Lincoln 1996 Continental User manual

1996
CONTINENTAL
Your satisfaction is our #1 goal. If you have
questions or concerns with your vehicle, we suggest
you follow these steps:
I . Contact your Sales Representative or Service
Advisor at your selling/servicing dealership.
2. If the inquiry or concern remains unresolved,
contact the Sales Manager or Service Manager
at the dealership.
3. If the inquiry or concern cannot be resolved at
the dealership level, please contact the Ford
Customer Assistance Center.
In the United States:
Ford Motor Company
Lincoln Customer Assistance Center
300 Renaissance Center
P.O. Box 43360
Detroit, MI 48243
1-800-521-4140
TDD for the hearing impaired: 1-800-232-5952
In Canada:
The Lincoln Centre
Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited
P.O. Box 1580, Station B
Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 4G3
1-800-387-9333
Outside the U.S. or Canada:
FORD MOTOR COMPANY EXPORT OPERATIONS
1555 Fairlane Drive
Fairlane Business Park #3
Allen Park, Michigan 481 01
Telephone [phone]
Fax [phone]

All rights reserved. Reproduction by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording, or by any
information storage and retrieval system or
translation in whole or part is not permitted
without written authorization from Ford
Motor Company.
Copyright @ 1995, Ford Motor Company

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION
SAFETY RESTRAINTS
STARTING YOUR CONTINENTAL
WARNING LIGHTS AND GAUGES
INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTROLS
STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS
FEATURES
ELECTRONIC SOUND SYSTEMS
1
9
41
51
69
89
99
159
i

DRIVING YOUR CONTINENTAL
ROADSIDE EMERGENCIES
CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE
ACCESSORIES
SERVICING YOUR CONTINENTAL
QUICK INDEX
INDEX
GAS STATION INFORMATION
179
199
213
223
231
299
307
322
iii

Introductory Information
Ford's Commitment to You
At Ford Motor Company, excellence is the
continuous commitment to achieve the best result
possible. It is dedication to learning what you want,
determination to develop the right concept, and
execution of that concept with care, precision, and
attention to detail. In short, excellence means being
the standard by which others are judged.
Our Guiding Principles
Quality comes first. For your satisfaction, the
quality of our products and services must be our
number one priority.
You are the focus of everything we do. Our
work must be done with you in mind, providing
better products and services than our
competition.
Continuous improvement is essential to our
success. We must strive for excellence in
everything we do: in our products - in their safety
and value - and in our services, our human relations,
our competitiveness, and our profitability.
Employee involvement is our way of life. We are
a team. We must treat one another with trust and
respect.
Dealers and suppliers are our partners. We must
maintain mutually beneficial relationships with
dealers, suppliers, and our other business
associates.
Integrity is never compromised. Our conduct
worldwide must be pursued in a manner that is
socially responsible and commands respect for its
integrity and for its positive contributions to
society
1

Things to Know About Using
This Guide
Congratulations on the purchase of your new
vehicle. This guide has information about the
equipment and the options for your new vehicle.
You may not have bought all of the options
available to you. If you do not know which
information applies to your vehicle, talk to your
dealer.
This guide describes equipment and gives
specifications for equipment that was in effect when
this guide was approved for printing. Ford may
discontinue models or change specifications or
design without any notice and without incurring
obligation.
2
NOTES and WARNINGS
NOTES give you additional information about the subject
matter you are referencing.
WARNINGS remind you to be especially careful in those
areas where carelessness can cause damage to your vehicle or
personal injury to yourself, your passengers or other people.
Please read all WARNINGS carefully.
/!\ WARNING
Finding Information in This Guide
After you have read this guide once, you will probably return
to it when you have a specific question or need additional
information. To help you find specific information quickly,
you can use the Quick Index or the Index.

