2018 FORD TAURUS wheel

SITTING IN THE CORRECT
POSITION
WARNINGS
Sitting improperly, out of position or
with the seatback reclined too far
can take weight off the seat cushion
and affect the decision of the passenger
sensing system, resulting in serious injury
or death in the event of a crash. Always sit
upright against your seat back, with your
feet on the floor. Do not recline the seatback as this
can cause the occupant to slide
under the safety belt, resulting in
serious injury in the event of a crash. Do not place objects higher than the
seatback to reduce the risk of serious
injury in the event of a crash or during
heavy braking. When you use them properly, the seat,
head restraint, safety belt and airbags will
provide optimum protection in the event
of a crash. We recommend that you follow these
guidelines:
•
Sit in an upright position with the base
of your spine as far back as possible.
• Do not recline the seatback more than
30 degrees.
• Adjust the head restraint so that the
top of it is level with the top of your
head and as far forward as possible.
Make sure that you remain
comfortable.
• Keep sufficient distance between
yourself and the steering wheel. We
recommend a minimum of 10 in
(25 cm) between your breastbone and
the airbag cover.
• Hold the steering wheel with your arms
slightly bent.
• Bend your legs slightly so that you can
press the pedals fully.
• Position the shoulder strap of the
safety belt over the center of your
shoulder and position the lap strap
tightly across your hips.
Make sure that your driving position is
comfortable and that you can maintain full
control of your vehicle.
HEAD RESTRAINTS WARNINGS
Fully adjust the head restraint before
you sit in or operate your vehicle. This
will help minimize the risk of neck
injury in the event of a crash. Do not adjust
the head restraint when your vehicle is
moving. The head restraint is a safety device.
Whenever possible it should be
installed and properly adjusted when
the seat is occupied.
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WARNINGS
Always fully apply the parking brake
and make sure you shift into park (P).
Switch the ignition off and remove
the key whenever you leave your vehicle. Do not apply the brake pedal and
accelerator pedal simultaneously.
Applying both pedals simultaneously
for more than a few seconds will limit
engine performance, which may result in
difficulty maintaining speed in traffic and
could lead to serious injury. Understanding the Positions of
Your Automatic Transmission
Putting your vehicle in gear:
1. Fully press down the brake pedal.
2.
Press and hold the button on the front
of the selector lever.
3. Move the selector lever into the desired
gear.
4. Release the button and your transmission will remain in the selected
gear. Park (P)
This position locks the transmission and
prevents the wheels from turning. Reverse (R)
With the selector lever in reverse (R), your
vehicle will move backward. Always come
to a complete stop before shifting into and
out of reverse (R).
Neutral (N)
With the selector lever in neutral (N), your
vehicle can be started and is free to roll.
Hold the brake pedal down while in this
position.
Drive (D)
Drive (D) is the normal driving position for
the best fuel economy. The overdrive
function allows automatic upshifts and
downshifts through gears one through six.
Sport (S)
Moving the selector lever to sport (S):
•
Provides additional grade (engine)
braking and extends lower gear
operation to enhance performance for
uphill climbs, hilly terrain or
mountainous areas. This will increase
engine RPM during engine braking.
• Provides additional lower gear
operation through the automatic
transmission shift strategy.
• Gears are selected more quickly and
at higher engine speeds.
SelectShift Automatic ™
Transmission
Your SelectShift automatic transmission
gives you the ability to manually change
gears.
If equipped with a toggle on the
selector lever:
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•
Press the (+) button to upshift.
• Press the (-) button to downshift.
If equipped with steering wheel
paddles: •
Pull the right paddle (+) to upshift.
• Pull the left paddle (-) to downshift.
With your vehicle in drive (D), the paddle
shifters provide temporary manual control.
They allow you the ability to shift gears
quickly, without taking your hands off the
steering wheel. You can achieve extensive
manual control by moving the selector
lever to sport (S).
The system determines when temporary
manual control is no longer in use and
returns to automatic control.
