VIN CODE ID EXPLANATION
Numbers preceding the explanations in the legend below refer to the sequence of characters as listed on VIN identification label. See VIN example below.
VIN Code ID Explanation. Scheme 4
SEVERE & NORMAL SERVICE DEFINITIONS
Service is recommended at mileage intervals based on vehicle operation. Service schedules are based on the following primary operating conditions
Normal Service
- Driven More Than 10 Miles Daily
- No Operating Conditions From Severe Service Schedule
Severe Service
Note. Use the Severe Service schedule if the vehicle to be serviced is operated under ANY (one or more) of these conditions
- Towing A Trailer
- Operating In Severe Dust Conditions
- Extensive Idling, Such As Police, Taxi Or Door-To-Door Delivery Service
- Short Trips Of Less Than 10 Miles (16 km) when Outside Temperatures Remain below 0°F (-18°C)
COOLING SYSTEM, HOSES & CLAMPS
Replace engine coolant every 36 months or 30,000 miles. Check coolant strength, condition of hoses and clamps annually regardless of mileage or driving conditions. Replace hoses and clamps as necessary.
CAMSHAFT TIMING BELT
| CAUTION | Failure to replace a faulty camshaft timing belt may result in serious engine damage. |
The condition of camshaft drive belts should always be checked on vehicles which have more than 50,000 miles. Although some manufacturers do not recommend belt replacement at a specified mileage, others require it at 60,000-100,000 miles. A camshaft drive belt failure may cause extensive damage to internal engine components on most engines, although some designs do not allow piston-to-valve contact. These designs are often called "Free Wheeling".
Many manufacturers changed their maintenance and warranty schedules in the mid-1980's to reflect timing belt inspection and/or replacement at 50,000-60,000 miles. Most service interval schedules in this manual reflect these changes.
Belts or components should be inspected and replaced if any of the following conditions exist
- Cracks Or Tears In Belt Surface
- Missing, Damaged, Cracked Or Rounded Teeth
- Oil Contamination
- Damaged Or Faulty Tensioners
- Incorrect Tension Adjustment
Scheme 5
Scheme 6
Scheme 7
TIRE INFLATION
Inflation pressure can be found on decal attached to front face of right-hand rear door pillar.
SNOW CHAINS
Use snow chains only in an emergency or if the law requires them. The vehicle is equipped with all weather treads that provide traction during either rain or snow.
| CAUTION | Use snow chains with P205/70R15 tires ONLY. |
SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (AIR BAG SYSTEM)
When performing maintenance on air bag equipped vehicles always observe proper safety precautions.
| WARNING | To avoid injury from accidental air bag deployment, read and carefully follow all warnings and service precautions. See appropriate AIR BAG RESTRAINT SYSTEM article in ACCESSORIES/SAFETY EQUIPMENT. |
| CAUTION | Disconnect negative battery cable before servicing any air bag system or steering column component. Check system operation after each repair; always turn the ignition switch to the ON position from passenger's side of vehicle. |
AIR CONDITIONING SERVICING
| WARNING | Avoid breathing R-134a refrigerant and PAG lubricant vapors, exposure may irritate eyes, nose and throat. To remove R-134a from system use R-134a recycling equipment that meets SAE J2210 specifications. If accidental system discharge occurs, ventilate work area before resuming service. |
| WARNING | R-134a service equipment or vehicle A/C systems SHOULD NOT be pressure tested or leak tested with compressed air. Some mixtures of air/R134a have shown to be combustible at elevated pressures. These mixtures are dangerous and may cause fire and/or explosions. See AIR CONDITIONING SERVICE article in GENERAL INFORMATION section. |
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM
| CAUTION | The anti-lock brake system contains electronic equipment that can be susceptible to interference caused by improperly installed or high output radio transmitting equipment. Since this interference could cause the possible loss of the anti-lock braking capability, such equipment should be installed by qualified professionals. |
On models equipped with anti-lock brake systems, ALWAYS observe the following cautions
- DO NOT attempt to bleed hydraulic system without first referring to the appropriate «ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM»(ref-44807) article in the BRAKES Section.
- DO NOT mix tire sizes. As long as tires remain close to the original diameter, increasing the width is acceptable. Rolling diameter must be identical for all 4 tires. Some manufacturers recommend tires of the same brand, style and type. Failure to follow this precaution may cause inaccurate wheel speed readings.
- Use ONLY recommended brake fluids. DO NOT use silicone brake fluids in an ABS-equipped vehicle.
REPLACING BLOWN FUSES
| CAUTION | Before replacing a blown fuse, remove ignition key, turn off all lights and accessories to avoid damaging the electrical system. Be sure to use fuse with the correct indicated amperage rating. The use of an incorrect amperage rating fuse may result in a dangerous electrical system overload. |
BRAKE PAD WEAR INDICATOR
Indicator will cause a squealing or scraping noise, warning that brake pads need replacement.
CATALYTIC CONVERTER
To prevent catalytic converter overheating, DO NOT allow engine to idle for more than 20 minutes.
