Shock absorbers are designed to keep the car’s tires in contact with the road, even in the bumpiest conditions. Over time, shock absorbers can wear out, or the hydraulic fluid inside can leak out through a ruptured seal. According to shock absorber manufacturers, the average shock absorber will only last approximately 45,000 miles before it should be replaced. The shocks on the Ford Taurus are no different, although Ford Motor Company has no set recommendation for shock replacement. If your Taurus needs new rear shocks, you can perform the job yourself in under an hour.
Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts on both sides.
Remove the access cover over the shock and use the socket set to loosen the top nut holding the shock in place.
Jack up the rear of the Taurus using the floor jack and place the jack stands under the rear control arms. Lower the car onto the jack stands and slide the floor jack out of the way.
Use the socket set to remove the nut and washer from the bolt holding the bottom of the left shock to the suspension. You may need to place a box wrench on the opposite side of the mounting bolt to hold it still while you remove the nut.
Remove the top nut that you loosened in step 2. You can now remove the shock by hand.
Insert the new shock up through the mount at the top and into the bracket on the bottom and reattach the mounting bolts and nuts in reverse of how you removed them.
Repeat the shock removal and replacement on the other side and then lower the Taurus back to the ground.
