Lincoln TOWN CAR 1997 Owner Manual

Table of Contents

iii

Introduction

Ford’s Commitment to You

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

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quality of our products and services must be our number one priority.

You are the focus of everything we do. Our

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

Continuous improvement is essential to our

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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.

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We are a team. We must treat one another with trust and respect.

Dealers and suppliers are our partners. We

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

Integrity is never compromised. Our conduct

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

ThingstoKnowAboutUsingThis Guide

Congratulationsonthepurchaseofyournew vehicle.Thisguidehasinformationaboutthe equipmentandtheoptionsforyournewvehicle. Youmaynothaveboughtalloftheoptions availabletoyou.Ifyoudonotknowwhich informationappliestoyourvehicle,talktoyour dealer.

Thisguidedescribesequipmentandgives specificationsforequipmentthatwasineffectwhen thisguidewasapprovedforprinting.Fordmay discontinuemodelsorchangespecificationsor designwithoutanynoticeandwithoutincurring obligation.

NOTESandWARNINGS

NOTESgiveyouadditionalinformationaboutthe

subjectmatteryouarereferencing.

WARNINGSremindyoutobeespeciallycarefulin

thoseareaswherecarelessnesscancausedamageto yourvehicleorpersonalinjurytoyourself,your passengersorotherpeople.Pleasereadall WARNINGScarefully.

WARNING

FindingInformationinThisGuide

Afteryouhavereadthisguideonce,youwill probablyreturntoitwhenyouhaveaspecific questionorneedadditionalinformation.Tohelp youfindspecificinformationquickly,youcanuse theQuickIndexortheIndex.

TheQuickIndexattheendofthebookprovides apagenumberfollowingeachitemwhichindicates wheredetailedinformationcanbefound.

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.

Your Maintenance Schedule and Record Booklet

The Maintenance Schedule 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.

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.

The Lincoln Commitment

The Lincoln Commitment is more than the prestige of owning a superior luxury automobile, it is a comprehensive owner benefits package that is designed to provide you with services to support your every driving need. Refer to the Lincoln Commitment brochure for more information.

About the Warranties

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’s Guide.

Ford Extended Service Plan

More Protection for Your Vehicle

You can get more protection for your new car or light truck by purchasing a Ford Extended Service Plan (Ford ESP). Ford ESP is the only extended service program with the Ford name on it and the only service contract backed by Ford Motor Company.

Ford ESP is an optional service contract, backed and administered by Ford. It provides:

protection against repair costs after your Bumper

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to Bumper Warranty expires; and other benefits during the warranty period (such

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as: reimbursement for rentals; coverage for certain maintenance and wear items).

You may purchase Ford ESP from any participating Ford Motor Company dealer. There are several Ford ESP plans available in various time-and-mileage combinations. Each plan can be tailored to fit your own driving needs, including reimbursement benefits for towing and rental. (In Hawaii, rules vary. See your dealer for details.)

When you buy Ford ESP, you receive peace-of-mind protection throughout the United States and Canada, provided by a network of more than 5,100 participating Ford Motor Company dealers.

NOTE: Repairs performed outside the United States and Canada are not eligible for ESP coverage.

This information is subject to change. Ask your dealer for complete details about Ford ESP coverage.

Breaking Your Vehicle In

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

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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.

Use only the type of engine oil that Ford

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

Instrumentation

The instrument panel (dashboard) on your vehicle is divided into several different sections. The illustrations on the following pages show the major parts of the instrument panel that are described in this chapter. Some items shown may not be on all vehicles.

The main controls for the climate control system, clock, and radio are on the instrument panel.

If you have radio transmitting equipment in your vehicle, be aware that it can interfere with your vehicle’s electrical system and may cause the instrumentation and/or convenience products to have temporary, abnormal operation.

NOTE: Any cleaner or polish that increases the gloss (shine) of the upper part of the instrument panel should be avoided. The dull finish in this area is to help protect the driver from undesirable windshield reflection

In your vehicle, the warning lights and gauges are grouped together on the instrument panel. We call this grouping a cluster. Your vehicle has an electronic cluster.

