1999 Mercury Sable Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 151

Maintenance and care Keep batteries out of reach of children. Batteries contain sulfuric acid. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing. Shield your eyes when working near the battery to protect against possible splashing of acid solution. In case of acid contact with skin or eyes, flush immediately with water for a minimum of 15 minutes and get prompt medical attention. If acid is swallowed, call a physician immediately. Because your vehicle's engine is electronically controlled by a computer, some control conditions are maintained by power from the battery. When the battery is disconnected or a new battery is installed, the engine must relearn its idle and fuel trim strategy for optimum driveability and performance. To begin this process: 1. Set your parking brake. 2. Put the gearshift in P (Park), turn off all accessories and start the engine. 3. Let the engine idle for at least one minute. 4. The relearning process will automatically complete as you drive the vehicle. • The vehicle may need to be driven 16 km (10 miles) or more to relearn the idle and fuel trim strategy. • If you do not allow the engine to relearn its idle trim, the idle quality of your vehicle may be adversely affected until the idle trim is eventually relearned. If the battery has been disconnected or a new battery has been installed, the clock and the preset radio stations must be reset once the battery is reconnected. 151