2008 Mercury Sable air condition

Low Tire Pressure
Warning LightPossible cause Customer Action Required
Flashing Warning
LightSpare tire in use Your temporary spare tire is in
use. Repair the damaged road
wheel and re-mount it on the
vehicle to restore system
functionality. For a description
of how the system functions
under these conditions, refer to
When your temporary spare
tire is installedin this section.
TPMS
malfunctionIf your tires are properly
inflated and your spare tire is
not in use and the TPMS
warning light still flashes, have
the system inspected by your
authorized dealer.
When inflating your tires
When putting air into your tires (such as at a gas station or in your
garage), the Tire Pressure Monitoring System may not respond
immediately to the air added to your tires.
It may take up to two minutes of driving over 20 mph (32 km/h) for the
light to turn OFF after you have filled your tires to the recommended
inflation pressure.
2008 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
209

This vehicle has a computer assisted cranking system which assists in
starting the engine. If the ignition key is turned to 4 (START) and then
released when the engine begins cranking, the engine may continue
cranking for up to 10 seconds or until the vehicle starts.
Guarding against exhaust fumes
Carbon monoxide is present in exhaust fumes. Take precautions to avoid
its dangerous effects.
If you smell exhaust fumes inside your vehicle, have your dealer
inspect your vehicle immediately. Do not drive if you smell
exhaust fumes.
Important ventilating information
If the engine is idling while the vehicle is stopped for a long period of
time, open the windows at least one inch (2.5 cm) or adjust the heating
or air conditioning to bring in fresh air.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (IF EQUIPPED)
An engine block heater warms the engine coolant which aids in starting
and allows the heater/defroster system to respond quickly. If your vehicle
is equipped with this system, your equipment includes a heater element
which is installed in your engine block and a wire harness which allows
the user to connect the system to a grounded 120 volt a/c electrical
source. The block heater system is most effective when outdoor
temperatures reach below 0°F (-17°C).
Failure to follow engine block heater instructions could result in
property damage or physical injury.
To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use your heater
with ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged (cheater)
adapters.
Prior to using the engine block heater, follow these recommendations for
proper and safe operation:
•For your safety, use an outdoor extension cord that is product
certified by Underwriter’s laboratory (UL ) or Canadian Standards
Association (CSA). Use only an extension cord that can be used
outdoors, in cold temperatures, and is clearly marked
Suitable for Use
2008 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
224

In some states (in the U.S.) you must directly notify Ford in writing
before pursuing remedies under your state’s warranty laws. Ford is also
allowed a final repair attempt in some states.
In the United States, a warranty dispute must be submitted to the BBB
AUTO LINE before taking action under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty
Act, or to the extent allowed by state law, before pursuing replacement
or repurchase remedies provided by certain state laws. This dispute
handling procedure is not required prior to enforcing state created rights
or other rights which are independent of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty
Act or state replacement or repurchase laws.
IN CALIFORNIA (U.S. ONLY)
California Civil Code Section 1793.2(d) requires that, if a manufacturer
or its representative is unable to repair a motor vehicle to conform to the
vehicle’s applicable express warranty after a reasonable number of
attempts, the manufacturer shall be required to either replace the
vehicle with one substantially identical or repurchase the vehicle and
reimburse the buyer in an amount equal to the actual price paid or
payable by the consumer (less a reasonable allowance for consumer
use). The consumer has the right to choose whether to receive a refund
or replacement vehicle.
California Civil Code Section 1793.22(b) presumes that the manufacturer
has had a reasonable number of attempts to conform the vehicle to its
applicable express warranties if, within the first 18 months of ownership
of a new vehicle or the first 18,000 miles (29,000 km), whichever occurs
first:
1. Two or more repair attempts are made on the same non-conformity
likely to cause death or serious bodily injury OR
2. Four or more repair attempts are made on the same nonconformity (a
defect or condition that substantially impairs the use, value or safety of
the vehicle) OR
3. The vehicle is out of service for repair of nonconformities for a total of
more than 30 calendar days (not necessarily all at one time)
In the case of 1 or 2 above, the consumer must also notify the
manufacturer of the need for the repair of the nonconformity at the
following address:
Ford Motor Company
16800 Executive Plaza Drive
Mail Drop 3NE-B
Dearborn, MI 48126
2008 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Customer Assistance
270

•If grease or tar is present on the material, spot-clean the area first
with Motorcraft Spot and Stain Remover (ZC-14). In Canada, use
Motorcraft Multi-Purpose Cleaner (CXC-101).
•If a ring forms on the fabric after spot cleaning, clean the entire area
immediately (but do not oversaturate) or the ring will set.
•Do not use household cleaning products or glass cleaners, which can
stain and discolor the fabric and affect the flame retardant abilities of
the seat materials.
Do not use cleaning solvents, bleach or dye on the vehicle’s
safety belts, as these actions may weaken the belt webbing.
On vehicles equipped with seat-mounted airbags, do not use
chemical solvents or strong detergents. Such products could
contaminate the side-airbag system and affect performance of the side
airbag in a collision.
LEATHER SEATS (IF EQUIPPED)
Your leather seating surfaces have a clear, protective coating over the
leather.
•To clean, use a soft cloth with Motorcraft Deluxe Leather and Vinyl
Cleaner (ZC-11-A). In Canada, use Motorcraft Vinyl Cleaner (CXC-93).
Dry the area with a soft cloth.
•To help maintain its resiliency and color, use the Motorcraft Deluxe
Leather Care Kit (ZC-11-D), available from your authorized dealer. In
Canada, use Motorcraft Vinyl Cleaner (CXC-93) or an equivalent
high–quality leather care product.
•Do not use household cleaning products, alcohol solutions, solvents or
cleaners intended for rubber, vinyl and plastics, or oil/petroleum-based
leather conditioners. These products may cause premature wearing of
the clear, protective coating.
Note:In some instances, color or dye transfer can occur when wet
clothing comes in contact with leather upholstery. If this occurs, the
leather should be cleaned immediately to avoid permanent staining.
UNDERBODY
Flush the complete underside of your vehicle frequently. Keep body and
door drain holes free from packed dirt.
2008 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Cleaning
281