The Electronic Cluster

The electronic cluster works only when your ignition is in the ON position. Each time you start your vehicle, the displays go through a self-test by flashing on and off once before the actual readings are displayed. (Neither the turn signals nor the high beam indicator light will flash like the other indicators do for the self-test.) Some of the warning lights will flash on and remain on (will not immediately flash off) until the normal cluster display is lit. This self-test is used to indicate that all of the warning/indicator lights are working properly.

Your electronic cluster tells you about the condition of your vehicle by using two types of equipment:

warning lights and gauges

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message center

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Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge

This gauge indicates the engine coolant temperature not the coolant level. If the coolant is not at its proper level or mixture, the gauge indication will not be accurate. It is identified by a thermometer symbol, an “H” (hot), and a “C” (cold). The “NORMAL” indicates the normal operating range. The bars will move into the normal operating range

as the engine coolant warms up. It is acceptable under certain driving conditions such as, heavy stop and go traffic, or driving up hills in hot weather, for the gauge to indicate at the top of the NORMAL band.

If, under any circumstance, the pointer moves above the NORMAL band, the temperature symbol flashes and a tone will sound to alert the driver that the engine coolant is overheating and continued operation may cause engine damage.

If your engine overheats:

1. Pull off the road as soon as it is safely possible.

2. Turn off the engine. If you do not stop the engine as soon as safely possible, severe engine damage could result.

3. Let the engine cool. DO NOT REMOVE

COOLANT SYSTEM FILL CAP UNTIL THE ENGINE IS COOL.

4. Check the coolant level following the instructions on checking and adding coolant to your engine, see Engine Coolant in the Index. If you do not follow these instructions, you or others could be injured.

If the coolant continues to overheat, have the coolant system serviced.

If only the top two and bottom two bars appear on the gauge, then the system is indicating that it requires servicing. Contact your dealer for service as soon as possible.

Anti-Lock Brake System Light

This warning light will go on each time you start your vehicle. If it remains on for longer than 5 seconds, you should shut off your engine and restart. If the anti-lock brake light stays on, this indicates that the anti-lock feature is disabled and should receive immediate attention by a qualified

service technician. Normal braking is not affected unless the brake warning light is also lit.

The Anti-Lock Brake System has self-check capabilities. As previously described, the system turns on the anti-lock light each time you start your engine. After the engine is started and the anti-lock light is out, the system performs another test the first time the vehicle reaches 14 mph (22 km/h). The system turns on the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) pump motor for approximately 1/2 second. At this time a mechanical noise may be heard. This is a normal part of the self-check feature. If a malfunction is found during this check the anti-lock light will come on.

WARNING

Iftheanti-lockbrakesystemwarning lightremainsonorcomesonwhile driving,havethebrakingsystem checkedbyaqualifiedservice technicianassoonaspossible.

BrakeSystemLight

Thewarninglightforthebrakescanshowtwo things—thattheparkingbrakeisnotfully released,orthatthebrakefluidlevelislowinthe mastercylinderreservoir.Ifthefluidlevelislow, thebrakesystemshouldbecheckedbyaqualified servicetechnician.

Thislightcomesonbrieflywhenyouturnthe ignitionkeytoON,butitnormallygoesoffshortly aftertheenginestartsandyoureleasetheparking brake.Ifthelightstaysonorcomesonafteryou havereleasedtheparkingbrakefully,havethe hydraulicbrakesystemserviced.

WARNING

TheBRAKElightindicatesthatthe brakesmaynotbeworkingproperly. Havethebrakescheckedimmediately.

SafetyBeltWarningLightandChime

Thiswarninglightandchimeremindyoutofasten yoursafetybelt.Thefollowingconditionswilltake place:

Ifthedriver’ssafetybeltisnotbuckledwhen

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theignitionisturnedtotheONposition,the lightwillturnonfor1to2minutesandthe chimewillsoundfor4to8seconds.

Ifthedriver’ssafetybeltisbuckledwhilethe

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lightisonorthechimeissounding,boththe lightandthechimewillturnoff.

Ifthedriver’ssafetybeltisbuckledbeforethe

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ignitionisturnedtotheONposition,neither thelightnorthechimewillturnon.

HighBeamLight

Thislightilluminateswhentheheadlampsare turnedtohighbeamorwhenyouflashthelights.

Check Engine Warning Light

This light illuminates when the engine’s Emission Control System requires service. It will also illuminate when the ignition key is in the ON position and the engine is off.

