Ford Mercury Villager 1997 Owner's Manual page 69

Controls and Features
Ventilating your vehicle with outside air
In mild weather, you can ventilate your vehicle with outside air.
If the outside temperature is less than 70° F (21° C), you can
add cool air to your vehicle without using air conditioning. You
will get better fuel economy this way.
The procedure for ventilating your vehicle with the standard
heating system or with the air conditioning system is the same.
Refer to the previous section for instructions on how to ventilate
with outside air.
Improving fuel economy
Whenever you turn on the air conditioning, your vehicle uses
more fuel because the air conditioning compressor is running. To
get better fuel economy while cooling your vehicle, do not use
the air conditioner on mild days. Instead, set the air intake selector
button in the outside air position and turn the temperature
control knob to the COOL position.
Operating tips
When stopped in traffic for long periods of time in hot weather,
place the automatic transaxle gearshift selector lever in P
(Park) or in N (Neutral) to increase the engine idle speed. This
aids in engine cooling and air conditioner efficiency. If the engine
overheats, choose the outside air position and turn off the A/C
to stop the compressor for a short time.
When your vehicle's engine is operated at full throttle, the air
conditioner compressor will automatically be turned off to allow
maximum engine power. This may occur during passing or
when climbing steep grades. The compressor will return to normal
operation within a few seconds after full throttle is no longer
needed.
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