Ford Windstar 1996 Owner's Manual

Table of Contents

Introductory Information ............... 1

Safety Restraints ................... 7

Starting Your Windstar ................55

Warning Lights and Gauges ..............65

Instrument Panel Controls .............. 105

Steering Column Controls .............. 129

Features ...................... 143

Electronic Sound Systems .............. 195

Driving Your Windstar ............... 235

Roadside Emergencies ................ 261

Customer Assistance ................ 283

Reporting Safety Defects ............. 290

Accessories ..................... 295

Servicing Your Windstar ............... 301

Quick Index .................... 371

Index........................ 381

Service Station Information ............. 396

Introductory Information

At Ford Motor Company, excellence is the continuous commitment to achieve the best result possible. It is dedication to learning what you want, determination to develop the right concept, and execution of that concept with care, precision, and attention to detail. In short, excellence means being the standard by which others are judged.

Our Guiding Principles

■ Quality comes first. For your satisfaction, the quality of our

products and services must be our number one priority.

■ You are the focus of everything we do. Our work must be

done with you in mind, providing better products and services than our competition.

■ Continuous improvement is essential to our success. We

must strive for excellence in everything we do: in our products — in their safety and value — and in our services, our human relations, our competitiveness, and our profitability.

■ Employee involvement is our way of life. We are a team.

We must treat one another with trust and respect.

■ Dealers and suppliers are our partners. We must maintain

mutually beneficial relationships with dealers, suppliers, and our other business associates.

■ Integrity is never compromised. Our conduct worldwide

must be pursued in a manner that is socially responsible and commands respect for its integrity and for its positive contributions to society.

Congratulations on the purchase of your new vehicle. This guide has information about the equipment and the options for your new vehicle. You may not have bought all of the options available to you. If you do not know which information applies to your vehicle, talk to your dealer.

This guide describes equipment and gives specifications for equipment that was in effect when this guide was approved for printing. Ford may discontinue models or change specifications or design without any notice and without incurring obligation.

NOTES and WARNINGS

NOTES give you additional information about the subject matter you are referencing.

WARNINGS remind you to be especially careful in those areas where carelessness can cause damage to your vehicle or personal injury to yourself, your passengers or other people. Please read all WARNINGS carefully.

RWARNING

Finding Information in This Guide

After you have read this guide once, you will probably return to it when you have a specific question or need additional information. To help you find specific information quickly, you can use the Quick Index or the Index.

The Quick Index at the end of the book provides a page number following each item which indicates where detailed information can be found.

Introductory Information

To use the Index, turn to the back of the book and search in the alphabetical listing for the word that best describes the information you need. If the word you chose is not listed, think of other related words and look them up. We have designed the Index so that you can find information under a technical term.

Canadian Owners — French Version

French Owner 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.

Booklet

The Maintenance Schedule and Record booklet lists the services that are most important for keeping your vehicle in good condition. A record log is also provided to help you keep track of all services performed.

Your vehicle is covered by three types of warranties: Basic

Vehicle Warranty, Extended Warranties on certain parts, and Emissions Warranties.

Read your Warranty Information Booklet carefully to find out about your vehicle’s warranties and your basic rights and responsibilities.

If you lose your Warranty Information Booklet, you can get a new one free of charge. Contact any Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer, or refer to the addresses and phone numbers on the first page of this owner guide.

Buying a Ford Extended Service Plan

If you bought your vehicle in the U.S., you can buy a Ford Extended Service Plan for your vehicle. This optional contract provides service protection for a longer period of time than the basic warranty that comes with your vehicle.

You do not have to buy this option when you buy your vehicle. However, your option to purchase the Ford Extended Service Plan runs out after 18 months or 18,000 miles. See your dealer for more details about the Ford Extended Service Plan.

If you purchased a Canadian vehicle and did not take advantage of the Ford Extended Service Plan at the time of purchase, you may still be eligible. See your dealer for the details.

Your new vehicle goes through an adjustment or break-in period during the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km) that you drive it. During the break-in period, you need to pay careful attention to how you drive your vehicle.

■ Avoid sudden stops. Because your vehicle has new brake

linings, you should take these steps: — Watch traffic carefully so that you can anticipate when to

stop. — Begin braking well in advance. — Apply the brakes gradually. The break-in period for new brake linings lasts for 100 miles

(160 km) of city driving or 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of highway driving.

