1996 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER WENT TO HIS INSURANCE COMPANY TO HAVE VEHICLE INSPECTED, AT THAT TIME CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO ABS BECAUSE THE DASH LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE, CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS WAS RECENTLY REPAIRED BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP CONSUMER'S PERSONAL MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE ABS HARNESS LOCATED UNDER THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED, CURRENTLY THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES AND SOMETIMES THERE IS A BUZZING NOISE AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKE IS PRESSED DURING THE DAY IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP THAT STATED THEY REPAIRED ABS AND THEIR RECORDS INDICATE THAT A WHEEL SENSOR WAS CHANGED AND THEY ARE NOT OFFERING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, ABS SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY NOT FUNCTIONING LIGHT COMES ON AFTER DRIVING FOR A MINUTES.

VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITH COPPER COLORED ANTIFREEZE, DUE TO THIS THE COOLANT RUSTED OUT THE FREEZE PLUGS, WATER PUMP, AND THERMOSTAT. *SLC

THE FORD TAURUS IS 1996 AND 1997 WAS USED AS A GUINEA PIG FOR AN EXPIRIMENTAL COOLANT THAT RUSTED OUT THE FREEZE PLUGS, WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT AND MORE. MINE WAS FOUND TO HAVE THIS COOLANT. I HAVE ALREADY LOST ONE FREEZE PLUG AND COULD LOOSE OTHERS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY WANTS ME TO PAY FOR HALF OF FIXING THEIR ERROR. THEY NOW WANT TO PAY NOTHING BECAUSE I DID NOT MEET THEIR DEADLINE. MY CAR COULD BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS, LEAVING ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. PLEASE HELP

WHEN TRAVELING 35MPH ON HIGHWAY CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, AND THEY HESITATED/ AND SHOOK AND AND VIBRATED. ALSO, BRAKES PULSATE, AND WANDERED OFF TO THE RIGHT. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED BRAKES TWICE WITHIN TWO WEEKS LATER. *AK

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS AT HIGH RPM DURING 2-3 SHIFT. PROBLEM CONTINUES TO WORSEN. I WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. BUT THAT IT MIGHT BE A SHIFT COMPUTER PROBLEM. PROBLEM INCREASES AS TEMPERATURE OF ENGINE INCREASES, SUCH AS DRIVING FOR MORE THAN 40 MINUTES IN A WARM CLIMATE. AT ENGINE START, NOTICING THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD AS ENGINE JUST STARTS TO MOTOR. *AK

POWER STEERING TURNS OFF IN RAIN, AND FORD TELLS US THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO.*AK

VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT WHILE TRAVELING. NOTICE COOLANT COMING FROM LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE ENGINE. NOTIFIED DEALER / MANUFACTURER, AND BOTH INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

FRONT BRAKES ARE NOT OPERABLE. WHEN HE APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. *AK

HEADLIGHTS ARE DIM - DUE TO OPAQUE PLASTIC COVER.

THE VEHICLE HAD A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH OVERHEATING. I REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, RADIATOR AND THE COOLING SYSTEM PRESSURE CAP TO NO AVAIL. I THEN REPLACED THE WATER PUMP. WHEN I REMOVED THE ORIGINAL WATER PUMP I NOTICED THAT THE IMPELLOR BLADES WERE BADLY DETERIORATED FROM CORROSION. THE BLADES WERE COMPLETELY CORRODED AWAY AND UNABLE TO MOVE WATER; THIS RESULTED IN THE ENGINE CONTINUING TO OVERHEAT. I BELIEVE THAT THE BLADES WERE UNABLE TO STAND UP TO THE COOLANT SOLUTION*AK

