2002 Mercury Mountaineer Owner Guide 6th Printing - Page 185

Driving Drive (overdrive deactivated) Activate by pressing the transmission control switch on the end of the gearshift lever with the gearshift in the D(Drive) position. The transmission, with overdrive off, operates in gears one through four, providing more engine braking than D(Drive) with Overdrive ON and is useful whenever driving conditions (i.e., city traffic, hilly terrain, etc.) cause the transmission to excessively shift between D (Overdrive) and other gears. Deactivate D (Overdrive) when: • driving with a heavy load. • towing a trailer up or down steep hills. • additional engine braking is desired. If towing a trailer, refer to Driving while you tow in this chapter. To return to D (Overdrive) mode, press the transmission control switch. The TCIL will no longer be illuminated. Each time the vehicle is started, the transmission will automatically return to normal D (Overdrive) mode. 3 (Third) Transmission operates in third gear only. Used for improved traction on slippery roads. Selecting 3 (Third) provides engine braking. 2 (Second) Use 2 (Second) for start-up on slippery roads or to provide additional engine braking on downgrades. 1 (First) Use 1 (First) to provide maximum engine braking on steep downgrades. Upshifts can be made by shifting to 2 (Second) or to (Overdrive). Selecting 1 (Low) at higher speeds causes the transmission to shift to a lower gear and will shift to 1 (First) after the vehicle decelerates to the proper vehicle speed. 185