Ford 1996 Contour Manual page 147

6
Downshifting
When you slow down or climb a steep hill, always downshift
before the engine starts to lose power. Downshifting reduces the
chance of stalling and gives your vehicle better acceleration to
increase speed again.
When you drive down steep hills, downshifting helps you keep
a safe speed and helps prevent unnecessary wear on the brakes.
When you come to a stop, do not downshift through each gear.
Disengage the clutch and use the brake as necessary.
Downshifting through the gears decreases your vehicle's fuel
economy.
Do not attempt to shift into 1 (First) gear with the clutch pedal
depressed at speeds higher than 20 mph (30 km/h). If you do,
it could cause a complete clutch failure, making your vehicle
inoperative.
Traction Control (If equipped)
The traction control system prevents the wheels from spinning
on slippery roads.
Working with the anti-lock brake system, the traction control
system monitors the speed of the wheels as they roll over the
road surface. When a wheel starts to spin because of slippery
conditions, the traction control system slows the engine by
closing the throttle. At speeds below 35 mph (55 km/h) the
traction control system also applies the brake to the spinning
wheel.
When the traction control system becomes active, the driver
may notice a very slight kick and then a hard resistance in the
accelerator pedal, and a mechanical noise. The traction control
system light on the instrument panel comes on or flashes on
and off during activation.
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