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1996 CONTINENTAL Your satisfaction is our #1 goal. If you have questions or concerns with your vehicle, we suggest you follow these steps: I. Contact your Sales Representative or Service Advisor at your selling/servicing dealership. If the inquiry or concern remains unresolved, contact the Sales Manager or Service Manager at the dealership. If the inquiry or concern cannot be resolved at the dealership level, please contact the Ford Customer Assistance Center. In the United States: Ford Motor Company Lincoln Customer Assistance Center 300 Renaissance Center P.O. Box 43360 Detroit, MI 48243 1-800-521-4140 TDD for the hearing impaired: 1-800-232-5952 In Canada: The Lincoln Centre Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited P.O. Box 1580, Station B Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 4G3 1-800-387-9333 Outside the U.S. or Canada: FORD MOTOR COMPANY EXPORT OPERATIONS 1555 Fairlane Drive Fairlane Business Park #3 Allen Park, Michigan 481 01 Telephone (313) 594-4857 2. 3. Fax (313) 390-0804 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. Copyright @ 1995, Ford Motor Company Table of Contents INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION SAFETY RESTRAINTS STARTING YOUR CONTINENTAL WARNING LIGHTS AND GAUGES INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTROLS STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS FEATURES ELECTRONIC SOUND SYSTEMS 1 9 41 51 69 89 99 159 i DRIVING YOUR CONTINENTAL ROADSIDE EMERGENCIES CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE ACCESSORIES SERVICING YOUR CONTINENTAL QUICK INDEX INDEX GAS STATION INFORMATION 179 199 213 223 231 299 307 322 iii Introductory Information 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. 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 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. 1 Things to Know About Using This Guide 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. /!\ WARNING 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. 2 The Quick Index at the end of the book provides a page number following each item which indicates where detailed information can be found. 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. 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. The following is a brief explanation of the Lincoln Commitment benefits. We encourage you to learn about these benefits and take full advantage of them. Detailed information on all of these benefits will be sent to you approximately 25 days after you have taken delivery of your vehicle. 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. Service Loaner Should your Lincoln require overnight warranty service, your dealership will provide you with a service loaner car, when available, or a rental allowance of up to $30 a day for up to five days. 3 Roadside Service Assistance Lincoln owners receive complimentary 24-hour emergency roadside service assistance for a period of four years for towing, jump-starting, lock-out service, gas delivery, a tire change or other roadside services. Call the hotline at 1-800-521-4140 any time of day or night for emergency roadside assistance. Trip Planning Service Plan your journeys with custom-computerized, travel-related information including maps and trip routings. To order customer-designed travel packets, call 1-800-521-4140. Emergency Travel Expense Reimbursement Covers expenses such as meals, lodging and car rental if your automobile is disabled more than 100 miles (160 km) from home. Membership in Quest® International ® (U.S. only) You will automatically receive a complimentary membership in Quest International which entities you to travel-related discounts on meals and rooms at more than 2,100 hotels in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Destination Assistance (U.S. only) In the event of a collision or mechanical breakdown, Lincoln helps get you to your immediate destination with a reimbursement allowance for emergency transportation service such as taxicabs, rental cars, shuttles, etc. The Lincoln Warranty For specifics on what is covered, see your Warranty Information Booklet. 4 Lincoln Customer Assistance Center If you have questions regarding your Lincoln or the Lincoln Commitment, call our Customer Assistance Center: United States 1-800-521-4140 Canada 1-800-387-9333 You may call the Customer Assistance Center, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in all time zones. Your Maintenance Schedule and Record 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. 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 guide. 5 Owner Identification Card Personalized with your name and vehicle identification number as well as the hotline number to call for customer service or roadside assistance service. 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. 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 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 I 00 miles (I 60 km) of city driving or 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of highway driving. 6 Use only the type of engine oil that Ford recommends. See Engine oil recommendations in the Index. Do not use special "break-in" oils. 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 the Outside of Your Vehicle 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 a . nd tree sap can damage the paint, especially in hot weather. Wash your vehicle as often as necessary to keep it clean. 