For Cruising, You Should Upshift At The Following Speeds; Downshifting - Ford 1996 Escort Manual

For cruising, you should upshift at the following
speeds:
Upshift indicator light (If equipped)
After the engine warms up, the upshift light will
come on if you could get better fuel economy by
shifting to the next higher gear. The vehicle will
not be harmed if the transaxle is not shifted
when the light comes on, but the vehicle will
use more fuel.
The shift indicator light can be ignored when
you are downshifting, on steep hills, using the
engine to "brake" the vehicle, or need more
power for a difficult acceleration.

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.
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