Your transmission cooling tank is leaking into the radiator.Any oil in the cooling system will dramaticlly lower the cooling capabilities of your radiator.Replace rad. and flush coolig sys with cleaner.
If is oil then you have a bad intake manifold gasket. If it is transmission fluid then the cooling tank in the radiator is bad.
The transmission fluid for the 2000-2004 Taurus is MERCON V.
How much transmission fluid does a 2001 ford Taurus need
It is important to maintain the quantity of the transmission fluid of a 1997 Ford Taurus. The transmission fluid capacity of this vehicle is 13.3 quarts.
Bad radiator fluid.
How many quarts of transmission fluid does a 2004 Taurus 3.0 OHV require when draining transmission and replacing filter
It is important to keep fluids from leaking from a car. Excessive transmission fluid would be coming out of the overflow because there is too much fluid in the transmission, or because the seal has become worn.
Coolant is added to the overflow bottle instead of the radiator. The overflow bottle will allow fluid to fill over into the radiator.
The same place you check the transmission fluid
To remove the overflow bottle of a ford escort 1993 you need to: 1. Unbolt the PS fluid reservoir and move it out of the way. Don't take any of the hoses off. 2. Disconnect the electrical plug on the coolant overflow bottle. 3. Remove the overflow bottle mounting bolts. Lift the bottle, disconnect the overflow hose and take out the overflow bottle.
The 2002 Ford Taurus Owner Guide shows : Motorcraft MERCON-V automatic transmission fluid
If you over fill your transmission fluid, you might blow out the transmission seals. It is most likely that some fluid will overflow, but no damage will occur.