traction control FORD TAURUS 2014 6.G Owners Manual

Universal Garage Door Opener (If Equipped) 155
HomeLink® wireless control system.......................155
Auxiliary Power Points 160
Storage Compartments 161
Center console.......................................161
Overhead console.....................................162
Starting and Stopping the Engine 163
Ignition switch.......................................164
Engine block heater...................................168
Fuel and Refueling 170
Fuel quality.........................................171
Running out of fuel....................................172
Refueling...........................................174
Fuel consumption.....................................176
Transmission 181
Automatic transmission.................................181
All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped) 186
All wheel drive.......................................186
Brakes 193
Brakes.............................................193
Hints on driving with anti-lock brakes......................194
Parking brake........................................194
Traction Control 195
TractionControl™ ....................................195
Stability Control 196
AdvanceTrac®.......................................197
4Table of Contents
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

Stability Control System
Displays when the AdvanceTrac®/Traction control is active.
If the light remains on, have the system serviced immediately.
Stability Control System Off
Illuminates when AdvanceTrac®/Traction control has been
disabled by the driver.
Turn signal
Illuminates when the left or right turn signal or the hazard
warning flasher is turned on. If the indicators stay on or flash
faster, check for a burned out bulb.
AUDIBLE WARNINGS AND INDICATORS
Key In Ignition Warning Chime
Sounds when the key is left in the ignition in the off or accessory
position and the driver’s door is opened.
Keyless Warning Alert (If Equipped)
Sounds when the keyless vehicle is in RUN and the driver’s door is
opened.
Headlamps On Warning Chime
Sounds when the headlamps or parking lamps are on, the ignition is off
(the key is not in the ignition) and the driver’s door is opened.
Parking Brake On Warning Chime
Sounds when you have left the parking brake on and drive your vehicle.
If the warning chime remains on after you have released the parking
brake, have the system checked by your authorized dealer immediately.
Instrument Cluster109
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

Settings
Driver Assist Traction Control — check enabled (default) /
uncheck disabled
Blind Spot — check enabled (default) / uncheck
disabled
Collision Warning Sensitivity High, Normal or
Low
Chimes (not selectable if using a
MyKey)
Warning (not selectable if using a
MyKey)
Cross Traffic — check enabled (default) / uncheck
disabled
Cruise Control Adaptive or Normal
Rear Park Aid — check enabled (default) / uncheck
disabled
Display Language Select your applicable language
Units Distance Miles & Gal. or
km/L or
L/100km
Temperature Fahrenheit (°F)
or Celsius (°C)
11 2Information Displays
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

Settings
MyKey Create MyKey Hold OK to Create MyKey
911 Assist Always On or User Selectable
Traction Control Always On or User Selectable
Max Speed 80 MPH (130 km/h) or Off
Speed Minder 45 mph (75 km/h), 55 mph
(90 km/h), 65 mph (105 km/h) or
Off
Volume Limiter
Clear MyKeys Hold OK to Clear MyKeys
TRIP AND FUEL ECONOMY COMPUTER
Resetting the Trip Computer
Press and hold OK on the current screen to reset the respective trip,
distance, time and fuel information.
Odometer
Registers the total accumulated distance for the lifetime of the vehicle.
This value cannot be reset.
Trip Odometer
Registers the distance of individual journeys.
Trip Timer
Registers the total time of a trip.
Fuel Used
Shows the amount of fuel used for a given trip.
Distance to E
Indicates the approximate distance the vehicle will travel on the fuel
remaining in the tank. Changes in driving pattern may cause the value to
vary.
Average Fuel
Indicates the average fuel consumption since the function was last reset.
Information Messages
SeeInformation Messageslater in this chapter for more information.
11 4Information Displays
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

Fuel Economy
Use the left/right arrow buttons to choose the desired fuel economy
display.
Fuel Economy
Fuel EconomyInst Fuel
EconomyXX. Min Fuel
History
Instantaneous fuel usage X
Fuel usage over a 30 minute time
spanX
Average MPG Always Present
XXX mi (km) to E Always Present
Total odometer (lower left corner)
Hold OK to Reset. Resets the currently displayed fuel usage
information.
•Inst. Fuel Economy: This display shows a visual graph of your
instantaneous fuel economy.
•XX. Min Fuel History: This display shows a bar chart of your fuel
history.
Driver Assist
In this mode, you can configure different driver setting choices.
Note:Some items are optional and may not appear.
Driver Assist
Traction Ctrl — check enabled (default) / uncheck disabled
Blindspot — check enabled (default) / uncheck disabled
Collision Warn Sensitivity High / Normal / Low
Cross Traffic — check enabled (default) / uncheck disabled
Cruise Control Adaptive or Normal
Driver Alert Driver Alert — check enabled / uncheck disabled
Driver Alert Disp. — shows current alert status
Front Park Aid — check enabled (default) / uncheck disabled
Lane Keeping
SysMode Alert / Aid / Both
Intensity High / Normal / Low
Rear Park Aid — check enabled (default) / uncheck disabled
11 8Information Displays
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

