2000 Mercury Mountaineer Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 226

Maintenance and care If the vehicle's powertrain system or its battery has just been serviced, the on-board diagnostics system is reset to a "not ready for I/M test" condition. To ready the on-board diagnostics system for I/M testing, a minimum of 30 minutes of city and highway driving is necessary as described below: • First, at least 10 minutes of driving on an expressway or highway. • Next, at least 20 minutes driving in stop-and-go, city-type traffic with at least four idle periods. Allow the vehicle to sit for at least eight hours without starting the engine. Then, start the engine and complete the above driving cycle. The engine must warm up to its normal operating temperature. Once started, do not turn off the engine until the above driving cycle is complete. BULBS Replacing exterior bulbs Check the operation of the following lamps frequently: • Headlamps • Foglamps • High-mount brakelamp • Brakelamps • Turn signals • License plate lamp • Tail lamps • Back-up lamps Do not remove lamp bulbs unless they can be replaced immediately with new ones. If a bulb is removed for an extended period of time, contaminants may enter the lamp housings and affect lamp performance. 226