Upshift to the recommended shift speeds
according to the following chart: Upshifts when accelerating (recom-
mended for best fuel economy)
Shift from:15 mph (24 km/h)
1 - 2
25 mph (40 km/h)
2 - 3
40 mph (64 km/h)
3 - 4
45 mph (72 km/h)
4 - 5
50 mph (80 km/h)
5 - 6
The instrument cluster will display the
selected gear that you are currently in and
a shift indicator arrow to assist in
optimizing shifting.
SelectShift will automatically make some
shifts for you in the event that your engine
speed is running at too high, or too low an
RPM.
Note: Engine damage may occur if
excessive engine revving is held without
shifting.
Brake-Shift Interlock WARNINGS
Do not drive your vehicle until you
verify that the brake lamps are
working.
When doing this procedure, you need
to take the transmission out of park
(P) which means your vehicle can
roll freely. To avoid unwanted vehicle
movement, always fully apply the parking
brake prior to doing this procedure. Use
wheels chocks if appropriate. If the parking brake is fully released,
but the brake warning lamp remains
illuminated, the brakes may not be
working properly. Have your vehicle
checked as soon as possible. 153
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USING ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (If
Equipped)
All-wheel drive uses all four wheels to
power the vehicle. This increases traction,
enabling you to drive over terrain and road
conditions that a conventional two-wheel
drive vehicle cannot. The AWD system is
active all the time and requires no input
from the operator.
Note: Your AWD vehicle is not intended for
off-road use. The AWD feature gives your
vehicle some limited off-road capabilities
in which driving surfaces are relatively level,
obstruction-free and otherwise similar to
normal on-road driving conditions.
Operating your vehicle under other than
those conditions could subject the vehicle
to excessive stress which might result in
damage which is not covered under your
warranty.
Note: The Power Transfer Unit (PTU) in
Taurus SHO™ performance package
vehicles does not require any normal
scheduled maintenance. The system is
electronically monitored and notifies the
driver of required service by displaying the
message
Change AWD Power Transfer
Unit Lube in the information display. The
PTU lubricant will be more likely to require
a fluid change if the vehicle has experienced
extended periods of extreme or severe duty
cycle driving. Do not check or change the
PTU lubricant unless the unit shows signs
of leakage or a message indicating required
service is displayed. Contact an authorized
dealer for service if the PTU was submerged
in water and to reset the PTU lube life
monitor. Note:
When an AWD system fault is
present, the warning
Check AWD displays
in the information display. The AWD system
is not functioning correctly and defaulted
to front-wheel drive. When this warning
displays, have your vehicle serviced at an
authorized dealer.
Note: The
AWD OFF message may also
appear in the information display if the AWD
system overheats and defaults to
front-wheel drive. This may occur if the
vehicle is operated in extreme conditions
with excessive wheel slip, such as deep
sand. To resume normal AWD function as
soon as possible, stop the vehicle in a safe
location and stop the engine for at least 10
minutes. After the engine has been
restarted and the AWD system has
adequately cooled, the AWD OFF message
will turn off and normal AWD function
returns. If the engine is not stopped, the
AWD OFF
message turns off when the
system cools and normal AWD function
returns.
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(If Equipped)

All-Wheel Drive Messages
Action / Description
AWD Messages
Displays if the AWD system disables to
protect itself. This may occur if you operate
the vehicle after installing the compact
spare tire, if the system is overheating or if
there is an issue with another vehicle
system that prevents the AWD system from
AWD OFF
operating. The AWD system resumes
normal operation and clears this message
after you install the road tire and you switch
the ignition on and off, or after you allow
the system to cool. If this message remains
on, have a qualified technician service your
vehicle to repair other vehicle systems.
Displayed in conjunction with the power-
train malfunction/reduced power light
when the system is not operating properly.
If the warning stays on or continues to
come on, contact your authorized dealer
as soon as possible.
Check AWD
Displayed when the system needs its power
transfer unit lubrication changed. This
message may be set if the vehicle has
experienced extended periods of extreme/
severe duty cycle driving.
