1990 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP ON THE LEFT POSITION WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, IT STALLED, AND EVERYTHING CUT OFF. NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES SO FAR.*AK *YH

WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN I ASKED THE SERVICE REP. IF THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT HE HAD SEEN IT BEFORE AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL BUT THAT IT WAS FOR THE 93. I LOOKED UP THE RECALL AND SAW THAT IT WAS FOR 88-92 MODELS SOLD OR REGISTERED IN 14 STATES (BUT NOT VA). I CALLED FORD'S 800 NUMBER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED, BUT THAT A MANAGER WOULD CALL ME IN 24 HOURS (NO CALL TO DATE). I TALKED TO THE A DIFFERENT SERVICE REP (J. MORRISON) WHO TOLD ME MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL AND THAT THERE WAS NO ONE TO TALK TO, NO REGIONAL SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. WHEN I PICKED MY CAR UP, I TALKED TO A THIRD SERVICE REP. WHO TOLD ME THERE IS A REGIONAL REP, BUT THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW THE NAME AND SUGGESTED I CALL FORD. NO ONE WILL TELL ME THE BASIS FOR WHY MY CAR WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL EVENTHOUGH IT EXHIBITED THE SAME EXACT DEFECT AND WAS REPAIRED IN THE SAME EXACT MANNER IF IT HAD BEEN RECALLED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 65MPH UP ON A VERY STEEP HILL VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN,AND THE GAS PEDAL STUCK WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, AND THAT DIDN'T HELP. SO CONSUMER SHIFTED TRANSMISSION DOWN TO A LOWER GEAR. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN WHEN DRIVING DOWN A STREET, VEHICLE JUST STARTED ACCELERATING, NO WARNING. *AK

TRANSMISSION CAN'T TAKE HILLS, TRANSMISSION HAS TO BARE DOWN GOING UP HILL, AND TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKS AROUND MAIN SEAL. THIS WILL BLEED TRANSMISSION DRY. CONSUMER HAD IT TOWED TO A TRANSMISSION COMPANY, AND HAD IT REBUILT AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. THEN 6 MONTHS LATER, TRANMISSION FLUID IS LEAKING OUT AGAIN.*AK CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A LOSS OF HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONER. WINDHSHIELD WIPERS WORK POORLY. DRIVER SEATBELT IS DEFECTIVE. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. *SLC

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION HAS EXTENDED SHIFTS EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. IT RECENTLY BEGAN DOWNSHIFTING HARD, AND UPSHIFTS VERY QUICKLY, SOMETIMES ROUGHLY UNDER MODERATE ACCELERATION. THE MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE SINCE PURCHASE IN 1996.*AK

THE EGR SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *SLC

WHILE COASTING VEHICLE WILL STALL. THERE ARE NO BRAKES OR STEERING WHEN THIS HAPPENS.*AK

HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 98V323000 IN FEBRUARY. CONTACTED DEALER. WAS INFORMED PARTS FOR SUBFRAME NOT AVAILABLE. HAS BEEN CHECKING OFF & ON SINCE MARCH FOR THE PARTS. DEALER IS WAITING FOR PARTS FROM MANUFACTURER. OWNER DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE BODY MOUNTS BECAME DETACHED FORM THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE MOTOR TO DROP. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE MAKE, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. MJS

SUB FRAME MOUNT ON DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED. FOR PAST FEW WEEKS I NOTICED INCREASING NOISES/CLUNKING NOISES FROM DRIVER'S SIDE UNDERNEATH MY FEET. THIS WEEK THE STEERING BECAME VERY "STIFF" WITH LEFT HAND TURNS. I WAS INFORMED TODAY BY MY MECHANIC THAT THE PROBLEM CAME FROM A BROKEN SUB FRAME MOUNT. HE ADVICED ME TO TAKE THE CAR IMMEDIATLY TO A FORD DEALER WHICH I AM DOING. THANK YOU

