Mercury 1996 Cougar Owner's Manual page 244

Never remove the radiator cap or vent
plug while the engine is running or hot.
Follow these steps to avoid personal injury that
can be caused by escaping steam or engine
coolant.
1. Before you remove the cap, turn the engine
off and let it cool. Even when the engine is
cool, be careful when you remove the
radiator cap or vent plug.
2. When the engine is cool, wrap a thick towel
around the cap and turn it slowly
counterclockwise to unscrew.
3. Step back while the pressure releases.
4. When you are sure that all the pressure has
been released, use the cloth to press the cap
down, turn it, and remove it.
5. Stand away from the radiator opening. Hot
steam may blow out or hot engine coolant
may even splash out.
To find out how much engine coolant mixture
your vehicle's coolant system can hold, see Refill
capacities for fluids in the Index.
Add engine coolant only to the recovery
reservoir. If the coolant level is low, add a 50/50
or appropriate mixture of water and the type of
engine coolant that Ford specifies. You may add
water by itself only in an emergency, but you
should replace it with a 50/50 or appropriate
mixture as soon as possible.
Have your dealer check the engine cooling
system for leaks if you have to add more than a
quart (liter) of engine coolant more than once a
month.
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