1999 Mercury Sable Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 109

Driving When to use D (Drive) The D (Drive) position eliminates the needless shifting back and forth between third and fourth gears that your vehicle may do when driving on hilly terrain. It also gives more engine braking than overdrive to slow your vehicle on downgrades. 1 (First) Use 1 (First) for when added engine braking is desired when descending steep hills. The automatic transaxle will shift to the proper gear to ascend any grade without any need to shift to 1 (First). P R N D D 1 P R N D D 1 Do not go faster than 61 km/h (38 mph) when in this gear. You can upshift from 1 (First) to overdrive at any time. When parking, do not use the gearshift in place of the parking brake. Always set the parking brake fully and make sure that the gearshift is securely latched in Park (P). Turn off the ignition whenever you leave your vehicle. Never leave your vehicle unattended while it is running. If you do not take these precautions, your vehicle may move unexpectedly and injure someone. 109