1993 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, AND WHITE ESMOKE CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE10 AMP ACCESSORY FEED FUSE HAD BLOWN. A REPLACEMENT FUSE WAS PUT IT AND IMMEDIATELY BLEW AGAIN. A SECOND FUSE WAS USED AND THE CAR RAN FOR 6 WEEKS WITH NO FAILURES. CAR AGAIN SUDDENTLY STOPPED WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 10MPH. AGAIN THE SAME FUSE WAS BLOWN. REPLACEMENT FUSE BLEW AFTER DRIVING THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES. THIRD REPLACEMENT FUSE LASTED FOR APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES BEFORE BLOWING AGAIN - WHILE THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT 55MPH. AS FIRST STATED, WHEN FUSE BLOWS THE ENGINE IS IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN. NOTE THAT CAR WILL NOT RESTART UNTIL REPLACEMENT FUSE IS PUT IN.

CYLINDER HEAD GASKET FAILURE. STEAM COMING OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE. CAR IN SHOP, DID NOT TAKE TO DEALER YET. ESTIMATED FAILURE MILEAGE. *AK

IN JANUARY 1998 I NOTICED WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS STAYING IN THE RED ZONE NEAR THE H. I TOOK IT INTO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THE NEXT MORNING AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR WAS AROUND $1100. ON SATURDAY 05/27/2000 WHEN DRIVING AWAY FROM A PARKING LOT I NOTICED THE CAR WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS PEGGED AT THE H, AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT THE TAILPIPE. I PARKED THE CAR AND HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP NEAR MY HOME. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AGAIN. THE REPAIR BILL IS POSSIBLY GOING TO BE BETWEEN $1100 - $1500. BOTH INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 1993 TAURUS 3.8 V6 ENGINE. I HAVE ALSO BROWSED YOUR COMPLAINTS SECTION OF YOUR WEBSITE AND FOUND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS LIKE MINE. I WILL BE CONTACTING THE NATIONAL FORD OFFICE IN THE MORNING TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY RECOURSE THEY CAN OFFER. IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM I FEEL LIKE FORD SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND/OR REIMBURSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY SPENT MONEY ON REPAIRING THIS PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED RADIATOR FLUID KEPT GETTING LOW, HEARD A CLNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND ANOTHER VEHICLE VEERED INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WHO, IN TURN, HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DIDN'T GO OFF AT ALL. *AK

THE FIRST CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WENT AT 17,000 MILES, WHEN MY FATHER OWNED THE CAR. NOW THE SECOND CYLINDER HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN AT 43,000 MILES--DESPITE EXCELLENT MAINTENANCE. I KNOW FORD HAS RECALLED THE GASKET ON THE SAME (3.8L) ENGINE FOR LATER MODELS, AND YOU HAVE MANY COMPLAINTS ON FILE IN YOUR DATABASE ABOUT THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM WITH THE 1993 MODEL. FORD MUST BE FORCED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT. *AK

CONSUMER'S SON HAD AN ACCIDENT AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED. AUTOMOBILE WAS HIT 3 TIMES GOING 55 MPH, ONCE IN THE REAR AND TWICE IN THE FRONT. *AK *ML

CYLINDER HEAD GASKET FAILED, ENGINE OVERHEATED, DRIVER AND FAMILY STRANDED. FORD HAS EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR SAME PROBLEM IN 1994-95 MODELS WITH SAME 3.8L ENGINE; WILL NOT HONOR WARRANTY FOR 1993, EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE'S MILEAGE AND AGE WOULD OTHERWISE MEET CRITERIA OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION. INITIAL TELEPHONE CALL TO FORD WAS FRUITLESS.

I FIND IT VERY ANNOYING THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND VARIOUS RECALLS ON THIS PART, THE DEALER STILL FAILS TO REPLACE A PART THEY KNOW IS DANGEROUS. NO SAFET DEFECT MENTIONE DIN THE SUMMARY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. AFTER VEHICLE WAS CHECKED FOR TROUBLE, ENGINE HAD BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

BESIDES HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND REPLACEMENT, WITHIN TWO DAYS OF THE ORIGINAL REPAIR, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THERE HAD BEEN DAMAGE TO THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS WHICH WERE REPLACED. *AK

THIS IS A RECOGNIZED PROBLEM BUT FORD REFUSES TO COMPENSATE OWNER. NO AFETY DEFECT MENTIONED WITHIN SUMMARY.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT. ENGINE WAS STARTING TO OVERHEAT & RUNNING ROUGH. DEALER MENTIONED TO CONSUMER THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. FORD HAS RECOGNIZED IT TO BE A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, AND THEY'RE RECALLING IT.*AK THE RECALL COVERS ONLY 1993,94 AND 95 TAURUS . *YH