I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE JAN 1994; IT HAD 78,000 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT. IN THE LAST YEAR I HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH NO RESOLUTION. FRONT CENTER SEAT BELT BUCKLE BUTTON REMAINS DEPRESSED AND WILL NOT RETURN TO THE TOP POSITION MAKING IT UNUSEABLE AS A RESTRAINT. TAILGATE LATCH HAS BROKEN OFF DEEP INSIDE THE DOOR AND WILL NO LONGER LATCH. CATALYTIC CONVERTER "RAM'S HORN" BURNED OUT IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR; STARTED ENGINE AND BARELY AVOIDED SERIOUS ENGINE FIRE AS RESULT OF CONVERTER FAILURE. CAR SURGES WHEN IDLING, CAUSING IT TO LUNGE BACK AND FORTH SO HARD IT IS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED; WINSHIELD WIPERS STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD WHEN USING INTERMITTENT WIPE; A YEAR AGO WIPER MOTOR BURNED OUT AND WAS REPLACED. HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION WORKED ON THREE TIMES IN THREE YEARS. LED INDICATOR ON STEREO BURNED OUT 1 YEAR AFTER CAR WAS PURCHASED. ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE FAILED-ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE CONTINUOUS DESPITE $3,000.00 + IN ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THEM. ALSO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE RADIATOR, AS WELL AS BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT TRANSAXLES ON FRONT OF VEHICLE IN AUGUST 1999. FREEZE PLUGS ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. CAR CURRENTLY "STORED" IN MY DRIVEWAY, AS I CANNOT AFFORD TO PUT ANY MORE $ INTO USELESS REPAIRS ON THIS VEHICLE.

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THE BOLT CAME OUT OF THE SUBFRAME, AND CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM VEHICLE. ALSO, STEERING WENT OUT. *AK

THE LEFT FRONT FIRESTONE FR680 TIRE (P205/65R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, IN OCTOBER 2000, THE FRONT END EXPERIENCED VIBRATION AT SPEEDS FROM 35MPH TO 60MPH, THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT THE FIRESTONE TIRES BE REPLACED. *SLC

STEERING FLUID KEPT LEAKING OIL, HAD PUMPS AND HOSES REPLACED, AND DEALER STILL COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. COMING AROUND A CURVE ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE SEEMED LIKE IT DIDN'T WANT TO TURN IN PROPER DIRECTION CONSUMER WAS GOING. CONSUMER WAS PUTTING POWER STEERING FLUID IN FREQUENTLY, CONSUMER SAID IT WAS VERY SCARY ON THE HIGHWAY.*AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN COLLISION AT 40 MPH AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER OBTAINED MINOR INJURIES. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

HEATER CORE FAILED CAUSING SMOKE. MJS

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH WHEN HE WAS AT A CURVE, TRIED TO STEER TO THE LEFT, BUT STEERING WAS STUCK AND CONSUMER HIT A LIGHT POLE. VEHICLE IS AT MECHANIC SHOP. *AK

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED DEALERSHIP PROBLEMS TRYING TO GET RECALL WORK PERFORMED(NOTICE SENT FEB-99)(98V-323) NOT COMPLETED WHEN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE. MJS

WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH MOTOR MOUNTS CAME OFF, CAUSING POWER STEERING TO GO OUT AND VEHICLE WOULD ONLY TURN TO THE RIGHT DUE TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID THAT LEAKED OUT. CONSUMER HAD TO GET THE VEHICLE TOWED. *AK

SEAT BELT BUCKLE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE DOES NOT LATCH. MANUFACTURE/DEALER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 92V113000 INTERIOR SYSTEMS: ACTIVE RESTRAINTS BELT BUCKLES. *AK

THE FRONT MOUNTS ARE CORRODING & RUSTING & NEEDED REPLACING. HAS RECEIVED RECALL FOR REAR SUB-FRAME MOUNTS, BUT NOTHING FOR FRONT. *AK

WE ORDERED THIS CAR NEW IN 1990 WITH GREAT ENTHUSIASUM. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A PERFECT CAR FOR MY WIFE TO DO HER DAILY DRIVING IN WHICH AVERAGES ABOUT 10 MILES. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE FAILED FOUR TIMES SINCE WE HAVE OWNED THIS CAR.FORD HAS REPLACED THESE MOUNTS 3TIMES UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE FOURTH TIME I PAID $356.00 FOR THEIR REPLACEMENT.NOW ONCE MORE I AM HEARING THAT FAMILAR CLUNK WHICH MEANS THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS NEED REPLACEMENT AGAIN.THESE MOUNTS HAVE FAILED SINCE 12/29/93, 5/20/94, 7/17/95, AND O5/8/97. FORD REPLACED THE MOUNTS THE FIRST THREE TIMES UNDER WARRANTY,THE FORTH TIME I HAD TO HAVE THEM REPAIRED,IT COST $356. I CALLED FORD ABOUT THIS PRBBLEM,AND ASK IF THIS SHOULD BE STILL BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THIS IS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM AND I WAS TOLD NO. HOPEFULLY,THIS PROBLEM CAN BE RESOLVED. THANK YOU RUDY MARTELL. *AK

