1998 Ford Taurus Powertrain & Transmission Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE A JERKING MOTION AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES AND AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL AWAY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL QUICKLY AND SHIFT INTO PARK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 260,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS SHO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE OVERDRIVE BUTTON HAD CONSTANTLY BEEN GOING ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED NOR HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 135,000.

MY SON IS AWAY AT COLLEGE AND WAS DRIVING OUR 1998 FORD TAURUS SE WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING THE CAR JUST STOPPED AND WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. FROM READING OTHER COMPLAINTS THIS SEEMS TO BE A TRANSMISSION DEFECT IN THE FORD TAURUS. WE HAVE BEEN THE OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE SINCE BEING PURCHASED NEW OFF THE DEALER LOT. COST TO FIX THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS PROHIBITIVE AND MAKES NO FINANCIAL SENSE GIVEN THE CURRENT KBB VALUE. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND CORRECT THE DEFECT. NOW WE HAVE OUR CHILD STUCK AT COLLEGE 3 HOURS AWAY WITH A JUNK VEHICLE ALSO STUCK 3 HOURS AWAY WHILE STILL PAYING COSTLY INSURANCE ON IT. *TR

JERKING, DOESN'T WANT TO GO, FELT LIKE FUEL FILTER, BUT THINK ITS TRANSMISSION. *AK

MY 1998 FORD TAURUS HAS 134,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN A GOOD CAR. WE HAVE HAD IT FOR 6 MONTHS. IT IS THE ONLY VEHICLE I HAVE. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT KICKS ITSELF OUT OF DRIVE WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING. SO FAR WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS--I QUIT DRIVING IT BUT I CAME VERY, VERY CLOSE TO BEING HIT BY A SEMI-TRUCK WHEN IT JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I WAS VERY LUCKY!! I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS THINGS DONE TO IT BUT IT STILL CONTINUES TO DO THIS. I AM VERY ANGRY AS I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE!!! *NM

THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. 2 CODE READ INTERNAL PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION - FOURTH GEAR AND SOLENOID. CODE WAS CLEARED BUT CAME BACK A WEEK LATER. HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT TO THE AMOUNT OF OVER $3200. BOUGHT 1998 FORD TAURUS USED IN 2001 WITH 52000 MILES - NOW 91400. JUST WANTED TO MAKE OTHER CONSUMERS AWARE OF THIS COSTLY PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD NO OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE 4 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. *NM

DT: 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONSUMER STATES THE SPEED SENSOR GOES OUT. THE VEHICLE WILL DOWN SHIFT WHILE GOING 70 MPH. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INSIST IT IS AN OWNER'S PROBLEM, NOT A VEHICLE PROBLEM. THEY INDICATE THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. HE HAS HAD ALL OF THE SENSORS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE STILL BEHAVES POORLY. THIS PROBLEM STARTED TWO WEEKS AGO ON AUGUST 1, 2005. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A LOCAL MECHANIC. FORD REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OR GIVE THE CONSUMER $500 FOR THE VEHICLE.*AK

THE TRANSMISSION STALLED AND STARTED LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND ON THE ROAD WHICH CAUSED SMOKING.

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED. THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A FAULTY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *AK

98 FORD TAURUS, WELL MAINTAINED, HAD CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FALIURE AT 63,000 MILES. FORD HAS STONEWALLED &/OR IGNORED THE SITUATION.

WHILE TRAVELLING TO WORK ON FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 5, I HAD JUST ACCESSED INTERSTATE 65 NORTH AND HAD TRAVELLED ON IT FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES. I HAD REACHED MY NORMAL CRUISING SPEED OF 80 MPH WHEN I BEGAN TO CROSS THE BRIDGE OVER THE TENNESSEE RIVER. ON THE DOWNSIDE OF THE BRIDGE, I HAD NO WARNING WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY TRANSMISSION CEASED TO FUNCTION. DUE TO THE SPEED I WAS TRAVELLING, I WAS ABLE TO COAST UNTIL I EXITED THE BRIDGE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1/4 A MILE, I SAFELY PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND CAME TO A STOP. I PROCEEDED TO CHECK ALL THE GEARS TO DETERMINE IF THE TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY FAILED. UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAD. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THERE WAS NO NOISE, NO JERK, NO ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 135,000 MILES ON IT, AND I ENSURE THAT ROUTINE SERVICE IS PERFORMED ON IT. TWELVE MONTHS PRIOR, I HAD THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY SERVICED. THIS COMPLETE FAILURE CAME AS A SURPRISE TO ME AS NO WARNING SIGNS WERE EVIDENT. TODAY, I AM HAVING TO SHELL OUT $1600 FOR A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. THE COMPANY I HAVE PERFORMING THE REPAIRS IS KNOWN TO BE VERY REPUTIBLE AND TOLD ME THAT A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION AT OR JUST PRIOR TO THE ACTUAL FAILURE. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED VERY SIMILAR SITUATIONS. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS INDEED A FLAW IN THE FORD TAURUS TRANSMISSION SYSTEM.*AK

VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP FIVE TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION WORK. TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED TWICE AND REPLACED THREE TIMES. *AK

AS I WAS PULLING AWAY FROM MY DRIVEWAY ABOUT 5 MPH I HEARD A LOUD NOISE BETWEEN HOOD AND FRONT SEATS. I SOON REALISED THAT WHEN I STEPED ON THE ACCELERATION PEDAL THE CAR WON'T GO FOWARD. I PARKED THE CAR IMMIDIATELY AND TURNED OFF WAITED FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES I GOT OFF FROM THE CAR AND I PERSONALLY INPECTED THE CAR FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE MOTOR, AND UNDERNEATH OF IT AND NO OIL WAS SPILLED (MOTOR OR TRANSMISSION). I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON STEPED ON THE BREAK AND SHIFTED TO DRIVE, AND STEPED ON ACCELARATION PEDAL, BUT CAR WONT MOVE. I ALO TRYED REVERSE AND DID NOT MOVE ASWELL. WHEN U PUTTED THE CAR INTO 2ND GEAR IT TOOK A COUPLE OF SECONDS FOR THE CAR TO MOVE. I ALSO TRYED 1ST. GEAR AND IT DID NOT MOVE AS WELL.*AK

TODAY, WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 55 MPH ON RTE 1, MY 1998 FORD TAURUS WAGON SUDDENLY STARTING TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AS LOUD NOISES LIKE BOTTOMING OUT ON SEVERAL BOULDERS EMANATED FROM BENEATH THE CAR. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN SMOOTHLY AND THE A/C PUMPED OUT COOL AIR, BUT WHEN THE CAR CAME TO REST AT A STOP LIGHT IT DID NOT MOVE FORWARD UNTIL THE RPM GOT QUITE HIGH AND ONLY THEN AT A VERY SLOW, HERKY, JERKY PACE. THE CAR SMOOTHED OUT AT AROUND 25-30 MPH, BUT THE PROBLEM GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I NOTICED BLUE-GRAY SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR AND PARKED THE CAR IN A RELATIVELY SAFE PLACE. I NOTICED LIQUID DRIPPING FROM BENEATH THE CAR NEAR THE REAR OF THE OIL PAN. MY HUSBAND CHECKED ON THE CAR ON HIS WAY HOME FROM WORK TO ASCERTAIN THAT THE LIQUID IS TRANSMISSION FLUID. WITHOUT HUMOR I RECALLED A WOMAN TELLING ME JUST TWO WEEKS AGO THAT SHE HAD A CAR JUST LIKE MINE THAT SHE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN RECENTLY, AND I TOLD HER AT THE TIME THAT MY CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ON RTE 1 AND NOT ON I-95, AND IN THE DAY TIME ON A HOT SUNNY DAY AND NOT ON A COLD, WET NIGHT. *NLM

1998 FORD TAURUS WOULD OCCASIONALLY NOT MOVE FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES BETWEEN NOVEMBER 2002 AND THE PRESENT. AFTER THE FOURTH TIME (MAY 2, 2003), THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $2800. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION. THEY FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN THE PAN AND BURNT MERCON V. TOTAL COST FOR REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION WAS $1400-$1800. THIS IS A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE SINCE THE SHOP HAS TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT USED FOR TRAILER TOWING OR RACING. ENGINE IS THE DURATEC V6 AND THE TOTAL MILEAGE IS 64077. THIS IS TO ME A SERIOUS CONCERN SINCE A VEHICLE SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 100,000 MILES WITHOUT A MAJOR FAILURE AS WHAT HAS HAPPENED. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FROM A COMPLETE STOP WAS AT A CONGESTED INTERSECTION, AND ONE OF THE TIMES THIS OCCURRED WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHERE THE MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT IS 65 MPH. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. *NLM

NAR 06/05/2003 *MR MECHANICS DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEMS AS A BROKEN TORQUE CONVERTER. *CB

CONSUMER STATED THAT THEY WOULD SIMULTANEOUSLY PRESS ON THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL WITHOUT NOTICE CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

1998 FORD TAURUS TRANSMISSION FAILURE

GEAR SHIFTER DOES NOT LINE UP CORRECTLY WHEN IN ANY GEAR. AJAR DOOR LIGHT AND INSIDE DOME LIGHT STAY ON AND THE DRIVERSIDE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK WHEN THIS HAPPENS. ALSO, WHEN GETTING IN OR OUT OF THE CAR EACH PASSANGER GETS SHOCKED IF YOU TOUCH ONE ANOTHER OR THE DOORS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS NOW. THIS HAPPENS ON A REGULAR BASES.