1993 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

ENGINE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF COOLANT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER , AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK WINDSHEILD WIPER BLADES LOCKED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. A/C COMPRESSOR LOCKED UP AND BURNED UP BELT AND IDLES THE VEHICLE STILL LEAKING COOLANT AFTER REPAIR WAS DONE. *YH

BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON 3.8L ENGINE. *AK

I WILL BE MAILING YOU A LETTER SENT TO MFR. ON THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD SINCE 2/8/99 THROUGH 12/18/00 ON THE RACK AND PINION, AND HEAD AND TIMING COVER GASKETS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH THERE IS SOME KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE STALLS/CUTS OFF.CONSUMER THINKS THERE IS A BROKEN SPRING. *AK

CONSUMER IS NOT SATISFIED WITH RECALL REPAIR, 2 HOUR REPAIR WAS COMPLETED IN 1.10 MIN, POSSIBILITY REPAIR WAS NOT COMPLETED PROPERLY. (98V-323 AND 981-002)

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED DURING A RAIN STORM / SNOW STORM. *YC

I AWS TOLD THAT THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON THIS CAR IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND WAS BEING FIXED UNDER A SILENT RECALL FORMAT. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE OF WHERE AND WHEN IT COULD HAPPEN. THE DEALER OR FORD WILL NOT PAY FOR THIS AND WILL NOT GIVE ME ANY FURTHUR INFO.

HEAD GASKET FAILED, LEAVING ME AND MY FAMILY STRANDED ON A NARROW COUNTRY ROAD AT NIGHT. MY FATHER-IN-LAW HELPED ME NURSE CAR TO A LOCAL GARAGE WHICH DIAGNOSED THE FAILED HEAD GASKET. I WAS TOLD BY MY HOME TOWN FORD DEALER THAT THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE YEARS AND MILEAGE, BUT I HAVE READ ABOUT THE 1994 AND LATER CARS BEING COVERED FOR THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON THE EXACT SAME CAR AND ENGINE. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE IS NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING, AND THERE IS KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING. NOTIFIED DEALER/MANUFACTURER. WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER A RECALL, AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. *AK

TRANSMISSION WAS ACTING FUNNY. DID NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY INTO ANOTHER GEAR. TOOK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR OIL CHANGE. IN THE PROCESS OF CHANING OIL, SOME METAL SHAVINGS & OTHER METAL PIECES WERE FOUND IN THE OIL PAN. TRANSMISSION WAS NOT REPAIRED. *AK

CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL NUMBER 98V323000/MFR RCALL NUMBER 98S36. DEALER STATES PARTS NOT AVAILABLE, DEALER HAS YET TO CORRECT THE RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED 3 WEEKS AGO, I REPLACED THE FUSE TO NO AVAIL. MY LOCAL AUTO SHOP REPLACED THE "WIPER MODULE" AT A COST TO ME OF $253.93. I JUST HEARD TODAY ABOUT YOUR INVESTIGATION OF FAILING WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON THE '93 FORD TAURUS. *AK

PE99045, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED WHILE IN USE, CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER REPLACED PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

NO SUMMARY INCLUDED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

BLOWN HEAD GASKET, WITH NO PRIOR WARNING, RESULTING IN CRACK IN BLOCK AND NOW NEED A NEW MOTOR FOR CAR WHICH. THE ESTIMATE TO GET IT FIXED IS $6800. NEEDLESS TO SAY, AS OF THIS DATE THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. AND CAN'T UNDERSTANS WHY FORD DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 93 3.8 TAURUS IN THE SECRET WARRANTY. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *ET

FRONT TENSION STRUT BUSHING RETAINER HAS PULLED OUT OF SUBFRAME. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR TAURUS. IT PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD IN THAT WHEEL ALINGMENT WILL NOT BE MAINTAINED IN A PANIC BREAKING SITUATION. FORD DEALER HAS SAID THAT THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR IS TO REPLACE SUBFRAME.

WHILE STATIONED IN GERMANY, HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE LIGHTS BACK ON, TO SEE, IS TO PULL THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH TOWARD THE DRIVER. JENKIN & WYNNE FORD DEALER SAYS THIS IS NOT COVERED BY RECALL # 98S01! YOUR CAMPAIGN # 98V009000 SAYS IT IS! THE DEALER SAID IT WASN'T, AND OFFERED TO SELL ME THE PARTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK

STARTER WIRE ATTACHED TO STARTER KEEPS FALLING OFF..FIRST TIME I WAS ON A HIGHWAY AND MY GUARDING ANGEL WAS WITH ME AND I COASTED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND GOT HELP. ALL THE OTHER TIMES I WOULD GET IN THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. A TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOOK PITY ON ME AND TOLD ME WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND NOW I CAN GET UNDER THE CAR AND PLUG IT IN MY SELF. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES. THEY OF COURSE NEVER TOLD ME HOW TO FIX IT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. SECOND ISSUE IS THE HEAD GASKET. DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM, GETTING 2ND OPINION SINCE I HAD IT REPLACED IN JAN 1997. DEALER SAID IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY UNDER MPROGRAM 98M1 AS OF DEC 1998. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID DEALER WAS WRONG IT DEPENDED ON WHERE THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED. WHERE DO I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MPROGRAM/98M1? I WANT TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE 1ST INCIDENT. IS THE GASKET THE PROBLEM OR THE ENGINE?

REAR SUBFRAME NUT PLATE REPLACED UNDER RECALL, HOWEVER CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT AFTER THE REPAIR THE VEHICLE PULLS.(RECALL# 98S36)

WHILE CROSSING A SET OF RAILROAD TRACKS THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND A DROP IN THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE CAR. I PROCEEDED ABOUT 1000 FEET TO WHERE I WORK AND PARKED. WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE THAT NIGHT, THERE WAS A LOUD GROANING FROM THE CAR AS I STARTED TO MOVE IT. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND FOUND PART OF THE SPRING LODGED AGAINST THE TIRE, PREVENTING IT FROM BEING ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED BY FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP. THEY STATED THE COIL SPRING WAS CORRODED AND BROKE IN TWO, DAMAGING THE STRUT AND BREAKING THE STRUT BEARING PLATE. I LATER FOUND OUT FORD HAD RECALLED SOME TAURUS MODELS FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I CONTACTED FORD WHO STATED MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL NOTICE. THEY WOULD NOT SAY WHY NOT BUT REFERRED ME TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER CONCERNING TWO ADDITIONAL RECALLS THAT DO APLY TO MY CAR. THE INFORMATION ABOUT CAMPAIGN ID 98I002000 AND 98V094000 STATED 281000 CARS COULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM. MINE DEFENITELYHAD THIS PROBLEM WHILE FORD IS DENYING ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *AK

ENGINE FAILURE FROM HEADGASKET FAILURE AT 116500 MILES. TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 97000 MILES BROKEN CLUTCH PISTON.

FORD HAS COVERED THIS FAILURE FOR 1994/1995 TAURUS, BUT HAS ADMITTED THE PROBLEM EXISTS IN 1988-1995 FORD VEHICLES. 40% OF THESE FAILURES OCCUR BETWEEN 60,000 AND 75,000 MILES. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

I SUPPOSE I WAS MORE FORTUNATE THAN MANY IN THAT MY 1993 TAURUS WENT 92,550 MILES BEFORE THE HEAD GASKETS BLEW. THIS INCIDENT REQUIRED REPAIRS COSTING $1812.48. I AM OUTRAGED THAT FORD WILL NOT EXTEND ITS WARRANTY ON 1994 AND 1995 3.8L ENGINE HEAD GASKETS TO THE 1993 MODELS AS WELL, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MY VOICE HEARD. THANK YOU.*AK

GOING INTO PARKING LOT HEARD CRUNCHING SOUND, PARKED, CASLLED AAA, WAS TOWED TO SERVICE STATION. TRANSMISSION EXPLODED. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED AT 73,902 MILES. CALLED FORD INFORMED THEM OF PROBLEM THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN RECALL. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE INFORMATION I FOUND PUT 1993 3.8L SECOND IN COMPLIANTS ONLY BEHIND THE 1995 3.8L ENGINE IN HEAD GASKET FAILURES..

WHILE DRIVING AT 60-65 MPH CAR LOST POWER AND POWER STEERING ON HIGHWAY. DEALER CONTACTED, AND DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE DISTRIBUTOR GEAR TEETH, WHICH HAD SHEARED OFF. PROBLEM CANNOT BE REMEDIED, AND STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML

IN 3.8 LITER ENGINES, THE VEHICLE HEAD GASKET MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE HEAD GASKET TO BE REPLACED 2X AND IT CAUSE ENGINE DAMAGE WHICH NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

PE9905, WINDSHIELD WIPERS: INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF OPERATION. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

DEALER INTSALLED FRONT COIL SPRING SHIELDS, CAUSING A BANGING NOISE. I RETURNED VEHICLE A SECOND TIME, NOISE IS STILL HAPPENING WHEN DRIVING OVER SPEED BUMPS AND BAD ROADS. *AK

SIMILAR COMPONENT RECALLED IN 94 AND 95 MODELS, WHY NOT 93? *AK

TFI MODULE CAUSED VEHICLE TO STALL.

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED DURING RAINSTORM CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. MJS

THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN MAKING A TURN, AND WHEN ACCELERATING. CAN HEAR ENGINE JUMP. MOTOR MOUNTS ARE CORRODED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. RECALL 98V323000 DEALS WITH SAME PROBLEM., ENGINE MOUNTS. BUT DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS. HOWEVER, LOCAL FOR DDEALER DENIED THAT ANY RECALL WAS ISSUED. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW LEAVING ME STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY. *AK

THE CAR WAS OVER-HEATING BUT ICE COLD AIR WAS COMING OUT OF VENTS WHEN HEAT WAS DIALED UP TO THE MAX (90*F). UNDERSTANDABLY THE CAR WAS RUNNING A LITTLE IRRATICALLY (SPUTTERING & HESITATING). I OPENED CAR HOOD TO FIND ALL THE ANTIFREEZE IN THE RESERVOIR LEAKING AND READY TO EXPLODE. A LOCAL MECHANIC SAW THIS AND SAID THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET IS SHOT, THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE WITHIN THE COMPRESSION SYSTEM IS NOW TRANSMITTED INTO THE COOLANT SYSTEM SO ANTIFREEZE CAN'T CIRCULATE FREELY TO COOL ENGINE OR ENTER HEATING CORE TO FACILITATE HOT AIR INTO CAR (PARTICULARLY INCONVENIENT IN THE NORTHEAST ABOUT NOW) AND ALSO THE REASON IT'S NEARLY EXPLODING FROM COOLANT RESERVOIR. IT'S PRESENTLY BEING REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE ($1500.00) AT CARMAN FORD. MY LOCAL MECHANIC DIDN'T WAN'T TO ATTEMPT IT. HE ADMITTED THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE WITH TAURUS'/SABLES AND AT 50000MLS, IT'S VERY PREMATURE. CARMAN FORD OF COURSE CONCURRED WITH HIS DIAGNOSIS AND WHEN I ASKED IF THEY COULD FIX IT THEY ASSURED ME IT WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY REPAIR SEVERAL A WEEK OR MONTH (I CAN'T REMEMBER, I THINK I WAS IN SHOCK). THEY WOULDN'T GUARANTEE THERE WOULD BE NO RESIDUAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE, BUT IF I WANTED TO TRADE UP TO A NEW MODEL BEFORE SINKING THIS MUCH $ INTO MY OWN, THEY'D BE HAPPY TO CALL A SALESMAN NEXTDOOR. I CALLED FORD MANUFACTURER DIRECTLY AND AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, I RECEIVED NO SATISFACTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL CUT OFF DURING RAIN STORMS. HENDERSONVILLE TIMES NEWSPAPER SAYS NHTSA IS LOOKING INTO THIS. AND VIN. ##. *AK

HELP!! FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE FAILED HEAD GASKETS, WHICH COST ME A LITTLE OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE. THEY CLAIM MY 5 YEAR WARRANTY IS UP AND THAT'S THAT. ACCORDING TO MUCH RESEARCH THAT I HAVE DONE, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON SEVERAL FORD MODELS WITH 3.8L ENGINES AND IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, SINCE FORD HAS ISSUED A REVISED HEAD GASKET TO REPLACE THE OLD ONE. CAN YOU GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION ON A POSSIBLE CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT, SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY CONSUMERS INVOLVED WITH THIS? THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE.