OUTER TIE ROD END WOULD COME OUT OF RUBBER BUSHINGS & SEPARATE. THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON 1-WAY STREET ANOTHER VEHICLE APPEARED ON DRIVER'S SIDE & WAS BROADSIDED. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

SUBFRAME BOLT BROKE CAUSING SUBFRAME TO DROP AND DIFFICULT STEERING, DEALER REFUSED RECALL REPAIR DUE TO VIN. 98V-323 NM

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ENTIRE REAR WINDOW OF THE STATION WAGON SUDDENLY SHATTERED, ALTHOUGH NOTHING HAD HIT THE CAR. THE WINDOW LITERALLY EXPLODED INTO MANY TINY PIECES, WHICH SCATTERED ALL OVER THE CAR INSIDE. OUR BABY WAS IN THE BACK SEAT, BUT LUCKILY NO GLASS HIT HIM. THE WINDOW WAS ENTIRELY DESTROYED. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS SOME DEFECT WITH THE REAR WINDOW WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 55MPH, THE REAR WINDOW OF THE CAR SUDDENLY SHATTERED AND EXPLODED SMALL PIECES OF GLASS ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF THE REAR OF THE CAR, WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS IMPACT OR OBJECT HITTING THE CAR. A CHILD WAS IN THE REAR SEAT NEAR THE AREA OF THE SHATTERED GLASS, BUT LUCKILY WAS NOT INJURED. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF THE GLASS SHATTERING, NOTHING HIT THE CAR TO BREAK THE GLASS. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DEFECT OF SOME TYPE IN THE ORIGINAL WINDSHIELD.

DRIVER LEAVING SERVICE CENTER PARKING LOT, AFTER VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. WHILE PULLING OUT OF PARKING SPACE, WITH FOOT STILL ON BRAKE, CAR RAPIDLY ACCELERATED, LUNGED FORWARD AT FULL SPEED, HITTING TWO OTHER PARKED VEHICLES IN THE LOT. VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP DESPITE FULL APPLICATION OF BRAKES. WAS ABLE TO PUT CAR INTO REVERSE, AND THEN SHIFT TO PARK.

THE MOUNTS, SUPPORTING TRANSMISSION/ENGINE, KEEP BREAKING. THE MOUNTS BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST 5 DIFFERENT TIMES DUE TO BREAKING. HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOR SUBFRAME (98V323000). *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT THE MODULE WENT OUT. ALSO WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD BE FLASHING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE TO THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. AT FIRST, CONSUMER HAD CONTROL BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, AND CONSUMER HAD TO STEP ON THE BRAKES AGAIN, THEN PROBLEM HAD STOPPED. *AK

THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO ON WHILE DRIVING. IT IS VERY HAZARDOUS TO ME AND OTHER TRAFFIC. THIS PROBLEM HAS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *AK

SINCE MID 1997, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL REGULARLY. THEY USUALLY WORK, BUT OCCATIONALLY, THEY WILL STOP, OR SLOW DOWN TO AN UNUSABLE SPEED. SOMETIMES THIS CAN BE FIXED BY TURNING THEM OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN. SOMETIMES THIS DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I NOTIFIED FORD OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY SAID THEY WILL NOT PAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM, AS IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I BELIVE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, SINCE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAN STOP UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING IN STORMY WEATHER. THIS CAUSES SUDDEN LOSS OF VISIBILITY.

WHEN YOU TURN THE WIPERS OFF, WITH THE IGNITION ON OR OFF, THEY STICK STRAIGHT UP INSTEAD OF DOWN UNDER HOOD. SEVERAL DEALERS TOLD ME THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD. I BEG TO DIFFER IT BLOCKS VISION AND IS NO DOUBT A HAZZARD. SEVERAL TECHS DENIED EVER HEARING OF PROBLEM, SOME ADMITTED IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE SEEN FOUR OTHER CARS WITH WIPERS UP, THREE HAVE BEEN TAURUSES, SO I KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM.I HAVE READ SEVERAL NEWS PAPER ARTICLES ON FORD AND GM WIPER PROBLEMS SO I FEEL A RECALL IS WARRANTED AND I SHOULD GET MY $168 BACK. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS HAS NOT CAUSED ANY ACCIDENTS YET?

