1999 Mercury Mountaineer Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 152

Driving Forced Downshifts To gain acceleration in (Overdrive) or Drive (O/D OFF) when passing another vehicle, push the accelerator to the floor. The transmission will downshift to the appropriate gear: fourth, third, second or first gear. FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE (4WD) OPERATION (IF EQUIPPED) When Four-wheel drive (4WD) is engaged, power is supplied to all four wheels through a transfer case. 4WD power can be selected when additional driving power is desired. If equipped with the Electronic Shift 4WD System, and the instrument panel control is moved to 4WD Low while the vehicle is moving, the system will not engage and no damage will occur to the 4WD system. All utility-type vehicles and 4WD vehicles have special design and equipment features to make them capable of performing in a wide variety of off-road applications. Specific design characteristics give them higher centers of gravity than ordinary passenger cars. 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 or abrupt maneuvers in these vehicles. 4WD operation is not recommended on dry pavement. Doing so could result in difficult disengagement of the transfer case, increased tire wear and decreased fuel economy. CONTROL-TRAC AUTOMATIC FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM (IF EQUIPPED) The 4WD system uses all four wheels to power the vehicle. This increases traction, enabling you to drive your 4x4 over terrain and road conditions not normally traveled by two-wheel drive vehicles. Power is supplied to all four wheels through a transfer case that allows you to select a four-wheel drive mode best suited for your current driving conditions. 152