1988 Ford Taurus Engine Problems

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *PH

RUBBER MOUNTS DETERIORATED, CAUSING THEM TO CRACK IN HALF, DEALER REPLACED. *SLC

2:30 IN THE AFTERNOON ON SEPT 20TH..I HAD BEEN DRIVING MY TAURUS AROUND TOWN,BURIEN WA. I WAS GOING ABOUT 35 TO 40 MPH. AND I WAS 4 BLOCKS FROM HOME WHEN MY CAR WENT DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. NO WARNING SIGNS..NOTHING..JUST CAME TO A DEAD HALT..I LOOKED DOWN AT THE GAGES AND I NOTOCED MY CAR SAID OVERHEAT..IT WAS IN THE RED...THAT CAR NEVER HAD AN OVERHEATING PROBLEM..ALL PROPER LIQUIDS WERE IN THE CAR..SO I COULDNT START THE CAR AND I'M STUCK ON A BRIDGE IN A 2 LANE TRAFFIC AREA AND THE START OF RUSH HOUR. I CANNOT START THE CAR. I HAD TO BE TOWED 4 BLOCKS TO MY HOME EVER SINCE THAT DAY MY CAR IS UNABLE TO START. I SAW IN THE NEWSPAPER ABOUT THE RECALL OF THE FORDS BECAUSE OF A DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW THAT CAN CAUSE A VEHICLE TO STALL...MY FATHER PURCHASED THIS CAR IN 1988 IN CALIFORNIA AND I BOUGHT IT FROM HIM 4YRS AGO..SINCE HAD NEW TRANNY IN..NEW RACK PINION AND SAT FOR 2 YRS AND STARTED DRIVING AGAIN IN 99 NO PROBLEMS SINCE UNTIL THIS STALL ON THE BRIDGE . PLEASE RESPOND IF THIS FITS THE CRITERIA OF THE RECALL

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. ENGINE PULLED AWAY FROM MAIN FRAME DUE TO DEFECTIVE BOLTS. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING BOOT HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SUB FRAME FAILURE, OTHER PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE INCLUDE: TFI MODULE, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, BLOWER MOTOR WAS OVERHEATING, FUEL PUMP FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *SLC

TEMPERATURE WENT UP, AND LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE VAPOR CAME FROM OUT OF TAIL PIPE. DEALER SAID WARRANTY DID NOT EXTEND BACK THAT FOR BECAUSE OF THE YEAR OF VEHICLE. *AK

SUB FRAME BOLTS BROKE MOTOR MOUNTS ON ENGINE AND BOOT ON STEERING---BOLTS WERE DEFECT ALL FOUR BOLTS---PUT STRESS/STRAIN ON ENGINE/STEERING

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR THE SUBFRAME CORROSION RECALL, WHEN SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC FOR CHECK UP, MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE FRONT MOTOR MOUNTS WERE MISSING, DEALERSHIP DID NOT TELL CONSUMER HER ENGINE MOUNTS WERE MISSING, WHEN SHE BEGAN TO DRIVE THE ENGINE WAS MOVING AROUND.

NEED MANUFACTURER TO CONFIRM EMISSIONS CERTIFICATION FOR US.

DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE TFI IGNITION CABLE WHICH BURNED THE COIL, THE VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED THE R&R DRIVE BELTS/SPEED CONTROLCABLE, AND PERFORMED VEHICLE TUNE UP. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE ENGINE GASKET SEAL CRACKED, CAUSING AN OIL LEAK WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CAR WAS TOWED TO TRANSMISSION BUSINESS, AND THE SERVICE PERSONEL COMMENTED THAT THIS WAS TYPICAL FOR A FORD TAURUS THAT JUST TURNED OVER 100,000 MILES. I WAS TOLD I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE MADE IT TO 115,000. WHEN I ASKED HOW MUCH THIS WOULD COST, THE GAVE ME THE PRICE AND TOLD ME THAT FORD JUST GAVE THEM A BULLETIN WHICH WOULD INSTALL A TRANSMISSION IN A TAURUS AND SABLE (BOTH HAVE THE SAME ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION) THAT WOULD LAST FOR 2 YEARS! THEY COULD ONLY WARRANT THIS TRANSMISSION FOR TWO YEARS! AFTER SEVERAL CALLS TO DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION BUSINESSES, THEY ALL SAID IT WAS TYPICAL FOR A FORD TAURUS, JUST OVER 100,000 MILES TO NEED A TRANSMISSION. WHAT A RIP-OFF.

MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE THREE OR FOUR TIMES, AND VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR REPAIRS. WHEN DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER CAN HEAR KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM VEHICLE. ALSO, WHENEVER GOING INTO ANOTHER GEAR, THERE IS A PROBLEM AND VEHICLE STALLS. CONSUMER JUST GOT A TUNE UP. *AK

WHEN TEMPERATURE GAUGE REACHES THE MIDWAY POINT THE VEHICLE STALLS AND CUTS OFF. OWNER DOES NOT RECEIVE INDICATION THAT THE VEHICLE IS GOING TO CUT OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF, IT TAKES ABOUT 40 MINUTES TO COME BACK ON. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE TOP COAT OF PAINT S COMING OFF THE VEHICLE; THE TOP, FENDER, TRUNK, DOORS AND BACK FENDER. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY VEHICLE STALLS. WHEN THE CAR OVERHEATS, THE WIRING HARNESS SITUATED BY THE AIR CONDITIONING AND RIGHT REAR OF THE ENGINE COMPARMENT THE CONDENSOR, HEATS UP ALSO.THIS HAPPENS DURING HOT WEATHER. *AK

TRANSMISSION COOLER LINE BECOMES DISCONNECTED FROM THE RADIATOR/ENGINE STALLS AT REDUCED RPM

HEAD GASKET FAILURE DESTROYED THE ENGINE. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO BREAKDOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, AND HAD TO BE TOWED. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE 2 WATER PUMPS, RADIATOR, OIL PUMP AND HEAD SEALS IN ADDITION TO ENGINE WORK. *AK *ML

WHEN DRIVING SMOKE WOULD COME OUT THE BACK AND THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT WOULD COME ON. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED ENGINE BEARINGS AND NEW BOLTS FOR THE BEARING MOUNTS. *AK *ML

EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING LOST ALL POWER TO THE VEHICLE, PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS STEAMING.TOOK VEHICLE TO THE MANUFACTURER WHO SAID THAT THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. *AK

SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE TO CONSUMER'S REQUESTS TO OBTAIN A REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT CLASP FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE. IN ADDITION, INTERMITTENT STALLING/HESITATION DUE TO ENGINE OVERHEATING WHEN A/C IS RUNNING. *AK