FORD NOT RESPONDING. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH BODY: MEMBERS AND FRAME. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR RECALL NUMBER 93V106002, AND YET THE VEHICLE THE IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

THERE IS A KNOCKING /CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. ALSO, STEERING IS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY, AND VEHICLE IS STALLING WHENEVER CONSUMER TRIES TO START VEHICLE UP. *AK

WHILE HAVING THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED AT A PRIVATE SHOP, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ENGINE MOUNTS WERE CORRODED. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *ML

NO SUMMARY

ON NOVEMBER 20, 1998, I HAD WORK DONE ON MY CAR AT SHEEHY FORD COSTING $1100. THE NEXT DAY THE CAR DIED WHILE BEING DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY. KEN REED AT SHEEHY FORD SAID IT WOULD COST $3000 4000 TO REPAIR AN ENGINE BEARING PROBLEM. MY HUSBAND AND I HAD SPENT $4000 FOR CAR REPAIRS IN 1998-ON 2/23 WATERPUMP REPLACEMENT, INSPECTION OF FUEL SYSTEM HOSES AND TUBES, ON 3/18 FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT, 6/12 NEW PFE SENSOR, 8/13 REPLACEMENT ALTERNATOR AND REGULATOR,COOLING FAN AND FUSIBLE LINK , 8/14 REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND INTERGRATED CONTROL MODULE, 11/11 OIL CHANGE AND MULTIPOINT INSPECTION AND ON 11/20/98 ANOTHER OIL CHANGE AS WELL AS GASKETS, SEALS, HOSES THERMOSTAT ON THIS DATE. SHEEHY FORD REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR PART OF THE MONIES SPENT ON 11/20 OR PROVIDE FREE WORK ON OUR OTHER CAR A FORD EXPLORER IN LIEU OF CASH. I CONTACTED MONTGOMERY COUNTY DIVISION OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, AND THEN, THE STATE OF MARYLAND CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION. SHEEHY FORD REFUSED TO ARBITRATE AND NEITHER DIVISION COULD PROVE SHEEHY WAS AT FAULT. I HAD INITIALLY CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS REFERRED TO MY DEALER. AFTER DEALING WITH THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICES , I WROTE A LETTER TO JAC NASSER, CEO OF FORD. ABOUT 6 WEEKS LATER IN MARCH 1999, I DID GET A CALL FROM A FORD REP WHO REFUSED COMPENSATION BECAUSE I HAD DONATED THE CAR JANUARY 31, 1999 SINCE IT WAS NOT DRIVEABLE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO AUTOMATION INC. ON 1/25/99 AND WAS TOLD THE CAR NEEDED NO LESS THAN A CRANK KIT, ESTIMATE $12-15,000. I BELIEVE THAT WHATEVER SHEEHY FORD DID TO MY CAR ON 11/20/98 CAUSED BY CAR TO STOP RUNNING FOREVER ON 11/21. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED TO A CAR WITH 65,510 MILES THAT WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. HAS AN ENGINE BEARING PROBLEM HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE?

CRADLE BOLTS FAILED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CV BOOT AND BUSHINGS AND STABILIZER LINKS, RECALL COMPONENT HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED.

WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INTO THE CONSUMER FACE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO BREAK HER CONTACT GLASSES. AIR BAG SENSOR HAS BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME APART AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING THE SUBFRAME'S BOLTS WERE NOT REPLACED PROPERLY, AND AT 4 MPH THIS CAUSED THE WHOLE ENGINE TO FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT ON REPLACED AIRBAG BECAUSE IT WAS DEFECTIVE.

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH AT NIGHT, DRIVER HIT A BIG HUNK OF TIRE CAP, WHICH RUPTURED THE FUEL LINE. THE FUEL LINE HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. *AK

MACPHERSON STRUT BROKE IN TWO, CAUSING THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL TO GO UNDERNEATH VEHICLE, RESULTING IN VEHICLE SPINING/ LOSING CONTROL. *AK