Change AWD Power Transfer Unit Lube
1
1 Taurus SHO Performance Package only.
Operating AWD Vehicles With
Spare Tires
A spare tire of a different size other than
the tire provided should never be used. The
AWD system may disable automatically
and enter front-wheel drive only mode to
protect driveline components if a non-full
sized tire is installed. This condition may
display an AWD OFF message in the
information display. If there is an AWD OFF
message in the information display from
using a non-full sized spare tire, this
indicator should turn off after reinstalling
the repaired or replaced normal road tire and cycling the ignition off and on. It is
recommended to reinstall the repaired or
replaced road tire as soon as possible.
Major dissimilar tire sizes between the front
and rear axles (for example, 17 inch low
profile tires on the front axle and 22 inch
high profile tires on the rear axle) could
cause the AWD system to stop functioning
and default to front-wheel drive or damage
the AWD system.
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(If Equipped)

Operating AWD Vehicles With
Mismatched Tires
WARNINGS
Only use replacement tires and
wheels that are the same size, load
index, speed rating and type (such
as P-metric versus LT-metric or all-season
versus all-terrain) as those originally
provided by Ford. The recommended tire
and wheel size may be found on either the
Safety Compliance Certification Label
(affixed to either the door hinge pillar,
door-latch post, or the door edge that
meets the door-latch post, next to the
driver's seating position), or the Tire Label
which is located on the B-Pillar or edge of
the driver's door. If this information is not
found on these labels, then you should
contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible. Use of any tire or wheel not
recommended by Ford can affect the
safety and performance of your vehicle,
which could result in an increased risk of
loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,
personal injury and death. The use of non-recommended tires
and wheels could cause steering,
suspension, axle, transfer case or
power transfer unit failure. If you have
questions regarding tire replacement,
contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible. Major dissimilar tire sizes between the front
and rear axles (for example, 17 inch low
profile tires on the front axle and 22 inch
high profile tires on the rear axle) could
cause the AWD system to stop functioning
and default to front-wheel drive or damage
the AWD system. However, the AWD
system is capable of tolerating any
combination of new and worn tires of the
same original tire size. For example, using
3 worn tread tires and 1 new tread tire all
of the same original tire size, can be
tolerated by the AWD system. Driving In Special Conditions With
All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
AWD vehicles are equipped for driving on
sand, snow, mud and rough roads and have
operating characteristics that are
somewhat different from conventional
vehicles, both on and off the highway.
When driving at slow speeds in deep sand
under high outside temperatures, use a low
gear when possible. Lower gear operation
will maximize the engine and transmission
cooling capability.
Under severe operating conditions, the A/C
may cycle on and off to protect
overheating of the engine.
Basic operating principles in special
conditions
•
Drive slower in strong crosswinds which
can affect the normal steering
characteristics of your vehicle.
• Be extremely careful when driving on
pavement made slippery by loose sand,
water, gravel, snow or ice.
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Taurus (CPH) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201709, Second Printing All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

If Your Vehicle Goes Off the Edge of the
Pavement
•
If your vehicle goes off the edge of the
pavement, slow down, but avoid severe
brake application, ease the vehicle
back onto the pavement only after
reducing your speed. Do not turn the
steering wheel too sharply while
returning to the road surface.
• It may be safer to stay on the apron or
shoulder of the road and slow down
gradually before returning to the
pavement. You may lose control if you
do not slow down or if you turn the
steering wheel too sharply or abruptly.
• It often may be less risky to strike small
objects, such as highway reflectors,
with minor damage to your vehicle
rather than attempt a sudden return to
the pavement which could cause the
vehicle to slide sideways out of control
or rollover. Remember, your safety and
the safety of others should be your
primary concern.
If Your Vehicle Gets Stuck WARNINGS
Always fully apply the parking brake.
Make sure you shift into park (P) for
vehicles with an automatic
transmission. Switch the ignition off and
remove the key whenever you leave your
vehicle. If the parking brake is fully released,
but the brake warning lamp remains
illuminated, the brakes may not be
working properly. Have your vehicle
checked as soon as possible. Do not spin the wheels at over
34 mph (55 km/h). The tires may fail
and injure a passenger or bystander.
