Ford Taurus Owners Manual: Cleaning the engine

Engines are more efficient when they are clean because grease and dirt buildup keep the engine warmer than normal.

When washing: • Take care when using a power washer to clean the engine. The high-pressure fluid could penetrate the sealed parts and cause damage.

• Do not spray a hot engine with cold water to avoid cracking the engine block or other engine components.

• Spray Motorcraft Engine Shampoo and Degreaser on all parts that require cleaning and pressure rinse clean. In Canada, use Motorcraft Engine Shampoo.

• Never wash or rinse the engine while it is hot or running; water in the running engine may cause internal damage.

• Never wash or rinse any ignition coil, spark plug wire or spark plug well, or the area in and around these locations.

• Cover the battery, power distribution box, and air filter assembly to prevent water damage when cleaning the engine.

    Repairing minor paint damage
    Your authorized dealer has touch-up paint to match your vehicle’s color. Take your color code (printed on a sticker in the driver’s door jamb) to an authorized dealer to make sure you get the ...

    Cleaning the windows and wiper blades
    The windows and wiper blades should be cleaned regularly. If the wipers do not wipe properly, substances on the vehicle’s glass or the wiper blades may cause squeaking or chatter noise from the bl ...

    Other materials:

    Fuel quality
    Note: Use of any fuel other than those recommended may cause powertrain damage and a loss of vehicle performance; repairs may not be covered under warranty. Choosing the Right Fuel (Gasoline Engines) Use only UNLEADED gasoline or UNLEADED gasoline blended with a maximum of 15% ethanol in your g ...

    General information
    See the following sections for directions on how to properly use safety restraints for children. WARNING: Always make sure your child is secured properly in a device that is appropriate for their height, age and weight. Child safety restraints must be bought separately from your vehicle. Failure ...

    Lighting control
    A. Off B. Parking lamps, instrument panel lamps, license plate lamps and tail lamps C. Headlamps High Beams • Push the lever toward the instrument panel to activate. • Push the lever toward the instrument panel again or pull the lever towards you to deactivate. Headlamp Flasher ...