2003 Mercury Mountaineer Owner Guide 1st Printing (Spanish) - Page 435
2003 Mercury Mountaineer Manual
Page 435 highlights
Driving PREPARING TO DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE Utility vehicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehicles. In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely to die than a person wearing a safety belt. Your vehicle has larger tires and increased ground clearance, giving the vehicle a higher center of gravity than a passenger car. Vehicles with a higher center of gravity such as utility and four-wheel drive vehicles handle differently than vehicles with a lower center of gravity. Utility and four-wheel drive vehicles are not designed for cornering at speeds as high as passenger cars any more than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under off-road conditions. Avoid sharp turns, excessive speed and abrupt maneuvers in these vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously could result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death. Loaded vehicles, with a higher center of gravity, may handle differently than unloaded vehicles. Extra precautions, such as slower speeds and increased stopping distance, should be taken when driving a heavily loaded vehicle. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION Brake-shift interlock This vehicle is equipped with a brake-shift interlock feature that prevents the gearshift lever from being moved from P (Park) when the ignition is in the ON position unless brake pedal is depressed. If you cannot move the gearshift lever out of P (Park) with ignition in the ON position and the brake pedal depressed: 1. Apply the parking brake, turn ignition key to LOCK, then remove the key. 148