There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 1992 Ford Taurusin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHEN THE VEHICLE IDLES A THUMPING NOISE IS PRODUCED. *AK
I OWN A 92 FORD TAURUS WAGON LEFT TO ME BY MY NOW-DECEASED FATHER. HE HAD A RECALL DONE 3-99 FOR THE MOTOR MOUNT RECALL DONE. MY FATHER PASSED AWAY 12-99. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH THIS MOTOR MOUNT. IT IS NOW BROKEN AGAIN. IS THERE ANY WAY THIS PROBLEM CAN BE RECTIFIED. THANKS. *LA
HEAD GASKET/ TRANSMISSION FAILURE
ENGINE MOUNTS BROKE. INDEPENDENT SHOP WILL REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ENGINE HAD HEAD GASKET/HEAD CRACKING PROBLEMS. AIR CONDITIONING REPLACED TWICE. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM REPAIRED TWICE AS A RESULT OF THE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON CONSTANTLY. *TT
CONSUMER IS AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THE CONSUMER STATED FORD MAKES FAULTY CARS AND HIS CAR IS ONE OF THEM. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE DID NOT GET GOOD GAS MILEAGE. THE VEHICLE HAD CONSTANT ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE SEAT WAS BROKEN, THE TIRE BLEW OUT, THE VEHICLE STALLED. *JB NAR 1/22/2003
COOLANT LEAKING INTO HEAD GASKET AND PISTON/CYLINDERS CAUSING ENGINE TO VAPOR LOCK AND FREEZE. WE BOUGHT A $900 EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS VEHICLE, AND WE HAD TO PAY A $95.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG, HANSEL FORD IN SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA SAYS THAT WARRANTY WILL NOW ONLY COVER SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE ENGINE AND NOT ALL OF THE ENGINE AS DESCRIBED IN EXTENDED WARRANTY, WE BOUGHT THE ESTATE WARRANTY FROM THE DEALERSHIP IN CASE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED. WE HAVE NOW NO MONEY TO PAY FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR THAT WE THOUGHT WAS COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, AND BASICALLY HAVE NO RECOURSE EXCEPT TO EITHER TOW THE VEHICLE FROM HANSEL FORD IN SANTA ROSA TO OUR PLACE OF RESIDENCE IN SANTA ROSA, AND OR SELL/OT TOWED TO A JUNK YARD BECAUSE SAID WARRANTY IS OF NO USE. WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE A LITTLE MORE THAN 1 YEAR. HAVE PUT APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH THE WARRANTY STATES CAR IS STILL UNDER BECAUSE ITS 36,000 MILES OR 3 YEARS WHICH WE COME WELL UNDER THAT. IF DEALERS WOULD BE HELD MORE LIABLE, AS WELL AS THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THEY WOULD PROBABLY BACK THEIR PRODUCTS (CARS,TRUCKS ETC. BETTER.)
HEAD GASKET FAILED; I NOW FIND OUT THIS WAS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH TAURUS CARS FROM THIS YEAR. MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE NOTIFVIED CONSUMERS BACK WHEN IT TOLD DEALERS OF THIS PROBLEM SO OWNERS COULD GET PREVENTIVE MEASURES TAKEN. *AK
3.8 V6 ENGINE WOULD OVERHEAT WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFROMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING AND STARTING. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
HEADGASKET BLEW AND ENGINE HEAD WARPED ON MY 3.8L FORD TAURUS WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH CAUSING THE CAR TO OVERHEAT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPEND WITHIN A YEAR. MY MECHANIC TOLD THIS IS VERY COMMON ON 3.8L ENGINE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THE NHTSA HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT THIS.*AK
VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY TIME/ ANY SPEED. DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK
ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT AT NINETY-ONE THOUSAND MILES, DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT GASKETS BLOWOUT AT OR AROUND NINETY-THOUSAND MILES, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED MANUFACTURER FOR RECALL OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT WAS TOLD IT DID NOT APPLY TO 1992 MODELS, CONSUMER FELT THAT 1992 MODELS SHOULD BE INCLUDED. *AK *NLM
CAR WILL CUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY. PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
3.8 LITER HEAD GASKET BLEW AND CAUSED MAJOR DAMGAE TO ENGINE AT ONLY 72,000 MILES ! CAR WAS NOT DRIVEN HARD AND ALL SERVICE/MAINTENCE WAS KEPT UP. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND FORD IS NOT WILLING TO HELP WITH THE COST. I CALLLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT HELP ME WITH THIS ISSUE AND EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO SAY THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND DID NOT KNOW IT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AMONG THIS ENGINE. I AM VERY DISAPOINTED IN FORD FOR THIS. FORD SHOULD AT LEAST SPLIT THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *AK
AFTER STARTING FROM A STOP ENGINE STARTED MAKING NOISES AT LOW SPEEDS. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THE ENGINE WAS NO GOOD, THAT BEARINGS WERE GONE . I NEEDED A NEW OR REBUILT ENGINE AND THAT THIS WAS COMMON ON THE 3.8L ENGINE. THIS ENGINE ONLY HAD 46,404 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
IGNITION MODULE FAILED IN JUNE, 2001 AT 101,377 MILES AND NOW AGAIN IT HAS FAILED AT 113,000 MILES. THE FIRST TIME THE CAR JUST WOULDN'T START IN FRONT OF A BUILDING, THE SECOND TIME AT A CITY INTERSECTION AT MIDNIGHT. IN CHECKING WITH FORD CORP AND THE LOCAL FORD DEALER THEY HAVE NO HEAT DEFLECTOR, INSULATOR OR KIT TO MOVE THE IGNITION MODULE FROM ITS LOCATION JUST ABOVE THE ENGINE AT THE BASE OF THE DISTRIBTOR. NOW I FEEL MY CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND NO ONE WILL EVEN OFFER A SOLUTION. DO I NEED TO FILE A LAWSUIT FOR THE BLUE BOOK VALUE OF MY CAR AGAINST FORD?
CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH HEATER, AND HEAT GAUGE WOULD GO UP AND DOWN. THOUGHT AUTOMOBILE WAS GOING TO EXPLODE. TOOK AUTOMOBILE TO SHOP, AND THEY FOUND OUT IT WAS HEAD GASKETS. *AK THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE WAS A COMMON PROBLELM WITH 3.8 ENGINE. *YH
MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE BROKEN OFF, JUST TOP TWO NOT BOTTOM TWO. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER SAID IT WAS REGULAR STRESS. *AK
Showing 1–20 of 50 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