The Air conditioner on your 2001 Taurus blows cold air for a short time then all you get is hot air How do you check to see if you need to recharge it?

Purchase and inexpensive recharging kit from the parts store... add coolant while the vehicle is running and after you recharge it turn the motor off and you night be able to hear a leak... if not then start with a recharge kit that has the florescent dye in it and that might help finding the leak... more than likely there is a leak...