Introductory Information

■ Wheel lug nuts must be retightened to proper torque

specifications at 500 miles/800 km of new vehicle operation. Proper torque specifications are provided in this guide. Also retighten to proper torque specification at 500 miles/800 km after any wheel change or any other time the wheel lug nuts have been loosened.

■ Use only the type of engine oil that Ford recommends. See

Engine oil recommendations in the Index. Do not use special “break-in” oils.

Your vehicle is equipped with an Electronic Powertrain Control Module that limits engine and/or vehicle speeds with a cut-out mode to promote durability.

Washing and Polishing Your Vehicle

Wash the outside of your vehicle, including the underside, with a mild detergent.

DO NOT:

■ Wash your vehicle with hot water

■ Wash your vehicle while it sits in direct sunlight

■ Wash your vehicle while the body is hot

Pollen, bird droppings and tree sap can damage the paint, especially in hot weather. Wash your vehicle as often as necessary to keep it clean.

Take similar precautions if your vehicle is exposed to chemical industrial fallout.

Paint damage resulting from fallout is not related to a defect in paint materials or workmanship and therefore is not covered by warranty. Ford, however, believes that continual improvement in customer satisfaction is a high priority. For this reason, Ford has authorized its dealers to repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of new vehicles damaged by environmental fallout within 12 months or 12,000 miles (20,000 km) of purchase, whichever comes first. Customers may be required to bring their vehicle in for inspection by a Ford representative.

Polish your vehicle to remove harmful deposits and protect the finish.

Cleaning Chrome and Aluminum Parts

Wash chrome and aluminum parts with a mild detergent. Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, fuel, or strong detergents.

Cleaning Plastic Parts

Some of your vehicle’s exterior trim parts are plastic. Clean with a tar and road oil remover if necessary. Use a vinyl cleaner for routine cleaning.

Do not clean plastic parts with thinners, solvents or petroleum-based cleaners.

If you have your vehicle rustproofed, remove oversprayed rustproofing with a tar and road oil remover. If rustproofing is not removed from plastic and rubber parts, it can cause deterioration.

Safety Restraints

The use of safety belts helps to restrain you and your passengers in case of a collision. In most states and in Canada, the law requires their use. We strongly recommend that you use them every time you travel in your vehicle.

Safety belts provide best restraint when:

■ the seatback is upright

■ the occupant is sitting upright (not slouched)

■ the lap belt is snug and low on the hips

■ the shoulder belt is snug against the chest

■ the knees are straight forward

See the following sections in this chapter for directions on how to properly use these safety belts. Also see Safety Restraints for Children in this chapter for special instructions about using safety belts for children.

RWARNING

Make sure that you and your passengers, including pregnant women, wear safety belts. Be sure that the lap belt portion of your safety belt fits snugly and as low as possible around the hips. If safety belts are not used properly, the risk of you or your passengers being injured in a collision greatly increases.

RWARNING

Passengers should not be allowed to ride in the cargo area. Persons not riding in a seat with a fastened seat belt are much more likely to suffer serious injury in a collision. Cargo should always be secured to prevent it from shifting and causing damage to the vehicle or harm to passengers.

RWARNING

Failure to follow these precautions could increase the risk and/or severity of injury in a collision. 1) Use the shoulder belt on the outside shoulder only. Never wear the shoulder belt under the arm. 2) Never swing it around your neck over the inside shoulder. 3) Never use a single belt for more than one person.

RWARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury in a collision, always drive and ride with your seatback upright and the lap belt snug and low across the hips.

RWARNING

To reduce the risk of serious injury in a collision, children should always ride with the seatback upright.

Safety Restraints

RWARNING

Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap while the vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the child from injury in a collision.

RWARNING

Never use a single belt for more than one person or across more than one seating position. This greatly increases the risk that one or both of the people will be injured in a collision. Each seating position in your vehicle has a specific safety belt assembly which is made up of one buckle and one tongue that are designed to be used as a pair.

Lock the doors of your vehicle before driving to lessen the risk of the door coming open in a collision.

While your vehicle is in motion, the combination lap and shoulder belt adjusts to your movement. However, if you brake hard, turn hard, or if your vehicle receives an impact of 5 mph (8 km/h) or more, the lap/shoulder belt locks and helps reduce your forward movement.

After you get into your vehicle, close the door and lock it. Then adjust the seat to the position that suits you best.

