Ford Contour (1999 year). Manual - part 48

Maintenance and care

190

Automotive fuels can cause
serious injury or death if

misused or mishandled.

IMPORTANT FUEL
INFORMATON

Important safety precautions

Do not overfill the fuel tank.
The pressure in an overfilled

tank may cause leakage and lead
to fuel spray and fire.

If you do not use the proper
fuel cap, the pressure in the

fuel tank can damage the fuel
system or cause it to work
improperly in a collision.

The fuel system may be
under pressure. If the fuel

cap is venting vapor or if you hear
a hissing sound, wait until it stops
before completely removing the
cap.

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Maintenance and care

191

Observe the following guidelines
when handling automotive fuel:

• Extinguish all smoking materials
and any open flames before fueling
your vehicle.

• Always turn off the vehicle before
fueling.

• Make sure the fuel cap is
correctly fitted after fueling. Failure
to do so may cause the on board
diagnostic system to illuminate the
CHECK ENGINE light.

• Automotive fuels can be harmful
or fatal if swallowed. If fuel is
swallowed, call a physician
immediately, even if no symptoms
are immediately apparent. The
toxic effects of fuel may not be
visible for hours.

• Fuels can also be harmful if
absorbed through the skin. If fuel is
splashed on the skin, promptly
remove contaminated clothing and
wash skin thoroughly with soap and
water.

• If fuel is splashed in the eyes,
remove contact lenses (if worn),
flush with water for 15 minutes and
seek medical attention.

• Be particularly careful if you are
taking “Antabuse” or other forms of
disulfiram for the treatment of
alcoholism. Breathing gasoline
vapors or skin contact could cause
an adverse reaction. Consult a
physician immediately.

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Maintenance and care

192

Choosing the right fuel

Use only UNLEADED FUEL. The
use of leaded fuel is prohibited by
law and could damage your vehicle.
The damage may not be covered by
your warranty.

Your vehicle was not designed to
use fuel containing manganese-
based additives such as MMT.
Additionally, vehicles certified to
California emission standards
(indicated on the underhood
Vehicle Emission Control
Information label) are designed to
operate on California reformulated
gasolines. If California reformulated
gasoline is not available when you
refuel, your vehicle can be
operated on non-California fuels.
However, even though your engine
will perform adequately on other
gasolines, the performance of the
emission control devices and
systems may be adversely affected.
Repair of damage caused by a fuel
that your vehicle was not designed
for may not be covered by your
warranty.

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Maintenance and care

193

Octane recommendations

Your vehicle is designed to use
regular gasoline with an (R+M)/2
octane rating of 87. We do not
recommend gasolines labeled as
“regular” in high altitude areas that
are sold with octane ratings of 86
or even less.

Do not be concerned if your vehicle
sometimes knocks lightly. However,
if it knocks heavily under most
driving conditions on the
recommended octane, see your
dealer or a qualified service
technician to prevent any engine
damage.

87

MINIMUM OCTANE RATING

(R+M)/2 Method

Fuel quality

If you are experiencing starting,
rough idle or hesitation problems
try a different brand of fuel. If the
condition persists, see your dealer
or qualified service technician.

The American Automobile
Manufacturers Association
(AAMA) issued a gasoline
specification to provide information
on high quality fuels that optimize
the performance of your vehicle.
We recommend the use of gasolines
that meet the AAMA specification
if they are available.

It should not be necessary to add
any aftermarket products to your
fuel tank if you continue to use a
high-quality fuel.

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