Settings (cont’d)
*MyKey MyKey Status MyKeys / Admin Keys
Create
MyKeyHold OK to Create MyKey
911 Assist Always On / User Selectable
Traction
ControlAlways On / User Selectable
Max Speed Choose desired speed or off
Speed Minder Choose desired speed or off
Volume
LimiterOn/Off
Do Not
DisturbAlways On / User Selectable
MyKey
ReportOn/Off
Clear MyKeys Hold OK to Clear All MyKeys
*Some MyKey items will only appear if a MyKey is set.
Settings (cont’d)
Display Distance Miles & Gal.
km/L
L/100km
Gauge
DisplayFuel Gauge / Fuel + Tach
Language Select your applicable language — Hold
OK to Set
Temperature Fahrenheit (°F) / Celsius (°C)
120Information Displays
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

INFORMATION MESSAGES
Note:Depending on the vehicle options equipped with your vehicle, not
all of the messages will display or be available. Certain messages may be
abbreviated or shortened depending upon which cluster type you have.
Press the OK button to
acknowledge and remove some
messages from the information
display. Other messages will be
removed automatically after a short
time. Certain messages need to be
confirmed before you can access
the menus.
Message indicators:Some messages will be supplemented by a system
specific symbol.
Adaptive Cruise
Control MessagesAction / Description
Adaptive Cruise
MalfunctionDisplayed when a radar malfunction is
preventing the ACC from engaging.
Adaptive Cruise Not
AvailableDisplayed when conditions exist such that the
adaptive cruise cannot function properly.
Adaptive Cruise Not
Available Sensor
BlockedDisplayed when the radar is blocked because
of poor radar visibility due to bad weather or
ice/mud/water in front of radar. Driver can
typically clean the sensor to resolve.
AdvanceTrac® /
Traction Control
MessagesAction / Description
Service AdvanceTrac Displayed when the AdvanceTrac® system has
detected a condition that requires service.
Contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible.
Traction control off Displayed when the traction control has been
disabled by the driver.
Information Displays121
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

Sand
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 excessive wheel slip.
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 AWD Off will be displayed 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 will turn off and normal AWD function will return.
In the event the engine is not stopped, the AWD Off message will turn
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 driving at excessive speeds, this causes vehicle momentum to
work against you and your vehicle could 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.
All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)189
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

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, the axle lubricant and
PTU (power transfer unit) lubricant should be checked and changed if
necessary.
“Tread Lightly” is an educational
program designed to increase public
awareness of land-use regulations
and responsibilities in our nations
wilderness areas. Ford Motor
Company joins the U.S. Forest
Service and the Bureau of Land Management in encouraging you to help
preserve our national forest and other public and private lands by
“treading lightly.”
Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Note:Avoid driving crosswise or turning on steep slopes or hills. A
danger lies in losing traction, slipping sideways and possibly rolling over.
Whenever driving on a hill, determine beforehand the route you will use.
Do not drive over the crest of a hill without seeing what conditions are
on the other side. Do not drive in reverse over a hill without the aid of
an observer.
Although natural obstacles may make it necessary to travel diagonally up
or down a hill or steep incline, you should always try to drive straight up
or straight down.
When climbing a steep slope or hill, start in a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from a higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the engine and the possibility of stalling.
If you do stall out, do not try to turnaround because you might roll over.
It is better to back down to a safe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels to climb the hill. Too much
power will cause the tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting in loss of
vehicle control.
190All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
The traction control system helps avoid drive wheel spin and loss of
traction.
If your vehicle begins to slide, the system applies the brakes to individual
wheels and, when needed, reduces engine power at the same time. If the
wheels spin when accelerating on slippery or loose surfaces, the system
reduces engine power in order to increase traction.
USING TRACTION CONTROL
Note:If your vehicle is equipped with MyKey®, it is possible to prevent
turning the traction control system off. See theMyKeychapter.
In certain situations (for example, stuck in snow or mud), turning the
traction control off may be beneficial as this allows the wheels to spin
with full engine power. Turn the traction control system off by pressing
the stability control button located in the access door under the climate
controls on Taurus SHO models, or through the information display on
other models.
System indicator lights and messages
WARNING:If a failure has been detected within the
AdvanceTrac® system, the stability control light will illuminate
steadily. Verify that the AdvanceTrac® system was not manually
disabled through using the information display control. If the stability
control light still illuminates steadily, have the system serviced by an
authorized dealer immediately. Operating your vehicle with
AdvanceTrac® disabled could lead to an increased risk of loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death.
The stability control light temporarily illuminates on engine
start-up and flashes when a driving condition activates the
stability system.
The stability control off light temporarily illuminates on engine
start-up and stays on when the system is in sport mode, the
traction control system is turned off.
When the traction control system is turned off or on, a message appears
in the information display showing system status.
Traction Control195
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)