1993 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM REPAIRED BY DEALER, RELAY BAD, REAR WIPER SYSTEM NOT REPAIRED, MOTOR NEEDS REPLACEMENT. *AK

RECALL DENIED (98V-094) BY DEALERSHIP. MJS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM THE 3.8 V6 ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHO INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPER STAYS ON WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WASHER IS ENGAGED. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED THERE IS NO PROBLEM IT SHOULD CUT OFF, BUT IT DOES NOT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER DUE TO OVERHEATING. TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD BE INDICATING HOT (OVERHEATING). MECHANIC RULED OUT HEAD GASKETS, BUT DID REPAIR SOMETHING ELSE. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. FINALLY IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A CRACKED HEAD GASKET. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED DURING THIS TIME. DEALER / MANUFACTURER INDICATED OWNER SHOULD PAY. OWNER FELT MANUFACTURER SHOULD PAY SINCE IT HAPPENED WHEN SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ACTIVE. *AK *YC

VEHICLE GAVE NO WARNING OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DRIVER STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WENT TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND CHATTERING; DRIVER TRIED TO SHIFT GEARS AND COULD NOT GET ANY GEAR TO WORK.

HEADS AND HEAD GASKETS FAILED. *ET

BLOWN HEAD GASKET CAUSED DAMAGED TO THE HEAD, ROD, AND BEARINGS RESULTING IN ENGINE DAMAGE.

WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A LOUD FUNNY NOISE COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE. ALSO, WHEN OPENING UP HOOD THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS DAMAGED, AND THE BELT KEPT MOVING OVER, CAUSING MORE PROBLEMS FOR THE VEHICLE. *AK

DRIVING AT 5 MPH, CONSUMER HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VIRBRATE. ENGINE MOUNTS WERE BROKEN, MOVING ANOTHER PART OF THE ENGINE PARTS FROM THE TRANSMISSION. CONTACTED THE DEALER . *AK

COIL SPRINGS CAN FRACTURE AS A RESULT OF THE CORROSION IN COMBINATION WITH SMALL CRACKS. THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS IN, AND THE CONSUMER DOESN'T LIKE DRIVING AROUND WITH COIL SPRINGS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER A RECALL. DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE SEVERAL OTHER COMPONENTS WERE DAMAGED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, USING THE CRUISE CONTROL, TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL AND APPLIED FOOT TO BRAKES, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, BUT SLOWED DOWN. VEHICLECONTINUED TO ACCELLERATE UP TO 50-55 MPH., INCIDENT OCCURRED TWO TIMES. CONSUMER COULD NOT STOP THE CAR, VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. *AK

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (#98V009000) & CONTACTED DEALER IN LATE MAY. TOOK VEHICLE IN. AFTER ARRIVING, WAS INFORMED NO PARTS AVAILABLE. WOULD NOTIFY WHEN THEY WERE. CHECKED BACK FEW DAYS LATER & SAME ANSWER. HAS BEEN CHECKING EVER SINCE. *AK

VEHICLE DENIED RECALL WORK ON FUEL PUMP COMPONENT.

HEAD GASKET FAILURE.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER SAYS THAT IN AN ACCIDENT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK SEAT BELT BROKE . *YH

FRONT ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND USING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL THE RAIN STOPPED.