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT RETRACT AND TENDED TO STICK IN UPRIGHT POSITION. PROBLEM WOULD NOT CORRECT ITSELF EVEN WHEN SWITCHING FROM INTERMITENT TO OFF OR FROM OFF TO LOW OR HIGH SPEED SETTINGS. *AK

COOLANT LEAKAGE AND WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM TAIL PIPE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE HAD A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S EXTENDED WARRANTY. HEAD GASKETS REPLACED. RECALL FOR '94 MODEL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK *ML

I TOOK M Y CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND I NOTICED PROBLEMS W/ THE STEERING. THE WHEEL WOULD BE HARD TO TURN WHEN MAKING SHARP RIGHT HAND TURNS. I HAD A FRIEND TETS DRIVE THE CAR AND HE TOLD ME THAT IT MAY BE THE RACKET PINION SYSTEM. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT REAR SAFETY BELT. I CHECKED THE INTERNET TO SEE WHAT RECALLS THERE WAS FOR FORD TAURUS AND I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE SO MANY THAT FORD HASN'T CONTACTED ME ON. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO CONTACT FORD ABOUT? *AK

HEAD GASKET BLOWN - WHITE BILLOWING SMOKE FROM TAIL PIPE - LOSS OF ANTIFREEZE. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDOW AND DO NOT RETURN TO NORMAL POSITION. PROBLEM 2 - HEADRESTS DO NOT LOCK IN DESIRED POSITION, CAUSES SEVERE NECK STRAIN. PROBLEM 3-SOMETHING CAUSED BOTH LEFT SIDE TIRES TO BLOW WHILE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/75/R1 )

MY ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND I TOOK IT TO FORD TO HAVE THEM CHECK IT . THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE ANOTHER WEEK BEFORE THEY COULD EVEN CHECK IT . I ASKED ABOUT A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM AND WAS INFORMED IT WAS ONLY ON THE 94 & 95 TAURUS ALTHOUGH I HAVE THE SAME EXACT ENGINE IN MY CAR, UNFAIR DON'T YOU THINK? I THEN TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY, IT SEEMS THAT MY CARS HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING AND WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST TO ME OF AT LEAST $700.00. I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD COVER THIS SINCE THEY HAVE RECALLS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE 94& 95 TAURUS'S. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I ONLY ONE OF A GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. THERE ARE NUMEROUS PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN QUINCY, I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE AND THE MECHANIC I TALKED AT FORD AND THE MECHANIC WHO IS FIXING MY CAR SAID THEY HAVE SEEN THIS SAME PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES IN FACT THAT WAS THE MAIN REASON FORD COULD NOT GET MY CAR IN FOR A WEEK BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAD 7 CARS AHEAD OF ME WIYH THE SAME THING. THANKS PAT VEIHL. *AK

VEHCILE STALLS WHEN PUTTING IN GEAR . ALSO, IT RIDES ROUGH, HAS WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT, AND IS LOSING COOLANT. *AK

RECALL 98V009000/ HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT BREAKER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CENTRAL FORD IN HOUSTON,TEXAS WHERE THEY INFORMED THE OWNER THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A POPPING NOISE. IT WAS REAR COIL SPRING THAT BROKE AND PUNCTURED REAR TIRES, CAUSING TIRES TO POP OFF.*AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE, COOLANT SMELL ALMOST OVERWHELMING INSIDE CAR. FORD SAYS IT WON'T COVER 1993 CARS. OBVIOUSLY FORD DOESN'T STAND BEHIND ITS PRODUCTS. *AK

AFTER DEALER REPAIRED ENGINE AND TIMING GASKET, ONLY DROVE 5 DAYS AND LESS THAN 100 MILES, ENGINE TATOLLY BLEW UP. *AK

I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY FORD DEALERSHIPS AND OTHERS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE 3.8L ENGINE WITH CRACKED HEAD GASKETS. I HAD TO SPEND OVER $2,500 TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FORD MOTOR COMPANY PUT A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. *AK

ENGINE COOLANT LEAK FROM THE HEAD GASKET, COOLANT IN THE FUEL/OIL (?) SYSTEM (HESITATION-ROUGH IDLE, OVERHEATED)- REPEAIR ESTIMATION FROM $1500 TO $4000. *AK

