which could result
in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death.
Tire Replacement Requirements
Tire Replacement Requirements
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MAINTENANCE AND MODIFICATIONS
The suspension and steering systems on your vehicle have been carefully
designed to provide safe, predictable performance and durable load
carrying capability. Do not make modifications such as adding or
removing parts (such as lift kits or stabilizer bars) or using replacement
parts not equivalent to the original factory equipment because these
modifications can affect the safety of your vehicle.
Do not use ªaftermarket lift kitsº or other suspension
modifications. ªAftermarket lift kitsº could adversely affect the
vehicle's handling characteristics, which could result in an increased
risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and
death.
Any modifications to a vehicle that raise the center of gravity can make
it easier to induce vehicle rollover. Ford recommends that you take extra
precautions, such as driving at lower speeds, avoiding abrupt steering
changes and allowing for increased stopping distance, for any vehicle
equipped with a high load (for example, roof racks).
Failure to maintain your vehicle properly may void the warranty, increase
your repair cost, reduce vehicle performance and operational capabilities
and adversely affect driver and passenger safety. Frequent inspection of
vehicle chassis and powertrain components is recommended if the
vehicle is subjected to heavy off-road usage. Refer to the ªOwner's
Guideº and ªService Guideº for proper maintenance instructions and
schedules.
Maintenance and Modifications
Maintenance and Modifications
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