Air Bag Readiness Light

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 panel. When you turn the ignition key to the ON position, this light will light up for six (6) seconds and then turn off. This indicates that the system is operating normally. NOTE: Regularly scheduled maintenance of the air bag system is not required.

If the light fails to illuminate, continues to flash, remains on, or you hear a beeping sound, have the system serviced at your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer immediately.

Charging System Warning Light

This light comes on when you turn your ignition key from OFF to ON (engine off). The light should go out when the engine starts and the alternator begins to charge.

If this light stays on or comes on while your engine is running, this tells you that your battery is not being charged and that you need to have the electrical system checked as soon as possible.

Engine Oil Pressure Light

This light indicates the lack of engine oil pressure, not the oil level. However, if your engine’s oil level is low, it could affect the oil pressure. The light should come on every time your ignition key is turned to ON or START, and should go out when the engine starts. If the light stays on or turns on while the engine is running, you have lost oil pressure and continued operation will cause severe engine damage.

If you lose engine oil pressure:

1. Pull off the road as soon as safely possible.

2. Shut off the engine immediately. If you do not stop the engine as soon as safely possible, severe engine damage could result.

3. Check the engine’s oil level, following the instructions on checking and adding engine oil, see Engine Oil in the Index. If you do not follow these instructions, you or others could be injured. To assure an accurate reading, your car should be on level ground.

4. If the level is low, add only as much oil as necessary before you start the engine again. Do not overfill. Do not operate the engine if the light is on, regardless of the oil level. Contact your nearest dealer for further service actions.

For more information about adding oil, see Adding engine oil in the Maintenance and Care chapter of this guide.

Turn Signal Indicator Lights

When you push the turn signal lever up before making a right turn, the right side arrow on the instrument panel flashes.

When you push the turn signal lever down before making a left turn, the left side arrow on the instrument panel flashes.

Usually, the turn signals turn off automatically after you turn your vehicle. If the turn signal continues to flash after you have made the turn, push the lever back to the OFF position.

If one or both of your turn indicators do not flash or stay on continuously, have them serviced as soon as possible. In the meantime, be sure to use the accepted hand signals.

Speed Control Indicator Light

This light comes on when the speed control system is actively maintaining the set speed. It will go off when the brakes are used or if the speed control is turned off.

This light does not indicate any problems but is only a convenience to tell when the speed control is active.

Fuel Gauge

The ignition switch must be in the OFF position before adding fuel to the tank for proper gauge operation.

A problem is indicated if the fuel gauge bar graph displays only the top two bars and the bottom two bars and the digital “FUEL REMAIN” or “DIST TO EMPTY” display “CO” or “CS”. If this happens, contact your dealer for service as soon as possible.

The fuel gauge symbols indicate the remaining fuel: “F” means full, “1/2” means half-full and “E” means empty.

Low fuel alert

When the fuel level drops to approximately 1/8 of a tank, a flashing fuel pump symbol is displayed.

If you want to calculate fuel economy, use the message center buttons instead of the fuel gauge bar graph indicator. It is likely to give you a much more accurate figure.

NOTE: At least 2.5 gallons (9.5 liters) of fuel must be added for the fuel gauge to immediately show the next level of fuel. If less than 2.5 gallons (9.5 liters) of fuel is added, the gauge will reach the new level slowly.

Compass Display (If Equipped)

The Compass can display direction indicated by N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SE and SW. The sensor for the compass display is located on the back side of the rear view mirror. The Compass can be set to one of 15 geographic zones.

To set the ZONE, first locate the compass module on the center rear view mirror post. Press and hold the reset button located on top of the compass module until the display in the message center changes to show the current zone setting (1-15). Release the reset button and press it agian repeatedly until the current zone is displayed (see zone map). After 10 seconds the display will return to normal. Your zone will then be updated.

The Compass is continually self-calibrating and should not require calibration, however a manual-calibrating mode can be initiated.

NOTE: Compass calibration requires that the vehicle be driven 2-3 mph (3-5 km/h) in at least two 360 degree circles. A safe location free of vehicle and pedestrian traffic will be required. To manually calibrate the compass, locate the reset button on the top side of the compass module. Press and hold the reset button until the Compass display indicates “CIRCLE SLOWLY”. Once the button has been released, slowly drive the vehicle in circles until the “CIRCLE SLOWLY” indicator disappears. This may require several complete circles.