IN MAY OF 2000 IWAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON MD 695 WHEN ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON I THEN LOST POWER MY CAR SHUT OFF AND I WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER MY CAR WAS STALLED OUT I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO TOWSON FORD IN TOWSON MD THEY TOLD ME IT WAS MY COOLING SYSTEM AFTER TELLING A FEW FRIENDS OF MY ORDEAL ONE TOLD ME OF A RECALL FOR THE COOLING SYSTEM ON THE 96 TAURUS I THEN CONTACTED THE FORD MOTOR CO IN MICH. WHERE I WAS TREATED VERY RUDLY OVER THE PHONE I CALLED SEVERAL TIMES TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR IWAS TOLD SEVERAL DIFFRENT TIMES THAT ONE WOULD CONTACT ME IT WASNT UNTIL I REFUSED TO HANG UP THE PHONE UNTIL I SPOKE TO A SUPERVISOR THAT I TALKED TO SOMEONE AFTER ALL THE TROUBLE I WENT THROUGH THEY TOLD ME FORD WAS NOT GOING TO HONOR MY REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL HELP WITH MY REPAIRS AFTER HAVING REPAIRS DONE MYSELF MY CAR CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS IT STARTED TO LEAK COOLING FLUID AND OVERHEAT I IMEDIATLY HAD IT TAKEN BACK TO TOWSON FORD THEY THEN TOLD ME I NEEDED NEW HEAD CYLINDERS WHICH MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER AFTER HAVING THESE THINGS DONE MY CAR STILL LOSES POWER MY ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT CRANK OVER I TOOK IT BACK TO TOWSON FORD THEY PUT IT ON THE ANYLIZING MACHINE THEY FOUND OTHER PROBLEMS BUT COULD NOT TELL ME WHY ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON WHY IT WONT CRANKOVER OR WHY IM LOSING POWER WHEN IM DRIVING PLEASE HELP ME FIND A SOLUTION I

THE CONSUMER TURNED ON THE HEATER AND DEFROSTER AND COLD AIR ALONG WITH A MIST THAT FILLED THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND COVERED THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONSUMER HAD TO USE PAPER NAPKINS TO CLEAR THE WINDOWS. THE HEATER CORE IS AN EXISTING PROBLEM THAT REOCCURS EVERY 3 MONTHS SINCE APRIL 2001. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. NLM COOLANT LEAK. DEALER REPLACED HEATER CORE 5 TIMES. RIGHT REAR WINDOW INOPERATIVE. DEALER REPLACED RIGHT REAR WINDOW MOTOR. SWITCH ON AIR CONDITIONER CONTROL HEAD FALLS OFF. DEALER RPELACED CRACKED CENTER CONTROL KNOB. SUNGLASS COMPARTMENT IN CENTER CONSOLE LID BROKE OFF. CONSOLE COMPARTMENT DOOR, HINGE PINS AND SPRING REPLACED. SQUEAK NOISE UNDER HOOD. REPLACED BELT TENSIONER AND IDLER PULLEY. *TT

WHILE BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE AND SHIFTING INTO DRIVE, VEHICLE WOULD NOT TRAVEL. DEALER STATED THAT CABLE WAS BROKEN. *AK

TRANSMISSION BEGAN SHIFTING IN AND OUT OF NEUTRAL. FOLLOWED BY HARD SHIFTS BETWEEN 1ST & 2ND GEAR AND 2ND & 3RD GEAR. RETURNED TO SERVICE CENTER THAT REBUILT TRANNY IN '99. THEY REPLACED SHIFT SOLENOIDS AND THAT CORRECTED SHIFTING. SHOP FOREMAN INDICATED TRANNY WOULD STILL NOT LOCKOUT(TORQUE CONVERTER WOULD NOT LOCK OUT). HE INDICATED THIS COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING AND PREMATURE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION. HE COULD NOT GET ANY TROUBLE CODES. WAS ABLE TO DISCONNECT COMPUTER AND MANUALLY LOCKOUT TORQUE CONVERTER. WENT TO FORD ONLINE SERVICE ASSISTANCE AND RECEIVED A MESSAGE STATING THAT SOME COMPUTERS FOR THESE TRANSMISSIONS HAD BEEN FLASHED TO NOT LOCK OUT AND THERE SHOULD BE A NOTICE ON THE RADIATOR STATING SO. THERE IS NO NOTICE ON THE RADIATOR. SUGGESTED TAKING TO DEALER FOR RE-FLASH OF COMPUTER. EXISTING CONDITION COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO ADDITIONAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. IF THIS IS ACCURATE THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD FREQUENT TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS ALSO THAT MAY BE RELATED. THE COOLANT REQUIRES TWICE YEARLY FLUSH DUE TO BUILD UP OF RUST. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING HEARD A NOISE IN FRONT END OF VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR A RIGHT TURN. DEALER STATES THAT NOISE IS DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. *AK *ML

