1999 FORD TAURUS load capacity

When parking, do not use the gearshift in
place of the parking brake. Always set the
parking brake fully and make sure that the
gearshift is securely latched in Park (P). Turn off
the ignition whenever you leave your vehicle.
Never leave your vehicle unattended while it is
running. If you do not take these precautions, your
vehicle may move unexpectedly and injure
someone.
VEHICLE LOADING
Before loading a vehicle, familiarize yourself with the
following terms:
²Base Curb Weight: Weight of the vehicle
including any standard equipment, fluids,
lubricants, etc. It does not include passengers or
aftermarket equipment.
²Payload: Combined maximum allowable weight of
cargo, passengers and optional equipment. The
payload equals the gross vehicle weight rating
minus base curb weight.
²GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight): Base curb weight
plus payload weight. The GVW is not a limit or a
specification.
²GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating):
Maximum total weight of the base vehicle,
passengers, optional equipment and cargo. The
GVWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on
the Safety Compliance Label on the driver's door
pillar.
²GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating): Carrying
capacity for each axle system. The GAWR is
specific to each vehicle and is listed on the Safety
Compliance Label on the driver's door pillar.
²GCW (Gross Combined Weight): The combined
weight of the towing vehicle (including passengers
and cargo) and the trailer.
Driving
116

weight added should not exceed the Front Axle
Reserve Capacity (FARC). Additional frontal weight
may be added to the front axle reserve capacity
provided you limit your payload in other ways (i.e.
restrict the number of passengers or amount of
cargo carried).
You may add equipment throughout your vehicle if the
total weight added is equal to or less than the Total
Axle Reserve Capacity (TARC) weight. You should
NEVER exceed the Total Axle Reserve Capacity.
Always ensure that the weight of passengers, cargo
and equipment being carried is within the weight
limitations that have been established for your
vehicle including both Gross Vehicle Weight and
Front and Rear Gross Axle Weight Rating limits.
Under no circumstance should these limitations be
exceeded. Exceeding any vehicle weight rating
limitation could result in serious damage to the
vehicle and/or personal injury.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
Do not drive quickly through standing water,
especially if the depth is unknown. Traction or brake
capability may be limited and if the ignition system
gets wet, your engine may stall. Water may also
enter your engine's air intake and severely damage
your engine.
If driving through deep or standing water is
unavoidable, proceed very slowly. Never drive through
water that is higher than the bottom of the hubs.
Once through the water, always try the brakes. Wet
brakes do not stop the vehicle as effectively as dry
brakes. Drying can be improved by moving your
vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the
brake pedal.
Driving through deep water where the
transmission is submerged may allow water
into the transmission and cause internal
transmission damage.
Driving
118

²Four tire rotation
Replacing the tires
Replace the tires when
the wear band is
visible through the tire
treads.
When replacing full size tires, never mix
radial bias-belted, or bias-type tires. Use
only the tire sizes that are listed on the
Certification Label. Make sure that all tires are the
same size, speed rating, and load-carrying capacity.
Use only the tire combinations recommended on
the label. If you do not follow these precautions,
your vehicle may not drive properly and safely.
Make sure that all replacement tires are of
the same size, type, load-carrying capacity
and tread design (e.g., ªAll Terrainº, etc.), as
originally offered by Ford.
Maintenance and care
163

capacity ................. 191
choosing
the right fuel ......... 168
comparisons with
EPA fuel economy
estimates ............... 175
detergent in fuel ... 170
filling your vehicle
with fuel .. 165,167,171
filter,
specifications.. 170,190
fuel pump shut-off
switch .................... 124
gauge ....................... 15
improving fuel
economy ................ 171
low fuel
warning light ............. 8
octane
rating ....... 169,194,195
quality .................... 170
running
out of fuel ............. 170
safety information
relating to
automotive fuels ... 165
Fuses ................. 125,126
Gas cap
(see Fuel cap) ......... 167
Gas mileage (see
Fuel economy) ........ 171
Gauges ....................... 12
engine coolant
temperature gauge... 13
fuel gauge ................ 15
odometer ................. 14
speedometer ........... 12
tachometer .............. 13
trip odometer .......... 14
GAWR (Gross Axle
Weight Rating) ........ 116
definition ............... 116driving with a heavy
load ........................ 116
location .................. 116
GVWR (Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating) ........ 116
calculating ............. 116
definition ............... 116
driving with
a heavy load .......... 116
location .................. 116
Hazard flashers ....... 124
Head restraints ......... 74
Headlamps ................. 16
aiming ............. 182,183
autolamp system ..... 17
bulb
specifications ........ 181
daytime
running lights .......... 16
flash to pass ............ 17
high beam ............ 6,16
turning on and off .. 16
warning chime ........ 11
Heating ...................... 18
heating and air
conditioning
system ..................... 18
Hood ........................ 142
Ignition .............. 194,195
positions of the
ignition .................... 45
Infant seats (see
Safety seats) ........ 95,96
Inspection/maintenance
(I/M) testing ............ 176
Instrument panel ........ 6
cleaning ................. 188
lighting up panel
and interior ............. 17
location of
components ............... 6
Index
218