1998 Mercury Villager Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 226

Shift-lock Safety Feature Your vehicle has a special shift-lock safety feature which prevents you from shifting out of P (Park) without the brake pedal depressed. To shift the transaxle out of the P (Park) position, the ignition must be in the ON position and your foot must be pressing on the brake pedal. If the shift lever cannot be moved from the P (Park) position with the brake pedal depressed: 1. Shut the engine off and remove the ignition key. 2. Apply the parking brake. 3. Reinsert the ignition key and turn it to the first position (OFF). 4. Depress the brake pedal, move the gearshift lever to N (Neutral) and start the engine. If you need to shift out of P (Park) by using the alternate procedure described above, it is possible that a fuse has blown and that your brakelamps may also not be functional. Please refer to the chapter titled Roadside Emergencies in this Owner Guide for instructions on checking and replacing fuses. WARNING DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE UNTIL YOU VERIFY THAT THE BRAKELAMPS ARE WORKING. Backing Up Before shifting into or out of R (Reverse), you should always come to a complete stop. 222