Mercury Sable 1998 Owner's Manual page 95

Driving
Driving with an automatic overdrive transaxle
(column or console gearshift with O/D off
switch)
Your automatic
overdrive transaxle
provides fully
automatic operation in
either D (Overdrive) or
with the O/D OFF
switch depressed.
Driving with the shift
selector in D
(Overdrive) gives the
best fuel economy for
normal driving
conditions. For manual
control start in 1
(First) and then shift
manually.
If your vehicle is
equipped with a
console mounted
gearshift, you must
press the thumb button
on the side of the
gearshift to move the
gearshift from P
(Park).
To put your vehicle in gear, start the engine, depress
the brake pedal, then move gearshift out of P
(Park).
95