If your vehicle gets stuck
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow it may be rocked out by
shifting between forward and reverse gears, stopping between shifts, in a
steady pattern. Press lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
Do not rock the vehicle if the engine is not at normal operating
temperature or damage to the transmission may occur.
Do not rock the vehicle for more than a few minutes or damage
to the transmission and tires may occur or the engine may
overheat.
Always set the parking brake fully and make sure the gearshift is
latched in P (Park). Turn the ignition to the LOCK position and
remove the key whenever you leave your vehicle.
If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake warning lamp
remains illuminated, the brakes may not be working properly.
See your dealer or a qualified service technician.
Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Emergency maneuvers
•In an unavoidable emergency situation where a sudden sharp turn
must be made, remember to avoid “over-driving” your vehicle (i.e.,
turn the steering wheel only as rapidly and as far as required to avoid
the emergency). Excessive steering will result in less vehicle control,
not more. Additionally, smooth variations of the accelerator and/or
brake pedal pressure should be utilized if changes in vehicle speed are
called for. Avoid abrupt steering, acceleration or braking which could
result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover
and/or personal injury. Use all available road surface to return the
vehicle to a safe direction of travel.
•In the event of an emergency stop, avoid skidding the tires and do not
attempt any sharp steering wheel movements.
2005 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
213
Mud and water
If you must drive through high
water, drive slowly. Traction or
brake capability may be limited.
When driving through water,
determine the depth; avoid water
higher than the bottom of the hubs
(if possible) and proceed slowly. If
the ignition system gets wet, the vehicle may stall.
Once through water, always try the brakes. Wet brakes do not stop the
vehicle as effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be improved by moving
your vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle speed or direction when you
are driving in mud. Even AWD vehicles can lose traction in slick mud. As
when you are driving over sand, apply the accelerator slowly and avoid
spinning your wheels. If the vehicle does slide, steer in the direction of
the slide until you regain control of the vehicle.
If the transmission, transfer case or front axle are submerged in water,
their fluids should be checked and changed, if necessary.
Driving through deep water may damage the transmission.
If the front or rear axle is submerged in water, the axle lubricant should
be replaced.
After driving through mud, clean off residue stuck to rotating driveshafts
and tires. Excess mud stuck on tires and rotating driveshafts causes an
imbalance that could damage drive components.
“Tread Lightly” is an educational
program designed to increase public
awareness of land-use regulations
and responsibilities in our nations
wilderness areas. Ford Motor
Company joins the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land
Management in encouraging you to help preserve our national forest and
other public and private lands by “treading lightly.”
2005 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
215
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 components is recommended if the vehicle is subjected to
heavy off-road usage.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
If driving through deep or standing water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly especially when the depth is not known. Never drive through
water that is higher than the bottom of the hubs (for trucks) or the
bottom of the wheel rims (for cars). When driving through water,
traction or brake capability may be limited. Also, water may enter your
engine’s air intake and severely damage your engine or your vehicle may
stall.Driving through deep water where the transmission vent
tube is submerged may allow water into the transmission and
cause internal transmission damage.
Once through the water, always dry the brakes by moving your
vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
Wet brakes do not stop the vehicle as quickly as dry brakes.
2005 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
218
Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPassenger Compartment Fuse
Panel Description
23 15A Not used
24 15A Cigar lighter, OBD II
25 5A Mode-Temperature actuator for
auxiliary climate control, Trailer
tow battery charge relay coil,
TPMS
26 7.5A Reverse park aid, Brake shift
interlock, IVD switch
27 7.5A Automatic dimming mirror, Digital
transmission range sensor, Backup
lamps
28 5A Radio (Start)
29 10A Digital transmission range sensor,
PWR feed to fuse #28 (Start feed)
30 5A Daytime Running Lamps (DRL),
DEATC climate controller, Manual
climate control, Manual climate
control temp blend actuator
2005 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
225
Do not attempt to push-start your vehicle. Automatic
transmissions do not have push-start capability; doing so may
damage the catalytic converter.
Preparing your vehicle
When the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the
transmission must relearn its shift strategy. As a result, the transmission
may have firm and/or soft shifts. This operation is considered normal and
will not affect function or durability of the transmission. Over time, the
adaptive learning process will fully update transmission operation.
1.Use only a 12–volt supply to start your vehicle.
2. Do not disconnect the battery of the disabled vehicle as this could
damage the vehicle’s electrical system.
