Does a Ford Taurus - Mercury Sable have a radiator drain plug?

Answer 1

Yes it does, To access it:

Remove the lower valance panel that runs across the bottom of the frontend of the vehicle from the driver's side to the passenger's side. It is held on with three 8mm bolts and about a dozen 5.5mm screws. After you remove that, then you will see the bottom of the radiator where there is a drain cock on the driver's side. It looks like a plastic bolt and takes a 3/4 wrench to open it. Some models have one that can be twisted open by hand.

There are a dozen tips/tricks/hints in the "Related Question" below for finding and accessing the 1996 and newer Taurus/Sable radiator drain plug / petcock

when looking at the car from the front...it's at the bottom of the radiator on the driver's side.

Flushing and draining the radiator is important maintenance and prevents problems down the road such as clogged heater cores, blown headgaskets, and can help detect, or prevent water pump damage which can cause your vehicle to overheat.

:Buy a one inch hole saw from the hardware store, cost $2.00. Use it on a drill to make an access hole on the driver's side of the air dam underneath the radiator right where the drain plug protrudes down. Then use a socket wrench to turn the plug two turns counter clock-wise. It drains in about 10 minutes. The white drain plug can be seen from the front of the car just over the bumper on the driver's side.

Bill, I have a 1996 Ford Taurus GL and it indeed has a radiator drain plug. However, to drain it, there is a slight catch - (you saw this coming, right?) - you must remove about a gazillion screws and bolts from the "apron" underneath the front of the car and remove said "apron" to reach the drain plug on the driver's side. THEN you must use a socket wrench or hex wrench to open the plug(it's plastic-BE CAREFUL) and drain the radiator(make sure to open the radiator filler cap to relieve the vacuum created). While it's draining, go watch a video or something, it'll be awhile. Closing up the radiator is the reverse of all the above. I wish you luck. - Ted

Yes it has a drain plug but it can jam up if not used. It is far better to take off the bottom hose and point that into a large bucket to catch the coolant. While the coolant in the overflow looks like something from hell, the engine coolant in the radiator, engine block and heater cores looks good when I drained it. I just ran a lot of water through the block and the engine, started it up with the defrost on full for about 2 minutes to push some stuff out, then drained it and poured pure antifreeze in it. There is enough water left in the block to do the dilution....I checked it and got minus 34 so good enough up here

It's a pain in the butt, let me tell ya. There are two vent-type holes in the front of the car. Get a flashlight and look in the driver side one. move some tubes around and you'll see a plastic spigot type thing pointing down at an angle with a plastic knob underneath it. If you're lucky the thing won't be clogged. Attach a piece of tubing to the spigot and turn the knob (if that's not jammed). If it's clogged you're going to have to take the apron off the bottom of the car. On mine i just kept turning the knob and eventually the antifreeze started to come out from around it. It was slow going, but it worked. .

While it is indeed a pain, it only hurts the first time! To drain the radiator fast. Remove the lower cover underneath the front of the car. On the passenger side is a 1-1/4" hose connection. Disconnect here to drain fast. Otherwise, the radiator drain is on the bottom drivers side of the radiator. After carefully marking the location on the lower cover, then removing from the car, I used a hole-saw to cut a 1-1/2" hole directly under this drain plug. Now, I no longer have to remove the cover. A pair of needle nose pliers will reach the plug to unloosen. I also drilled a 1" hole slightly forward of this one for the angled drain. Which I slip a hose on to help direct the antifreeze draining..

It is easiest to pull the lower radiator hose. Be sure to save and dispose of the coolant according to epa instructions. A lot of parts houses will dispose of it for you. GoodluckJoe

The drain is located on the drivers side of the radiator. You have to remove the black apron to get to it. There were three bolts, and then 4 smaller screws holding it to the molding. There is more info here on this subject, as I originally found the answer to my question (which was similar to yours here).

I have a 97 Taurus, pretty much the same car. I have not found it. All I do to empty fluid (or orange water) locate the thermostat and hose the is clamped to it on the right side of the engine. Use some pliers to squeeze the clamp and move down about 3 or 4 inches. Pull hose off of thermostat housing and fold hose downward. Most of the fluid will empty from the radiator. As for the rest of the fluid. You can remove the thermostat housing and put water hose in the reservoir until clear water comes out of engine at housing that was just removed. When you reinstall, make sure you have a new gasket or you will have a leak, and use gasket glue to secure a tight fit. Make sure you clean out fluid frequently because the dirty water clogs your heater core and then you will have a large head ache.

Under the front of the sable is a water/dirt shield made of a plastic material that is bolted on with 4mm bolts ( about 8 )... there is also a single ( up to 3 ) 8mm bolt at the back of the shield that all need to be removed ( very easily done ) then remove the shield and you will see the bottom of the radiator assembly on the driver side of the car with a cream colored petcock valve and the outlet all pointing straight down. Open the fluid reservoir to help the discharge rate once you open the petcock.

There is a plastic protective panel/shroud you need to remove under the front end (some real tiny bolts near the bumper and three larger ones towards the engine) and you will see the draincock on the driver's side end of the radiator on the bottom (it's vertical, not horizontal). Recommend you cut a 2" x 2" hole in the panel for future access.

There is a piece of black trim under the front bumper that is attached with 4 Phillips screws, 5 or 6 5.5 mm screws and 3 or 4 8 mm screws . The trim piece, or cover, is over a foot wide and runs the entire width of the car. Remove the screws and bolts and you can access the drain petcock on the right hand (driver) side of the radiator . 19 mm head on the drain, which is an off-white plastic hex head on the underside of the radiator. (Note: some are attached with 5 7/32" head screws and 3 8mm head bolts. No Phillips screws at all.)

Remove the lower valance panel that runs across the bottom of the front end of the vehicle from the driver's side to the passenger's side. It is held on with three 8mm bolts and about a dozen 7/32 screws. After you remove that, then you will see the bottom of the radiator where there is a drain cock on the driver's side. It looks like a plastic bolt and takes a 3/4 wrench to open it.

Should be drain plug at lower radiator either at bottom or at rear may be hidden be lower hose or just remove lower hose

if i remember correctly its in the bottom of the radiator the under engine cover is in the way

:Yes, In order to access it you must first remove the air dam which is held to the bumper (on 1996-99's) by 5.5MM bolts and 3 SAE bolts (cannot remember the size. Will edit when i get it.) Once the lower air dam is removed the petcock can be seen, it simply unscrews to the left and drains out a spout.

Either at the bottom or rear of radiator

Drain radiator at bottom or rear of same

Remove the lower valance panel that runs across the bottom of the frontend of the vehicle from the driver's side to the passenger's side. It is held on with three 8mm bolts and about a dozen 5.5mm screws. After you remove that, then you will see the bottom of the radiator where there is a drain cock on the driver's side. It looks like a plastic bolt and takes a 3/4 wrench to open it. Some models have one that can be twisted open by hand.

There are a dozen tips/tricks/hints in the "Related Question" below for finding and accessing the 1996 and newer Taurus/Sable radiator drain plug / petcock

when looking at the car from the front...it's at the bottom of the radiator on the driver's side.

See "Related Questions" below for more

The radiator drain plug for a 2001 Taurus is located underneath the car on the bottom of the radiator on the driver side of the car. It is very hard to see and get to. You must first remove the plastic cover that is attached to your front bumper. Take it completely off, then look underneath the car on the driver side. On the bottom of the radiator you should notice a white plastic nut. It is easily removed with a 9/16 wrench.

This was a great answer and saved me a lot of time. The only difference was that on my 2001 Taurus SES with 3.0 Flex Fuel Engine was that the white plastic nut took a 3/4 wrench. Also, the plastic cover that's attached to the front bumper is also attached to the plastic fender wells with one screw per fender.

It is located at the bottom of the radiator on the driver's side of the vehicle. If you look straight up from the ground under the front of the car, you will see a black plastic panel that spans the distance form one side of the car to the other. This panel can be removed for easier access to the radiator petcock. The panel is held on with approximately eight to ten 7/32 (very small) screws, and three 5/16ths bolts. This car's petcock is not a wingnut type, but is plastic and in the shape of a bolt head, and will require a 3/4 inch wrench to loosen.

I would suggest you take it to a auto shop and have a flush done as draining the radiator really does little for you. There is still a large amount of the coolant in the engine and in the heater core that does not get changed and will contaminate your new coolant as soon as your thermostat opens. Also draining the radiator does not remove very much of the deposits that are built up in the system.

Check at the bottom of radiator perhaps under lower hose

See "Related Questions" below for more

The radiator drain plug for a 2001 Taurus is located underneath the car on the bottom of the radiator on the driver side of the car. It is very hard to see and get to. You must first remove the plastic cover that is attached to your front bumper. Take it completely off, then look underneath the car on the driver side. On the bottom of the radiator you should notice a white plastic nut. It is easily removed with a 9/16 wrench.

This was a great answer and saved me a lot of time. The only difference was that on my 2001 Taurus SES with 3.0 Flex Fuel Engine was that the white plastic nut took a 3/4 wrench. Also, the plastic cover that's attached to the front bumper is also attached to the plastic fender wells with one screw per fender.

It is located at the bottom of the radiator on the driver's side of the vehicle. If you look straight up from the ground under the front of the car, you will see a black plastic panel that spans the distance form one side of the car to the other. This panel can be removed for easier access to the radiator petcock. The panel is held on with approximately eight to ten 7/32 (very small) screws, and three 5/16ths bolts. This car's petcock is not a wingnut type, but is plastic and in the shape of a bolt head, and will require a 3/4 inch wrench to loosen.

I would suggest you take it to a auto shop and have a flush done as draining the radiator really does little for you. There is still a large amount of the coolant in the engine and in the heater core that does not get changed and will contaminate your new coolant as soon as your thermostat opens. Also draining the radiator does not remove very much of the deposits that are built up in the system.