wheel alignment FORD TAURUS 2005 4.G Owners Manual

²Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
²Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
²Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
²Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
²Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
²Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant specificationsin
this chapter.
²Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle scheduled maintenance guide.
Conditions
²Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
²Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
²Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
²Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
²Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
12±16 km (8±10 miles) of driving.
²Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
²Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
²Close windows for high speed driving.
EPA window sticker
Every new vehicle should have the EPA window sticker. Contact your
dealer if the window sticker is not supplied with your vehicle. The EPA
window sticker should be your guide for the fuel economy comparisons
with other vehicles.
Maintenance and Specifications
211

5. Repeat this procedure for each tire, including the spare.
Note:Some spare tires require higher inflation pressure than the other
tires. Check the tire label on the B pillar or the edge of the driver's door
for the recommended spare tire pressure.
6. Visually inspect the tires to make sure there are no nails or other
objects embedded that could poke a hole in the tire and cause an air
leak.
7. Check the sidewalls to make sure there are no gouges, cuts or bulges.
Tire and wheel alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can cause the front end of your
vehicle to become misaligned or cause damage to your tires. If your
vehicle seems to pull to one side when you're driving, the wheels may be
out of alignment. Have a qualified technician at a Ford or
Lincoln/Mercury dealer check the wheel alignment periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be corrected by a qualified technician
at a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer. Front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles
and those with an independent rear suspension require alignment of all
four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular tire wear.
Tire rotation
Rotating your tires at the recommended interval (as indicated in the
Scheduled Maintenance Guidethat comes with your vehicle) will help
your tires wear more evenly, providing better tire performance and
longer tire life. Unless otherwise specified, rotate the tires approximately
every 5,000 miles (8,000 km).
Maintenance and Specifications
226

Note:If your tires show uneven wear ask a qualified technician at a
Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealership to check for and correct any wheel
misalignment, tire imbalance or mechanical problem involved before tire
rotation.
Note:Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire/wheel. A
dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that is
different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels. If
you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel it is intended for temporary use
only and should not be used in a tire rotation.
Note:After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
Tire wear
Measure and inspect the tire tread on all your tires periodically.
Advanced and unusual tire wear can reduce the ability of tread to grip
the road in adverse (wet, snowy, etc.) conditions. Visually check your
tires for uneven wear, looking for high and low areas or unusually
smooth areas. Also check for signs of tire damage.
When the tread is worn down to
1/16th of an inch (2 mm), tires must
be replaced to prevent your vehicle
from skidding and hydroplaning.
Built-in treadwear indicators, or
ªwear barsº, which look like narrow
strips of smooth rubber across the
tread will appear on the tire when
the tread is worn down to 1/16th of an inch (2 mm). When you see these
ªwear barsº, the tire is worn out and should be replaced.
Inspect your tires frequently for any of the following conditions and
replace them if one or more of the following conditions exist:
²Fabric showing through the tire rubber
²Bulges in the tread or sidewalls
²Cracks or cuts on the sidewalls
²Cracks in the tread groove
²Impact damage resulting from use
²Separation in the tread
²Separation in the sidewall
²Severe abrasion on the sidewall
Maintenance and Specifications
228

Remote entry system
illuminated entry ......................79
locking/unlocking doors ...........73
opening the trunk .....................77
Roadside assistance ..................150
Roof rack .....................................72
S
Safety Belt Maintenance ..........107
Safety belts (see
Safety restraints) ....92, 95±98, 100
Safety defects, reporting ..........180
Safety restraints ............92, 95±101
belt minder .............................103
extension assembly ................107
for adults .............................96±98
for children .....................117±118
lap belt ....................................100
Occupant Classification
Sensor ........................................93
safety belt maintenance .........107
warning light and
chime ...............................102±103
Safety seats for children ..........120
Seat belts (see
Safety restraints) ........................92
Seats ............................................88
child safety seats ....................120
front seats .................................89
Servicing your vehicle ..............187
Setting the clock
AM/FM stereo ...........................15
AM/FM/CD .................................19
AM/FM/Tape ..............................16
Spare tire (see
Changing the Tire) ...................159Spark plugs,
specifications .............231, 235±236
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................234±235
Speed control ..............................51
Starting a flex fuel vehicle .......133
Starting your
vehicle ........................130±131, 133
jump starting ..........................165
Steering wheel
tilting .........................................47
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................47
Tires ...........................159, 218±219
alignment ................................226
care ..........................................224
changing ..........................159, 161
checking the pressure ............224
label .........................................224
replacing ..................................229
rotating ....................................226
safety practices .......................229
sidewall information ...............220
snow tires and chains ............230
spare tire .................................160
terminology .............................219
tire grades ...............................219
treadwear ........................218, 228
Towing .......................................146
recreational towing .................148
trailer towing ..........................146
wrecker ....................................170
Traction control ........................136
Transaxle
fluid, refill capacities ..............232
lubricant specifications ..........235
Transmission .............................138
Index
247