2015 LINCOLN MKS coolant

UNDER HOOD OVERVIEW - 3.7L
Engine coolant reservoir. See Engine Coolant Check (page 240).
A.
Engine oil filler cap. See
Engine Oil Check (page 239).
B.
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6.
Wipe the dipstick clean. Insert the dipstick
fully, then remove it again.
•If the oil level is between the lower
and upper holes, the oil level is
acceptable. DO NOT ADD OIL.
• If the oil level is below the lower hole,
add enough oil to raise the level within
the lower and upper holes.
• Oil levels above the upper hole may
cause engine damage. Some oil must
be removed from the engine by an
authorized dealer.
7. Put the oil level dipstick back into the oil dipstick tube and ensure it is fully seated.
Adding Engine Oil
Note: Do not remove the filler cap when the
engine is running.
Note: Do not remove the engine oil level
dipstick when the engine is running.
Note: Do not add oil further than the MAX
mark. Oil levels above the MAX mark may
cause engine damage. Only use oils certified for gasoline engines by
the American Petroleum Institute (API). An
oil with this trademark symbol conforms to
the current engine and emission system
protection standards and fuel economy
requirements of the International Lubricants
Specification Advisory Council (ILSAC),
comprised of U.S. and Japanese automobile
manufacturers.
1. Check the engine oil level.
2. If the engine oil level is not within the
normal range, add engine oil that meets
Ford specifications. See Capacities and
Specifications (page 290).
3. Remove the engine oil filler cap and use a funnel to pour the engine oil into the
opening. 4. Recheck the engine oil level. Make sure
the oil level is not above the normal
operating range on the engine oil level
dipstick.
5. Install the engine oil level dipstick and ensure it is fully seated.
6. Fully install the engine oil filler cap by turning the filler cap clockwise until three
clicks are heard or until the cap is fully
seated.
OIL CHANGE INDICATOR RESET
To reset the oil monitoring system after an
oil change, See General Information (page
88
).
ENGINE COOLANT CHECK WARNINGS
Do not add engine coolant when the
engine is hot. Steam and scalding
liquids released from a hot cooling
system can burn you badly. Also, spilling
coolant on hot engine parts can burn you.
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WARNINGS
Do not put engine coolant in the
windshield washer fluid container. If
sprayed on the windshield, engine
coolant could make it difficult to see through
the windshield. To reduce the risk of personal injury,
make sure the engine is cool before
unscrewing the coolant pressure relief
cap. The cooling system is under pressure.
Steam and hot liquid can come out forcefully
when you loosen the cap slightly. Do not add coolant further than the
MAX mark.
Checking the Engine Coolant
When the engine is cold, check the
concentration and level of the engine coolant
at the intervals listed in the scheduled
maintenance information. See Scheduled
Maintenance (page 392).
Note: Make sure that the coolant level is
between the MIN and MAX marks on the
coolant reservoir.
Note: Coolant expands when it is hot. The
level may extend beyond the MAX mark. Note:
If the level is at the MIN mark, below
the MIN mark, or empty, add coolant
immediately.
Maintain coolant concentration within 48%
to 50%, which equates to a freeze point
between -30°F (-34°C) and -34°F (-37°C).
Note: For best results, coolant concentration
should be tested with a refractometer such as
Robinair Coolant and Battery Refractometer
75240. We do not recommend the use of
hydrometers or coolant test strips for
measuring coolant concentrations.
Note: Automotive fluids are not
interchangeable. Do not use engine coolant,
antifreeze or windshield washer fluid outside
of its specified function and vehicle location.
Adding Engine Coolant
Note: Do not use stop leak pellets, cooling
system sealants or additives as they can cause
damage to the engine cooling or heating
systems. Your warranty may not cover these
damages.
Note: During normal vehicle operation, the
engine coolant may change color from orange
to pink or light red. As long as the engine coolant is clear and
uncontaminated, this color change does not
indicate that the engine coolant has
degraded, nor does it require that qualified
personnel drain the engine coolant, flush the
system or replace the engine coolant.
Do not mix different colors or types of coolant
in your vehicle. Mixing of engine coolants may
harm your engine
’s cooling system. The use
of an improper coolant may harm engine and
cooling system components and may void
the warranty. Use prediluted engine coolant
meeting the Ford specification. See
Capacities and Specifications (page 290).
In case of emergency, you can add a large
amount of water without engine coolant in
order to reach a vehicle service location. In
this instance, qualified personnel:
1. Must drain the cooling system.
2. Chemically clean the coolant system with
Motorcraft Premium Cooling System
Flush.
3. Refill with engine coolant as soon as possible.
Water alone, without engine coolant, can
cause engine damage from corrosion,
overheating or freezing.
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Do not use the following as a coolant
substitute:
•
Alcohol.
• Methanol.
• Brine.
• Any engine coolant mixed with alcohol
or methanol antifreeze or coolant.
Alcohol and other liquids can cause engine
damage from overheating or freezing.
Do not add extra inhibitors or additives to the
coolant. These can be harmful and
compromise the corrosion protection of the
engine coolant.
When adding coolant:
1. Unscrew the cap slowly. Any pressure will
escape as you unscrew the cap.