Note:
Do not rock the vehicle if the engine
is not at normal operating temperature or
damage to the transmission may occur. Note:
Do not rock the vehicle for more than
a few minutes or damage to the
transmission and tires may occur or the
engine may overheat.
If your vehicle gets stuck in mud or snow it
may be rocked out by shifting between
forward and reverse gears, stopping
between shifts, in a steady pattern. Press
lightly on the accelerator in each gear.
If your vehicle is equipped with
AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability
Control ™, it may be beneficial to
disengage the AdvanceTrac® with Roll
Stability Control ™ system while
attempting to rock the vehicle.
Emergency Maneuvers
• In an unavoidable emergency situation
where a sudden sharp turn must be
made, remember to avoid
"over-driving" your vehicle (that is, turn
the steering wheel only as rapidly and
as far as required to avoid the
emergency). Excessive steering will
result in less vehicle control, not more.
Additionally, smooth variations of the
accelerator and/or brake pedal
pressure should be utilized if changes
in vehicle speed are called for. Avoid
abrupt steering, acceleration or braking
which could result in an increased risk
of loss of vehicle control, vehicle
rollover and/or personal injury. Use all
available road surface to return the
vehicle to a safe direction of travel.
• In the event of an emergency stop,
avoid skidding the tires and do not
attempt any sharp steering wheel
movements.
• If the vehicle goes from one type of
surface to another (that is, from
concrete to gravel) there will be a
change in the way the vehicle responds
to a maneuver (steering, acceleration
or braking). Again, avoid these abrupt
inputs.
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Taurus (CPH) Canada/United States of America, enUSA, Edition date: 201709, Second Printing All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)

Sand
Most of the time traction control improves
tire traction by managing wheel slip
through Brake, Engine, and AWD
calibrations. However, during low speed
driving, disabling traction control in deep
sand can help keep the wheels moving to
maintain vehicle momentum.
When driving over sand, try to keep all four
wheels on the most solid area of the trail.
Avoid reducing the tire pressures but shift
to a lower gear and drive steadily through
the terrain. Apply the accelerator slowly
and avoid spinning the wheels.
Do not drive your vehicle in deep sand for
an extended period of time. This could
cause the AWD system to overheat and
default to front-wheel drive. If this occurs,
an AWD OFF message displays in the
information display. To resume normal
AWD function as soon as possible, stop
the vehicle in a safe location and stop the
engine for at least 10 minutes. After the
engine has been restarted and the AWD
system has adequately cooled, the
AWD
OFF message turns off and normal AWD
function returns. In the event the engine is
not stopped, the AWD OFF message turns
off when the system cools and normal
AWD function returns.
When driving at slow speeds in deep sand
under high outside temperatures, use L
(Low) gear when possible. L (Low) gear
operation will maximize the engine and
transmission cooling capability.
Under severe operating conditions, the A/C
may cycle on and off to protect
overheating of the engine.
Avoid excessive speed because vehicle
momentum can work against you and
cause the vehicle to become stuck to the
point that assistance may be required from
another vehicle. Remember, you may be
able to back out the way you came if you
proceed with caution. Mud and Water
If you must drive through high water, drive
slowly. Traction or brake capability may
be limited.
When driving through water, determine the
depth; avoid water higher than the bottom
of the wheel rims (for cars) or the bottom
of the hubs (for trucks) (if possible) and
proceed slowly. If the ignition system gets
wet, the vehicle may stall.
Once through 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.
Be cautious of sudden changes in vehicle
speed or direction when you are driving in
mud. Even AWD vehicles can lose traction
in slick mud. As when you are driving over
sand, apply the accelerator slowly and
avoid spinning your wheels. If the vehicle
does slide, steer in the direction of the slide
until you regain control of the vehicle.
After driving through mud, clean off residue
stuck to rotating driveshafts and tires.
Excess mud stuck on tires and rotating
driveshafts causes an imbalance that
could damage drive components.
Note:
Driving through deep water may
damage the transmission.
If the front or rear axle is submerged in
water, have the power transfer unit (PTU)
or rear axle serviced by an authorized
dealer. 160
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(If Equipped)E143950