Zone map

Factors Affecting Compass Accuracy

The compass reading can be affected when you drive near a number of things — such as large buildings, bridges, power lines, and powerful antennas.

Your compass can also be affected by magnetic or metallic objects placed in or on the compass sensor (the sensor is loacated on the inside rearview mirror bracket). If the compass is giving inaccurate readings, perform the calibration procedure.

Speedometer

The speedometer tells you how many miles (kilometers) per hour your vehicle is moving. It indicates the speed up to 120 mph or up to 199 km/h.

You can press the E/M (English/Metric) button located just below the message center display to show the speed you are going in either miles per hour or kilometers per hour.

Odometer

The odometer tells you the total number of miles or kilometers your vehicle has been driven. If the cluster is replaced, and the accumulated mileage on the odometer is unknown, the replacement cluster will have the circled “S” illuminated with zero miles on the odometer. If the actual vehicle mileage can be verified, then an authorized service center can program the actual mileage into the odometer of the replacement cluster. The actual mileage (if known) or an estimated mileage (if unknown) is shown on a label affixed on the door pillar.

Press the E/M (English/Metric) button located just below the message center display to show miles or kilometers.

If the odometer displays the word “ERROR” contact your dealer for service.

The Electronic Message Center

Along with information the warning lights and gauges provide, the electronic message center lets you:

see problems such as Door Ajar, Air Suspension,

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Trunk Ajar, Washer Fluid see how many miles/kilometers you can drive

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with the fuel remaining in your tank see how many gallons/liters of fuel are

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remaining monitor your average fuel economy

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monitor your instantaneous fuel economy

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monitor your average speed

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check the distance you have travelled during a

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trip on either Trip A or Trip B check the distance remaining from a set value

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during a trip

All of the message center functions are controlled by the three switches located just below the radio controls in the center of the instrument panel.

E/M — Changes the electronic instrument

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cluster and the electronic temperature control display to read in either English or Metric units.

Reset — Sets the selected function to zero (if

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resettable). Select — Selects the function. This is a dual

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action switch, the right side advances function to the right, the left side advances function to the left.

How to use the message center

To reset any function:

1. Push either the right or left side of the SELECT button to choose the function you would like to set.

2. Push the RESET button and the selected message center function will be reset to zero. (The only functions which can be reset to zero are: AVG ECON, TRIP A or TRIP B, and AVG SPEED.)

What the message center functions can show you

DIST TO EMPTY — Distance to Empty (DTE)

This function estimates how many miles or kilometers you can drive with the fuel remaining in your tank under standard driving conditions.

Remember to turn off the ignition when filling up with fuel. Otherwise, the display will not show the addition of fuel for a few miles.

When you have approximately 50 miles (80 km) left before you run out of fuel, the DTE function will flash for five (5) seconds and sound a tone for one (1) second. The message center will remain in the DTE function until you push the select button to change it. This low fuel warning also happens at 25 miles (40 km), and 10 miles (16 km).

Displayed DTE will not be equal to AVG ECON multiplied by the FUEL REMAIN value. This is because DTE is calculated using a method that takes into consideration the fuel economy of the last 500 miles (800 Km) driven.

NOTE: When refueling, at least 2.5 gallons (9.5 litres) of fuel must be added for fuel gauge to immediately show the next level of fuel.

If “CO” or “CS” is displayed, this means that there is a problem with the fuel indication system and you should contact your dealer for service as soon as possible.

FUEL REMAIN — Fuel Remaining

This function shows you how many gallons (liters) of fuel you have left in the fuel tank.

If your fuel level is above 20 gallons (75.7 liters), the letter “F” (full) will appear on the display. But if your fuel level has dropped to below 1 gallon (4 liters), the letter “E” (empty) will appear in the display.

Because of factors like rounding of numbers and fuel movement in the tank, your fuel gauge and the service station fuel pump readings may disagree slightly.

A problem is indicated if the fuel gauge bar graph displays only the top two and bottom two bars and the message center display for Distance To Empty or Fuel Remaining functions display the letters “CO” or “CS”. If this happens, contact your dealer for service as soon as possible.

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