Body Product Changes TSB 96-26-1

96-26-1, Publication Date: DECEMBER 16, 1996

FORD:

1997 TAURUS SHO, TAURUS

LINCOLN-MERCURY:

1997 SABLE

ISSUE:

There have been product revisions to Taurus, Sable and Taurus SHO models for 1997. Awareness of these changes will increase the dealer's ability to "Fix It Right The First Time On Time," and help avoid submitting inappropriate misbuilt vehicle claims, as well as explain to customers the features on their vehicles.

ACTION:

Refer to the following 1997 Product Changes for Taurus, Sable and Taurus SHO.

1997 PRODUCT CHANGES - TAURUS/SABLE AND TAURUS SHO

1. GL wheel cover locking pedestal which attaches to the wheel has been deleted.

2. Outside front door handle activated interior dome light (illuminated entry feature) is no longer available.

NOTE:

REMOTE ENTRY EQUIPPED VEHICLES WILL ACTIVATE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT WITH USE OF KEY FOB OR KEY PAD. NON-REMOTE ENTRY EQUIPPED VEHICLE'S DOME LIGHT WILL SHUT OFF WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED.

3. Six-passenger model (column shift) glove compartment door damper has been deleted.

4. Rear seat fold-down armrest is no longer available on GL and GS models.

5. All models have the 2-way (up and down) head rest. High series (LX, LS, SHO) pivot 4-way head rests have been deleted.

6. Lighted pull down mirror (in sun visor) has been replaced by a lighted flip-up mirror for high series models.

7. Power lumbar on the passenger seat is no longer available.

8. The secondary visor on the high series will no longer be available as of February 1997.

9. Heated mirrors are no longer standard.

10. On floor shift (5-passenger) models, the PRNDL gear selector indicator located on the instrument cluster has been deleted.

11. The lamp outage and low washer fluid indicators are no longer available.

12. Black paint has been deleted from rear lower control arms.

13. The front door trim panel courtesy lamps have been replaced with a red reflector.

14. Rear seat fold-down (60/40 seat back) passenger compartment release has been deleted on the G model. The releases located in the trunk on the seat backs are still functional.

15. G series remote trunk release button is no longer available.

16. G series mesh pockets on the back of the front seats has been deleted.

17. SHO leather steering wheel is common with LX.

18. The chrome tailpipes on the LX and LS are no longer available.

19. The interior front and rear door trim panels no longer have a plastic cap covering the screw in the pull cup.

20. The snap ring on the lower ball joint has been eliminated. There will still be a groove in the ball joint for the snap ring but the ring will not be installed.

21. The JBL sound system has been replaced with the MACH Audio System which does not require a center-mounted sub-woofer under the package tray.

22. The MACH Audio System is CD-compatible. The high level Electronic Automatic Temperature Control (EATC) Integrated Control Panel (ICP) contains the controls for the Compact Disc Disc Jockey (CDDJ), even if the vehicle is not ordered with it. The CDDJ can be added to the system at a later time if desired by the customer. The CDDJ can be mounted to the vehicle and connected to the Rear Control Unit (RCU) with a jumper harness. After November 1996, all audio systems will be CD-compatible, with the CD controls in the ICP and RCU, except for the base (i.e., non-cassette) system. If the CD button is depressed on a vehicle without the CDDJ installed, the ICP will display "NO DJ." On vehicles with the CDDJ installed, the ICP will display "NO CD" if there is no CD in the magazine or the magazine is not in the DJ.

NOTE:

THE CDDJ IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH ALL FORD CD MAGAZINES. BE SURE TO USE ONLY THE MAGAZINES WITH F6DF PREFIX (ENGINEERING PART NUMBER LOCATED ON THE MAGAZINE) PART NUMBER IN TAURUS, SABLE AND SHO. ANY OTHER MAGAZINES WILL JAM IN THE MECHANISM.

23. The Sable illuminated Mercury symbol ("flying M") located at the front grille opening no longer illuminates with the headlights. This change occurred mid-May 1996.