Ford Taurus Owners Manual: Cleaning the exterior

Wash your vehicle regularly with cool or lukewarm water and a neutral pH shampoo, such as Motorcraft® Detail Wash.

• Never use strong household detergents or soap, such as dish washing or laundry liquid. These products can discolor and spot painted surfaces.

• Never wash a vehicle that is hot to the touch or during exposure to strong, direct sunlight.

• Dry the vehicle with a chamois or soft terry cloth towel in order to eliminate water spotting.

• Immediately remove items such as gasoline, diesel fuel, bird droppings and insect deposits because they can cause damage to the vehicle’s paintwork and trim over time. Use Motorcraft Bug and Tar Remover.

• Note: Suntan lotions and insect repellents can damage any painted surface; if these substances come in contact with your vehicle, wash it off as soon as possible.

• Remove any exterior accessories before entering a car wash.

Stripes or Graphics (if equipped)

Do not use a commercial or high-pressure wand on the surface or edge of stripes and graphics. This can cause damage to the film and cause the edge of the film to peel away from the vehicle surface.

Exterior Chrome

Note: Never use abrasive materials such as steel wool or plastic pads as they can scratch the chrome surface.

Note: Do not use chrome cleaner, metal cleaner or polish on wheels and wheel covers.

• Wash the vehicle first, using cool or lukewarm water and a neutral pH shampoo, such as Motorcraft Detail Wash.

• Use Motorcraft Custom Bright Metal Cleaner. Apply the product as you would a wax to clean bumpers and other chrome parts; allow the cleaner to dry for a few minutes, then wipe off the haze with a clean, dry rag.

• Do not apply cleaning product to hot surfaces and do not leave cleaning product on chrome surfaces for a period of time exceeding that which is recommended.

• Note: Using other non-recommended cleaners can result in severe and permanent cosmetic damage.

Underbody

Flush the complete underside of your vehicle frequently. Keep body and door drain holes free from packed dirt.

Cleaning Plastic Exterior Parts

Use only approved products to clean plastic parts.

• For routine cleaning, use Motorcraft Detail Wash.

• If tar or grease spots are present, use Motorcraft Bug and Tar Remover.

    Cleaning products
    For best results, use the following products or products of equivalent quality: Motorcraft Bug and Tar Remover (ZC-42) Motorcraft Custom Bright Metal Cleaner (ZC-15) Motorcraft Detail Wash (ZC-3-A ...

    Waxing
    Regular waxing is necessary to protect the paint on your car from the elements. We recommend that you wash and wax the painted surface once or twice a year. When washing and waxing, park your veh ...

    Other materials:

    Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
    WARNING: The tire pressure monitoring system is NOT a substitute for manually checking tire pressure. The tire pressure should be checked periodically (at least monthly) using a tire gauge. See Inflating Your Tires in this chapter. Failure to properly maintain your tire pressure could increase ...

    SecuriLock® passive anti-theft system
    Note: The system is not compatible with non-Ford aftermarket remote start systems. Use of these systems may result in vehicle starting problems and a loss of security protection. Note: Metallic objects, electronic devices or a second coded key on the same key chain may cause vehicle starting i ...

    Hazard warning flashers
    The hazard flasher control is located on the instrument panel by the radio. Use it when your vehicle is disabled and is creating a safety hazard for other motorists. • Press the flasher control and all front and rear direction signals will flash. • Press the flasher control again to ...