COOLANT (PROPYLENE-GLYCOL FORMULATIONS)
| CAUTION | To avoid possible damage to vehicle use only ethylene-glycol based coolants with a mixture ratio from 44-68% anti-freeze. DO NOT use 100% anti-freeze as it will cause the formation of cooling system deposits. This results in coolant temperatures of over 300° F (149°C) which can melt plastics. 100% anti-freeze has a freeze point of only -8° F (-22°C). |
ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE SENSITIVE (ESD) PARTS
| WARNING | Many solid state electrical components can be damaged by static electricity (ESD). Some will display a warning label, but many will not. Discharge personal static electricity by touching a metal ground point on the vehicle prior to servicing any ESD sensitive component. |
FUEL PUMP SHUTOFF SWITCH
This switch stops the flow of fuel to the engine after a collision. The impact does not have to be great (minor parking lot bumping or severe road impacts) for the switch to be triggered. Once the shutoff switch is triggered, it must be reset by hand before the car can be started. To reset switch, press the reset button located under the hood release lever.
FUEL SYSTEM SERVICE
| WARNING | Relieve fuel system pressure prior to servicing any fuel system component. |
| WARNING | Relieve fuel system pressure prior to servicing any fuel system component. |
HALOGEN BULBS
| WARNING | Halogen bulbs contain pressurized gas which may explode if overheated. DO NOT touch glass portion of bulb with bare hands. Eye protection should be worn when handling or working around halogen bulbs. |
METHANOL GASOLINE
| CAUTION | Fuel that is more than 5% methanol should not be used in this vehicle. It can corrode metal parts in the fuel system, and damage plastic and rubber parts. Even at 5% methanol or less, solvents and corrosion preventers must be used with this fuel to avoid these problems. |
RADIATOR CAP
| CAUTION | Always disconnect the fan motor when working near the radiator fan. The fan is temperature controlled and could start at any time even when the ignition key is in the OFF position. DO NOT loosen or remove radiator cap when cooling system is hot. |
RADIATOR FAN
| WARNING | Keep hands away from radiator fan. Fan is controlled by a thermostatic switch which may come on or run for up to 15 minutes even after engine is turned off. |
SPARK PLUGS
Note. Allow engine to cool before removing spark plugs from aluminum cylinder heads.
TIRE SEALANTS
| CAUTION | Tire Sealants that are injected through the valve stem are NOT TO BE USED to service punctured tires because they can produce wheel rust and tire imbalance. |
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED)
| CAUTION | If tires are allowed to spin at high speeds when TRACTION OFF light is on, tires can explode. Also, spinning the tires with the warning light on can cause the transaxle to overheat. DO NOT spin wheels above 35 MPH. |
WARRANTY INFORMATION
| CAUTION | Due to the different warranties offered in various regions and the variety of after-market extended warranties available, please refer to the warranty package that came with the vehicle to verify all warranty options. |
BUMPER-TO-BUMPER COVERAGE
All vehicles have complete warranty coverage against defects in materials and workmanship for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
There is no deductible with this warranty. Items not covered include tires and parts that are subject to normal wear and tear, such as windshield wiper blades, brake linings, brake pads, clutch linings and scheduled maintenance items. There is no extended powertrain coverage included in this warranty.
SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM COVERAGE
Begins at warranty start date and lasts for 5 years or 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Covers safety restraint problems not related to comfort or appearance.
CORROSION COVERAGE
The coverage period for corrosion depends on the type of damage that has occurred. There are two types of damages
- If corrosion causes perforation (holes) in the body sheet metal, coverage lasts for 5 years, regardless of miles driven.
- If corrosion does not cause holes in the body sheet metal, coverage lasts for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
EMISSIONS DEFECT WARRANTIES (EXCEPT CALIFORNIA)
Defect Warranty ensures that vehicle meets applicable EPA regulations and that vehicle's emission control system is free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first for passenger cars and light duty trucks.
Under this warranty Ford also provides coverage, including labor and diagnosis, for 8 years or 80,000 miles, whichever occurs first, for these emission parts
- Catalytic Converter
- Electronic Emissions Control Unit
- Onboard Emissions Diagnostic Device
EMISSIONS PERFORMANCE WARRANTIES (EXCEPT CALIFORNIA)
The Performance Warranty covers all costs of repairing or adjusting any components or parts as needed for the vehicle to pass a Federally required state or local emissions test.
Other emission control parts related to these components are covered by the Performance Warranty, where applicable. If another part fails due to the failure of one of these components, both parts are covered. See customer's copy of warranty information for specific items covered. Performance Warranty coverage is limited to fewer components after 2 years or 24,000 miles.
EMISSIONS PERFORMANCE WARRANTY (CALIFORNIA)
If vehicle fails a Smog Check inspection, all necessary repairs and adjustments will be made by manufacturer to ensure that vehicle passes the inspection. Warranty begins at warranty start date and lasts for a period of 3 years or 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
EMISSIONS DEFECT WARRANTY (CALIFORNIA)
If any emission-related part on the vehicle is defective, the part will be repaired or replaced by manufacturer. Warranty begins at warranty start date and lasts for a period of 3 years or 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
Some emission-related parts are warranted for 7 years or 70,000 miles whichever occurs first, and will be repaired or replaced by manufacturer if found to be defective in material or workmanship. See customer's copy of warranty information for specific items covered.