The Quick Index at the end of the book provides a
page number following each item which indicates
where detailed information can be found.
To use the Index, turn to the back of the book and
search in the alphabetical listing for the word that
best describes the information you need. If the word
you chose is not listed, think of other related words
and look them up. We have designed the Index so
that you can find information under a technical
term.
Canadian Owners - French Version
French Owner Guides can be obtained from your
dealer or by writing to Ford Motor Company of
Canada, Limited, Service Publications, P.O. Box
1580, Station B, Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 4G3.
The Lincoln Commitment
The Lincoln Commitment is more than the prestige of owning
a superior luxury automobile, it is a comprehensive owner
benefits package that is designed to provide you with services
to support your every driving need.
The following is a brief explanation of the Lincoln
Commitment benefits. We encourage you to learn about
these benefits and take full advantage of them. Detailed
information on all of these benefits will be sent to you
approximately 25 days after you have taken delivery of your
vehicle.
Service Loaner
Should your Lincoln require overnight warranty service, your
dealership will provide you with a service loaner car, when
available, or a rental allowance of up to $30 a day for up to
five days.
3

Roadside Service Assistance
Lincoln owners receive complimentary 24-hour
emergency roadside service assistance for a period of
four years for towing, jump-starting, lock-out service,
gas delivery, a tire change or other roadside services.
Call the hotline at 1-800-521-4140 any time of day or
night for emergency roadside assistance.
Emergency Travel Expense
Reimbursement
Covers expenses such as meals, lodging and car
rental if your automobile is disabled more than 100
miles (160 km) from home.
Destination Assistance (U.S. only)
In the event of a collision or mechanical breakdown,
Lincoln helps get you to your immediate destination
with a reimbursement allowance for emergency
transportation service such as taxicabs, rental cars,
shuttles, etc.
4
Trip Planning Service
Plan your journeys with custom-computerized,
travel-related information including maps and trip
routings. To order customer-designed travel packets,
call 1-800-521-4140.
Membership in Quest International
(U.S. only)
You will automatically receive a complimentary
membership in Quest International which entities
you to travel-related discounts on meals and rooms
at more than 2,100 hotels in the United States,
Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
The Lincoln Warranty
For specifics on what is covered, see your Warranty
Information Booklet.

Lincoln Customer Assistance Center
If you have questions regarding your Lincoln or the
Lincoln Commitment, call our Customer Assistance
Center:
United States 1-800-521-4140
Canada 1-800-387-9333
You may call the Customer Assistance Center,
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in all time
zones.
Owner Identification Card
Personalized with your name and vehicle
identification number as well as the hotline number
to call for customer service or roadside assistance
service.
Your Maintenance Schedule and
Record Booklet
The Maintenance Schedule and Record booklet lists
the services that are most important for keeping
your vehicle in good condition. A record log is also
provided to help you keep track of all services
performed.
About the Warranties
Your vehicle is covered by three types of warranties:
Basic Vehicle Warranty, Extended Warranties
on certain parts, and Emissions Warranties.
Read your Warranty Information Booklet carefully to
find out about your vehicle's warranties and your
basic rights and responsibilities.
If you lose your Warranty Information Booklet, you
can get a new one free of charge. Contact any Ford
or Lincoln-Mercury dealer, or refer to the addresses
and phone numbers on the first page of this owner
guide.
5

Buying a Ford Extended Service Plan
If you bought your vehicle in the U.S., you can buy
a Ford Extended Service Plan for your vehicle. This
optional contract provides service protection for a
longer period of time than the basic warranty that
comes with your vehicle.
You do not have to buy this option when you buy
your vehicle. However, your option to purchase the
Ford Extended Service Plan runs out after 18
months or 18,000 miles. See your dealer for more
details about the Ford Extended Service Plan.
If you purchased a Canadian vehicle and did not
take advantage of the Ford Extended Service Plan at
the time of purchase, you may still be eligible. See
your dealer for the details.
6
Breaking Your Vehicle In
Your new vehicle goes through an adjustment or
break-in period during the first 1,000 miles
(1,600 km) that you drive it. During the break-in
period, you need to pay careful attention to how
you drive your vehicle.
Avoid sudden stops. Because your vehicle has
new brake linings, you should take these steps:
-Watch traffic carefully so that you can
anticipate when to stop.
-Begin braking well in advance.
-Apply the brakes gradually.
The break-in period for new brake linings lasts
for I 00 miles (I 60 km) of city driving or 1,000
miles (1,600 km) of highway driving.