1996 FORD TAURUS Owners Manual

6
%*
[IN06900(ALL)04/95]
Cleaning the Outside of Your
Vehicle
*
[IN07001(ALL)07/95]
Pollen, bird droppings and tree sap can damage
the paint, especially in hot weather. Wash your
vehicle as often as necessary to keep it clean.
*
[IN07101(ALL)07/95]
Take similar precautions if your vehicle is
exposed to chemical industrial fallout.
*
[IN07201(ALL)07/95]
Paint damage resulting from fallout is not
related to a defect in paint materials or
workmanship and therefore is not covered by
warranty. Ford, however, believes that continual
improvement in customer satisfaction is a high
priority. For this reason, Ford has authorized its
dealers to repair, at no charge to the owner, the
surfaces of new vehicles damaged by
environmental fallout within 12 months or 12,000
miles (20,000 km) of purchase, whichever comes
first. Customers may be required to bring their
vehicle in for inspection by a Ford
representative.
%*
[IN07301(ALL)04/95]
Washing and Polishing Your Vehicle
[IN07401(ALL)03/95]
Wash the outside of your vehicle, including the
underside, with a cleaner made for washing cars.
If your vehicle has clear-coat, make sure that the
cleaner is recommended for clear-coat.
*
[IN07501(ALL)06/95]
DO NOT:
*
[IN07601(ALL)04/95]
q
Wash your vehicle with hot water
*
[IN07701(ALL)04/95]
q
Wash your vehicle while it sits in direct
sunlight
*
[IN07801(ALL)04/95]
q
Wash your vehicle while the body is hot
*
[IN07901(ALL)04/95]
Polish your vehicle to remove harmful deposits
and protect the finish.
File:02fcint.ex
Update:Mon Jan 22 15:41:04 1996
ProCarManuals.com

7 %
*
[IN08101(ALL)04/95]
Cleaning Chrome and Aluminum Parts
*
[IN08201(ALL)04/95]
Wash chrome and aluminum parts with a mild
detergent. Do not use steel wool, abrasive
cleaners, fuel or strong detergents.
%*
[IN08301(ALL)04/95]
Cleaning Plastic Parts
*
[IN08401(ALL)04/95]
Some of your vehicle's exterior trim parts are
plastic. Clean with a tar and road oil remover if
necessary. Use a vinyl cleaner for routine
cleaning.
*
[IN08501(ALL)04/95]
Do not clean plastic parts with thinners, solvents
or petroleum-based cleaners.
%*
[IN08701(ALL)04/95]
If you have your vehicle rustproofed, remove
oversprayed rustproofing with a tar and road oil
remover. If rustproofing is not removed from
plastic and rubber parts, it can cause
deterioration.
File:02fcint.ex
Update:Mon Jan 22 15:41:04 1996
ProCarManuals.com

9
Safety Restraints
%*
[SR00500(ALL)04/95]
Important Safety Belt Information
*
[SR00600(ALL)03/95]
The use of safety belts helps to restrain you and
your passengers in case of a collision. In most
states and in Canada the law requires their use.
*
[SR00700(ALL)08/95]
Safety belts provide best restraint when:
*
[SR00800(ALL)08/95]
q
the seatback is upright
*
[SR00900(ALL)08/95]
q
the occupant is sitting upright (not slouched)
*
[SR01000(ALL)08/95]
q
the lap belt is snug and low on the hips
*
[SR01100(ALL)08/95]
q
the shoulder belt is snug against the chest
*
[SR01200(ALL)08/95]
q
the knees are straight forward
*
[SR02200(ALL)07/95]
To help you remember to fasten your safety belt,
a warning light may come on and a chime may
sound. SeeSafety Belt Warning Light and Chimein
theWarning Lights and Gaugeschapter.
*
[SR02300(ALL)07/95]
See the following sections in this chapter for
directions on how to properly use these safety
belts. Also seeSafety Restraints for Childrenin this
chapter for special instructions about using
safety belts for children.
File:03fcsrt.ex
Update:Mon Jan 22 15:46:18 1996
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10
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[SR02350(ALL)12/95]
RWARNING
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a
cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle.
In a collision, people riding in these areas
are more likely to be seriously injured or
killed. Do not allow people to ride in any
area of your vehicle that is not equipped
with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and
using a safety belt properly.
%*
[SR02400(ALL)05/95]
RWARNING
Make sure that you and your passengers
wear safety belts. Always drive and ride
with your seatback upright and the lap
belt snug and low across the hips.
*
[SR02700(ALL)06/95]
RWARNING
Never wear the shoulder belt under the
arm. Never swing it around the neck over
the inside shoulder. Never use a single
belt for more than one person or across
more than one seating position. Each
seating position in your vehicle has a
specific safety belt assembly which is
made up of one buckle and one tongue
that are designed to be used as a pair.
Failure to follow these precautions could
increase the risk and/or severity of injury
in a collision.
File:03fcsrt.ex
Update:Mon Jan 22 15:46:18 1996
ProCarManuals.com