7 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. 8 Safety Restraints Important Safety Belt Information 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. 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 To help you remember to fasten your safety belt, a warning light may come on and a chime may sound. See Safety Belt Warning Light and Chime in the Warning Lights and Gauges chapter. Make sure that you and your passengers wear safety belts. Always drive and ride with your seatback upright and the lap belt snug and low across the hips. /!\ WARNING 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. 9 /!\ WARNING Never wear the shoulder belt under the arm. Never swing it around the neck over the inside shoulder. Never use a single belt for more than one person or across more than one seating position. 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. Failure to follow these precautions could increase the risk and/or severity of injury in a collision. /!\WARNING To reduce the risk of serious injury in a collision, children should always ride with the seatback upright. /!\WARNING 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. /!\ WARNING Never drive or ride with a twisted or jammed safety belt. If you cannot untwist or unjam the safety belt, see the nearest qualified technician immediately. 10 Lock the doors of your vehicle before driving to lessen the risk of the door coming open in a collision. Combination Lap and Shoulder Belts While your vehicle is in motion, the combination lap and shoulder belt adjusts to your movement. However, if you brake hard, corner hard or if your vehicle receives an impact of 5 mph (8 km/h) or more, the lap and 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 combination lap and shoulder belt NOTE: Be sure to read and understand Important Safety Belt Information at the beginning of this chapter. To adjust the lap part of the belt, pull up on the shoulder belt until the lap belt fits snugly and as low as possible around your hips. While the belt retracts, guide the tongue to its original position to prevent it from striking you or the vehicle. 11 Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment Driver and right front passenger You can adjust the shoulder belt height to one of five (5) positions. To adjust the belt down, push the release button (see figures I and 2). To adjust the belt up, slide the adjuster up. (You do not have to push the release button.) Unfastening the lap/shoulder belts Make sure the adjuster is firmly in one of the five positions. The belt should be adjusted up or down until the belt rests on your shoulder near your neck. 12 Figure I - The shoulder belt height adjuster Figure 2 - The shoulder belt height adjuster 13 /!\ WARNING Position the shoulder belt height adjuster so that the belt rests across the middle of your shoulder. Be sure the shoulder belt is properly positioned on your shoulder each time you use the belt. If the shoulder belt is off your shoulder, on your upper arm or neck, there is a greater risk of severe injury in a collision. Dual locking mode refractors 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 5 mph (8 km/h) or more. The retractor can also be made to lock by pulling on the belt. Automatic locking mode In this operating mode, the shoulder belt retractor will be automatically locked and will 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 on the occupant. Child seat installation restraint. Right Front or Rear Seating Positions Your vehicle is equipped with a dual locking mode retractor on the shoulder belt portion of the combination lap/shoulder safety belt for the front seat passenger and rear seat passengers. 14 /!\ WARNING 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 seats where dual locking refractors are provided. To switch the retractor from the emergency locking mode to the automatic locking mode, perform the following steps: 1. Buckle the lap/shoulder combination belt. pull downward until all of the belt is extracted and a click is heard. At this time, the retractor is in the automatic locking mode (child restraint mode). 2. Grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and 3. A clicking sound will contnue to be heard as the belt is allowed to retract. NOTE: When the combination lap/shoulder belt is unbuckled and allowed to retract completely, the retractor will switch to the vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode. See the detailed instructions under Safety Seats for Children in this chapter. Lap Belts The lap belt in the center of the front 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. 15 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. This allows the tongue to unlatch from the buckle. Safety Belt Extension Assembly Unfastening the lap belts in the center front seating position NOTE: Be sure to read and understand Important Safety Belt Information at the beginning of this chapter. Pull the belt across your hips and insert the tongue into the correct buckle on your seat until you hear a snap and feel it lock. Make sure the buckle is securely fastened. 16 For some people, the safety belt may be too short even when it is extended. You can add about eight inches (20 cm) to the belt length with a safety belt extension assembly (part number 611 C22). Safety belt extensions are available at no cost from your dealer.