Octane recommendations
Your vehicle is designed to use
“Regular” unleaded gasoline with
pump (R+M)/2 octane rating of 87.
We do not recommend the use of
gasolines labeled as “Regular” that
are sold with octane ratings of 86 or lower in high altitude areas.
Do not be concerned if your engine sometimes knocks lightly. However, if
it knocks heavily under most driving conditions while you are using fuel
with the recommended octane rating, see your authorized dealer to
prevent any engine damage.
Fuel quality
If you are experiencing starting, rough idle or hesitation driveability
problems, try a different brand of unleaded gasoline. “Premium”
unleaded gasoline is not recommended for vehicles designed to use
“Regular” unleaded gasoline because it may cause these problems to
become more pronounced. If the problems persist, see your authorized
dealer.
Do not add aftermarket fuel additive products to your fuel tank. It
should not be necessary to add any aftermarket products to your fuel
tank if you continue to use high quality fuel of the recommended octane
rating. These products have not been approved for your engine and
could cause damage to the fuel system. Repairs to correct the effects of
using an aftermarket product in your fuel may not be covered by your
warranty.
Many of the world’s automakers approved the World-Wide Fuel Charter
that recommends gasoline specifications to provide improved
performance and emission control system protection for your vehicle.
Gasolines that meet the World-Wide Fuel Charter should be used when
available. Ask your fuel supplier about gasolines that meet the
World-Wide Fuel Charter.
Cleaner air
Ford endorses the use of reformulated “cleaner-burning” gasolines to
improve air quality, per the recommendations in theChoosing the Right
Fuelsection.
Running out of fuel
Avoid running out of fuel because this situation may have an adverse
effect on powertrain components.
87(R+M)/2 METHOD
2008 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
301

•Idling for long periods of time (greater than one minute) may waste
fuel.
•Anticipate stopping; slowing down may eliminate the need to stop.
•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 the top gears 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 toMaintenance product
specifications and capacitiesin 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.
2008 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
304

If an overfill occurs, excess fluid
should be removed by an authorized
dealer.
An overfill condition of
transmission fluid may cause shift and/or engagement concerns
and/or possible damage.
Do not use supplemental transmission fluid additives, treatments or
cleaning agents. The use of these materials may affect transmission
operation and result in damage to internal transaxle components.
AIR FILTER
Refer toscheduled maintenance informationfor the appropriate
intervals for changing the air filter element.
When changing the air filter element, use only the Motorcraft air filter
element listed. Refer toMotorcraft part numbersin this chapter.
To reduce the risk of vehicle damage and/or personal burn
injuries do not start your engine with the air cleaner removed
and do not remove it while the engine is running.
Changing the air filter element
1. Release the clamps that secure
the air filter housing cover.
2. Carefully separate the two halves
of the air filter housing.
3. Remove the air filter element
from the air filter housing.
4. Wipe the air filter housing and
cover clean to remove any dirt or
debris and to ensure good sealing.
5. Install a new air filter element. Be
careful not to crimp the filter element edges between the air filter
housing and cover. This could cause filter damage and allow unfiltered
air to enter the engine if not properly seated.
2008 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
311

A
Accessory delay ..........................98
AdvanceTrac ..............................228
Air cleaner filter ...............311–312
Air conditioning ....................76, 78
Airbag supplemental restraint
system ................163–164, 172, 174
and child safety seats ............165
description ..............164, 172, 174
disposal ....................................177
driver airbag ............166, 173, 175
indicator light .................172, 177
operation .................166, 173, 175
passenger airbag .....166, 173, 175
side airbag ...............................172
All Wheel Drive (AWD),
driving off road .........................238
Antifreeze
(see Engine coolant) ................292
Anti-lock brake system
(see Brakes) ..............................226
Anti-theft system ..............137, 140
arming the system ..................140
disarming a triggered
system .....................................141
Audio system
(see Radio) ......................16, 20, 28
Automatic transaxle
fluid, adding ............................309
fluid, checking ........................309
fluid, refill capacities ..............313
fluid, specification ..................313
Automatic transmission
driving an automatic
overdrive .................................234
Auxiliary input jack (Line in) ....36
B
Battery .......................................290acid, treating emergencies .....290
jumping a disabled battery ....261
maintenance-free ....................290
replacement, specifications ...312
servicing ..................................290
Belt-Minder.............................159
Booster seats .............................178
Brakes ........................................226
anti-lock ...................................226
anti-lock brake system (ABS)
warning light ...........................226
fluid, checking and adding ....309
fluid, refill capacities ..............313
fluid, specifications .................313
lubricant specifications ..........313
parking ....................................227
shift interlock ..........................232
Bulbs ............................................87
C
Capacities for refilling fluids ....313
Cargo cover ...............................120
Cargo net ...................................121
Cell phone use ..............................7
Changing a tire .........................253
Child safety restraints ..............178
child safety belts ....................178
Child safety seats ......................182
attaching with tether straps ..186
in front seat ............................183
in rear seat ..............................183
Child safety seats - booster
seats ...........................................178
Cleaning your vehicle
engine compartment ..............278
instrument panel ....................280
interior .....................................280
2008 Sable(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
321