Check Fluid Level and Condition
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2006 Mercury Montego and 2006 Ford Five Hundred. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
CAUTION:
The vehicle should not be driven if the fluid level indicator shows the fluid below the DO NOT DRIVE mark or internal failure could result.
If the vehicle has been operated for an extended period of time at highway speeds, in city traffic, in hot weather or while pulling a trailer, the fluid needs to cool down to obtain an accurate reading.
The fluid level reading on the fluid level indicator will differ depending on operating and ambient temperatures. The correct reading should be within the normal operating temperature range.