1997 Mercury Mystique Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 198

Maintenance and Care 5. Slide the filter out of the housing, replace with the new filter, and slide the housing and passenger compartment air filter back into place. Reinstall the clips on the housing. 6. Replace the grille and wiper arms. Wiper Blades Check the windshield wiper blades at least twice a year. Also check them whenever they seem less effective than usual. Substances such as tree sap and some hot wax treatments used by commercial car washes reduce the effectiveness of wiper blades. If the blades do not wipe properly, clean both the windshield and the wiper blades. Use undiluted windshield washer solution or a mild detergent. Rinse thoroughly with clear water. Do not use fuel, kerosene, paint thinner, or other solvents to clean your wiper blades. These will damage your blades. To make reaching the wiper blades easy, simply turn the ignition to the ACC position and turn your wipers on. Wait for them to reach a vertical position and turn the ignition to the OFF position. Do not move the wipers manually. Manually moving the wipers across the windshield may damage them. Wiper blade replacement If the wiper blades still do not work properly after you clean them, you may need to replace the wiper blade assembly or the blade element. When replacing the wiper blade assembly, blade refill, or wiper arm always use a Motorcraft part or equivalent. To replace the blades, follow the instructions that come with them. 199