The 2002 Ford Taurus uses a liquid-cooled automatic transmission. Few things will damage the transmission more than operating it with an insufficient supply of transmission fluid. Not only will the transmission overheat, its seals and bearings will quickly wear out and the transmission will have to be rebuilt. Fortunately, checking the transmission fluid is a quick and easy process.
Drive the car for several miles or until the engine has reached its normal temperature, as indicated by the temperature gauge.
Position the vehicle on a flat surface, shift the transmission to the “Park” position and apply the parking brake.
Raise the hood and allow the vehicle to idle.
Withdraw the transmission’s dipstick. The dipstick features a T-shaped handle with the words “Trans. Fluid” stamped into the top of the handle.
Wipe the dipstick clean of any transmission fluid with a clean shop rag. As the vehicle is driven, transmission fluid may splash onto the dipstick, resulting in a false fluid level reading.
Insert the dipstick into its tube until the handle rests securely against the top of the tube, then withdraw the dipstick and note the fluid level. The fluid level should be at or just below the “Warm Full” mark stamped into the dipstick. If the level is low, fluid must be added.
Add Mercon V transmission fluid in small increments to avoid overfilling the transmission. Insert a funnel into the top of the dipstick tube, then pour the transmission fluid into the funnel, periodically checking the fluid level on the dipstick.
