1997 Mercury Tracer Owner's Manual - Page 144

Maintenance and care If the electrolyte level becomes low, refill the battery with distilled water. If necessary, distilled water may be substituted with tap water that is not hard and does not have a high mineral or alkali content. If the battery needs water quite often, have the charging system checked for a possible malfunction. Your vehicle is equipped with a battery saver control feature designed to prevent your battery from accidental wear down due to doors left ajar. For information on the system and how it works, see Interior overhead lamp in this chapter. Because your vehicle's engine is electronically controlled, some control conditions are maintained by power from the battery. When the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the computer must "relearn" its idle conditions before your vehicle will drive properly. To begin this process: 1. Put the gearshift in P (automatic transaxle) or N (manual transaxle). 2. Turn off all accessories and start the vehicle. 3. Let the engine idle for at least one minute. 4. The relearning process will automatically complete as you drive the vehicle. • If you do not allow the engine to relearn its idle, the idle quality 144