Page 136 of 320

to let you know that all doors, the hood and the trunk are closed. If
any of these are not closed, the horn will chirp twice to warn you that
a door, the hood or the trunk is still open.
•Press the driver or passenger
interior door lock control while
the door is open, then close the
door.
•Press the 7•8 and 9•0
controls on the keyless entry pad
at the same time to lock the
doors (driver’s door must be
closed).
There is a 20 second countdown
when any of the above actions occur
before the vehicle becomes armed.
Each door, the hood, and the trunk
is armed individually, and if any are
open, they must be closed before
the open entry point (door, hood, or
trunk) can enter the 20 second
countdown.
The turn signal lamps will flash once
when all doors, the hood and the trunk are closed indicating the vehicle
is locked and entering the 20 second countdown.
Disarming the system
You can disarm the system by any of the following actions:
•Unlock the doors by using the remote entry transmitter portion of
your Integrated Keyhead Transmitter.
•Unlock the doors by using your keyless entry pad.
•Unlock the driver’s door with a key. Turn the key full rearward
(toward the rear of the vehicle) to ensure the alarm disarms.
•Turn ignition to the 3 (ON) position with a valid SecuriLock™ key or
Integrated Keyhead Transmitter (IKT).
•Press the panic control on the remote entry transmitter portion of
your IKT. This will only shut off the horn and turn lamps when the
alarm is sounding. The alarm system will still be armed.
Pressing the power door UNLOCK control within the 20 second
prearmed mode will return the vehicle to a disarmed state.
2008 Taurus(tau)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Locks and Security
136
Page 137 of 320
Triggering the anti-theft system
The armed system will be triggered if:
•Any door, the hood or the liftgate is opened without using the door
key, keypad or the remote entry transmitter portion of your IKT.
•The ignition is turned to the 3 (ON) position with an invalid
SecuriLock™ key or IKT.
2008 Taurus(tau)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Locks and Security
137
Page 143 of 320

Memory seats/power mirrors/adjustable pedals (if equipped)
This system allows automatic
positioning of the driver seat, power
mirrors, and adjustable pedals to
two programmable positions.
The memory seat control is located
on the driver door.
•To program position 1, move the
driver seat, mirrors and pedals (if
equipped) to the desired position
using the associated controls.
Press the SET control. The SET control indicator light will briefly
illuminate. While the light is illuminated, press control 1.
•To program position 2, repeat the previous procedure using control 2.
A position can be recalled:
•in any gearshift position if the ignition isnotin the RUN position.
•only in P (Park) or N (Neutral) if the ignition is in the RUN position.
A memory seat position may be programmed at any time.
The memory positions are also recalled when you press your remote
entry transmitter UNLOCK control (if the transmitter is programmed to
a memory position) or, when you enter a valid personal entry code that
is programmed to a memory position.
To program the memory feature to a remote entry transmitter and for
more information on how to use the keypad, refer toRemote entry
systemin theLocks and Securitychapter.
REAR SEATS
Head restraints (if equipped)
Lift the head restraint so that it is located directly or as close as possible
behind your head.
2008 Taurus(tau)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
143
Page 157 of 320

Reasons given... Consider...
“I have an airbag” Airbags offer greater protection when
used with safety belts. Frontal airbags
are not designed to inflate in rear and
side crashes or rollovers.
“I’d rather be thrown clear” Not a good idea.Peoplewho are
ejected are 40 times more likely
to DIE.Safety belts help prevent
ejection, WE CAN’T “PICK OUR
CRASH”.
Do not sit on top of a buckled safety belt or insert a latchplate
into the buckle to avoid the Belt-Minderchime. To do so may
adversely affect the performance of the vehicle’s air bag system.
One time disable
If at any time the driver/front passenger quickly buckles then unbuckles
the safety belt for that seating position, the Belt-Minderis disabled for
the current ignition cycle. The Belt-Minderfeature will enable during
the same ignition cycle if the occupant buckles and remains buckled for
approximately 30 seconds. Confirmation is not given for the one time
disable.
Deactivating/activating the Belt-Minderfeature
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minderare
deactivated/activated independently. When deactivating/activating
one seating position, do not buckle the other position as this will
terminate the process.
Read Steps1-4thoroughly before proceeding with the
deactivation/activation programming procedure.
Note: The driver and front passenger Belt-Minderfeatures must be
disabled/enabled separately. Both cannot be disable/enabled during the
same key cycle.
The driver and front passenger Belt-Minderfeatures can be
deactivated/activated by performing the following procedure:
Before following the procedure, make sure that:
•The parking brake is set
•The gearshift is in P (Park) (automatic transmission)
2008 Taurus(tau)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Seating and Safety Restraints
157
Page 214 of 320
Note:If you tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground, follow
these instructions:
•Tow only in the forward direction
•Release the parking brake
•Place the transmission shift lever in Neutral (N)
•Turn the key in the ignition to the ACC position (refer toStartingin
theDrivingchapter). The ACC position also unlocks the steering
wheel.
•Do not exceed 65 mph (105 km/h)
•Start the engine and allow it to run for five minutes at the beginning
of each day and at each fuel stop.
2008 Taurus(tau)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
214
Page 215 of 320