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN WHICH REAR SEAT COLLAPSED FORWARD, CAUSING CSS TO BECOME WEDGED BETWEEN FRONT AND BACK SEAT. *AK

HAD THREE CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT. WENT TO PUT THE SHOULDER STRAP BELT ON IN THE MIDDLE. PULLED IT OUT, CAME ALL THE WAY OUT, AND WOULD NOT RETRACT BACK IN. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

THE INCIDENTS HAVE ALL BEEN THE SAME: THE CAR IS USUALLY GOING UNDER 35MPH. THE CAR STARTS TO SHAKE, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP, THE CAR ACTS AS IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH GAS GETTING TO THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE EITHER CUTS OFF OR BEGINS TO CHUGG AND SHAKE ANY TIME THE CAR SLOWS OR STOPS. I'M SURE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND HOW FRIGHTENING THIS CAN BE SINCE I NEVER KNOW WHEN THIS SITUATION IS GOING TO OCCUR AND I'M PETRIFIED THAT IT WILL HAPPEN DURING RUSH HOUR ON A MAJOR ROAD CAUSING ACCIDENTS AND MAJOR DAMAGE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I WAS WITHIN FEET OF A SERVICE STATION AND BROUGHT IT TO THEM. THE CODE ON THE ENGINE LIGHT SENSOR WAS, "EGR". THEY DID A 60,000 MILE SERVICE, CHECKED THE EMISSION SYSTEM, AND FOUND NOTHING. AFTER 41 MILES, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SAME SERVICE STATION. THEY REPLACED THE DPFE SENSOR. I'VE SINCE TAKEN IT BACK TO THEM 3 OR 4 TIMES, WHENEVER THE CAR STARTS TO SHAKE AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON. THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN THINK OF TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND ARE AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO. THEY EVEN HAD A CLASS WITH 50 TECHNICIANS GIVEN BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND USED MY CAR AS THE EXAMPLE. THEY TOOK APART THE ENTIRE EMISSION SYSTEM AND "ROTO-ROOTED" IT. I DROVE LESS THAN 10 MILES AND THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AGAIN. SO FAR, I'VE SPENT CLOSE TO $500. BECAUSE THE GARAGE WHERE I ORIGINALLY TOOK IT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN CHARGING ME FOR RETURN VISITS. I CONTACTED FORD'S CONSUMER HELP LINE ON MAY 2, 2000. DAMIEN SAID THAT BECAUSE I'D HAD SO MUCH TROUBLE, HE THOUGHT THAT I WOULD GET SOME FINANCIAL HELP FROM FORD AND HE'D LET ME KNOW IN TWO DAYS. WHEN I DIDN'T HEAR FROM HIM, I CALLED FORD AGAIN AND SPOKE WITH CAROL. SHE SAID THAT I WOULD GET NO HELP AND THAT MY FIRST STEP WAS TO TAKE THE CAR TO A FORD DEALER & THAY WOULD HELP ME. THEY DON'T WANT TO HELP ME. WHAT CAN I DO? *AK

WE CONTACTED MR. SAMSON (ID #3104) AND TOLD HIM THAT OUR VEHICLE WAS PREFORMING THE SAME PROMBLEMS AS THE 3.6L 95 TAURUS. WE ALSO TOLD HIM WE HAD THE CAR DIAGNOSED ABOUT 4 MONTHS BEFORE THE ENGINE BLOCK CRACKED AT A FORD DEALER AND THEY TOLD USE THAT WE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE IGNITION COIL. WE REPLACED THE IGNITION COIL BUT THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. HE TOLD US ABOUT A RADIATOR FLUSH RECALL THAT WOULD HAVE SAVED OUR ENGINE BUT THE FORD DEALER KNEW NOTHING OF THIS RECALL. WE ASKED IF FORD COULD DO ANYTHING EVEN PAY HALF HE (MR. SAMSON) SAID FORD WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING. WE THEN ASLED WHO WAS ABOVE HIM SO WE COULD TALK TO THEM HE ADVISED US THAT THERE WAS NO ONE ABOVE HIM.*AK

THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION FAILURE, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING FORD TO REPAIR DUE TO FORD HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRANSMISSION DEFECT, HOWEVER FORD WILL NOT REIMBURSE DUE TO THE MODEL YEAR OF THE VEHICLE ONLY 1994 AND 1995 MODEL YEARS ARE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. *MJS

1996 FORD TAURUS WITH BLOWN HEAD GASKET AT APPROXIMATELY 69,500 MILES. *AK

GAS PEDAL WAS STICKING OR BINDING:THROTTLE CABLE WAS FOUND TO HAVE A NOTCH OR DEFECT ON THE PLASTIC PORTION; CABLE, THROTTLE BODY AND GAS PEDAL WERE REPLACED; PAID 20% COPAYMENT. CONCERNED THAT THERE MAY BE OTHER CARS WITH DEFECTIVE THROTTLE CABLES. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET BLEW AND OVERHEATED THE CAR, THE ENGINE STOPPED, I HAD TO TOW THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED I NEED A NEW ENGINE AT A COST OF $4,800. *AK

FORD WAS NOTIFIED AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS MINE AND NOT THEIRS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE LIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY BECAME HOT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABS LIGHT WILL APPEAR UNEXPECTEDLY ON DASHBOARD, AND CONSUMER WILL NEED TO TURN OFF ENGINE. THEN, LIGHT WILL DISAPPEAR. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING 65MPH NOTICED VEHICLE WAS LOSING POWER & THEN DIED OUT. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT. CHECKED UNDERHOOD & NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. INFORMED BY MECHANIC ANTI-FREEZE GOING INSIDE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HEAD GASKETS FAILURE CAUSED ENGINE TO BLOW UP. *AK

RACK & PINION STTERING HAD TO BE REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASION WITHIN A YEAR. DEALER DID THE REPAIRS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

I HAD AN ACCIDENT ON 01/14/00 DUE TO MY CAR CUTTING OFF. I WAS TURNING WHEN THERE WAS WATER ON THE STREET. I MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN AND THE RIGHT SIDE WENT THROUGH WATER. MY CAR MADE SOME HIGH PITCH NOISE AND THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD ALL LIT UP AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. I HAD NO CONTROL OVER MY CAR AND RAN OFF OF THE ROAD IN A DITCH. I DIDN'T GET HURT. MY FRONT BUMPER WAS DAMAGED. I AM VERY SCARED DRIVING THIS CAR WHEN IT RAINS OR WHEN THERE'S WATER ON THE STREET. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY HAZZARD. I TOLD JERRY'S FORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I EVEN CONTACTED THE FORD DISPUTE BOARD AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE NUMEROUS TIMES THE CAR HAD CUT OFF, THEY TOLD ME THAT WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN, TAKE IT DIRECTLY TO THE DEALERSHIP. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SAFETY HAZZARD BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE HAS AN ACCIDENT OR DIES. *AK

RUST IN COOLANT, WATER PUMP CORRODED, HAD TO BACK FLUSH ALL RELATED HOSES, PERFORMED AT OWNER EXPENSE. PROBLEM RESTARTED AFTER 2 MONTHS. FORD CONTACTED AND NO RELATED RECALL NOTICES INDICATED, ALTHOUGH NUMEROUS NHTSA CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS ARE AVAILABLE. *AK

MY WINDSHIELD HAS DEVELOPED A HAZE BETWEEN THE LAMENATION AND GLASS, AS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE ONLY SOLUTION WAS TO REPLACE THE WINDOW. THIS CONDITION MAKES THE VIEW SEVERELY BLURRED WHEN ONCOMING HEADLIGHTS AND/OR SUN IS INVOLVED. IT IS MUCH LIKE SHINING LIGHT THROUGH A PRISM. GLASS ON A VEHICLE SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE, AND NOT GO BAD. THIS CREATES A SERIOUS VISUAL HAZARD. I WOULD HOPE THAT THIS WARRANTS AN INVESTIGATION TO PROVIDE CONSUMERS LIKE MYSELF SOME SORT OF REPLACEMENT/RECALL OPTION. FURTHER, IF A WINDSHIELD CANNOT WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME, I HAVE LOST FAITH IN ITS INTEGRITY DURING AN ACCIDENT. TO SAY THE LEAST, FORD HAS PRODUCED A "LEMON" PRODUCT, AS AGAIN...GLASS SHOULD NOT GO BAD. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY OPERATING IN LOW SPEED MODE. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

