2014 FORD TAURUS service indicator

The scheduled maintenance items listed inScheduled Maintenance
Informationare essential to the life and performance of your vehicle
and to its emissions system.
If other than Ford, Motorcraft® or Ford-authorized parts are used for
maintenance replacements or for service of components affecting
emission control, such non-Ford parts should be equivalent to genuine
Ford Motor Company parts in performance and durability.
Illumination of the service engine soon indicator, charging system
warning light or the temperature warning light, fluid leaks, strange odors,
smoke or loss of engine power could indicate that the emission control
system is not working properly.
An improperly operating or damaged exhaust system may allow exhaust
to enter the vehicle. Have a damaged or improperly operating exhaust
system inspected and repaired immediately.
Do not make any unauthorized changes to your vehicle or engine. By
law, vehicle owners and anyone who manufactures, repairs, services,
sells, leases, trades vehicles, or supervises a fleet of vehicles are not
permitted to intentionally remove an emission control device or prevent
it from working. Information about your vehicle’s emission system is on
the Vehicle Emission Control Information Decal located on or near the
engine. This decal also lists engine displacement.
Please consult your warranty information for complete emission warranty
information.
On-board Diagnostics (OBD-II)
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer that monitors the engine’s
emission control system. This system is commonly known as the
on-board diagnostics system (OBD-II). The OBD-II system protects
the environment by ensuring that your vehicle continues to meet
government emission standards. The OBD-II system also assists your
authorized dealer in properly servicing your vehicle.
When the service engine soon indicator illuminates, the OBD-II
system has detected a malfunction. Temporary malfunctions
may cause the service engine soon indicator to illuminate.
Examples are:
1. The vehicle has run out of fuel—the engine may misfire or run poorly.
2. Poor fuel quality or water in the fuel—the engine may misfire or run
poorly.
3. The fuel fill inlet may not have been properly closed. SeeEasy Fuel®
No Cap Fuel Systemin this chapter.
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4. Driving through deep water—the electrical system may be wet.
These temporary malfunctions can be corrected by filling the fuel tank
with good quality fuel, properly closing the fuel fill inlet or letting the
electrical system dry out. After three driving cycles without these or any
other temporary malfunctions present, the service engine soon indicator
should stay off the next time the engine is started. A driving cycle
consists of a cold engine start-up followed by mixed city or highway
driving. No additional vehicle service is required.
If the service engine soon indicator remains on, have your vehicle
serviced at the first available opportunity. Although some malfunctions
detected by the OBD-II may not have symptoms that are apparent,
continued driving with the service engine soon indicator on can result in
increased emissions, lower fuel economy, reduced engine and
transmission smoothness, and can lead to more costly repairs.
Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) Testing
Some state, provincial and local governments may have
Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this inspection could prevent
you from getting a vehicle registration.
If the service engine soon indicator is on or the bulb does not
work, the vehicle may need to be serviced. SeeOn-board
Diagnostics (OBD-II)in this chapter.
Your vehicle may not pass the I/M test if the service engine soon
indicator is on or not working properly (bulb is burned out), or if the
OBD-II system has determined that some of the emission control systems
have not been properly checked. In this case, the vehicle is considered
not ready for I/M testing.
If the vehicle’s engine or transmission has just been serviced, or the
battery has recently run down or been replaced, the OBD-II system may
indicate that the vehicle is not ready for I/M testing. To determine if the
vehicle is ready for I/M testing, turn the ignition key to the on position
for 15 seconds without cranking the engine. If the service engine soon
indicator blinks eight times, it means that the vehicle is not ready for I/M
testing; if the service engine soon indicator stays on solid, it means that
the vehicle is ready for I/M testing.
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PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
The traction control system helps avoid drive wheel spin and loss of
traction.
If your vehicle begins to slide, the system applies the brakes to individual
wheels and, when needed, reduces engine power at the same time. If the
wheels spin when accelerating on slippery or loose surfaces, the system
reduces engine power in order to increase traction.
USING TRACTION CONTROL
Note:If your vehicle is equipped with MyKey®, it is possible to prevent
turning the traction control system off. See theMyKeychapter.
In certain situations (for example, stuck in snow or mud), turning the
traction control off may be beneficial as this allows the wheels to spin
with full engine power. Turn the traction control system off by pressing
the stability control button located in the access door under the climate
controls on Taurus SHO models, or through the information display on
other models.
System indicator lights and messages
WARNING:If a failure has been detected within the
AdvanceTrac® system, the stability control light will illuminate
steadily. Verify that the AdvanceTrac® system was not manually
disabled through using the information display control. If the stability
control light still illuminates steadily, have the system serviced by an
authorized dealer immediately. Operating your vehicle with
AdvanceTrac® disabled could lead to an increased risk of loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
The stability control light temporarily illuminates on engine
start-up and flashes when a driving condition activates the
stability system.
The stability control off light temporarily illuminates on engine
start-up and stays on when the system is in sport mode, the
traction control system is turned off.
When the traction control system is turned off or on, a message appears
in the information display showing system status.
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You may notice a reduction in the vehicle’s speed caused by reduced
engine power. Your vehicle has been designed to enter this mode if
certain high temperature/high load conditions take place in order to
manage the engine’s fluid temperatures. The amount of speed reduction
will depend on the vehicle loading, towing, grade, ambient temperature,
and other factors. If this occurs, there is no need to pull off the road.
The vehicle can continue to be driven while this message is active.
The air conditioning may also cycle on and off during severe operating
conditions to protect overheating of the engine. When the engine coolant
temperature decreases to a more normal operating temperature, the air
conditioning will turn on once again.
If you notice any of the following:
•the engine coolant temperature gauge moves fully into the red (hot)
area
•the coolant temperature warning light illuminates
•the service engine soon indicator illuminates
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely possible and place the vehicle in P
(Park).
2. Leave the engine running until the coolant temperature gauge needle
moves away from the H range. After several minutes, if this does not
happen, follow the remaining steps.
3. Turn the engine off and wait for it to cool before checking the coolant
level.
WARNING:Never remove the coolant reservoir cap while the
engine is running or hot.
4. If the coolant level is normal, you may restart your engine and
continue on.
5. If the coolant is low, add coolant, restart the engine and take your
vehicle to an authorized dealer. SeeAdding engine coolantin this
chapter for more information.
Refer to fail-safe cooling for additional information.
What You Should Know About Fail-Safe Cooling
If the engine coolant supply is depleted, this feature allows the vehicle to
be driven temporarily before incremental component damage is incurred.
The fail-safe distance depends on ambient temperatures, vehicle load and
terrain.
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How Fail-Safe Cooling Works
If the engine begins to overheat:
•The engine coolant temperature gauge will move to the red (hot)
area.
•The service engine soon indicator will illuminate.
•The coolant temperature warning light will illuminate.
If the engine reaches a preset over-temperature condition, the engine
will automatically switch to alternating cylinder operation. Each disabled
cylinder acts as an air pump and cools the engine.
When this occurs the vehicle will still operate. However:
•The engine power will be limited.
•The air conditioning system will be disabled.
Continued operation will increase the engine temperature and the engine
will completely shut down, causing steering and braking effort to
increase.
Once the engine temperature cools, the engine can be re-started. Take
your vehicle to an authorized dealer as soon as possible to minimize
engine damage.
When Fail-Safe Mode is Activated
You have limited engine power when in the fail-safe mode, so drive the
vehicle with caution. The vehicle will not be able to maintain high-speed
operation and the engine will run rough. Remember that the engine is
capable of completely shutting down automatically to prevent engine
damage, therefore:
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely possible and turn off the engine.
2. Arrange for the vehicle to be taken to an authorized dealer.
3. If this is not possible, wait a short period for the engine to cool.
4. Check the coolant level and replenish if low.
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CHANGING A ROAD WHEEL
WARNING:The use of tire sealants may damage your tire
pressure monitoring system and should not be used. However, if
you must use a sealant, the tire pressure monitoring system sensor and
valve stem on the wheel must be replaced by an authorized Ford
dealer.
WARNING:SeeTire Pressure Monitoring Systemin this
chapter for important information. If the tire pressure monitoring
sensor becomes damaged, it will no longer function.
Note:The tire pressure monitoring system indicator light will illuminate
when the spare tire is in use. To restore the full function of the
monitoring system, all road wheels equipped with tire pressure
monitoring sensors must be mounted on this vehicle.
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not apply the brake heavily.
Instead, gradually decrease your speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly
and slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road.
Have a flat serviced by an authorized dealer in order to prevent damage
to the system sensors. SeeTire Pressure Monitoring Systemearlier in
this chapter. Replace the spare tire with a road tire as soon as possible.
During repairing or replacing of the flat tire, have the authorized dealer
inspect the tire pressure monitoring system sensor for damage.
Dissimilar Spare Tire and Wheel Assembly Information
WARNING:Failure to follow these guidelines could result in an
increased risk of loss of vehicle control, injury or death.
If you have a dissimilar spare tire and wheel assembly, then it is intended
for temporary use only. This means that if you need to use it, you should
replace it as soon as possible with a road tire and wheel assembly that is
the same size and type as the road tires and wheels that were originally
provided by Ford. If the dissimilar spare tire or wheel is damaged, it
should be replaced rather than repaired.
A dissimilar spare tire and wheel assembly is defined as a spare tire or
wheel that is different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires
and wheels and can be one of three types:
1.T-type mini-spare:This spare tire begins with the letter T for tire
size and may have Temporary Use Only molded in the sidewall.
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Display settings .........................481
Driver alert ................................219
Driving under special
conditions ..................185, 188, 190
sand .........................................189
snow and ice ...........................191
through water .................189, 251
Dual automatic temperature
control (DATC) .........131, 133, 135
E
Electronic message center .......110
Electronic stability control ......197
Emergencies, roadside
jump-starting ..........................256
running out of fuel .................172
Emergency brake
(see Parking brake) ..................194
Emission control system ..........177
End user license agreement ....506
Engine ........................................350
cleaning ...................................307
coolant .....................................283
fail-safe cooling .......................286
idle speed control ...................294
lubrication specifications .......352
refill capacities ........................352
service points ..................279, 281
Engine block heater .................168
Engine oil
checking and adding ..............282
dipstick ....................................282
filter, specifications ................356
refill capacities ........................352
specifications ..........................352
Event data recording ..................12
Exhaust fumes ..........................168F
Fail safe cooling ........................286
Fleet MyKey programming ........64
Floor mats .................................252
Fluid capacities .........................352
Four-Wheel Drive vehicles
driving off road .......................187
Fuel
cap ...........................................174
capacity ...................................352
choosing the right fuel ...........171
filler funnel .............................172
filling your vehicle with fuel ..174
filter, specifications ........293, 356
fuel pump shut-off ..................255
octane rating ...................172, 350
quality ......................................171
running out of fuel .................172
safety information relating to
automotive fuels .....................170
Fuel and distance computer ....114
outside temperature
indicator ..................................114
to empty indicator ..................114
trip distance ............................114
trip/reset button .....................114
Fuel - flex fuel vehicle
(FFV) .........................................171
Fuses ..................................267–268
G
Garage door opener ..................155
Gas cap (see Fuel cap) ............174
Gauges ...............................103–104
odometer .................................114
trip odometer ..........................114
544Index
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