1996 Ford Taurus Owner's Manual - Page 293

Air Filter To replace the engine air filter, unclip the two latches, separate the housing and remove the old filter. Wipe the interior of the housing clean before inserting the new filter. Lock the two latches. NOTE: Do not use oil-impregnated air filters. Filters other than the ones specified in this Owner Guide can cause engine damage. Your warranties may not apply if your vehicle is damaged because you used the wrong air filter. See Motorcraft parts in the Index. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Under normal circumstances, you do not need to check the fluid level of the transaxle, since your vehicle does not use up transaxle fluid. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule and Record booklet for replacement intervals. However, if the transaxle is not working properly - for instance, the transaxle may slip or shift slowly, or you may notice some sign of fluid leakage - the fluid level should be checked. Checking the Automatic Transaxle Fluid With the vehicle on a level surface and the brake pedal fully applied, start the engine and move the gearshift selector through all of the gears. Allow sufficient time for each position to engage. Securely latch the gearshift selector in the P (Park) position. Fully set the parking brake and leave the engine running. Wipe off the dipstick cap and pull the dipstick out. Wipe the indicator end clean. Put the dipstick back into the filler tube and make sure it is fully seated. Pull the dipstick out and read the fluid level. 296