Lincoln 1997 Town Car Owner's Manual page 172

WARNING
If the parking brake is fully released,
but the Brake System light remains on,
have the brakes checked immediately.
They may not be working properly.
WARNING
To prevent personal injury, do not
release the parking brake while outside
the vehicle.
Your vehicle has an automatic parking brake
release. As you move the gearshift selector to any
forward gear with the engine running, the parking
brake automatically releases. Your parking brake will
not release automatically when you shift into R
(Reverse). To release the parking brake manually,
pull the brake release handle [marked (P)] located
on the lower left corner of the instrument panel.
The pedal is now released and will reset the next
time you press the pedal. The Brake System
Warning Light will glow if the parking brake is not
fully released when the engine is running.
The parking brake is not designed to stop a moving
vehicle, but you can use the parking brake to stop
your vehicle in an emergency if the normal brakes
fail. However, since the parking brake applies only
the rear brakes, the stopping distance will increase
greatly and the handling of your vehicle will be
adversely affected.
Always check the Brake Warning Light each time
you start your engine. Driving with the parking
brake on will cause the brakes to wear out quickly
and will reduce the fuel economy.
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