2004 Mercury Mountaineer Owner's Manual - Page 140

Driving Parking brake Apply the parking brake whenever the vehicle is parked. To set the parking brake, press the parking brake pedal down until the pedal stops. The BRAKE warning lamp in the instrument cluster illuminates and remains illuminated (when the ignition is turned ON) until the parking brake is released. Always set the parking brake fully and make sure that the gearshift is securely latched in P (Park). If the parking brake is fully released, but the brake warning lamp remains illuminated, the brakes may not be working properly. See your dealer or a qualified service technician. The parking brake is not recommended to stop a moving vehicle. However, if the normal brakes fail, the parking brake can be used to stop your vehicle in an emergency. Since the parking brake applies only the rear brakes, the vehicle's stopping distance will increase greatly and the handling of your vehicle will be adversely affected. 140 2004 Mountaineer (mnt) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA English (fus)