1993 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

HEADGASKET BLEW WHILE DRIVING, STEAM CAME OUT OF EXHAUST, THEN THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT OVER TO THE HOT PEG. STOPPED CAR AND HAD BE TOWED BACK TO WOODBURY. DEALER TELLS US ALL FORD PRODUCTS WITH A 3.8 LITTER ENGINE SEEM TO BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. THEY SAY THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR 3.8 LITTER ENGINES.

FOUND OUT TRANSMISSION WAS RECALLED ON SOME OF THE 1993 TAURUSES BUT TOLD THAT OURS WAS NOT RECALLED BY QUALITY FORD IN INDEPENDECE KS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A DARK COUNTRY ROAD THE HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO FLICKER ON AND OFF . DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER HEARD LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE. *AK

ENGINE COOLANT LEAK,CAUSING THE HEAD GASKET TO BLOW. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

SMOKE STARTED BOLWING OUT OF THE ENIGINE, AND ANTI-FREEZE WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE ENGINE DUE TO THE LOSS OF ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

CAR WILL START AND RUN, BUT NO OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WILL OPERATE. KEY WILL COME OUT OF IGNITION SWITCH WHILE CAR IS STILL RUNNING.

I HAD THE ORIGINAL HEAD GASKET REPLACED BY A NEW ENGINE WITH 36,000 MILES, AND AFTER 2 MONTHS IT FAILED AGAIN, AND THE DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREAS TOLD ME THAT I DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. I SPENT OVER $ 3,000.00 ON THE REAPIRS.

MY FORD TAURUS SUFFERED AN ENGINE PROBLEM INVOLVING THE HEAD GASKETS. I WENT TO THREE DIFFERENT FORD AUTHORIZED REPAIR CENTERS AND THEY EACH TOLD ME THAT THE FORD'S 3.8 ENGINES ALWAYS SUFFER THIS PROBLEM AT 90,000 MILES LIKE CLOCKWORK. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS ENGINE'S POTENTIAL FOR PROBLEMS, FORD NEVER PUBLISHED THE ROUTINE PROBLEMS IT WAS HAVING WITH THIS TYPE OF ENGINE, AND I SPECIFICALLY BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE OF THE 3.8 ENGINE. THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF WORK AND EXPENSES I HAD WITH THE ENGINE PROBLEM EXCEEDED $2,500. WITHIN TWO WEEKS, MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, AND THE DEALERS INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE CAUSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS FORCED TO PURCHASE A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $2,000.*AK

VEHICLE NOT COVERED UNDER ENGINE COOLING FAN RECALL DUE TO VIN, RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER). NLM

WHEN DRIVING CAR AND STOPS AT LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT WANT TO MOVE, SEEMS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL. REPAIR SHOP HAS VEHICLE AND STATED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. DEALER IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ENGINE FAN OVERHEATED AND BURNED UP CAUSING SMELL OF BURNED WIRES INSIDE VEHICLE.

RECALL 98V009000, HEADLIGHT SWITCH RECALL WHICH HAPPENED TO THIS VEHICLE, BUT IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ALL INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS WENT OUT. FINALLY, THE LIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY AND THERE WAS A SMELL BURNING PLASTIC. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND THE HARNESS CONNECTOR HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND OVERHEATED. THE INSULATION HAD MELTED FROM WIRES. *AK

REAR SWAY BAR END LINK FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH HEADLIGHT SWITCH LIGHT WENT OUT, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HAVE A BLACKOUT. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.CONSUMER HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THE SWITCH COOLED OFF. WHEN THE SWITCH COOLED OFF, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE BACK UP, BUT THE SWITCH HAD MELTED, AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE FLASHING INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING INTERMITTENTLY EVERY 3-4,000 MILES, ESPECIALLY IN HOT WEATHER. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. *AK

CHANGE HEADGASKET, FORD SAID 3.8L HEADGASKET WERE BAD BUT THEY ARE ONLY GOING BACK TO 1994 MODELS.

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT OF VEHICLE. *SLC

OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 98I-002.000 CONCERNING COIL SPRINGS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. THE COIL SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. SHIELDS WERE NOT USED FOR REPLACEMENT. OWNER NOT SATISFIED & IS UPSET. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH 3.8 V6 ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAKING COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE; DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

