Lincoln 2013 MKZ Owner's Manual page 274

What you Should Know About
Fail-Safe Cooling
If the engine coolant supply is
depleted, this feature allows the
vehicle to be driven temporarily before
incremental component damage is
incurred. The "fail-safe" distance
depends on ambient temperatures,
vehicle load and terrain.
How Fail-Safe Cooling Works
If the engine begins to overheat, the
engine coolant temperature gauge
will move to the red (hot) area and:
The coolant temperature
warning light will illuminate.
The service engine soon
indicator will illuminate.
If the engine reaches a preset
over-temperature condition, the
engine will automatically switch to
alternating cylinder operation. Each
disabled cylinder acts as an air pump
and cools the engine.
When this occurs the vehicle will still
operate. However:
• The engine power will be limited.
• The air conditioning system will be
disabled.
Continued operation will increase the
engine temperature and the engine
will completely shut down, causing
steering and braking effort to increase.
Maintenance
Once the engine temperature cools,
the engine can be re-started. Take
your vehicle to an authorized dealer
as soon as possible to minimize
engine damage.
When Fail-Safe Mode Is Activated
vehicle in fail-safe mode only as long
as necessary to bring the vehicle to
rest in a safe location and seek
immediate repairs. When in fail-safe
mode, the vehicle will have limited
power, will not be able to maintain
high-speed operation, and may
completely shut down without
warning, potentially losing engine
power, power steering assist, and
power brake assist, which may
increase the possibility of a crash
resulting in serious injury.
running or hot.
You have limited engine power when
in the fail-safe mode, so drive the
vehicle with caution. The vehicle will
not be able to maintain high-speed
operation and the engine will run
rough. Remember that the engine is
capable of completely shutting down
automatically to prevent engine
damage, therefore:
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely
possible and turn off the engine.
2. Arrange for the vehicle to be taken
to an authorized dealer.
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WARNINGS
Fail-safe mode is for use during
emergencies only. Operate the
Never remove the coolant
reservoir cap while the engine is