2007 Mercury Mariner 4WD

Emergency maneuvers
²In an emergency situation where a sudden sharp turn must be made,
remember to avoid ªover-drivingº your vehicle, i.e., turn the steering
wheel only as rapidly and as far as required to avoid the emergency.
Avoid abrupt steering, acceleration or braking which could increase
the risk of loss of vehicle control or vehicle rollover. Instead, smooth
variations of the accelerator and/or brake pedal pressure should be
utilized if changes in vehicle speed are called for. Use all available road
surface to return the vehicle to a safe direction of travel.
²In the event of an emergency stop, avoid skidding the tires and do not
attempt any sharp steering wheel movements.
²If the vehicle goes from one type of road surface to another (i.e., from
concrete to gravel), there will be a change in the way the vehicle
responds in steering, acceleration or braking. Again, avoid abrupt
inputs steering or braking inputs.
Snow and ice
Your 4WD or AWD vehicle will have advantages over two-wheel drive
vehicles in snow and on ice by providing increased driving traction.
However, if you suddenly change speed or direction, you may lose
traction and in turn, control as is the case with all vehicles. 4WD and
AWD vehicles can slide on slippery roads just like any other vehicle.
Should the rear end of the vehicle start to slide while cornering on
snowy or icy roads, turn the steering wheel in the direction of the slide
until you regain control. Avoid sudden braking as well. Although a 4WD
or AWD vehicle may accelerate better than a two-wheel drive vehicle in
snow and ice, it won't stop any faster, because as in two-wheel drive
vehicles, braking occurs at all four wheels. Do not become overconfident
in the ability of 4WD and AWD vehicles to compensate for aggressive
driving maneuvers in poor road conditions.
Make sure you allow sufficient distance between you and other vehicles
for stopping. In emergency stopping situations, avoid locking the wheels.
²For vehicles without anti-lock brakes, use a ªsqueezeº technique: push
on the brake pedal with a steadily increasing force which allows the
wheels to brake yet continue to roll so that you may steer in the
direction you want to travel. If you lock the wheels, release the brake
pedal and repeat the squeeze technique.
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²For vehicles with anti-lock brakes, apply and hold the brake firmly. Do
not ªpumpº the brakes. During hard stopping or stopping on slippery
surfaces, you may feel or hear a pulsing or vibration in the brake
pedal. Do not be alarmed because this is your anti-lock brake system
working. See your ªOwner's Guideº for additional information on the
operation of the anti-lock brake system.
Parking
Before leaving the driver's seat, make sure that the gearshift is engaged
in P (Park) with an automatic transmission or either 1 (First) or R
(Reverse) with a manual transmission. Set the parking brake fully, shut
off the ignition and remove the key.
Some 4WD vehicles include a Neutral mode. When the transfer case is in
the N (Neutral) position, the engine and transmission are disconnected
from the rest of the driveline. Therefore, the vehicle is free to roll even if
the automatic transmission is in P (Park) or the manual transmission is
in gear.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with the transfer case in N
(Neutral) position. Always set the parking brake fully and turn
off the ignition when leaving the vehicle. If you do not follow these
precautions your vehicle may move unexpectedly and injure someone.
Driving On Roadways
8

Driving in mud
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle speed or direction when you
are driving in mud. Even 4WD and 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 rear end of the vehicle
does slide while cornering, steer in the direction of the slide until you
regain control of the vehicle.
After driving through mud, clean off residue stuck to rotating tires,
wheels and driveshafts. Excess mud stuck on tires, wheels and rotating
driveshafts causes an imbalance that could damage vehicle components.
Driving through water
Before driving through water,
determine the depth. Avoid water
higher than the center of the wheel
or hubcap. Proceed slowly to avoid
splashing; 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. You can dry the brakes faster by
driving the vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake
pedal.
Driving in deep snow
4WD and AWD vehicles are unique in that they can be driven in deep
snow that would stop a conventional two-wheel drive vehicle. Shift to a
low gear and maintain steady pressure on the accelerator. This will help
prevent spinning the wheels while maintaining sufficient momentum to
keep from bogging down. Using tire chains will also help.
Never drive with chains on the front tires of 4WD or AWD vehicles
without also putting them on the rear tires. This could cause the rear of
the vehicle to slide and swing around.
Driving on hills
Operating your vehicle off-road on slopes or hills requires safe
off-road driving practices. Read and follow these safe off-road
driving practices to reduce the risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle
rollover, serious injury or death.
Driving Off-Road
10

Parking
Before leaving the driver's seat, make sure that the gearshift is engaged
in P (Park) with an automatic transmission or either 1 (First) or R
(Reverse) with a manual transmission. Set the parking brake fully, shut
off the ignition and remove the key.
Some 4WD vehicles include a Neutral mode. When the transfer case is in
the N (Neutral) position, the engine and transmission are disconnected
from the rest of the driveline. Therefore, the vehicle is free to roll even if
the automatic transmission is in P (Park) or the manual transmission is
in gear.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended with the transfer case in N
(Neutral) position. Always set the parking brake fully and turn
off the ignition when leaving the vehicle. If you do not follow these
precautions your vehicle may move unexpectedly and injure someone.
Driving Off-Road
12