Ford taurus 2013 Owner's Manual page 204

204 All-Wheel Drive (If Equipped)
Service and the Bureau of Land Management in encouraging you to help
preserve our national forest and other public and private lands by
"treading lightly."
Driving on Hilly or Sloping Terrain
Note: Avoid driving crosswise or turning on steep slopes or hills. A
danger lies in losing traction, slipping sideways and possibly rolling over.
Whenever driving on a hill, determine beforehand the route you will use.
Do not drive over the crest of a hill without seeing what conditions are
on the other side. Do not drive in reverse over a hill without the aid of
an observer.
Although natural obstacles may make it necessary to travel diagonally up
or down a hill or steep incline, you should always try to drive straight up
or straight down.
When climbing a steep slope or hill, start in a lower gear rather than
downshifting to a lower gear from a higher gear once the ascent has
started. This reduces strain on the engine and the possibility of stalling.
If you do stall out, do not try to turnaround because you might roll over.
It is better to back down to a safe location.
Apply just enough power to the wheels to climb the hill. Too much
power will cause the tires to slip, spin or lose traction, resulting in loss of
vehicle control.
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, therefore apply the brakes steadily. Do
not "pump" the brakes.
2013 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 2nd Printing
USA (fus)
"Tread Lightly" is an educational
program designed to increase public
awareness of land-use regulations
and responsibilities in our nations
wilderness areas. Ford Motor
Company joins the U.S. Forest
Descend a hill in the same gear you
would use to climb up the hill to
avoid excessive brake application
and brake overheating. Do not
descend in neutral; instead,
disengage overdrive or manually
shift to a lower gear. When
descending a steep hill, avoid
sudden hard braking as you could
lose control. The front wheels have
to be turning in order to steer the
vehicle.