Fastening the front seat lap and shoulder belt

Adjust the lap part of the belt by pulling up on the shoulder belt until the lap belt fits snugly and as low as possible around your hips.

Push the release button on the buckle. This allows the tongue to unlatch from the buckle.

Unfastening the combination lap and shoulder belts

While the belt retracts, guide the tongue to its original position to prevent it from striking you or part of the vehicle.

Safety Restraints

Shoulder Belt Adjustment (Driver and Right Front Passenger)

You can adjust the shoulder belt height to one of five (5) positions. To adjust, pinch the release button and slide it up or down until the belt rests on your shoulder near your neck. Release the button and make sure the adjuster is firmly seated in one of the five (5) positions.

The shoulder belt height adjuster

Combination Lap and Shoulder Belt — Second Row Bench Seat

There is a unique safety restraint system for the outside seating position of the second row bench seat. It is very important that you read and understand this section before anyone rides in the outside seating position (near the sliding door) of the two-passenger bench seat.

In addition to safety belt anchorages in the floor and roof structures, the second row bench seat has a detachable safety belt anchor mounted to the right window side of the seat. The safety belt should always remain attached to this anchor except when removing this seat.

The second row passenger side outboard seating position uses a hook above the sliding door to stow the shoulder safety belt when entering or exiting the vehicle or when it is not being used.

NOTE: When the belt is stow ed using the hook, DO NOT use

the hanging belt as an assist when entering the vehicle.

Proper stowage of second row shoulder safety belt

Safety Restraints

When removing the second row bench seat:

small screwdriver into the slot provided on the detachable anchor (see Figure 1). When this shoulder belt assembly is free of the seat, allow the retractor to wind up the slack in the belt.

the end of the belt to the stationary portion of the shoulder belt (see Figure 2). The end of the shoulder belt must be clipped in order to keep it from striking anything during vehicle operation.

Figure 1: Second row bench seat detachable anchor

Safety Restraints

Figure 2: Securing the detachable shoulder belt

Refer to the “Seats” section in the Features chapter of this Owner Guide for information on removing and installing seats.

After re-installing the second row bench seat, make sure that the safety belt is not twisted before you insert it into the detachable anchor. A twisted safety belt may cause the retractor to work improperly. Then insert the detachable anchor tongue into the detachable anchor until you hear a “snap” and feel the latch engage.

RWARNING

When reinstalling a rear seat in your vehicle it must be placed in its original position. Improper installation of the seat will prevent correct use of the safety belts and could increase the risk of injury. Refer to the warning label on the seat belt.

Your vehicle is equipped with a dual locking mode retractor on the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder safety belt for front passenger and rear seat window passengers.

Dual locking mode retractors operate in two ways:

Vehicle Sensitive (Emergency) Locking Mode

In this operating mode, the shoulder belt retractor will allow the occupant freedom of movement, locking tight only on hard braking, hard cornering or impacts of approximately five mph (8 km/h) or more.

Automatic Locking Mode

In this operating mode, the shoulder belt retractor will be automatically locked and remain locked when the combination lap/shoulder safety belt is buckled, and does not allow the occupant freedom of movement. This mode provides the following:

■ A tight lap/shoulder belt fit on occupant

■ Child seat or infant carrier restraint

Rear-facing infant seats should never be placed in the front seat. This mode must be used when installing a child seat on the

front passenger seat and rear window seats where dual locking retractors are provided.

To switch the retractor from the emergency locking mode to the automatic locking mode, perform the following steps:

Safety Restraints

until all of the belt is extracted, and when allowed to retract, a clicking sound will be heard. At this time, the belt retractor is in the automatic locking mode (child restraint mode).

retract. This indicates that the retractor is in the automatic locking mode.

NOTE: When the combination lap/shoulder belt is unbuckled

and allowed to retract completely, the retractor will switch back to the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode. See detailed instructions under Safety Seats for Children later in this chapter.

The lap belt in the center of the rear seat does not adjust automatically. You must adjust it to fit snugly and as low as possible around your hips. Do not wear it around your waist.

If you need to lengthen the belt, unfasten it and tip the belt tongue at a right angle to the belt. Pull the belt tongue over your lap until it reaches the buckle.

If you need to shorten the belt, pull on the loose end of the webbing until the belt fits snugly.

To unfasten the belt, push the release button on the buckle.

Unfastening the lap belt in the center rear seating position

Check the safety belt systems periodically to make sure that they work properly and are not damaged.