THE MIDDLE REAR LAP SEATBELT BUCKLE ASSEMLY DOES NOT LOCK IN THE SEATBELT PROPERLY WHICH WONT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED HEADLIGHT FAILURE DUE TO A SWITCH PROBLEM. I DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A RECALL, ID NUMBER: 98V009000, BUT IT DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE, MANUFACTURED IN AUGUST 1992. THAT RECALL INVOLVES A CIRCUIT BREAKER. I THINK THIS RECALL ON THE CIRUCIT BREAKER IS MASKING ANOTHER PROBLEM, PROBABLY WITH THE SWITCH ITSELF. THE RECALL DESCRIBES THE LIGHTS "GOING OUT FOR BRIEF INTERVALS." I SEE THREE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THIS DESCRIPTION AND THE PROBLEMS I, AND OTHERS, HAVE EXPERIENCED. FIRST, THE INTERVALS ARE NOT NECESSARILY BRIEF. SECOND, THE LIGHTS MAY ALSO COME ON OR STAY ON WHEN THE SWITCH IS IN THE "OFF" POSITION. THIRD, WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ON, THEY ARE MUCH TOO DIM. A REVIEW OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS FOR THE 1993 TAURUS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE SHOWED MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. SO MANY, THAT I HAD NEITHER THE TIME NOR THE NEED TO REVIEW THEM ALL. I REVIEWED ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE COMPLAINTS AND FOUND 20 RELATING TO THE HEADLIGHTS. A FEW REFERRED TO THE CIRCUIT BREAKER OR A FAILURE TO HONOR THE RECALL. MANY REFERRED TO THE HEADLIGHTS GOING ON AND OFF, WHICH MAY BE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER, OR IT MAY BE THE SWITCH OR SOME OTHER PROBLEM. SOME REFER SPECIFICALLY TO THE SWITCH, PROBABLY BECAUSE A MECHANIC IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM OR BECAUSE JIGGLING THE SWITCH CAN TEMPORARILY "FIX" THE PROBLEM, OR BOTH--AS IN MY CASE. AT LEAST TWO COMPLAINTS, NUMBER 507203 AND 510254, COMPLAIN OF POOR VISIBILITY. THAT IS, NOT LIGHTS OUT, BUT LIGHTS DIM. ONE COMPLAINT, NUMBER 53127, COMPLAINS THAT THE LIGHTS GO OUT BUT THE VEHICLE, LIKE MINE, IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I THINK THERE IS MORE GOING ON HERE THAN A DEFECTIVE CIRCUIT BREAKER. YOUR INVESTIGATORS MAY HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT PROBLEM AND QUITE NATURALLY THOUGHT THAT IT WAS THE ENTIRE PROBLEM. SOMETHING ELSE IS WRONG. YOU NEED TO REVISIT THIS ISSUE.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS REMAIN IN UPRIGHT POSITION. MJS

DEALER MADE ME PAY 1000 DOLLARS TO MAKE REPAIRS,TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK

BLOWOUT OF LEFT REAR TIRE ON 93 FORD TAURUS IN SEPTEMBER 1998. WE STILL HAVE THE TIRE, BUT NOT THE TREAD. THE TREAD SEPARATED COMPLETELY FROM THE TIRE AND FLEW UP ON THE SIDE OF THE CAR CAUSING DAMAGE. THE CAR WAS GOING ABOUT 45 MPH AT THE TIME OF THE BLOWOUT. FORTUNATELY, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED, ALTHOUGH THE EXPERIENCE WAS VERY FRIGHTENING. THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE IN COLORADO DURING A TRIP. THE CAR WAS LICENSED AND REGISTERED IN TEXAS. THIS WAS THE LAST OF SEVERAL PROBLEMS WE HAD WITH FIRSTONE TIRES WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IN 1998. WE PUT FOUR NEW FIRESTONE TIRES ON ANOTHER CAR (A 1984 VOLVO) AND HAD SEVERAL FLAT TIRES AND A BLOWOUT. UNFORTUNATELY WE NO LONGER HAVE THE TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE UNDER WARRANTEE AND REPLACED. WE SAVED THE TIRE FROM THE TAURUS' BLOW-OUT. THANK YOU FOR COLLECTING THIS INFORMATION. *AK( DOT NUMBER: DOTHYUR16A TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )

IGNITION IS INOPERATIVE. KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION & DOESN'T LINE UP CORRECTLY. THIS MAKES IT VERY EASY TO STEALTHE VEHICLE. VEHICLE'S AIR BAG & HORN ARE NOT WORKING RELATING TO THIS. DEALER HAS NEVER TRIED TO FIND A REMEDY FOR THE PROBLEM.*AK CRUISE CONTROL FAILED AS WELL. STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS. *YH

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

RECALL 98V009000/ HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT BREAKER. A YEAR AFTER THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED THE REMEDY FAILED. VEHICLE REPAIRED FOR A SECOND TIME AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE STALLS, VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, AND IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN VEHICLE STALLED THE STEERING WENT DEAD. *YD

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELT BUCKLES. TWO OUT OF SIX OF SEAT BELT BUCKLES BROKE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS SLOW DOWN AND THEN QUIT WHEN PLACED IN HIGH SPEED. HAS TO TURN OFF AND THEN TURN ON AGAIN TO LOW SPEED TO CLEAR WINDOWS DURING RAIN. ALSO, FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM GIVEN $900.00 OVERHAUL BY FORD SERVICE PAID FOR BY CUSTOMER SINCE ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY MISSES/BOGS DOWN. CAN'T AFFORD TO SPEND MORE ON REPAIR. *AK

SPEED CONTROL WILL DISENGAGE ON IT'S OWN OR WILL NOT ENGAGE AT ALL, AT ANY NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED. WINDSHIELD WIPER, INTERMITTENT CONTROL FAILS TO WORK AT MOST SETTINGS AND WILL USUALLY ONLY WORK AT HIGHEST INTERMITTENT SETTING. SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT WORK ON ANY SETTING, INCLUDING LOW SPEED OR HIGH SPEED. IF YOU CYCLE IT OFF AND ON, OR WIGGLE THE LEVEL, IT MAY RESUME WORKING, BUT ONLY AT HIGHEST INTERMITTENT SETTING, OR THE LOW AND HIGH SETTINGS. FAILURES OCCURS MUST OFTEN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED, OR THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER/DIMMER SWITCH IS OPERATED. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IN MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN OR SNOW, AND WHEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. TO SAY THE LEAST, MY WIFE HAS SCREAMED MORE THAN ONE TIME.

MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED.

COIL SPRING FRACTURED CAUSING DAMAGES OF OTHER COMPONENTS (STRUTS & TIRES)RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE TO COLLASPE, PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE.

RECALL REPAIR WORK DENIED DUE TO SCHEDULING PROBLEMS.

HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED ALLOWING COOLANT TO FOUL SPARK PLUG, AND HEAD GASKET MUST BE REPLACED. FORD ISSUED A TSB IN MARCH 1998, ARTICLE 98-4-9, (ISSUED OVER 5 YEARS AFTER MODEL YEAR) IDENTIFING THIS AS A PROBLEM. THEIR WORDS COOLANT MAY LEAK FROM THE HEAD GASKET. CAUSED BY INSUFFICENT SEALING OF THE HEAD GASKET. THE IMPROPER SEALING IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT SOULD BE REMEDIED BY FORD. FORD HAS DECLINED TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

RECALL # 98V009000 FORD/HEADLIGHTS CIRCUIT BREAKER; APPOINTMENT MADE FOR 6/19/98, WHEN ARRIVING AT DEALERSHIP, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. CALLED DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER NOT SURE WHEN PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. *AK

EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH DEALER HONORING MFR. RECALL NOTICE 98S 15, FORD COIL SPRING. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE ALL THE COOLANT HAD LEAKED OUT DUE TO THE TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET WHICH NEEDED REPLACING. IF THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER. *AK

VEHICLE CONTINUES TO CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC WITH NO WARNING, CONSUMER IS AFRAID SHE WILL HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *AK

CONSUMER HAS TO WIGGLE THE IGNITION PRIOR TO PUTTING THE KEY IN AND START THE VEHICLE . THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS DETERIORATED, WATER GOT INTO THE ENGINE & IT STARTED TO SPLATTER & STALL OUT. *AK

RECALL 98V009000, MANUFACTURER'S 98S01; CONSUMER STATES THE REPAIR WORK WAS DONE FOR THE RECALL. AFTER WORK WAS DONE, HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY WORK. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SOMETIMES, NOT ALL THE TIME. *AK MECHANIC STATED PROBLEM WAS WITH THE IGNITION. *SLC

THE MOTOR MOUNTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND COMMONLY BREAK. HAVE KNOWN OF SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE HAD THE MOUNTS TO BREAK AND DO MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE CAR, SUCH AS; (DAMAGED RADIATOR, HOOD DAMAGE). THE 3.8L MOTOR IN THE FORD TAURUS EXPERIENCES PREMATURE DETERIORATION OF THE RIGHT FRONT AND THE RIGHT REAR ENGINE MOUNTS. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM DUE TO THEM ISSUING AN NO-CHARGE SERVICE PROGRAM FOR THE PROBLEM IN 9/1995. HOWEVER SOME OWNERS DID NOT RECEIVE THIS NOTIFICATION OR THE VEHICLE WAS IN BETWEEN OWNERSHIP.

RECALL 93V106002; VEHICLE HAS A CLUNCKING SOUND DUE TO THE ENGINE HITTING THE BODY OF VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER STATES THE VIN# DOES NOT COMPLY TO RECALL. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

MOTOR MOUNTS FAILURE. UPON IGNITION VEHICLE SHUDDERED AND THEN CLUNKED WHEN PUT INTO GEAR. EXISTING TBS ON BROKEN MOTOR MOUNTS.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ENGINE MOUNTS TWISTED AND BROKE OFF WHICH ALMOST CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, IT HAD 12,000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS A GOOD BROTHER'S COMPANY CAR. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME WITHIN 1 YEAR THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED GOOD BROTHER'S FORD, NHTSA AND THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT HAD TO BE REPLACED THE FIRST TIME. I ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM AND I WAS TOLD BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY THAT THERE WAS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COMPANY, BUT NOT IN THE NORTHEAST REGION. I BELIEVE THIS SITUATION NEEDS TO BE RE-EVALUATED. THANK YOU. *AK