1999 Lincoln Town Car Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 150

Maintenance and care What you should know about fail-safe cooling If the engine coolant supply is depleted, this feature allows the vehicle to be driven temporarily before incremental component damage is incurred. The "fail-safe" distance depends on ambient temperatures, vehicle load and terrain. How fail-safe cooling works If the engine begins to overheat: • the engine coolant temperature H gauge will move to the H (hot) area. symbol will illuminate. • the • a tone will sound 3 times. • the Service Engine Soon indicator light will illuminate. If the engine reaches a preset over-temperature condition, the engine will automatically switch to alternating cylinder operation. Each disabled cylinder acts as an air pump and cools the engine. When this occurs the vehicle will still operate, however: • the engine power will be limited. • the air conditioning system will be disabled. Continued operation will increase the engine temperature: symbol will begin to flash. • the • a tone will sound 5 times. • the engine will completely shut down, causing steering and braking effort to increase. Once the engine temperature cools, the engine can be re-started. Take your vehicle to a service facility as soon as possible to minimize engine damage. 150