Readiness For Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) Testing - Ford 2008 Taurus Owner's Manual

Maintenance and Specifications
2. Poor fuel quality or water in the fuel—the engine may misfire or run
poorly.
3. The fuel cap may not have been securely tightened. See Fuel filler
cap in this chapter.
4. Driving through deep water—the electrical system may be wet.
These temporary malfunctions can be corrected by filling the fuel tank
with good quality fuel, properly tightening the fuel cap or letting the
electrical system dry out. After three driving cycles without these or any
other temporary malfunctions present, the Service engine soon
indicator should stay off the next time the engine is started. A driving
cycle consists of a cold engine startup followed by mixed city/highway
driving. No additional vehicle service is required.
If the Service engine soon
serviced at the first available opportunity. Although some malfunctions
detected by the OBD-II may not have symptoms that are apparent,
continued driving with the Service engine soon
result in increased emissions, lower fuel economy, reduced engine and
transmission smoothness, and lead to more costly repairs.

Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) testing

Some state/provincial and local governments may have
Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this inspection could prevent
you from getting a vehicle registration. Your vehicle may not pass the I/M
test if the Service engine soon
properly (bulb is burned out), or if the OBD-II system has determined
that some of the emission control systems have not been properly
checked. In this case, the vehicle is considered not ready for I/M testing.
If the Service engine soon
work, the vehicle may need to be serviced. Refer to the On board
diagnostics (OBD-II) description in this chapter.
If the vehicle's engine or transmission has just been serviced, or the
battery has recently run down or been replaced, the OBD-II system may
indicate that the vehicle is not ready for I/M testing. To determine if the
vehicle is ready for I/M testing, turn the ignition key to the ON position
for 15 seconds without cranking the engine. If the Service engine
soon indicator blinks eight times, it means that the vehicle is not
ready for I/M testing; if the Service engine soon
solid, it means that the vehicle is ready for I/M testing.
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2008 Taurus (500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA (fus)
indicator remains on, have your vehicle
indicator on can
indicator is on or not working
indicator is on or the bulb does not
indicator stays on