Mercury Sable

The coolant overflow reservoir is on the left-side (passenger) of the engine compartment.

A white plastic container with a large black screw-on cap.

There's a terrific engine compartment illustration in the Owners Manual highlighting this, and lots of other parts an owner should be familiar with - like the washer solvent fill, oil dipstick, etc.

For handy electronic copies of any Ford product Owners Manual, at least since 1996, see "Related Questions" below

See "Related Questions" below for more

• Front brakes are disc brakes - a caliper that pushed on 2 brake pads squeezing the bejeebers outta the 'rotor'
  
  
• Brake pad material - organic, metallic, semi-metallic & ceramic. $20-70
  My choice is to the ceramic - primarily due to long life and no brake dust on the wheels! Well worth the few extra $$
  
  
• Rotors - the large disc that mounts to the hub with the lugnuts sticking out of it, and the pads press against.
  Rotors can be re-surfaced to remove grooves and imperfections that occur through normal usage. This typically costs $15-20 per rotor.
  
  There's a big IF to this though: the rotor has to have enough metal left to be thick enough to have some ground away, and still be safe from collapsing. The parts store will measure the old rotor and determine if they can re-surfaced/machined.
  
  New Rotors - cost anywhere from $20-80 or so. Cheaper rotors will not last as long, don't dissipate heat as well as the top-of-the-line rotors, and well may 'warp' after only a year or two.
  
  
• Taurus/Sable rear brakes come in 2 types:
• • Drum-type* - 2 "shoes" being pushed outwards onto the Inside sides of the brake drum.
    Not the easiest of repair jobs - not hard, just sometimes a bear dealing getting the old drum off and working with the springs and remembering how they hook up.
    
    Drums also can be machined/ re-surfaced. Again, the shop will measure and advise if it can be done safely.
    
  • Disc Brakes -
    See above description - totally applicable
    NOTE: the biggest challenge/problem you will encounter is dealing with the emergency brake cable. It's very very spring loaded and will be a pain to disconnect, and an even bigger pain to hook onto the new caliper.
    
    
    
    
• Brake Pictures & diagrams - there are online sources of picture from places like Autozone.com's Repair Guide.
  
  Here's my advice: if you're taking on the brake jobs, it is likely you're going to be handling other repairs on your Windstar.
  
  With that in mind: buy a good Chiltons or Haynes repair/service manual. One of the best $20 investments you'll make in keeping your Windstar happy and healthy.
  
  
• When to change the brakes -
  
• • Inspection - front brake pads are the easiest to get a look at just behind the wheel. With a flashlight and turning the wheels to each extreme, you should be able to see how much brake pad material is left.
    
    
  • GRINDING! - This means you've gone too long and the brake material is gone so the brakes are the dreaded metal-on-metal.
    With no brake pad/shoe left, the brakes are NOT very good at stopping your vehicle.
    This is also gouging the rotor or drum metals and guaranteeing your rotor / drum is going to have to be replaced - no chance for have them reconditioned.
    
    
  • Screeching - whining sounds - could be caused by the wear indicator - a thin piece of metal that will hit the rotor when the pads are worn down and will soon be needing replacing.
    
    
  • Hard pedal - having to press the pedal really hard to get the brakes to slow the vehicle down.
    One cause is that the braking surfaces - pads/shoes/rotors - are glazed. Although glazing is great on doughnuts, it's a very bad thing on brakes. Glazed surfaces severely compromise the friction needed for brakes to work. This can happen even when there is a lot of brake pad / shoe material left.
    Likely to have to replace pads/shoes and resurface the rotor/drum
    
    
  • Vibrating/pulsating brake pedal - different from the rapid pulsations that you feel when the ABSsystem is active in wet or icy conditions.
    Pulsating, or the pedal moving up-n-down, varies with vehicle speed - The "moving up and down" is then likely to be caused by unevenly worn rotors/pads.
    
    This is not UNcommon as it gets closer to time for a brake job, and tells you the rotor is warping. The brakes are a very very HOT operation and the rotor can warp due to the heat and/or cheap materials or construction.
    
    Have inspected - checked if they can be resurfaced/turned, more likely they'll have to be replaced.
    
    
  • Squishy or soft brake pedal - This means there is AIR in the brake system! Not good!
    This air must be removed from the system - known as "bleeding the brakes". May not require brake parts to be replaced.
    
    
    
    

There's something wrong with the pump - and the only way to fix it is to take it out.

It might be something as simple as the pick-up being bent or interfered with.

See "Related Questions" below for more

• Dropping the transmission pan will drain only 5-6 quarts of fluid. This leaves another 6 or so quarts in the torque converter, transmission lines, trans cooler (if equipped), and the radiator side-tank for trans fluid cooling.
• The information below focuses on performing a fluid flush - that will result in a 100% fluid exchange.
• Some experts discourage a full fluid flush on transmissions that have not had regular fluid change maintenance.
• Mercon V is the only Ford recommended fluid for all Taurus/Sables model years
• See "Related Questions" below for standard filter/fluid change procedures

According to Mitchells (Service manuals mechanics use) do the following. Obtain 3 gallons of Mercon V trans fluid. (NOT regular mercon- youll burn up the trans relatively fast). No need to drop pan. Disconnect cooler line from trans to radiator (you want the output from trans to rad,don't remember which is which) Put end of hose into large capacity container,and start engine. 2to3 quarts of fluid will drain out. Put 9 Quarts of new fluid into trans. (Yes ,it's way overfilled, but don't worry) Start engine,and run shifter through Drive and Reverse,pausing about 2 seconds in each, then return to Park. Have someone watch fluid flow so you can stop engine as soon as it stops. Reconnect cooler line,add 2 quarts new fluid,start engine until warm, run shifter through ALL gears,check for leaks,check fluid level,add more if needed. (may need up to 1 more quart)You have essentially flushed out all 11-12 quarts(!) of old fluid. Trans has no real filter, just a screen. Did this with a 98 and a 95.

Sort of like above, but I really think you should change the filter: Just changed on a 2001 v-6 Taurus (USE MERCON V). Since the transmission holds over 12 qts, you need to flush over 12 qts out of the transmission. First is to change the filter and then add at least 5 qts. Once this is done, open the hood. On the front drivers side of the engine/transmission, you will see two lines that come out and attach to the passenger side of the radiator. Disconnect the lower line from where it comes out of the engine/transmission (I used a 13/16 wrench, you might be able to also just un-hook the line, but I couldn't get it unhooked, was just easier to unbolt it). Take a length of hose and put over that line and run to a bucket (to collect the transmission fluid that is going to squirt out). Start the car (best to have an assistant) and add transmission fluid while the fluid is squirting out of that hose/line you disconnected. You'll want about 8 quarts to come out of that hose. Once you have about 8 qts into the bucket, stop the car. Hopefully you've added about 6 or 7 qts while you had the car running. Hook the line back up and then add fluid until it's at least at the bottom of the dipstick. Start the car, apply the brake and shift through the gears. Put in park, check the fluid level again. Add fluid until it shows on the lower part of the dipstick crosshairs. Now you need to warm up the transmission - go easy on it, get it warm (a 10 min drive would probably work), check the fluid level again while the car is idling in park. Bring the fluid into the crosshairs of the dipstick. Check the level again over the next day or so when the car is hot. CAUTION, if the fluid is too high, turn off the car, take a length of hose and put down the filler tube. Put your finger over the end of the hose (creates a suction) draw out the hose and you should have removed some fluid. Keep doing until until you get the fluid to the correct height.

I have a 1996 Taurus and it doesn't have a drain plug. I have over 220,000 miles on my Taurus because I keep its maintenance up to date. There is the transmission pan directly behind the pan where you drain the oil. It has a series of small bolts you have to take out.

First of all, you need to put a drain pan under your transmission pan. You should loosen one side of the transmission pan and then proceed to take the bolts out of the opposite side. As you are doing this, transmission fluid will start to drain out into the drip pan you placed under it. You might have to pry the pan slightly apart with a small screwdriver to get it to loosen up somewhat. Keep draining the fluid until eventually you can take the entire pan off. There is a filter inside you will need to replace and it is recommended you replace the gasket on the pan as well. Put it all back together and it will take approximately 5 to 6 quarts of transmission fluid to start with. Good luck! Just answered this a short time ago See same question higher up list for answer.One thing- You MUST use Mercon V fluid in 97 and newer- Never type F or Mercon III.

Mercon III CAN be used with a supplemental additive, trans shops may have it.