All safety belt assemblies, including retractors, buckles, front seat belt buckle support assemblies (slide bar) (if so equipped), child safety seat tether bracket assemblies (if so equipped), and attaching hardware, should be inspected after any collision. Ford recommends that all safety belt assemblies used in vehicles involved in a collision be replaced. However, if the collision was minor and a qualified technician finds that the belts do not show damage and continue to operate properly, they do not need to be replaced. Safety belt assemblies not in use during a collision should also be inspected and replaced if either damage or improper operation is noted.

Cleaning the Safety Belts

Clean the safety belts with any mild soap solution that is recommended for cleaning upholstery or carpets. Do not bleach or dye the belt webbing because this may weaken it.

Safety Belt Extension Assembly

For some people, the safety belt may be too short even when it is fully extended. You can add about eight inches (20 cm) to the belt length with a safety belt extension assembly (part number 611C22). Safety belt extensions are available at no cost from your dealer.

RWARNING

Failure to follow these instructions will affect the performance of the safety belts and increase the risk of personal injury.

Safety Restraints

(SRS)

The driver and right front passenger air bags are Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS), provided at these seating positions in addition to the lap/shoulder belt, and are designed to supplement the protection provided to properly belted occupants in moderate to severe frontal collisions. The supplemental air bag system does not provide restraint to the lower body.

The Importance of Wearing Safety Belts

RWARNING

Safety belts must be worn by all vehicle occupants to be properly restrained and help reduce the risk of injury in a collision.

RWARNING

All occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, should always wear their safety belts, whether or not an airbag Supplemental Restraint System is also provided at their seating position. Failure to do so may increase the risk of severe injury or death in the event of a collision.

There are four very important reasons to use safety belts even with an air bag system. Use your safety belts to:

■ help keep you in the proper position (away from the air bag)

when it inflates

■ reduce the risk of harm in rollover, side or rear impact

collisions, because an air bag is not designed to inflate in such situations

■ reduce the risk of harm in frontal collisions that are not

severe enough to activate the supplemental air bag

■ reduce the risk of being thrown from your vehicle

The Importance of Being Properly Seated

In a collision, the air bag must inflate extremely fast to help provide additional protection for you. In order to do this, the air bag must inflate with considerable force. If you are not seated in a normal riding position with your back against the seatback, the air bag may not protect you properly and could possibly hurt you as it inflates.

RWARNING

If a passenger is not properly seated and restrained, an inflating air bag could cause serious injury.

Your vehicle is equipped with a right front passenger air bag. Air bags deploy with great force, faster than the blink of an eye. Front passengers, especially children and small adults, must never sit on the front edge of the seat, stand near the glove compartment of the instrument panel, or lean over near the air bag cover when the vehicle is moving. All occupants should sit with their backs against the seatback, move the seat to the most rearward position if possible and use the safety belts. Children weighing less than 40 lbs. (18 kg) always should use child or infant seats.

RWARNING

When using forward-facing child seats move the passenger seat as far back from the instrument panel as possible. NEVER SECURE REAR-FACING INFANT SEATS IN THE FRONT SEAT.

Safety Restraints

THE FORCE OF THE RAPIDLY INFLATING PASSENGER AIR BAG COULD PUSH THE TOP OF THE REAR-FACING SEAT AGAINST THE VEHICLE SEATBACK, ARMRESTS OR CONSOLE. REAR-FACING INFANT SEATS MUST ALWAYS BE SECURED IN THE REAR SEAT.

RWARNING

Do not place objects or mount equipment on or near the air bag cover on the steering wheel or in front seat areas that may come in contact with a deploying air bag. Failure to follow this instruction may increase the risk of personal injury in the event of a collision.

For further information about the proper mounting of equipment in the front seat of this vehicle, please refer to Ford’s brochure entitled Some Important Information About Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System which can be obtained by calling Helm Inc. at 1-800-782-4356. Ask for brochure FPS-8602.

For additional important safety information on the proper use of seat belts, child seats, and infant seats, please read the other sections of this part of the Owner Guide, especially sections entitled Safety Belts for Children and Safety Seats for Children.

How the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System Operates

The Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System consists of the driver and passenger air bags, impact sensors, a system diagnostic module, a readiness light and tone, and the electrical wiring which connects the components.

The driver air bag is in the center of the steering wheel and is indicated by the letters “SRS.” The right front passenger seat air bag is in the upper right-hand section of the instrument panel ledge above the glove compartment. The letters “SRS” appear there. Both air bags are designed to stay out of sight until they are activated.

