2001 Mercury Cougar Owner Guide 2nd Printing - Page 172

Driving

It

is extremely

dangerous

to

ride

in

a

cargo area,

inside

or

outside

of a

vehicle.

In

a

collision,

people

riding

in

these

areas are

more

likely

to be

seriously

injured

or

killed.

Do not

allow people

to ride

in

any

area

of

your

vehicle

that

is not equipped

with seats and

safety

belts.

Be

sure

everyone

in

your

vehicle

is

in

a seat and

using

a

safety

belt

properly.

Driving with a heavy load

The

total weight

of the

vehicle

plus

the

total

weight

of passengers

and

cargo

should

never

exceed

the

GVWR.

The

weight

that

the

vehicle

carries

over

the

front

and

rear

axles

should

never

exceed

the

GAWR

for

the

respective

axle.

The

weight

limits of your

vehicle's

tires

affect

the

GVWR

and

GAWR

limitations.

Using

tires

with

higher

weight

limits than

the

original

tires

will

not

increase

the

GVWR

or

GAWR of your

vehicle;

using

tires

with lower

weight

limits

may

lower

the

GVWR or

GAWR of

your

vehicle.

Using a luggage rack

The

sunroof opens to the

outside.

When placing

a

luggage

rack or

any

load on

the

roof, ensure

there

is

proper clearance

before

opening

the

sunroof.

Section	Page
Contents	1
Introduction	2
Instrumentation	6
Controls and features	24
Seating and safety restraints	109
Starting	149
Driving	156
Roadside emergencies	180
Maintenance and care	202
Capacities and specifications	266
Customer assistance	272
Reporting safety defects	284

2001 Mercury Cougar Owner Guide 2nd Printing - Page 172

2001 Mercury Cougar Manual

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