1999 FORD TAURUS Owners Manual

To receive roadside assistance in the United States
for Ford or Mercury vehicles, call 1-800-241-3673 or
if you own a Lincoln vehicle, call 1±800±521±4140.
In Canada call 1±800±665±2006.
Should you need to arrange assistance for yourself,
Ford will reimburse a reasonable amount. To obtain
information about reimbursement, call
1-800-241-3673 in the United States for Ford or
Mercury vehicles; or if you own a Lincoln vehicle,
call 1±800±521±4140. Call 1±800±665±2006 in
Canada.
Ford extended service plan
You can get more protection for your new car or
light truck by purchasing Ford Extended Service
Plan (Ford ESP) coverage. Ford ESP is an optional
service contract which is backed by Ford Motor
Company or Ford Motor Service Company (in the
U.S.) and Ford of Canada (in Canada). It provides:
²Protection against repair costs after your New
Vehicle Limited Warranty period expires;
and
²Other benefits during the warranty period (such
as reimbursement for rentals and towing.)
You may purchase Ford ESP from any participating
Ford or Lincoln-Mercury or Ford of Canada dealer.
There are several plans available in various time,
distance and deductible combinations which can be
tailored to fit your own driving needs. Ford ESP also
offers reimbursement benefits for towing and rental
coverage. (In Hawaii, rules vary. See your dealer for
details.)
When you buy Ford ESP, you receive Peace-of-Mind
protection throughout the United States and Canada,
provided by a network of more than 5,200
participating Ford, Lincoln-Mercury and Ford of
Canada dealers.
If you did not take advantage of the Ford Extended
Service Plan at the time of purchasing your vehicle,
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you may still be eligible. Please contact your dealer
for further information. Since this information is
subject to change, please ask your dealer for
complete details about Ford Extended Service Plan
coverage options.
Also, please be aware that some dealers offer service
contracts that are not backed by Ford Motor
Company or Ford of Canada. On the surface, many
independent plans appear to be like Ford's. The
problem is that they can often require the use of
non-factory approved parts and have much more
complex and restrictive claims coverage terms than
Ford.
At Ford Motor Company and Ford of Canada, we are
dedicated to providing Ford, Lincoln and Mercury
vehicle owners with programs that will enhance your
ownership experience and protect you from
unexpected repair bills. Genuine Ford ESP is the
only Extended Service Plan that enables us to
provide that service.
Getting the service you need
At home
Ford Motor Company and Ford of Canada have
authorized dealerships to service your vehicle. When
you need warranty repairs your selling dealer would
like you to return to it for that service, but you may
also take your vehicle to another Ford Motor
Company dealership authorized for warranty repairs.
Certain warranty repairs require special training
though, so not all dealers are authorized to perform
all warranty repairs. That means that depending on
the warranty repair needed, the vehicle may need to
be taken to another dealer. If a particular dealership
can not assist you, then contact the Customer
Assistance Center.
If you are not satisfied with the service you receive
at the dealership, speak with the service manager. If
you are still not satisfied, speak with the owner or
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general manager of the dealership. In most cases,
your concern will be resolved at this level.
Ford Motor Company and Ford of Canada
dealerships also carry genuine Ford parts and
accessories, providing you with original equipment
reliability.
Away from home
If you are away from home when your vehicle needs
service, or if you need more help than the dealership
could provide, contact the Ford Customer Assistance
Center to find an authorized dealership to help you.
In the United States:
Ford Motor Company
Customer Assistance Center
16800 Executive Plaza Drive
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, Michigan 48121
1-800-392-3673 (FORD)
(TDD for the hearing impaired: 1-800-232-5952)
In Canada:
Customer Assistance Centre
Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited
P.O. Box 2000
Oakville, Ontario L6J 5E4
1-800-565-3673 (FORD)
Please have the following information available when
contacting Ford Customer Assistance:
²Your telephone number (home and business)
²The name of the dealer and the city where the
dealership is located
²The year and make of your vehicle
²The date of vehicle purchase
²The current odometer reading
²The vehicle identification number (VIN)
If you still have a complaint involving a warranty
dispute, you may wish to contact the Dispute
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Settlement Board (U.S.) or the Mediation/Arbitration
Program (Canada).
In the United States, a warranty dispute must be
submitted to the Dispute Settlement Board before
taking action under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty
Act, or to the extent allowed by state law, before
pursuing replacement or repurchase remedies
provided by certain state laws. This dispute handling
procedure is not required prior to enforcing state
created rights or other rights which are independent
of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act or state
replacement or repurchase laws.
THE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD
The Dispute Settlement Board is:
²an independent, third-party arbitration program
for warranty disputes
²available free to owners and lessees of qualifying
Ford Motor Company vehicles
The Dispute Settlement Board may not be available
in all states. Ford Motor Company reserves the right
to change eligibility limitations, modify procedures
and/or to discontinue this service without notice and
without incurring obligations per applicable state
law.
