2002 Lincoln Town Car Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 143

Driving Your vehicle has an automatic parking brake release. To release the parking brake: 1. Turn the ignition to the ON position. 2. Press the brake pedal. 3. 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. If the parking brake fails to release after completing this procedure, use the manual parking brake release lever. Pull the lever to manually release the parking brake. HOOD TRACTION CONTROLி For Traction Control௢ warning lights refer to Warning Lights in the Instrumentationchapter. Your vehicle may be equipped with the optional Traction Control௢ system. This system helps you maintain the stability and steerability of your vehicle. It is especially useful on slippery and/or hilly road surfaces. The system operates by detecting and controlling wheel spin. The system borrows many of the electronic and mechanical elements already present in the anti-lock braking system (ABS). Wheel-speed sensors allow excess rear wheel spin to be detected by the Traction Control௢ portion of the ABS computer. Any excessive wheel spin is controlled by automatically applying and releasing the rear brakes in conjunction with engine torque reductions. Engine torque reduction is realized via the fully electronic spark and fuel injection systems. This process is very sensitive to driving conditions and very fast acting. The rear wheels "search" for optimum traction several times a second and adjustments are made accordingly. 143