Mercury 2003, Owner'S Manual

Page: 145 / 265

Starting the engine
1. Turn the key to 3 (ON) without
turning the key to 4 (START). If
there is difficulty in turning the key,
rotate the steering wheel until the
key turns freely. This condition may
occur when:
•
the front wheels are turned
•
a front wheel is against the curb
Turn the key to 4 (START), then
release the key as soon as the engine starts. Excessive cranking could
damage the starter.
Note: If the engine does not start within five seconds on the first try,
turn the key to 1 (OFF/LOCK), wait 10 seconds and try again.
Cold weather starting (flexible fuel vehicles only)
As the outside temperature approaches freezing, ethanol fuel distributors
should supply winter grade ethanol (same as with unleaded gasoline). If
summer grade ethanol is used in cold weather conditions, you may
experience increased cranking times, rough idle or hesitation until the
engine has warmed up. Consult your fuel distributor for the availability of
winter grade ethanol.
Do not crank the engine for more than 30 seconds at a time as starter
damage may occur. If the engine fails to start, turn the key to OFF and
wait 30 seconds before trying again.
Do not use starting fluid such as ether in the air intake system (see Air
Cleaner decal). Such fluid could cause immediate explosive damage to
the engine and possible personal injury.
If you should experience cold weather starting problems on E
85
ethanol,
and neither an alternative brand of E
85
ethanol nor an engine block
heater is available, the addition of unleaded gasoline to your tank will
improve cold starting performance. Your vehicle is designed to operate
on E
85
ethanol alone, unleaded gasoline alone, or any mixture of the two.
See Choosing the right fuel in the Maintenance and specifications
chapter for more information on ethanol.
4
3
2
1
Driving
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