2. Add prediluted engine coolant meeting the Ford specification. See Capacities
and Specifications (page 290).
3. Check the coolant level in the coolant reservoir the next few times you drive your
vehicle.
4. If necessary, add enough prediluted engine coolant to bring the coolant level
to the proper level. Recycled Engine Coolant
Ford Motor Company does not recommend
the use of recycled engine coolant since a
Ford-approved recycling process is not yet
available.
Used engine coolant should be disposed of
in an appropriate manner. Follow your
community
’s regulations and standards for
recycling and disposing of automotive fluids.
Severe Climates
If you drive in extremely cold climates:
• It may be necessary to have a Ford
authorized dealer increase the coolant
concentration above 50%.
• A coolant concentration of 60% provides
improved freeze point protection. Engine
coolant concentrations above 60%
decrease the overheat protection
characteristics of the engine coolant and
may cause engine damage. If you drive in extremely hot climates:
•
It may be necessary to have a Ford
authorized dealer decrease the coolant
concentration to 40%.
• A coolant concentration of 40% provides
improved overheat protection. Engine
coolant concentrations below 40% will
decrease the freeze and corrosion
protection characteristics of the engine
coolant and may cause engine damage.
Vehicles driven year-round in non-extreme
climates should use prediluted engine
coolant for optimum cooling system and
engine protection.
What You Should Know About Fail-
Safe Cooling
If you deplete the engine coolant supply,
fail-safe cooling allows you to temporarily
drive your vehicle before you incur
incremental component damage. The
fail-safe distance depends on ambient
temperatures, vehicle load and terrain.
How Fail-Safe Cooling Works
If the engine begins to overheat, the engine
coolant temperature gauge will move to the
red (hot) area and:
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the coolant temperature warning
light will illuminate
the service engine soon indicator
will illuminate.
If the engine reaches a preset
over-temperature condition, the engine
automatically switches to alternating cylinder
operation. Each disabled cylinder acts as an
air pump and cools the engine.
When this occurs, your vehicle will still
operate. However:
• The engine power will be limited.
• This will disable the air conditioning
system.
Continued operation increases the engine
temperature, causing the engine to
completely shut down. Your steering and
braking effort increases in this situation.
When the engine temperature cools, you can
re-start your engine. Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer as soon as possible to
minimize engine damage. When Fail-Safe Mode Is Activated WARNINGS
Fail-safe mode is for use during
emergencies only. Operate your vehicle
in fail-safe mode only as long as
necessary to bring your vehicle to rest in a
safe location and seek immediate repairs.
When in fail-safe mode, your vehicle will have
limited power, will not be able to maintain
high-speed operation, and may completely
shut down without warning, potentially losing
engine power, power steering assist, and
power brake assist, which may increase the
possibility of a crash resulting in serious injury. Never remove the coolant reservoir cap
while the engine is running or hot.
You have limited engine power when in the
fail-safe mode, so drive your vehicle with
caution. Your vehicle will not maintain
high-speed operation and the engine will
operate poorly.
Remember that the engine is capable of
automatically shutting down to prevent
engine damage. In this situation:
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely
possible and switch off the engine.
2. Tow your vehicle to an authorized dealer. 3. If this is not possible, wait a short period
for the engine to cool.
4. Check the coolant level and add if low.
5. Re-start the engine and drive your vehicle
to an authorized dealer.
Note: Driving your vehicle without repair
increases the chance of engine damage.
Contact an authorized dealer as soon as
possible.
Engine Fluid Temperature Management
(If Equipped) WARNINGS
To reduce the risk of crash and injury,
be prepared that the vehicle speed may
reduce and the vehicle may not be able
to accelerate with full power until the fluid
temperatures reduce. Never remove the coolant reservoir cap
while the engine is running or hot.
Your vehicle can pull a trailer, but because
of the added load, your vehicle
’s engine may
temporarily reach higher temperatures during
severe operating conditions such as
ascending a long or steep grade while pulling
a trailer in high temperatures.
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At this time, you may notice your engine
coolant temperature gauge needle move
toward the H and the POWER REDUCED
TO LOWER TEMP message may appear in
the information display.
You may notice a reduction in vehicle speed
caused by reduced engine power. In order to
manage the engine fluid temperatures, your
vehicle may enter this mode if certain
high-temperature and high-load conditions
take place. The amount of speed reduction
depends on many factors such as vehicle
loading, towing, grade and ambient
temperature. If this occurs, there is no need
to pull off the road. You can continue to drive
your vehicle while this message is active.
The air conditioning may also cycle on and
off during severe operating conditions to
protect overheating of the engine. When the
engine coolant temperature decreases to a
normal operating temperature, the air
conditioning will turn on once again.
If the engine coolant temperature gauge
moves fully into the red (hot) area, or if the
coolant temperature warning or service
engine soon messages appear in your
information display:
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely possible and shift the transmission into
P
. 2.
Leave the engine running until the coolant
temperature gauge needle moves away
from the red (hot) area. After several
minutes, if the temperature does not
drop, follow the remaining steps.