3. Park the booster vehicle close to the hood of the disabled vehicle
making sure the two vehiclesdo nottouch. Set the parking brake on
both vehicles and stay clear of the engine cooling fan and other moving
parts.
4. Check all battery terminals and remove any excessive corrosion before
you attach the battery cables. Ensure that vent caps are tight and level.
5. Turn the heater fan on in both vehicles to protect any electrical
surges. Turn all other accessories off.
Connecting the jumper cables
1. Connect the positive (+) jumper cable to the positive (+) terminal of
the discharged battery.
Note:In the illustrations,lightning boltsare used to designate the
assisting (boosting) battery.
+–+–
2005 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
232
•Sudden or hard accelerations may reduce fuel economy.
•Slow down gradually.
•Driving at reasonable speeds (traveling at 55 mph [88 km/h] uses 15%
less fuel than traveling at 65 mph [105 km/h]).
•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.
•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.
2005 Mountaineer(mnt)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
279
A
Accessory delay ..........................62
AdvanceTrac ..............................201
Air cleaner filter ...............284–286
Air conditioning ..........................39
Airbag supplemental
restraint system ........130–131, 135
and child safety seats ............132
description ......................131, 135
disposal ....................................138
driver airbag ....................133, 136
indicator light .................135, 137
operation .........................133, 136
passenger airbag .............133, 136
All Wheel Drive (AWD),
driving off road .........................211
Ambulance packages ....................7
Antifreeze
(see Engine coolant) ................265
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ..............................199
Audio system
(see Radio) ................18, 21, 25, 30
Automatic transmission
driving an automatic
overdrive .................................207
fluid, adding ............................284
fluid, checking ........................284
fluid, refill capacities ..............287
fluid, specification ..................292
Auxiliary power point .................60
Axle
lubricant
specifications ..................290, 292
refill capacities ........................287
B
Battery .......................................263acid, treating emergencies .....263
jumping a disabled battery ....231
maintenance-free ....................263
replacement, specifications ...286
servicing ..................................263
BeltMinder .................................126
Brakes ........................................198
anti-lock ...................................199
anti-lock brake system
(ABS) warning light ...............199
fluid, checking and adding ....284
fluid, refill capacities ..............287
fluid, specifications .........290, 292
lubricant specifications ..290, 292
parking ....................................200
shift interlock ..........................205
C
Calculating load ........................189
Capacities for refilling fluids ....287
Cargo cover .................................89
Cell phone use ............................57
Changing a tire .........................159
Child safety restraints ..............139
child safety belts ....................139
Child safety seats ......................141
attaching with tether straps ..145
in front seat ............................143
in rear seat ..............................143
Cleaning your vehicle
engine compartment ..............248
instrument panel ....................250
interior .....................................251
interior trim ............................251
plastic parts ............................250
safety belts ..............................251
washing ....................................247
waxing .....................................247
Index
298
I
Ignition ...............................195, 292
Infant seats
(see Safety seats) .....................141
Inspection/maintenance
(I/M) testing ..............................282
Instrument panel
cleaning ...................................250
cluster ........................................10
J
Jack ....................................159, 162
positioning .......................159, 164
storage .............................159, 162
Jump-starting your vehicle ......231
K
Keyless entry system .................98
autolock ...................................100
Keys
positions of the ignition .........195
L
Lamps
bulb replacement
specifications chart ..................48
daytime running light ...............44
fog lamps ...................................44
instrument panel, dimming .....45
interior lamps ...........................47
replacing bulbs .........................52
Liftgate ..................................88, 95
Lights, warning and indicator ....10
anti-lock brakes (ABS) ..........199
Limited-slip axle .......................211
Load limits .................................182Loading instructions .................189
Locks
autolock ...................................100
childproof ..................................93
doors ..........................................92
Lubricant specifications ...290, 292
Lug nuts ....................................167
Luggage rack ...............................90
Lumbar support,
seats ...........................107, 109–110
M
Manual transmission
lubricant specifications ..........292
Message center .....................75–76
english/metric button ...............81
system check button ................80
warning messages .....................82
Mirrors ...................................60, 63
automatic dimming rearview
mirror ........................................63
fold away ...................................63
heated ........................................62
side view mirrors (power) .......62
Moon roof ....................................68
Motorcraft parts ................276, 286
O
Octane rating ............................274
Oil (see Engine oil) ..................258
P
Parking brake ............................200
Parts (see Motorcraft parts) ....286
Index
301