ENGINE STARTED TO RUN HOT AND LOSE POWER WITH STEAMY, WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM EXHAUST PIPE, AND WITHIN FIVE MINUTES THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN ON CALIF RTE 30 (LATE AT NIGHT), AND HAD TO BE TOWED OFF THE FREEWAY. AFTER EXAMINATION OF THE MOTOR, MY MECHANIC ADVISED ME THAT THE ENTIRE MOTOR WOULD HAVE TO BE OVERHAULED DUE TO EXTENSIVE INTERNAL DAMAGE RESULTING FROM A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS TIED-UP IN HIS REPAIR SHOP FOR OVER THREE WEEKS. THE WORK REQUIRED TO PLACE MY VEHICLE BACK IN PROPER RUNNING CONDITION WAS $3,500- OUT OF MY POCKET. I STILL OWN THE VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF THIS EXPENSE BECAUSE IT IS WELL-DOCUMENTED WITHIN THE NHTSA (ODI) DATA BASE THAT THIS TYPE OF MECHANICAL DEFECT HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING OCCURRANCE IN THEIR FORD TAURUS PRODUCTS FOR YEARS. WHEN IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR SOMEONE GOING TO DO SOMETHING DEFINITIVE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? I HAVE A PAID MECHANIC'S WORK ORDER FOR THE PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED MOTOR OVERHAUL, AND I HEREBY DEMAND THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY REIMBURSE ME IMMEDIATELY. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION IN THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWO TIMES WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE 2ND TRANSMISSION HAS LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON IT BUT IS OUT OF WARRANTY ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. ALL TRANSMMISSIONS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY A FORD DEALER 'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT A VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE TO HAVE THREE TRANSMISSIONS TO GET OVER 100,000 MILES ON THE CAR!

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE SPINNED OUT OF CONTROL CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE DUE TO FRONT COIL SPRINGS THAT WERE NOT PROPERLY FIXED. *AK

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATOR. WHILE SITTING IDLE AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE TRANMISSION FAILED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO GET SOMEONE TO PUSH THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND THE COSNUMER LOST ALL POWER. DEALER HAS TO REBUILT THE TRANMISSION. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT 70 MPH NOTICED VEHICLE STALLING, AND THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. ALSO, TRANSMISSION GOES INTO ANOTHER GEAR. *AK

WE UNDERSTAND THAT FORD HAS BEEN RECALLING THEIR TAURUSES DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THEIR MOTOR HEADS CRACKING. OUR HEADS CRACKED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND TO CRACK THE MOTOR BLOCK. WE NOW HAVE TO BUY A NEW MOTOR. EVEN THOUGH FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, THEY ARE ONLY RECALLING THE 1994S AND 1995. IF FORD KNOWS THAT THE 1993S HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, WHY WON'T THEY HELP US. WE CONTACTED THEM AND THEY SAID FLAT OUT "NO."

ENGINE GASKET WARPED - DEFECTIVE. CAUSED CAR TO OVERHEAT BY LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE.

RACK AND PINION STEERING BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING, REASON UNKNOWN . VEHICLE ONLY HAD 61,000 MILES OF WEAR. BELEIVED THIS CONDITION WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. *AK

WAS WAITING AT A STOP WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO SURGE FORWARD. HAD FOOT ON BRAKES. HIT A GARAGE DOOR. HAPPENED TWICE BEFORE. HAS NOT BEEN TO DEALER. *AK

I DO NOT FEEL THAT EITHER OF THESE THINGS SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED WITH THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE DRIVEN CARS WITH OVER 100,000 MILES AND DID NOT SPEND THIS KIND OF MONEY AND TIME.

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH DEALER HONORING MFR. RECALL # 98S-15/ 98M-02 : FORD/ FRONT COIL SPRINGS. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT RAN OUT OF PARTS AND HAS THEM ON ORDER. DID NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WOULD BE IN, AND THEY HAVE LOTS OTHER CONSUMERS BEFORE HER, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO GIVE CONSUMER AN APPROXIMATE TIME FOR REPAIRS. *AK

CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND HIT A GRAVEL ENBANKMENT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING DRIVER TO SUSTAIN SOME INJURIES. *AK

WAS TRAVELING 50-55MPH WHEN SMOKE STARTED FILLING THE INSIDE OF VEHICLE. DRIVER COULD NOT SEE TO DRIVE. MANAGED TO PULL TO SIDE & CALLED AAA. TOW ARRIVED & DRIVER CHECKED UNDER HOOD. INFORMED OWNER THAT HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN OUT. *AK

