There are 37 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 1989 Ford Taurusin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WORK DONE AT RACETTE FORD IN OSHKOSH, MAINTAINENCE CHARGED FOR SAME WORK 2 AND 3 TIMES. DROVE CAR ONLY 303 MILES AFTER WORK COMPLETED CAR FAILED SAFETY INSPECTION. TRANSMISSION BLEW UP AFTER SERVICE PERFORMED BY DEALER. CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER AND DEALER RECIEVED NO SATISFACTION. SMALL CLAIMS COURT FILED CLAIM PENDING ACTION. DEALER MANAGER TODD INFORMED AND STATED THAT " FRONT ROTORS ON CAR ARE NOT A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE STATE OF WI." STATED THAT "WI. ONLY HAS LAW TO SAFETY ON BRAKE PADS NOT ROTORS." TRYING TO CLARIFY IF WI LAW HAS SAFETY ISSUE ON ROTORS. PLEASE RESPOND VIA E MAIL OR US POSTAL. H BOHLMAN ALSO CAR WAS SERVICED BY RACETTE AS PREVIOUSLY STATED AND WORK WAS NOT DONE AS WAS CHARGED FOR. AWAITING HEARING IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT.
THE WIRING IS OVERHEATING AND IS CREATING A FOUL SMELL IN MY CAR AND THE PLUG FOR THE WIRE IS MELTING. WORRIED THAT THIS FAILURE WILL CAUSE A FIRE IN THE DRIVERS COMPARTMENT. PROBLEM STARTS WHEN THE HEATER BLOWER IS BEING USED. SAFEGUARD NEEDS TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO ASSURE DRIVERS THAT THEY WILL NOT GO UP IN FLAMES. I ALSO OWN A 87 FORD TAURUS AND IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED ASAP. MY TRANSMISSION HAS GONE BAD ON BOTH MY CARS COSTING ME A FEE OF $2600.00. THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT BECAUSE YOU GUYS DID NOT PUT A DAM IN THEM THEY OVERHEAT AND AND THINGS START TO BREAK.
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION DID NOT KICK INTO GEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED AND EXPLAINED IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW, FORWARD CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, WHEN TRANSMISSION IS IN UPPER GEAR, A PISTON IS FRACTURED DUE TO POOR DESIGN. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
FORD NEEDS TO FIX THESE TRANSMISSIONS--WE'RE ON OUR FOURTH--THIS IS RIDICULOUS!
TFI MODULE AND AXOD TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR. IF THERE WASN'T A 2ND GEAR, IT WOULD SHIFT INTO 3RD INSTEAD. TOOK TO DEALER & SERVICE MANAGER NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. INFORMED OWNER THAT THE LEAK NEEDED REPAIRING & THAT IT WOULD FIXED THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHENEVER VEHICLE ACCELERATES, TRANSMISSION WOULD GRAB. THIS CAUSES AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEARS TO NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED, WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEARS AT ALL. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO TRANSMISSION SHOP & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT & NEEDED REPLACING IT. *AK
AXOD TRANSMISSION FAILURE; ALSO, AXOD-E TRANSAXLE FAILED. *AK
TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR, RESULTING IN A RAPID DECREASE IN SPEED/STALLING. *AK
PISTON INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION BROKE, PREVENTING VEHICLE FROM GOING FORWARD. CONSUMER HAS TO PUT VEHICLE INTO REVERSE THEN IN DRIVE TO GO FORWARD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, SAID THAT IT WAS POSSIBLY CAUSED BY A PARTIALLY BROKEN RING AROUND THE PISTON. *AK *ML
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE. *AK
CONSUMER IS ABLE TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN OFF POSITION. *AK
AUTOMATIC TRAINMISSION WAS REPLACED . PLEASE DESRIBE .**AK
C.V. BOOT FAILED TWICE.
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
WHILE SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, TRANSMISSION NOT ENGAGED IN ANY GEAR, VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN HILL, NO PRIOR WARNING.*AK *JB
HAVE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION THE VEHICLE ONLY HAVE 50,000 MILES. TT
ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED, CAUSING INTERMITTENT STALLING. IN ADDITION, TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THROTTLE STUCK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE OUT OF CONTROL. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE SLOWED, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL, CONSUMER HAD TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE MANUALLY, DEALER FOUND A BROKEN FORWARD PISTION, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. *SLC
VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE FORWARD IN DRIVE, ALSO UPON LEAVING VEHICLE WITH GEAR IN NEUTRAL, TRANSMISSION ENGAGED, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *AK
Showing 1–20 of 37 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026