2001 Ford Taurus Powertrain & Transmission Problems

The contact owns a 2001 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that there was a slight hesitation upon shifting the transmission into drive. The contact stated that the gear selector seized, and the vehicle was no longer able to shift out of park. Additionally, the brake lights were no longer operable. No warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK AND WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. JOHN BLEAKLEY FORD INC (870 THORTON RD, LITHIA SPRINGS, GA 30122) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FORD MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

TODAY, JUNE 24, 2017 AT ABOUT 1:00 PM, I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ON A CITY STREET, WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN, TO TURN LEFT ONTO THE STATE HIGHWAY. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, SO I WAS NOT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL AT ALL. SUDDENLY, AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING, MY VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT ANY ACTION ON MY PART, AND RAPIDLY STARTED INTO THE BUSY INTERSECTION. DESPITE MY VAIN ATTEMPTS TO STOP MY VEHICLE, BY PUSHING AS HARD IS POSSIBLE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET, IT DIDN'T DECREASE THE ACCELERATION AT ALL. BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN, I WASN'T ABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION. I COLLIDED WITH A VAN WHICH WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND GOING ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR THROUGH THE INTERSECTION ON THE GREEN LIGHT. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES (WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ONE OR BOTH VEHICLES BEING TOTALED), VERY FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO SUBSTANTIAL INJURIES TO THE WOMAN OR HER FOUR YOUNG CRYING CHILDREN IN THE OTHER VEHICLE, NOR TO ME. AFTER MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS OF DRIVING WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT, I WAS SHOCKED AND UPSET BY THIS, AND ALL THE PASSENGERS WERE TRAUMATIZED BY THE ACCIDENT. THE POLICE OFFICER DIDN'T GIVE ME A CITATION, ATTRIBUTING THE ACCIDENT TO A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. SEVERAL PEOPLE, INCLUDING YOUNG CHILDREN, COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED BY THIS AWFUL EXPERIENCE. THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED, AND I HOPE YOU WILL INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM, SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE WON'T BE BADLY INJURED OR LOSE THEIR LIVES IN THE FUTURE. AN ADDITIONAL ITEM I SHOULD MENTION IS THAT I HAVE ALWAYS KEPT THIS VEHICLE MAINTAINED ON A REGULAR BASIS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, THE GEARS WOULD NOT SHIFT AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT ACTIVATE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE CONTACT, A MECHANIC, REACHED OUT TO THE DEALER TO PURCHASE PARTS FOR THE REPAIR, BUT THE DEALER REFUSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE REPAIR TO BE PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEARS ON THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SWITCH FROM PARK TO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 226,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, HE PLACED THE GEAR SHIFTER IN REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THEY WERE IN A PARKING SPACE AND WHEN THEY TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR IT WOULD NOT MOVE. WHEN THEY WERE ABLE TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE GEAR, THE VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO DID NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000. *TR

TRAVELING AT 45MPH SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE, RPM'S JUMPED YET NO RESPONSE FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I CAN SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR AND THE VEHICLE ACTS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL. *TR

I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO SAY I AM 19 YEARS OLD AND A COLLEGE STUDENT WHO DOESN'T HAVE $2000 LAYING AROUND FOR A CRAPPY TRANSMISSION AND I'M VERY UPSET THAT I MADE SUCH A NAIVE PURCHASE. HERE'S THE STORY.. I BOUGHT IT FROM A PRIVATE SELLER WHOM TOLD ME SINCE HE HAD THE CAR HE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION TWICE . SO I THOUGHT I HAD A GOOD RUNNING CAR WITH A NEW TRANSMISSION. TWO WEEKS LATER THE TRANSMISSION JUST GAVE UP ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE I WAS DOING 65-70 MPH THE MOMENTUM PUSHED THE CAR OF THE I10 TO A SAFE PLACE ON THE SHOULDER. I TURNED IT OFF AND STARTED IT BACK UP AND IT MOVED A COUPLE OF YARDS TO AN NEARBY GAS STATION WHERE IT SAT FOR HOURS. I TOOK IT TO COTTMANS TRANSMISSION AND A OLDER GUY WHO HAVE BEEN FIXING CARS FOR THE LONGEST TOLD ME"LOOK I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON CARS FOR A LONG TIME AND THESE TAURUS HAVE COMMON TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS" IM NOT PUTTING ANOTHER DIME INTO THIS CAR. THESE CARS ARE KNOWN FOR GETTING PEOPLE FIRED FROM WORK AND MESSING UP PEOPLE LIVES. I WAS PLANNING ON TAKING A VACATION IN MY CAR BUT I GUESS MY TRANSMISSION HIT THE ROAD BEFORE I DID. I'VE READ MANY MANY REPORTS ON BLOG SITE WHERE EVERY TAURUS OWNER TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT ON THEM. AND IT SEEMS THESE CARS GO OUT AT THE WRONG TIME. IT'S A [XXX] SHAME THAT SOME OF THE REPORTS I'VE READ SOME OF THE PEOPLE WAS IN LIFE THREATENING SITUATIONS AT THE TIME OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURES. IT'S GONNA TAKE SOMEBODY TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT OR DIE AS A RESULT OF THESE POORLY BUILT PIECE OF [XXX] FOR FORD TO GET UP OFF THEIR [XXX]. I SHOULD JUST WENT GOT THAT NEW MAXIMA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

CAR BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. AT THIS TIME THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE WORKING. FOUND A WORK AROUND ON THE INTERNET THAT WORKED. ALSO FOUND A RECALL (04S12) FOR SAME PROBLEM BUT MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED AND FORD WILL NOT FIX. HOWEVER, THEY DO NOT SELL THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH (WHICH IS MOST LIKELY THE PART I NEED) BY ITSELF ANYMORE. YOU MUST BUY A MORE EXPENSIVE KIT THAT INCLUDES THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH AND WIRING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. NOW MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE COMPLETELY OUT SO WE CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR. SEEMS IF FORD WON'T SELL JUST THE SWITCH THEN THEY ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MY CAR SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION TO THE SHIFTING OUT OF PARK PROBLEM. I HAVE CALLED FORD TWICE BUT THEY BASICALLY SAY "SORRY YOU ARE NOT PART OF THE RECALL." AND REGARDING WHETHER THERE WERE A CRASH, IF MY DAUGHTER HAD KEPT DRIVING IT THERE MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE, AS BRAKE LIGHTS ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE HE COULD NOT SHIFT INTO THE "DRIVE" POSITION. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS HE WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE BRAKES FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE BATTERY AND BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 117,000.

WITHOUT NOTICE FORD TAURUS 2001 SES JUST STOPPED ACCELERATING. I WAS ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY AND GOING AROUND 70MPH. AND THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED GOING. SEEMS LIKE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN LEAKING FLUIDS AND SLIPPING TWO MONTHS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TORQUE CONVERTER TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAD FRACTURED. THE DEALER ADVISED REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AND WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

MY FORD TAURUS 1ST BROKE DOWN ON THE INTERSTATE. I WAS ON MY WAY TAKING MY KIDS TO CHUCK E. CHEESE. IT RAN HOT OUT OF THE BLUE. AFTER THAT I GOT IT TOWED, I DID REPLACE THE MOTOR, HAD THE TRANSMISSION WORKED ON, REPLACE MANY SENSORS, REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER, REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, THE SENSOR OF THE AIR CONDITION. I HAVE REPLACED ALMOST EVERYTHING ON THAT CAR FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT IT IN 07 UNTIL 2010. AND ITS STILL NOT RUNNING. ITS PARKED THEY ARE SAYING ITS SOMETHING WITH THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN. I HAVE SPENT SO MUCH MONEY IN THAT PIECE OF JUNK FORD. I FEEL THEY SHOULD FIX THE TRANSMISSION THIS TIME AND GIVE ME SOME OF MONEY BACK FOR ALL THE REPAIRS. AND FOR THE RECORD MY DATES ARE ESTIMATED BECAUSE I JUST PARKED AND IT AND STOP KEEPING UP WITH IT. JUST PLAIN OLE GOT TIRED. THAT CAR TOOK ME BROKE. I FINALLY HAD TO BOW DOWN AND GO GET ANOTHER 1 WITH PAYMENTS AS LAST RESORT. FOR ME AND MY 2 LITTLE GIRLS 1 OF THEM WHOM IS DISABLED. *TR

I OWN A 2001 FORD TAURUS STATION WAGON. TWICE NOW I'VE BEEN TOLD I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. TRUE, I HAVE JUST UNDER 100,000 MILES ON IT; BUT THAT'S STILL TWO TRANSMISSIONS. THE FIRST TIME I REPLACED THE TRANNY I HAD ABOUT 50,000 MILES ON IT. PIECE OF JUNK! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, IT JERKED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE PLACES THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, IT ACCELERATES TOO QUICKLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT ALL OF THE VEHICLES OF THAT YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL START IN THAT MANNER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 107,000. UPDATED 11/06/07 *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILED ON 2001 FORD TAURUS AT 41,000 MILE. TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AND BEGAN FAILING AGAIN AT 77,000 MILES. CAR BEGAN VIBRATING AROUND 45 MPH UNTIL 60 MPH, FORD DEALERSHIP TOOK IT FOR A TEST RIDE AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AND I SHOULD GET NEW TIRES. NOW AT 97,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AGAIN. SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN DRIVING, SLIPS ON THE UPSHIFT, CLUNKS ON THE DOWNSHIFT. WHEN DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED OF VIBRATION CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, NOW THAT IT HAS FAILED COMPLETELY THERE IS NO LONGER A WARRANTY. *NM

PURCHASED A 2001 TAURUS IN 2004 WITH 26000 MILES. HAD TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITHIN 2 MONTHS. DEALER REFLASHED TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY OF USED CAR DEALER. NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL NOT WORKING RIGHT, AND IS ON THE VERGE OF FAILURE. I ALREADY HAD A CODE FOR TORQUE CONVERTER COME UP, BUT IT DOESN'T SHOW ANY MORE. *NM