What kinds of cases does the Board review?
Unresolved warranty repair concerns or vehicle
performance as designed concerns on Ford, Mercury
and Lincoln cars and Ford or Mercury light trucks
which are within the terms of any applicable written
new vehicle warranty are eligible for review, except
those involving:
²a non-Ford product
²a non-Ford dealership
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²sales disputes between customer and dealer
except those associated with warranty repairs or
concerns with the vehicle's performance as
designed
²a request for reimbursement of consequential
expenses unless a service or product concern
being reviewed
²items not covered by the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty (including maintenance and wear items)
²alleged personal injury/property damage claims
²cases currently in litigation
²vehicles not used primarily for family, personal or
household purposes (except in states where the
Dispute Settlement Board is required to review
commercial vehicles)
²vehicles with non-U.S. warranties
Concerns are ineligible for review if the New Vehicle
Limited Warranty has expired at receipt of your
application and, in certain states of eligibility is
dependent upon the customer's possession of the
vehicle.
Eligibility may differ according to state law. For
example, see the unique brochures for California,
West Virginia, Georgia and Wisconsin
purchasers/lessees.
Board membership
The Board consists of:
²three consumer representatives
²a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealership
representative
Consumer candidates for Board membership are
recruited and trained by an independent consulting
firm. The dealership Board member is chosen from
Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealership management,
recognized for their business leadership qualities.
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What the Board needs
To have your case reviewed you must complete the
application in the DSB brochure and mail it to the
address provided on the application form.
Your application is reviewed and, if it is determined
to be eligible, you will receive an acknowledgment
indicating:
²the file number assigned to your application
²the toll-free phone number of the DSB's
independent administrator
Your dealership and a Ford Motor Company
representative are asked to submit statements at
this time.
To properly review your case, the Board needs the
following information:
²legible copies of all documents and maintenance
or repair orders relevant to the case
²the year, make, model, and Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN) listed on your vehicle ownership
license
²the date of repair(s) and mileage at the time of
occurrence(s)
²the current mileage
²the name of the dealer who sold or serviced the
vehicle
²a brief description of your unresolved concern
²a brief summary of the action taken by the
dealer(s) and Ford Motor Company
²the names (if known) of all the people you
contacted at the dealership(s)
²a description of the action you expect to resolve
your concern
You will receive a letter of explanation if your
application does not qualify for Board review.
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Oral presentations
If you would like to make an oral presentation,
indicate YES to question #6 on the application.
While it is your right to make an oral presentation
before the Board, this is not a requirement and the
Board will decide the case whether or not an oral
presentation is made. Oral presentation may be
requested by the Board as well.
Making a decision
Board members review all available information
related to each complaint, including oral
presentations, and arrive at a fair and impartial
decision.
Every effort is made to decide the case within 40
days of the date that all requested information is
received by the Board. Since the Board generally
meets once a month, it may take more than a month
before the Board can consider some cases.
After a case is reviewed, the Board mails you a
decision letter and a form on which to accept or
reject the Board's decision. The decisions of the
Board are binding on Ford (and, in some cases, on
the dealer) but not on consumers who are free to
pursue other remedies available to them under state
or federal law.
To Request a DSB Brochure/Application
For a brochure/application, speak to your dealer or
write/call to the Board at the following
address/phone number:
Dispute Settlement Board
P.O. Box 5120
Southfield, MI 48086±5120
1±800±428±3718
You may also contact the North American Customer
Assistance Center at 1-800-392-3673 (Ford), TDD
for the hearing impaired: 1-800-232-5952 or by
writing to the Center at the following address:
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Ford Motor Company
Customer Assistance Center
16800 Executive Plaza Drive
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, Michigan 48121
GETTING ASSISTANCE OUTSIDE THE U.S. AND
CANADA
Before exporting your vehicle to a foreign country,
contact the appropriate foreign embassy or
consulate. These officials can inform you of local
vehicle registration regulations and where to find
unleaded fuel.
If you cannot find unleaded fuel or can only get fuel
with an anti-knock index lower than is
recommended for your vehicle, contact a district or
owner relations/customer assistance office.
The use of leaded fuel in your vehicle without
proper conversion may damage the effectiveness of
your emission control system and may cause engine
knocking or serious engine damage. Ford Motor
Company/Ford of Canada is not responsible for any
damage caused by use of improper fuel.
In the United States, using leaded fuel may also
result in difficulty importing your vehicle back into
the U.S.
If your vehicle must be serviced while you are
traveling or living in Central or South America, the
Caribbean, or the Middle East, contact the nearest
Ford dealership. If the dealership cannot help you,
write or call:
FORD MOTOR COMPANY
WORLDWIDE DIRECT MARKET OPERATIONS
1555 Fairlane Drive
Fairlane Business Park #3
Allen Park, Michigan 48101
U.S.A.
Telephone: (313) 594-4857
FAX: (313) 390-0804
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