OUR '93 TAURUS BROKE A COIL SPRING AT 30K MILES AND THE OTHER AT 40K. I PAID TO HAVE BOTH REPAIRS DONE. I WROTE TO FORD TO COMPLAIN WHICH DIDN'T HELP ANY. NOW THE CAR HAS BEEN RECALLED. I HAVE BEEN WAITING SINCE JULY'98 TO BE REIMBURSED WHICH FORD SAID THEY WOULD DO IN THE RECALL LETTER. I ALSO HAD THE PROTECTIVE SHIELDS ADDED AS RECOMMENDED IN THE RECALL AT NO CHARGE. NOW I CAN'T GET THE DEALER TO REMOVE THEM. EVERY TIME THE BODY SWAYS, SUCH AS GOING OVER A DIP IN THE ROAD, IT CAUSES A LOUD BANGING NOISE. I SUSPECT THE SHIELDS ARE BOTTOMING OUT ON THE TIRES. THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO PROTECT THE TIRE FROM A PUNCTURE IN CASE THE COIL SPRING BREAKS. AGAIN I TRIED TO CALL FORD HEADQUARTERS BUT ALL I GOT WAS A CLERK WITH NO APPARENT AUTHORITY TO DO ANYTHING. ALSO I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION ALSO AT 49K MILES. BOTH REAR SWAY BARS HAD TO BE REPLACED AND I HAD A BROKEN RIGHT REAR LINK WHATEVER THAT IS.

TRANSMISSION REBUILT ON TWO OCCASIONS. MJS

REPLACED ENGINE HEAD GASKETS AND O2 SENSORS. *AK

FAILURE OF AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY ON EITHER SIDE IN CAR , DRIVER OR PASSENGER, DURING COLLISION.

WHILE DRIVING, A CRACKED PISTON CAUSED THE TRANSMISISON TO SUDDENLY DROP OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL AND STOP.

BOTH HEAD GASKETS FAILED CAUSING $1074.35 IN DAMAGE WHICH FORD WILL NOT PAY FOR. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BY FORD IN 1994 AND FORD COVERS THE COST OF IDENTICAL 1994 AND 1995 HEADGASKETS. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM OF THE 3.8 AND I FEEL FORD SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COST OF THIS WORK. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPER DOES NOT SHUT OFF WHEN DISENGAGED.

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN OUT, CAUSING WATER TO GET INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE ENGINE HAD STOPPED RUNNING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. NM

ERRATIC TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATION FOR APPROX. 2-3 WKS. RESULTED IN OVERHEATING OF ENGINE WITH WATER CONTAMINATION OF COMBUSTION SECTION.

VEHICLE MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED, HOWEVER ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL (99V-323) WHICH ONLY COVERS SUB-FRAME MOUNTS, CONSUMER WAS DENIED. *MJS

THE FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE FOR NO REASON. THE REAR MOTOR MOUNTS HAD ALSO FAILED. ALSO, THE RADIATOR HOSE WAS RIPPED AWAY. *AK

FRONT MOTOR MOUNT FAILED SUMMER OF 1998. REPLACED. ON 11/24/98, FRONT MOTOR MOUNT BOLT CAME OUT AND REAR MOUNT FAILED. TOTAL FAILURE OCCURED WHEN CAR WAS SHIFTED TO REVERSE AT A FULL STOP. (LARGE CLUNK OF CAR). WHEN CAR WAS PUT INTO FORWARD, CAR ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY!!!! LARGE JERK OF CAR AS IT WENT INTO GEAR. I PUT INTO NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO A PLACE WHERE I COULD TURN OFF HIGHWAY. PUT INTO FORWARD AGAIN TO GET OFF ROAD...ANOTHER CLUNCK. STEAM OUT OF ENGINE...NO POWER AT ALL NOW (THROTTLE DID NOTHING). FRONT MOTOR MOUNT BOLT GONE, REAR MOUNT BROKEN, TOP RADIATOR HOSE PULLED OFF ENGINE, POWER STEERING PUMP DAMAGED (HAD TO BE REPLACED), HOOD DENTED. THROTTLE CABLE DISCONNECTED, THROTTLE ASSEMBLY BENT (CAUSE OF ACCELERATION). TWO FORD DEALERS AND ONE INDEPENDANT REPAIRMAN TELL ME THIS IS NORMAL FOR TAURUSES. YET FORD SAY IT ISN'T DEFECTIVE. THEY SAY I'M LUCKY TO HAVE GOTTEN 68,000 MILES, MOST FAIL BEFORE 60K. THE UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION VERY EASILY COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAR REACHED APPROX. 35 MPH BEFORE I PUT INTO NEUTRAL.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 60 MPH AND USING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON HIGH SPEED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING UNTIL CONSUMER CHANGED WIPERS' SPEED TO LOW, AND THEY STARTED WORKING AGAIN. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER CAME OFF IN HEAVY RAINSTORM AND WAS TRAPPED IN AIR INTAKE. I PULLED OVER AND PUT IT BACK ON. I DIDN'T REPORT IT EARLIER BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS A FREAK OCCURRENCE, BUT I READ TODAY IN IBD THAT IT IS A COMMON DEFECT IN THE 1993 FORD TAURUS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ENGINE DIED/ LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. PUTS CAR IN NEUTRAL, IT ALLOWED IT TO RESTART. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. CONTACTED DEALER. HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE, BUT NOT ABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK