User manual MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS 2000

[. . . ] Contents Before driving Introduction Instrumentation Controls and features Seating and safety restraints Starting and driving Starting Driving Roadside emergencies Servicing Maintenance and care Capacities and specifications Customer assistance Reporting safety defects Index 150 197 203 214 215 113 118 133 2 6 24 87 All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system or translation in whole or part is not permitted without written authorization from Ford Motor Company. Ford may change the contents without notice and without incurring obligation. Copyright © 1999 Ford Motor Company 1 Introduction The following warning may be required by California law: CALIFORNIA Proposition 65 Warning Engine exhaust, some if its constituents, and certain vehicle components contain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, or birth defects or other reproductive harm. [. . . ] The ABS operates by detecting the onset of wheel lockup during brake applications and compensates for this tendency. The wheels are prevented from locking even when the brakes are firmly applied. The accompanying illustration depicts the advantage of an ABS equipped vehicle (on bottom) to a non-ABS equipped vehicle (on top) during hard braking with loss of front braking traction. 118 Driving ABS warning lamp ABS The ABS warning lamp in the instrument cluster momentarily illuminates when the ignition is turned to the ON position. If the light does not illuminate momentarily at start up, remains on or continues to flash, the ABS needs to be serviced. With the ABS light on, the anti-lock brake system is disabled and normal !braking is still effective unless the BRAKE brake warning light also remains illuminated with parking brake released. (If your brake warning lamp illuminates, have your vehicle serviced immediately. ) Using ABS · In an emergency or when maximum efficiency from the ABS is required, apply continuous force on the brake. The ABS will be activated immediately, thus allowing you to retain full steering control of your vehicle and, providing there is sufficient space, will enable you to avoid obstacles and bring the vehicle to a controlled stop. · The Anti-Lock system does not decrease the time necessary to apply the brakes or always reduce stopping distance. Always leave enough room between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to stop. · We recommend that you familiarize yourself with this braking technique. However, avoid taking any unnecessary risks. Parking brake with auto-release Apply the parking brake whenever the vehicle is parked. Push pedal downward. HOOD 119 Driving The BRAKE warning lamp in the instrument cluster illuminates and remains illuminated (when the ignition is turned ON) until the parking brake is fully released. BRAKE !P Always set the parking brake fully and make sure the gearshift is latched in P (Park). Turn off the ignition whenever you leave your vehicle. The parking brake is not recommended to stop a moving vehicle. However, if the normal brakes fail, the parking brake can be used to stop your vehicle in an emergency. Since the parking brake applies only the rear brakes, the vehicle's stopping distance will increase greatly and the handling of your vehicle will be adversely affected. Your vehicle has an automatic parking brake release (except for police/fleet vehicles which have the manual release). Move the gearshift from the P (Park) position to one of the forward gears (the parking brake will not release automatically when you shift into reverse). The brake pedal must remain pressed while the gearshift is moved. [. . . ] Box 07150 Detroit, Michigan 48207 For a free publication catalog, order toll free: 1-800-782-4356 Monday-Friday 8:00 a. m. EST, for credit card holders only Obtaining a French owner's guide French Owner's Guides can be obtained from your dealer or by writing to Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited, Service Publications, P. O. Box 1580, Station B, Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 4G3. 213 Reporting safety defects REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS (U. S. ONLY) If you believe that your vehicle has a defect that could cause a crash, or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying Ford Motor Company. If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign. [. . . ]