11
*
[SR02850(ALL)05/95]
RWARNING
Ford recommends that all safety belt
assemblies and attaching hardware should
be inspected by a qualified technician
after any collision. Safety belt assemblies
not in use during a collision should also
be inspected and replaced if either
damage or improper operation is noted.
*
[SR02900(ALL)08/95]
RWARNING
To reduce the risk of serious injury in a
collision, children should always ride with
the seatback upright.
*
[SR03000(ALL)08/95]
RWARNING
Never let a passenger hold a child on his
or her lap while the vehicle is moving.
The passenger cannot protect the child
from injury in a collision.
*
[SR03200(ALL)09/95]
RWARNING
Lock the doors of your vehicle before
driving to lessen the risk of the door
coming open in a collision.
File:03fcsrt.ex
Update:Mon Jan 22 15:46:18 1996
ProCarManuals.com

12
%*
[SR03600(ALL)05/95]
Combination Lap and Shoulder
Belts
*
[SR03900(ALL)06/95]
While your vehicle is in motion, the combination
lap and shoulder belt adjusts to your movement.
However, if you brake hard, turn hard, or if
your vehicle receives an impact of 5 mph
(8 km/h) or more, the lap/shoulder belt locks
and helps reduce your forward movement.
*
[SR04000(ALL)05/95]
After you get into your vehicle, close the door
and lock it. Then adjust the seat to the position
that suits you best.
*
[SR04100(ALL)05/95]
Pull the combination lap/shoulder belt from the
retractor so that the shoulder portion of the belt
crosses your shoulder and chest. Be sure the belt
is not twisted. If it is, remove the twist. Insert
the belt tongue into the proper buckle until you
hear a snap and feel it latch. Make sure the
tongue is securely fastened to the buckle by
pulling on tongue.
*
[SR04200(ALL)06/95]
quarter page art:0010018-B
Fastening the front seat combination lap and shoulder belt
*
[SR04300(ALL)07/95]
NOTE: Be sure to read and understand
Important Safety Belt Informationat
the beginning of this chapter.
File:03fcsrt.ex
Update:Mon Jan 22 15:46:18 1996
ProCarManuals.com

13 [SR04500(ALL)06/95]
one third page art:0000685-I
Unfastening the combination lap and shoulder belts Ð
front and rear outboard seating positions
*
[SR04700(ALL)07/95]
While the belt retracts, guide the tongue to its
original position to prevent it from striking you
or the vehicle.
[SR05625(ALL)04/95]
Safety Belts for Front Outboard Passenger
and Rear Outboard Seating Positions
(Except Wagon Rear-Facing Seat)
*
[SR05650(ALL)08/95]
Your vehicle is equipped with a dual locking
mode retractor on theshoulderbelt portion of
the combination lap/shoulder safety belt for the
front seat outboard passenger and rear outboard
passengers.
*
[SR05670(ALL)08/95]
Dual locking mode retractors operate in two
ways:
*
[SR05675(ALL)08/95]
Vehicle sensitive (emergency) locking mode
*
[SR05700(ALL)10/95]
In this operating mode, the shoulder belt
retractor will allow the occupant freedom of
movement, locking tight only on hard braking,
hard cornering or impacts of approximately
5 mph (8 km/h) or more. The retractor can also
be made to lock by pulling the belt out quickly.
File:03fcsrt.ex
Update:Mon Jan 22 15:46:18 1996
ProCarManuals.com

14 %
*
[SR05725(ALL)08/95]
Automatic locking mode
*
[SR05750(ALL)08/95]
In this operating mode, the shoulder belt
retractor will be automatically locked and will
remain locked when the combination
lap/shoulder safety belt is buckled, and does not
allow the occupant freedom of movement. This
mode provides the following:
*
[SR05775(ALL)08/95]
q
A tight lap/shoulder belt on the occupant.
*
[SR05800(ALL)08/95]
q
Child safety seat installation.
*
[SR05810(ALL)08/95]
RWARNING
Rear-facing infant seats should never be
placed in the front seats.
*
[SR05825(ALL)09/95]
This modemust be usedwhen installing a child
safety seat on the front passenger seat and rear
outboard seats where dual locking retractors are
provided.
*
[SR05830(ALL)08/95]
To switch the retractor from the emergency
locking mode to the automatic locking mode,
perform the following steps:
*
[SR05875(ALL)08/95]
1. Buckle the lap/shoulder combination belt.
*
[SR05900(ALL)09/95]
2. Grasp the shoulder portion of the belt and
pull downward until all of the belt is
extracted and, when allowed to retract, a
clicking sound is heard. At this time, the belt
retractor is in the automatic locking mode
(child restraint mode).
*
[SR05925(ALL)08/95]
3. A clicking sound will continue to be heard
as the belt is allowed to retract. This
indicates that the retractor is in the
automatic locking mode.
File:03fcsrt.ex
Update:Mon Jan 22 15:46:18 1996
ProCarManuals.com