Ford Windstar (2003 year). Manual — part 33

fails to start, press the accelerator to the floor and try again; this will
allow the engine to crank with the fuel shut off in case the engine is
flooded with fuel.

Using the engine block heater (if equipped)

An engine block heater warms the engine coolant which aids in starting
and heater/defroster performance. Use of an engine block heater is
strongly recommended if you live in a region where temperatures reach
-23° C (-10° F) or below. For best results, plug the heater in at least
three hours before starting the vehicle. The heater can be plugged in the
night before starting the vehicle.

To prevent electrical shock, do not use your heater with
ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged (cheater)

adapters.

Guarding against exhaust fumes

Carbon monoxide is present in exhaust fumes. Take precautions to avoid
its dangerous effects.

If you smell exhaust fumes inside your vehicle, have your dealer
inspect your vehicle immediately. Do not drive if you smell

exhaust fumes.

Important ventilating information

If the engine is idling while the vehicle is stopped for a long period of
time, open the windows at least 2.5 cm (one inch) or adjust the heating
or air conditioning to bring in fresh air.

BRAKES

Occasional brake noise is normal. If a metal-to-metal, continuous grinding
or continuous squeal sound is present, the brake linings may be worn-out
and should be inspected by a qualified service technician. If the vehicle
has continuous vibration or shudder in the steering wheel while braking,
the vehicle should be inspected by a qualified service technician.

Four-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS)

Your vehicle is equipped with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). This
system helps you maintain steering control during emergency stops by
keeping the brakes from locking. Noise from the ABS pump motor and

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brake pedal pulsation may be observed during ABS braking; any
pulsations or mechanical noise you may feel or hear is normal.
ABS warning lamp

ABS

The

ABS

lamp in the instrument cluster momentarily illuminates when

the ignition is turned to ON. If the light does not illuminate during start
up, remains on or flashes, the ABS may be disabled and the ABS may
need to be serviced.

Even when the ABS is disabled,
normal braking is still effective. (If
your BRAKE warning lamp
illuminates with the parking brake
released, have your brake system serviced immediately.)
Using ABS
When hard braking is required, apply continuous force on the brake
pedal; do not pump the brake pedal since this will reduce the
effectiveness of the ABS and will increase your vehicle’s stopping
distance. The ABS will be activated immediately, allowing you to retain
full steering control during hard braking and on slippery surfaces.
However, the ABS does not decrease stopping distance.

Parking brake

To set the parking brake, press the
parking brake pedal down until the
pedal stops. The BRAKE warning
lamp will illuminate and will remain
illuminated until the parking brake
is released.

To release, press and hold the
button, pull the handle up slightly,
then push the handle down.

Always set the parking
brake fully and make sure

that the gearshift is securely
latched in P (Park).

TRACTION CONTROL

姟 (IF EQUIPPED)

Your vehicle may be equipped with a Traction Control

娂 system. This

system helps you maintain the stability and steerability of your vehicle,

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especially on slippery road surfaces such as snow- or ice-covered roads
and gravel roads. The system will allow your vehicle to make better use
of available traction in these conditions.

During Traction Control

娂 operation, you may hear an electric motor

type of sound coming from the engine compartment and the engine will
not “rev-up” when you push further on the accelerator. This is normal
system behavior and should be no reason for concern.

If you should become stuck in snow
or ice or on a very slippery road
surface, try switching the Traction
Control

娂 system off. This may allow

excess wheel spin to “dig” the
vehicle out and enable a successful
“rocking” maneuver. The traction
control switch is located on the
left-hand side of the radio.

If a system fault is detected, CHECK
TRACTION CONTROL will be displayed on the message center (if
equipped), the “T/C OFF” warning indicator lamp will be on and your
vehicle should be serviced.

AdvanceTrac

姟 stability enhancement system (if equipped)

The AdvanceTrac

娂 system provides a stability enhancement feature as

well as a traction enhancement feature. Excessive wheel slip is
controlled by momentarily reducing engine power and/or rapidly applying
the anti-lock brakes. If the vehicle begins to slide excessively left or right
or spin out. AdvanceTrac

娂 will attempt to correct the sliding motion by

applying brake force at individual tires and, if necessary, by reducing
engine power.

If the AdvanceTrac

娂 system is activated and deactivated excessively in a

short period of time, the brake portion of the system will shut down to
allow the brakes to cool down. A limited AdvanceTrac

娂 function using

only engine power reduction will still help control the wheels from
over-spinning. When the brakes have cooled down, the system will again
function normally. Anti-lock braking is not affected by this condition and
will function normally during the cool-down period.

AdvanceTrac

娂 enhances your vehicle’s stability during maneuvers that

require all available tire traction, like in wet/snowy/icy road conditions
and/or when performing emergency maneuvers. In an emergency
lane-change, the driver will experience better overall vehicle traction,
and have better control of the vehicle.

T/C

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Driving conditions which may activate AdvanceTrac

娂 include:

• Accelerating on a slippery surface
• Taking a turn too fast
• Maneuvering quickly to avoid an accident, pedestrian or obstacle
• Hitting a patch of ice
• Changing lanes on a snow-rutted road
• Entering a snow-free road from a snow-covered side street, or vice

versa

• Entering a paved road from a gravel road, or vice versa
• Hitting a curb while turning
• Cornering at excessive speeds while towing a heavily loaded trailer

(refer to Trailer Towing in this chapter)

The AdvanceTrac

娂 system automatically turns on when the engine is

started. However, the system does not function when the vehicle is
traveling in R (Reverse).

The AdvanceTrac

娂 button allows

the driver to control the availability
of the AdvanceTrac

娂 system.

AdvanceTrac

娂 system status is

indicated by a TRAC ACTIVE
indicator light in the instrument
cluster when the system is active.

If a failure is detected in the
AdvanceTrac

娂 system, the TRAC

OFF indicator light in the
instrument cluster will stay on. Vehicle equipped with a message center
will also have CHECK ADVANCETRAC shown in the display.

If the vehicle is stuck in snow or mud or when driving in deep sand,
switching off the AdvanceTrac

娂 system may be beneficial so the wheels

are allowed to spin. If your vehicle seems to lose engine power while
driving in deep sand or very deep snow, switching off the AdvanceTrac

娂

stability enhancement feature will restore full engine power and will
enhance momentum through the obstacle.

Some drivers may notice a slight movement of the brake pedal when the
AdvanceTrac

娂 performs a system self-check. During AdvanceTrac娂

operation you may experience the following:
• A rumble or grinding noise

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