RWARNING

Do not attempt to service, repair, or modify the Air Bag Supplemental Restraint System or its fuses. See your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.

If a collision occurs, the sensors sense the severity of the impact and activates the air bags if necessary. The air bag system is designed to deploy in frontal and front-angled collisions more severe than hitting a parked vehicle (of similar size and weight) head-on at about 28 mph (45 km/h). Because the system senses the crash severity rather than vehicle speed, some frontal collisions at speeds above 28 mph (45 km/h) will not inflate the air bag.

When the sensors activate the system, the air bags inflate rapidly, filling with non-toxic nitrogen gas in a fraction of a second. Immediately after inflation, the air bags deflate by releasing the nitrogen gas through vent holes. The whole process takes place in a matter of seconds.

RWARNING

Air bag system components get hot after inflation. Do not touch them after inflation.

Inflated driver-side air bag

Safety Restraints

Inflated passenger-side air bag

RWARNING

If the air bag is inflated, THE AIR BAG WILL NOT FUNCTION AGAIN AND MUST BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY. If the air bag is not replaced, the unrepaired area will increase the risk of injury in a collision.

To ensure that the air bag system will operate as intended in a crash, the system is equipped with a diagnostic module, which controls a readiness lamp and a warning tone. The diagnostic module monitors its own circuits, the air bag electrical system, the air bag readiness light, the air bag power, and the air bag inflators.

Safety Restraints

The air bag system uses a readiness light and a tone to indicate the condition of the system. The readiness light is in the instrument cluster. When you turn the ignition to the ON position, this light will illuminate for approximately six (6) seconds and then turn off. This indicates that the system is operating normally. NOTE: Maintenance of the air bag system is not required.

A problem with the system is indicated by one or more of the following:

■ the readiness light will either flash or stay lit,

■ or it will not light immediately after ignition is turned on,

■ a group of five beeps will be heard. The tone pattern will

repeat periodically until the problem and light are repaired.

If any of these things happen, even intermittently, have the air bag system serviced at your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer immediately.

Disposal of supplemental air bag equipped vehicles

For disposal of air bags or air bag equipped vehicles, see your local Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer. Air bags MUST be disposed of by qualified personnel.

In the U.S. and Canada, you are required by law to use safety restraints for children. If small children ride in your vehicle — this generally includes children who are four years old or younger and who weigh 40 pounds (18 kg) or less — you must put them in safety seats that are made specially for children. Safety belts alone do not provide maximum protection for these children. Check your local and state laws for specific requirements.

RWARNING

Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap while the vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the child from injury in a collision.

RWARNING

Carefully follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions included with the safety seat you put in your vehicle. If you do not install and use the safety seat properly, the child may be injured in a sudden stop or collision.

RWARNING

Never leave a child unattended in your vehicle.

RWARNING

Safety belts and seats can become hot in a vehicle that has been closed up in sunny weather; they could burn a small child. Check seat covers and buckles before you place a child anywhere near them.

Safety Restraints

When possible, put children in the rear seat of your vehicle. Accident statistics suggest that children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seating positions.

Built-In Child Seat (If equipped)

The second row bench seat may include two optional built-in child safety seats (one on the driver side and one on the passenger side). This child restraint is to be used only by children who are at least one year old, weigh between 9 and 27 kilograms (20 and 60 pounds) and whose shoulders (top) are below the bottom of the headrest in the full up position.

If your child is less than one year old or weighs less than 9 kilograms (20 pounds), always use a rear facing infant or convertible seat because a child of that size is not sufficiently developed to withstand crash forces in a front facing position. Follow the specific manufacturer’s instructions for weight and height restrictions.

RWARNING

Always latch the vehicle seat to the floor, whether the seat is occupied or empty. If not latched, the seat may cause injury during a sudden stop.

Children must be properly buckled before riding in the vehicle. It is the law in every state and province. This child seat conforms to all Federal/Canadian motor vehicle safety standards.

Built-in child seat belt retractors

The belts on the built-in child seat are equipped with a retractor that locks when both belt tongues are latched into the crotch safety belt and buckle.

The retractor will switch from the emergency locking mode to the automatic locking mode when the shoulder belts are pulled all the way out. The retractor will switch back to emergency locking mode when the belts are unbuckled and the shoulder belts retract completely.

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