1998 Mercury Grand Marquis Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 92

Driving • Use a lower gear when towing up or down steep hills. This will eliminate excessive downshifting and upshifting for optimum fuel economy and transmission cooling. • Anticipate stops and brake gradually. Servicing after towing If you tow a trailer for long distances, your vehicle will require more frequent service intervals. Refer to the Severe Duty Schedule in your "Service Guide" for more information. Trailer towing tips • Practice turning, stopping and backing up in an area before starting on a trip to get the feel of the vehicle trailer combination. When turning, make wider turns so the trailer wheels will clear curbs and other obstacles. • Allow more distance for stopping with a trailer attached. • The trailer tongue weight should be 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight. • After you have traveled 80 km (50 miles), thoroughly check your hitch, electrical connections and trailer wheel lug nuts. • When stopped in traffic for long periods of time in hot weather, place the gearshift in P (Park) and increase idle speed. This aids engine cooling and air conditioner efficiency. • Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. If you must park on a grade, place wheel chocks under the trailer's wheels. Launching or retrieving a boat When backing down a ramp during boat launching or retrieval, • Do not allow the static water level to rise above the bottom edge of the rear bumper and • Do not allow waves to break higher than 15 cm (six inches) above the bottom edge of the rear bumper. Exceeding these limits may allow water to enter critical vehicle components, adversely affecting driveability, emissions and reliability. If the rear axle is submerged in water, the rear axle lubricant should be changed. Axle lubricant quantities are not to be checked unless a leak is suspected. 92