There can be different reasons why you might need to remove the fuel tank from your Ford Taurus vehicle. Even if you don't need to replace the tank, you might need to clean it out every year or two to improve fuel and engine performance. Removing the fuel tank can be a relatively simple procedure, but no form of auto maintenance or repair should be taken lightly.
The fuel tank needs to be almost to completely empty for you to remove it. Siphon out all excess fuel from the tank, depositing it into a clean gas can or other approved container. Never siphon gasoline out by mouth--always use a vacuum-based siphoning kit. Next, you must de-pressurize the fuel system. The Taurus comes with an inertia switch for this task, which is located in the trunk. Disconnect the electrical connector for this switch, then turn the engine on and wait for it to shut down on its own. Finally, disconnect the negative (black) cable from the car battery.
Raise the rear end of the vehicle on the side where the gas cap is. Aftermarket jack stands work much better than a stock jack included with the car. If you open the door to the fuel cap, there are three bolts on the flange surrounding the cap and filler neck. Remove these bolts to disconnect the filler neck from the flange. Working underneath the car, disconnect all fuel and vapor lines connected to the tank that you can reach. These should use quick-fit connectors, requiring you to depress their tabs. Disconnect the electrical connector for the fuel pump and sending unit. There is one more fitting you can disconnect right now--an evaporative emission connector in the upper right rear corner of the tank.
Use a floor jack to support the tank as you remove it. Place a block of wood on the jack before you raise it to prevent damaging the tank. With the jack raised and supporting the tank, remove the straps from the tank. They have bolts you can remove at the rear end and will swing back from their hinges. Lower the floor jack until you can reach the tank's pressure sensor. Disconnect this along with any other lines and electrical connectors that are still connected. Now slowly lower the jack until you can securely remove the tank.
