1997 Mercury Cougar Owner's Manual - Page 63

To cool your vehicle using outside air, turn the SELECT control to A/C, turn the TEMP control all the way to the end of the blue range (full left) and turn the FAN control to the desired speed between LO and HI. A/C provides quieter system operation than MAX A/C, but it is not as efficient as MAX A/C which uses recirculated air. To ventilate your vehicle with outside air, during mild weather, turn the SELECT control to PANEL, turn the TEMP control for the temperature desired and set the FAN control to the speed desired. Under normal conditions, the SELECT control should be left in any position other than MAX A/C or OFF when the vehicle is parked. This allows the vehicle to "breathe" through the outside air inlet duct. To cool your vehicle quickly in warm weather, turn the SELECT control to MAX A/C, turn the TEMP control all the way to the end of the blue range (full left) and turn the FAN control to HI. MAX A/C uses recirculated air and is the most fuel efficient way to cool your vehicle and can also be used in heavy traffic to prevent exhaust fumes from entering the vehicle. MAX A/C can also be used in high humidity areas for more efficient operation. If the interior of your vehicle is very warm, drive for the first few minutes with the windows open. This forces most of the hot, stale air out of the vehicle and allows the air conditioning to work faster. 61