Mercury 1997 Cougar Manual page 221

6. When you are finished, put the dipstick back
in and make sure that it fits snugly.
The dipstick for power steering fluid
Use only power steering fluid that meets Ford
Specification Mercon ATF XT-2-QDX or an
equivalent.
If the power steering fluid is low, do not drive
your vehicle for a long period of time before
adding fluid. This can damage the power
steering pump.
If you check the power steering fluid when it is
cold, make sure that the fluid reaches the FULL
COLD range on the dipstick. The reading will
only be accurate if the fluid temperature is
approximately 50 to 85˚F (10 to 30˚C).
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