Ford Taurus (2018 year). Manual — part 113

GENERAL MAINTENANCE
INFORMATION

Why Maintain Your Vehicle?

Carefully following the maintenance
schedule helps protect against major repair
expenses resulting from neglect or
inadequate maintenance and may help to
increase the value of your vehicle when
you sell or trade it. Keep all receipts for
completed maintenance with your vehicle.

We have established regular maintenance
intervals for your vehicle based upon
rigorous testing. It is important that you
have your vehicle serviced at the proper
times. These intervals serve two purposes;
one is to maintain the reliability of your
vehicle and the second is to keep your cost
of owning your vehicle down.

It is your responsibility to have all
scheduled maintenance performed and to
make sure that the materials used meet
the specifications identified in this owner's
manual. See Capacities and
Specifications

(page 298).

Failure to perform scheduled maintenance
invalidates warranty coverage on parts
affected by the lack of maintenance.

Why Maintain Your Vehicle at Your
Dealership?

Factory-Trained Technicians

Service technicians participate in extensive
factory-sponsored certification training to
help them become experts on the
operation of your vehicle. Ask your
dealership about the training and
certification their technicians have
received.

Genuine Ford and Motorcraft®
Replacement Parts

Dealerships stock Ford, Motorcraft and
Ford-authorized branded re-manufactured
replacement parts. These parts meet or
exceed our specifications. Parts installed
at your dealership carry a nationwide
24-month or unlimited mile (kilometer)
parts and labor limited warranty.

If you do not use Ford authorized parts they
may not meet our specifications and
depending on the part, it could affect
emissions compliance.

Convenience

Many dealerships have extended evening
and Saturday hours to make your service
visit more convenient and they offer one
stop shopping. They can perform any
services that are required on your vehicle,
from general maintenance to collision
repairs.

Note:

Not all dealers have extended hours

or body shops. Please contact your dealer
for details.

Protecting Your Investment

Maintenance is an investment that pays
dividends in the form of improved
reliability, durability and resale value. To
maintain the proper performance of your
vehicle and its emission control systems,
make sure you have scheduled
maintenance performed at the designated
intervals.

Your vehicle is equipped with the
Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor system, which
displays a message in the information
display at the proper oil change interval.
This interval may be up to one year or
10,000 mi (16,000 km).

When the oil change message appears in
the information display, it is time for an oil
change. Make sure you perform the oil
change within two weeks or 500 mi
(800 km) of the message appearing. Make
sure you reset the Intelligent Oil-Life
Monitor after each oil change. See Oil
Change Indicator Reset

(page 244).

If your information display resets
prematurely or becomes inoperative, you
should perform the oil change interval at
six months or 5,000 mi (8,000 km) from
your last oil change. Never exceed one year
or 10,000 mi (16,000 km) between oil
change intervals.

Your vehicle is very sophisticated and built
with multiple, complex, performance
systems. Every manufacturer develops
these systems using different
specifications and performance features.
That is why it is important to rely upon your
dealership to properly diagnose and repair
your vehicle.

Ford Motor Company has recommended
maintenance intervals for various parts
and component systems based upon
engineering testing. Ford Motor Company
relies upon this testing to determine the
most appropriate mileage for replacement
of oils and fluids to protect your vehicle at
the lowest overall cost to you and
recommends against maintenance
schedules that deviate from the scheduled
maintenance information.

We strongly recommend the use of only
genuine Ford, Motorcraft or
Ford-authorized re-manufactured
replacement parts engineered for your
vehicle.

Additives and Chemicals

This owner's manual and the Ford
Workshop Manual list the recommended
additives and chemicals for your vehicle.
We do not recommend using chemicals or
additives not approved by us as part of
your vehicle’s normal maintenance. Please
consult your warranty information.

Oils, Fluids and Flushing

In many cases, fluid discoloration is a
normal operating characteristic and, by
itself, does not necessarily indicate a
concern or that the fluid needs to be
changed. However, a qualified expert, such
as the factory-trained technicians at your
dealership, should inspect discolored fluids
that also show signs of overheating or
foreign material contamination
immediately.

Make sure to change your vehicle’s oils and
fluids at the specified intervals or in
conjunction with a repair. Flushing is a
viable way to change fluid for many vehicle
sub-systems during scheduled
maintenance. It is critical that systems are
flushed only with new fluid that is the same
as that required to fill and operate the
system or using a Ford-approved flushing
chemical.

Owner Checks and Services

Make sure you perform the following basic
maintenance checks and inspections every
month or at six-month intervals.

Check Every Month

Engine oil level.

Function of all interior and exterior lights.

Tires (including spare) for wear and proper pressure.

Windshield washer fluid level.

Fuel and water separator. Drain if necessary (or if indicated by the information display).

Holes and slots in the tail pipe to make sure they are functional and clear of debris.

Check Every Six Months

Battery connections. Clean if necessary.

Body and door drain holes for obstructions. Clean if necessary.

Cooling system fluid level and coolant strength.

Door weatherstrips for wear. Lubricate if necessary.

Hinges, latches and outside locks for proper operation. Lubricate if necessary.

Parking brake for proper operation.

Safety belts and seat latches for wear and function.

Safety warning lamps (brake, ABS, airbag and safety belt) for operation.

Washer spray and wiper operation. Clean or replace blades as necessary.

Multi-Point Inspection

In order to keep your vehicle running right,
it is important to have the systems on your
vehicle checked regularly. This can help
identify potential issues and prevent major
problems. We recommend having the
following multi-point inspection performed
at every scheduled maintenance interval
to help make sure your vehicle keeps
running great.

Multi-Point Inspection

Hazard warning system operation

Accessory drive belt(s)

Horn operation

Battery performance

Radiator, cooler, heater and air conditioning

hoses

Engine air filter

Suspension components for leaks or

damage

Exhaust system

Steering and linkage

Exterior lamps operation

Tires (including spare) for wear and proper

pressure

2

Fluid levels

1

; fill if necessary

Windshield for cracks, chips or pits

For oil and fluid leaks

Washer spray and wiper operation

Half-shaft dust boots

1

Brake, coolant recovery reservoir, automatic transmission and window washer

2

If your vehicle is equipped with a temporary mobility kit, check the tire sealant expiration

Use By date on the canister. Replace as needed.

Be sure to ask your dealership service
advisor or technician about the multi-point
vehicle inspection. It is a comprehensive
way to perform a thorough inspection of
your vehicle. Your checklist gives you
immediate feedback on the overall
condition of your vehicle.

NORMAL SCHEDULED
MAINTENANCE

Intelligent Oil-Life Monitor™

Your vehicle is equipped with an Intelligent
Oil-Life Monitor that determines when you
should change the engine oil based on how
your vehicle is used. By using several
important factors in its calculations, the
monitor helps reduce the cost of owning
your vehicle and reduces environmental
waste at the same time.

This means you do not have to remember
to change the oil on a mileage-based
schedule. Your vehicle lets you know when
an oil change is due by displaying a
message in the information display.

The following table provides examples of
vehicle use and its impact on oil change
intervals. It is a guideline only. Actual oil
change intervals depend on several factors
and generally decrease with severity of
use.