1996 Ford Taurus Owner's Manual - Page 122

NOTE: When driving uphill, especially with a heavy load, you may notice your speed decreasing even if you have the cruise control set. If the speed drops more than 8 to 14 mph (13-23 km/h) it is normal for the automatic cruise control feature to be cancelled. You may need to use the accelerator pedal to help your vehicle maintain the selected speed when driving up steep grades. Resetting the Cruise Control To reset the cruise control to a lower speed, use one of the following procedures: u COAST - Press and hold the COAST switch. Release the switch when the vehicle slows down to the desired speed. u Lightly tap the brake pedal. When the vehicle attains the desired speed, press the SET ACCEL switch and release it immediately. u TAP-DOWN - Press and then quickly release the COAST switch. Each time you "tap" the switch, the set speed will decrease by 1 mph (1.6 km/h). Multiple taps will cause the set speed to decrease in increments of 1 mph (1.6 km/h). For example, if the current set speed is 60 mph (96 km/h) 5 taps of the COAST switch will decrease the vehicle speed and SET it at 55 mph (88 km/h). If vehicle speed is reduced below 30 mph (50 km/h) by any of the above methods, then you must manually accelerate to a speed over 30 mph (50 km/h) and reset the system. 123