2009 FORD TAURUS four wheel drive

seeing what conditions are on the other side. Do not drive in reverse
over a hill without the aid of an observer.
When climbing a steep slope or hill, start in a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from a higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the engine and the possibility of stalling.
If you do stall out, Do not try to turnaround because you might roll over.
It is better to back down to a safe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels to climb the hill. Too much
power will cause the tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting in loss of
vehicle control.
Descend a hill in the same gear you
would use to climb up the hill to
avoid excessive brake application
and brake overheating. Do not
descend in neutral; instead,
disengage overdrive or manually
shift to a lower gear. When
descending a steep hill, avoid
sudden hard braking as you could
lose control. The front wheels have
to be turning in order to steer the
vehicle.
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, therefore apply the brakes steadily. Do
not “pump” the brakes.
Driving on snow and ice
Note:Excessive tire slippage can cause transmission damage.
AWD vehicles have advantages over 2WD vehicles in snow and ice but
can skid like any other vehicle.
Should you start to slide while driving on snowy or icy roads, turn the
steering wheel in the direction of the slide until you regain control.
Avoid sudden applications of power and quick changes of direction on
snow and ice. Apply the accelerator slowly and steadily when starting
from a full stop.
Avoid sudden braking as well. Although an AWD vehicle may accelerate
better than a two-wheel drive vehicle in snow and ice, it won’t stop any
faster, because as in other vehicles, braking occurs at all four wheels. Do
not become overconfident as to road conditions.
2009 Taurus(500)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Driving
251

Make sure you allow sufficient distance between you and other vehicles
for stopping. Drive slower than usual and consider using one of the lower
gears. In emergency stopping situations, apply the brake steadily. Since
your vehicle is equipped with a four wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS),
do not “pump” the brakes. Refer to theBrakessection of this chapter
for additional information on the operation of the anti-lock brake system.
Maintenance and Modifications
The suspension and steering systems on your vehicle have been designed
and tested to provide predictable performance whether loaded or empty
and durable load carrying capability. For this reason, Ford Motor
Company strongly recommends that you do not make modifications such
as adding or removing parts (such as lift kits or stabilizer bars) or by
using replacement parts not equivalent to the original factory equipment.
Any modifications to a vehicle that raise the center of gravity can make
it more likely the vehicle will rollover as a result of a loss of control.
Ford Motor Company recommends that caution be used with any vehicle
equipped with a high load or device (such as ladder or luggage racks).
Failure to maintain your vehicle properly may void the warranty, increase
your repair cost, reduce vehicle performance and operational capabilities
and adversely affect driver and passenger safety. Frequent inspection of
vehicle chassis components is recommended if the vehicle is subjected to
heavy off-highway usage.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
If driving through deep or standing
water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly especially when the depth is
not known. Never drive through
water that is higher than the bottom
of the wheel rims (for cars) or the
bottom of the hubs (for trucks).
When driving through water, traction or brake capability may be limited.
Also, water may enter your engine’s air intake and severely damage your
engine or your vehicle may stall.Driving through deep water where
the transmission vent tube is submerged may allow water into the
transmission and cause internal transmission damage.
Once through the water, always dry the brakes by moving your
vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake pedal.
Wet brakes do not stop the vehicle as quickly as dry brakes.
2009 Taurus(500)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Driving
252

Event data recording ....................8
Exhaust fumes ..........................232
F
Fail safe cooling ........................306
Family entertainment system ....45
Fluid capacities .........................324
Fog lamps ....................................83
Four-Wheel Drive vehicles
driving off road .......................247
Fuel ............................................307
calculating fuel
economy ..........................113, 313
cap ...........................................310
capacity ...................................324
choosing the right fuel ...........311
comparisons with EPA fuel
economy estimates .................316
detergent in fuel .....................312
filling your vehicle with
fuel ...........................307, 310, 313
filter, specifications ........307, 323
fuel pump shut-off switch .....255
improving fuel economy ........313
octane rating ...................311, 326
quality ......................................312
running out of fuel .................312
safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................307
Fuel pump shut-off switch .......255
Fuses ..........................................255
G
Gas cap (see Fuel cap) ............310
Gas mileage
(see Fuel economy) .................313
Gauges .........................................16H
Hazard flashers .........................254
Head restraints .........145, 151–152
Headlamps ...................................82
aiming ........................................85
autolamp system .......................82
bulb specifications ....................87
daytime running lights .............84
flash to pass ..............................84
high beam .................................83
replacing bulbs ...................88–89
turning on and off ....................82
Heating
heating and air conditioning
system ...........................74, 76, 78
Homelink wireless control
system ........................................108
Hood ..........................................293
How to get going ........................18
I
Ignition ...............................229, 326
Illuminated visor mirror .............94
Infant seats
(see Safety seats) .....................186
Inspection/maintenance (I/M)
testing ........................................318
Instrument panel ........................95
cleaning ...................................289
cluster ........................................12
lighting up panel and
interior .......................................84
J
Jack ............................................262
positioning ...............................262
2009 Taurus(500)
Owners Guide, 1st Printing
USA(fus)
Index
333