TRANSMISSION BEGAN MAKING WHIRRING SOUND. REPAIR ESTIMATED AT $1400+ TO REBUILD TRANSMISSION. *AK

DORR HANDLE ON DRIVERS SIDE WOULD NOT OPEN. I HAD TO OPREN FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE . SUDDENLY, FOR NO APPARANT REASON IT WORKED AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE AND CORRECTED ITSELF. *AK

DEALER INFORMED OF A DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING PUMP. INFORMED CONSUMER THEY WOULD PAY HALF FOR PART AND LABOR , WHICH WOULD BE AT COST OF $500.00. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE AND WHY SHOULD SHE PAY ANYTHING. *AK

REPETATIVE BROWN COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS. *AK

HEATER CORE ONLY LASTS 12-13 MONTHS, DEALER CAN NOT FIND PROB WITH ABS BRAKES.. *AK

INTERLOCK SYSTEM INSIDE STEERING COLUMN FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARD WHILE IN PARK CAUSING DAMAGE TO 2 VEHICLES. NLM

COOLANT KEPT TURNING BROWN- REPEATEDLY FLUSHED SYSTEM. IT RAN HOT ON 12-06-1999 AND TEMPERATURE GUAGE DID NOT SHOW IT WAS RUNNIG HOT.IT BLEW A HEAD GASKET.I HAD TO OVERHAUL MOTOR OUT OF OWN POCKET FOR $1214.00. I STILL HAVE RECEIPTS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION COULD GET REAL HARD TO SHIFT GEAR WHEN SWITCHING FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TRANSMISSION AND POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

DUE TO A DEFECTIVE STEERING RACK AND PINION STEERING MALFUNCTIONED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CAR WAS PUT INTO DRIVE FROM PARK WHILE ON A SLIGHT DOWNGRADE AND THE CAR TOOK OFF INTO A HOUSE. THE CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE (NOT THE DEALER MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS SECTION) A WEEK PRIOR TO INCIDENT WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM A STOP, THE TRANSMISSION JERKED INTO GEAR WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD. THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE DECELERATED FROM HIGH SPEED, THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED ABRUPTLY. *JB PH

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING . MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER SERVICE RECALL # 98B27 IN DEC OF 98 FOR THE COOLING UNIT. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND DIED BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING ANTI FREEZE. DEALER AND MANUFCTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

THE VEHICLE HAS HISTORY OF TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS. THE DEALER HAS FLUSHED THE COOLING SYSTEM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND A RECALL FOR THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS PERFORMED. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE POWER, I IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. STEAM THEN BEGAN TO BILLOW FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALER AND I WAS INFORMED THE HEADS WERE CRACKED AND THE ENGINE WAS FULL OF WATER. THE FIX WAS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE BY PHONE ONLY TO BE TOLD THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRENTY AND FORD HAS NO OBLIGATION TO TO PAY FOR ANY OF THE DAMAGES. LETTERS WRITTEN TO FORD HAVE GONE UNANSWERED. *AK

BRAKES WORK INTERMITTENTLYYWHEN CON APPLIES HIS BRAKES THERE IS A CLINKING NOISE. THE DEALSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

DRIVING AT 55 MPH, NOTICED WHEN DEPRESSING GAS PEDAL WOULD NOT GAIN SPEED. DEPRESSED GAS PEDAL FURTHER, NON-RESPONSIVE. LOOKED AT TEMP GAUGE, NOTICED OVERHEATED. PULLED OVER. BLED RADIATOR OVERFILL. ADDED WATER AND ANTIFREEZE. ENGINE KNOCKED VIOLENTLY WHEN RESTARTED. CALLED FOR TOW. NOTIFIED ENGINE SEIZED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK