Ford Taurus Owner's Manual page 256

Driving
M (Manual)
With the gearshift lever in M
(Manual), the driver can change gears
up or down (without a clutch) as
desired. This is called SelectShift
Automatic™ transmission (SST)
mode. By moving the gearshift lever
from drive position D (Drive) to M
(Manual) you now have control of
selecting the gear you desire using the
paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
To return to normal D (Drive)
position, move the shift lever back
from M (Manual) to D (Drive). The
transmission will operate in gears one through six.
Paddle shifters
The paddle shifters allow you to shift gears quickly, without taking your
hands off the steering wheel.
1. To manually downshift the
transmission with the gearshift lever
in M (Manual), press the paddle
shifters forward.
2. To manually upshift the
transmission with the gearshift lever
in M (Manual), pull the paddle
shifters rearward.
Recommended shift speeds
Upshift according to the following chart:
Upshifts when accelerating (recommended for best fuel economy)
1 - 2
2 - 3
3 - 4
4 - 5
5 - 6
256
2012 Taurus
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA (fus)
Shift from:
15 mph (24 km/h)
25 mph (40 km/h)
40 mph (64 km/h)
45 mph (72 km/h)
50 mph (80 km/h)