STARTING
Positions of the ignition
1. LOCK, locks the automatic
transaxle gearshift lever and allows
key removal. This position also shuts
the engine and all electrical
accessories off without locking the
steering wheel. To lock the steering
wheel, remove the key then turn the
steering wheel.
2. ACC, allows the electrical accessories such as the radio to operate
while the engine is not running. This position also unlocks the steering
wheel.
3. RUN, all electrical circuits operational. Warning lights illuminated. Key
position when driving.
4. START, cranks the engine. Release the key as soon as the engine
starts.
Starting your vehicle
Engine starting is controlled by the powertrain control system. This
system meets all Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment standard
requirements regulating the impulse electrical field strength of radio
noise.
When starting a fuel-injected engine, don’t press the accelerator before
or during starting. Only use the accelerator when you have difficulty
starting the engine. For more information on starting the vehicle, refer to
Starting the enginein this chapter.
To avoid potential transmission damage at extremely cold temperatures
(below -20°F [-30°C]), it is recommended that the vehicle be warmed up
to normal operating temperature before driving at highway speeds above
50 mph (80 km/h). Normal operating temperature is normally reached
after 10 minutes of moderate driving or idling.
Extended idling at high engine speeds can produce very high
temperatures in the engine and exhaust system, creating the risk
of fire or other damage.
2008 Taurus(tau)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
215
Page 217 of 320
•Make sure the gearshift lever is in
P (Park).
3. Turn the key to 3 (RUN) without
turning the key to 4 (START).
Some warning lights will briefly illuminate. SeeWarning lights and
chimesin theInstrument Clusterchapter for more information
regarding the warning lights.
Starting the engine
1. Turn the key to 3 (RUN) without
turning the key to 4 (START).
2. Turn the key to 4 (START), then
release the key as soon as the
engine starts. Excessive cranking
could damage the starter.
Note:If the engine does not start within five seconds on the first try,
turn the key to LOCK, wait 10 seconds and try again. If the engine still
fails to start, press the accelerator to the floor and try again; this will
allow the engine to crank with the fuel shut off in case the engine is
flooded with fuel.
2008 Taurus(tau)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
217
Page 218 of 320

This vehicle has a computer assisted cranking system which assists in
starting the engine. If the ignition key is turned to 4 (START) and then
released when the engine begins cranking, the engine may continue
cranking for up to 10 seconds or until the vehicle starts.
Guarding against exhaust fumes
Carbon monoxide is present in exhaust fumes. Take precautions to avoid
its dangerous effects.
If you smell exhaust fumes inside your vehicle, have your dealer
inspect your vehicle immediately. Do not drive if you smell
exhaust fumes.
Important ventilating information
If the engine is idling while the vehicle is stopped for a long period of
time, open the windows at least one inch (2.5 cm) or adjust the heating
or air conditioning to bring in fresh air.
ENGINE BLOCK HEATER (IF EQUIPPED)
An engine block heater warms the engine coolant which aids in starting
and heater/defroster performance. Use of an engine block heater is
strongly recommended if you live in a region where temperatures reach
-10°F (-23°C) or below. For best results, plug the heater in at least three
hours before starting the vehicle. The heater can be plugged in the night
before starting the vehicle.
To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not use your heater
with ungrounded electrical systems or two-pronged (cheater)
adapters.
BRAKES
Occasional brake noise is normal. If a metal-to-metal, continuous grinding
or continuous squeal sound is present, the brake linings may be worn-out
and should be inspected by an authorized dealer. If the vehicle has
continuous vibration or shudder in the steering wheel while braking, the
vehicle should be inspected by an authorized dealer.
2008 Taurus(tau)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
218