3. Switch the engine off and wait for it to cool before checking the coolant level.
4. If the coolant level is normal, restart your
engine and continue.
5. If the coolant is low, add coolant, and restart the engine. See
Adding Engine
Coolant or How Fail-Safe Cooling
Works in this chapter for more
information.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FLUID CHECK
6F50/6F55 Transmission
(If Equipped) WARNINGS
The dipstick cap and surrounding
components may be hot, use gloves.
Use gloves when moving the air filter
assembly. Components will be hot. Note:
Automatic transmission fluid expands
when warmed. To obtain an accurate fluid
check, drive your vehicle until you warm it up,
approximately
20 mi (30 km). If you operate
your vehicle for an extended period at high
speeds, in city traffic during hot weather or
pulling a trailer, switch your vehicle off until it
reaches normal operating temperatures to
allow the fluid to cool before checking.
Depending on vehicle use, cooling times could
take up to 30 minutes or longer.
Refer to your scheduled maintenance
information for scheduled intervals for fluid
checks and changes. Your transmission does
not consume fluid. However, you should
check the fluid level if the transmission is not
working properly. For example, if the
transmission slips or shifts slowly or if you
notice some sign of a fluid leak.
1. Drive your vehicle 20 mi (30 km) or until it reaches normal operating temperature.
2. Park your vehicle on a level surface and engage the parking brake.
3. With the parking brake engaged and your
foot on the brake pedal, start the engine
and move the gearshift lever through all
of the gear ranges. Allow a minimum of
10 seconds for each gear to engage.
4. Put the gearshift lever in park (P) and leave the engine running.
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•
Clean the wheels weekly using Motorcraft
Wheel and Tire Cleaner. Apply using
manufacturer's instructions.
• Use a sponge to remove heavy deposits
of dirt and brake dust accumulation.
• Rinse thoroughly with a strong stream of
water when you have completed the
cleaning process.
• To remove tar and grease, use Motorcraft
Bug and Tar Remover.
VEHICLE STORAGE
If you plan on storing your vehicle for 30 days
or more, read the following maintenance
recommendations to make sure your vehicle
stays in good operating condition.
We engineer and test all motor vehicles and
their components for reliable, regular driving.
Under various conditions, long-term storage
may lead to degraded engine performance
or failure unless you use specific precautions
to preserve engine components. General
•
Store all vehicles in a dry, ventilated
place.
• Protect from sunlight, if possible.
• If vehicles are stored outside, they require
regular maintenance to protect against
rust and damage.
Body
• Wash your vehicle thoroughly to remove
dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from exterior
surfaces, rear-wheel housing and the
underside of front fenders.
• Periodically wash your vehicle if it is
stored in exposed locations.
• Touch-up exposed or primed metal to
prevent rust.
• Cover chrome and stainless steel parts
with a thick coat of auto wax to prevent
discoloration. Re-wax as necessary when
you wash your vehicle.
• Lubricate all hood, door and luggage
compartment hinges and latches with a
light grade oil.
• Cover interior trim to prevent fading.
• Keep all rubber parts free from oil and
solvents. Engine
•
Change the engine oil and filter prior to
storage because used engine oil contains
contaminates which may cause engine
damage.
• Start the engine every 15 days for a
minimum of 15 minutes. Run at fast idle
with the climate controls set to defrost
until the engine reaches normal operating
temperature.
• With your foot on the brake, shift through
all the gears while the engine is running.
• We recommend that you change the
engine oil before you use your vehicle
again.
Fuel system
• Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel
until the first automatic shutoff of the fuel
pump nozzle.
Cooling system
• Protect against freezing temperatures.
• When removing your vehicle from
storage, check coolant fluid level. Confirm
that there are no cooling system leaks
and that fluid is at the recommended
level.
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Battery
•
Check and recharge as necessary. Keep
connections clean.
• If storing your vehicle for more than 30
days without recharging the battery, we
recommend that you disconnect the
battery cables to maintain battery charge
for quick starting.
Note: It is necessary to reset memory features
if battery cables are disconnected.
Brakes
• Make sure the brakes and parking brake
release fully.
Tires
• Maintain recommended air pressure.
Miscellaneous
• Make sure all linkages, cables, levers and
pins under your vehicle are covered with
grease to prevent rust.
• Move vehicles at least 25 ft (7.5 m) every
15 days to lubricate working parts and
prevent corrosion. Removing Vehicle From Storage
When your vehicle is ready to come out of
storage, do the following:
•
Wash your vehicle to remove any dirt or
grease film build-up on window surfaces.
• Check windshield wipers for any
deterioration.
• Check under the hood for any foreign
material that may have collected during
storage such as mice or squirrel nests.
• Check the exhaust for any foreign
material that may have collected during
storage.
• Check tire pressures and set tire inflation
per the Tire Label.
• Check brake pedal operation. Drive your
vehicle 15 ft (4.5 m) back and forth to
remove rust build-up.
• Check fluid levels (including coolant, oil
and gas) to make sure there are no leaks,
and fluids are at recommended levels.
• If you remove the battery, clean the
battery cable ends and check for damage.
Contact an authorized dealer if you have any
concerns or issues.
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