I'VE READ OF SIMILAR CASES ON THE INTERNET. WIPER MOTOR FAILURES

STEERING WHEEL FEELS LIKE IT'S GRINDING. WOULD MAKE NOISES WHILE TURNING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. ALSO, ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN & NEEDED REPLACING. THE PROBLEM WITH STEERING WHEEL HAPPENED SOON AFTERWARDS. *AK

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY 1999, AND CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING POOR PERFORMANCE WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. VEHICLE IS AT DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME. ALSO, AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED. WHENEVER ENGINE IS TURNED OFF CONSUMER NEEDS TO HAVE A JUMP START. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE HEAT WENT OUT. ALSO, WHEN CONSUMER STARTS UP THE VEHICLE IT VIBRATES ALOT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP THREE TIMES, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WOMAN AHEAD OF ME STOPPED IN AN INTERSECTION, I TRIED TO BRAKE BUT HIT HER. INJURED MY WRIST. STEERING WHEEL GRIP IS LOOSE AT TOP, WIGGLES DUE TO SUN ON ADHESIVES.

THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURED DURING A BUSINESS TRIP IN AUGUST 1999. COOLING SYSTEM FAILED. AUTO WAS TOWED TO CAPITAL FORD IN RALEIGH NC. THEY INDICATED THE AUTOMOBILE HAD A LEAKING HEAD GASKET SAID THAT I SHOULD FIX IT WHEN I RETURNED TO MY HOMETOWN. THE PERFORMED APPROXIMATELY $200 IN REPAIR, I RETURNED TO CHARLOTTE. I TOOK THE CAR TO LAKE NORMAN FORD. MECHANICS SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. IN JANUARY 1999, THE CAR STARTED TO LOOSE COOLANT AND I COULD HEAR A GURGLING NOISE DURING ACCELERATION. I RETURNED THE CAR TO LAKE NORMAN FORD, THEY SAID THERE WAS AN AIR POCKET IN THE COOLING SYSTEM. I REMINDED THEM THAT CAPITAL FORD INDICATED THERE WAS A POSSIBLE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE KEPT THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS HOWEVER. THE FOLLOWING WEEK THE CAR SUFFERED A COMPLETE FAILURE AND COULD NO LONGER BE DRIVEN. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO AN INDEPENDANT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. SPENT $2037 IN REPAIRS TO FIX. I CONTACTED FORD CONSUMER AFFAIRS. THEY REFUSED TO ADMIT A PROBLEM OR TO COMPENSATE ME FOR THE FAILURE SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRENTY. IN DECEMBER 2000, THE CAR FAILED AGAIN. AFTER SPENDING $900 TO TOW AND REPAIR THE COOLING SYSTEM THE MECHANIC INDICTED THERE WAS ANOTHER GASKET LEAK. ESTIMATED COST IS UP TO $2000. IF NOT CORRECTED, THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK

PER DEALER, IF THE LOWER MOTOR MOUNTS ARE NOT REPLACED, WILL RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF TAURUS OWNERS HAVE HAD TO HAVE THIS REPAIR, OFTENTIMES MORE THAN ONCE.

THE HIGH SPEED WIPPING ACTION WOULD COME TO A FULL STOP, WAIT 10 TO 15 SECONDS AND THEN START. THE NEXT SLOWER SPEED WOULD DO THE SAME. THE INTERMITTANT SPEEDS SEEMED TO WORK. FORD SERVICE REPLACED THE WIPER MOTOR, THAT I WAS TOLD WAS BINDING AND ALSO REPLACED THE MOTOR HARNESS.

VEHICLE HAD 3 TRANSMISSION REPLACMENTS/TWO TIMES BY DEALER, AND THIRD BY INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS CONDITION IS NOT NORMAL. CAN SOMEONE HELP CONSUMER IN THIS MATTER? *AK *ML