Ford 2002 Escort Owner's Manual page 110

Driving
L (Low)
Use L (Low) when added engine
braking is desired or when
descending steep hills.
The automatic transaxle will shift into the proper gear to ascend any
grade without any need to shift to L (Low).
Do not go faster than 61 km/h (38 mph) when in this gear. You can
upshift from L (Low) to
When parking, do not use the gearshift in place of the parking
brake. Always set the parking brake fully and make sure that the
gearshift is securely latched in Park (P). Turn off the ignition
whenever you leave your vehicle. Never leave your vehicle unattended
while it is running. If you do not take these precautions, your vehicle
may move unexpectedly and injure someone.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION OPERATION (IF EQUIPPED)
Using the clutch
Vehicles equipped with a manual transaxle have a starter interrupt
interlock that prevents cranking of the engine unless the clutch pedal is
depressed.
110
P
R
N
D
D
L
(overdrive) at any time.