I THINK FORD SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE TRANSM. REPLACEMENT AND THAT THEIR SHOULD BE A RECALL ON ALL TAURUS'S DUE TO BOTH THE TRANSMISSION AND THE PEELING PAINT ON THE EXTERIOR, MINE IS CRACKED AND READY TO PEEL. ALL DEALERS DO NOT ACT IN GOOD FAITH IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEIR BONUSES ALONG WITH FORD EXECUTIVES. IF NOT, FORD SHOULD HAVE TO ADVERTISE DISPOSABLE CARS THAT LAST UP TO 30,000 MILES OR LESS. ANY LESS EXPENSIVE ITEM THE US GOV. WOULD GO AFTER WITHOUT HESITATING. THESE ITEMS ARE MAJOR AND ARE THE SAME AS AN AIRCRAFT QUALITY CONTROL. ISN'T THERE ANY GOVT DEPT THAT CAN PROPERLY INVESTIGATE THE WRONGDOING BY FORD? THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THESE CARS WITHLIKE PROBLEMS AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO MAKE USA AUTO MAKERS ACCOUNTABLE. IF I HAD A SMALL OR LARGE BUSINESS AND CONTINUALLY DEFRAUDED THE PUBLIC ONLY FOR PROFIT, WHERE WOULD YOU WRITE TO ME--WOULD I BE TAKING MILLIONS HOME IN BONUSES OR WOULD SOME SYSTEM MAKE ME ACCOUNTABLE? PLEASE RESPOND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH AND VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, WATER COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND FROM THE MANFOLD PIPE. CONSUMER STATED THAT HIS CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. PROBLEM FOUND TO BE CAUSED BY THE HEAD GASKET. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT OWNER'S COST. *AK *ML

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED ON THIS ENGINE CAR HAD SYMPTOMS OF HEAD GASKET FAILURE , LOSING COOLANT , RUNNING HOT WHEN IDLING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PERIODICALLY CAME ON , NO PROBLEMS EVER DETECTED UNTIL HAD GASKET FAILED. *AK

CAR WILL NOT START AGAIN AFTER BEING DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, HAVE NOT EVEN MADE FIRST PAYMENT YET. HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES, BEEN BACK TO DEALERSHIP TWICE NOW SINCE MARCH 21, 2000. *AK

POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM RESULTING IN SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLES HOOD. YH

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 50 MPH,VEHICLE COMMENCED TO RUN ROUGH AND OVERHEAT DUE TO COOLANT LEAKAGES. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER ,AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK

ENGINE "SPUN" ROD BEARING WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. ENGINE ALSO SHOWED SIGNS OF HEAD GASKETS LEAKING COOLANT. *AK

I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT ON BEHALF OF THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND MYSELF. THE ORIGINAL OWNER HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR (BRAKES, TRANSMISSION) PRIOR TO SELLING THE CAR TO ME. THE CAR WAS IN VERY GOOD OVERALL CONDITION (EXCEPT FOR THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION)AND HAD BEEN ROUTINELY MAINTAINED. IN MARCH THE ENGINE OVERHEATED ON THE ORIGINAL OWNER, HE TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A LEAKY HEAD GASKET AND / OR CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD (BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE FORD 3.8 ENGINE). OTHER MECHANICS, INCLUDING FORD MECHANICS, GIVE HIM THE SAME DIAGNOSIS OVER THE PHONE. THE ORIGINAL OWNER WAS FED UP WITH REPAIRING THE CAR AND DID NOT WANT TO SINK ANY MORE MONEY INTO THE CAR. THE ORIGINAL OWNER OFFERED TO GIVE ME THE CAR - I MADE SEVERAL RECALL INQUIRIES WITH FORD ABOUT THE CAR AND SHARED THE INFORMATION WITH THE ORIGINAL OWNER. RATHER THAN HOPE FOR A FUTURE RECALL THEY SOLD ME THE CAR FOR $500 AND WISHED ME LUCK. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT. I HAVE NOT HAD GOOD EXPERIENCE WITH FORD PRODUCTS MYSELF, BUT BOUGHT THE CAR FOR MY SON WHO WILL PAY FOR REPAIRING THE CAR. MY SON IS KEEN ON BUYING A FORD AND I HOPE TO USE THIS CAR AS A LESSON IN NOT BUYING FORD PRODUCTS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY MAKING LOUD NOISES, THERMOSTAT WENT FROM NORMAL TO HOT. TURNED THE HEATER ON AND NOTHING HAPPENED. PULLED UP INTO THE DRIVEWAY SMOKING VERY BADLY, NOTICED WATER HAD BEEN LEAKING. POPPED THE HOOD AND THE RADIATOR WAS COLD. HAD THE WATER PUMP AND HEATER REPLACED. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT, CAUSING OIL TO SPILL ONTO THE ENGINE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

I THINK THAT FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND NOW FIX BELOW THE YEARS OF 1994 AND 1995. THERE DEFINATELY IS A PROBLEM AND THEY KNOW IT. LETS RIDE THEM AND REALLY PUT SOME HEAT ON THEM. MAKE STICK UP TO THERE SLOGAN THAT "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IS NUMBER 1" IT SHOULD BE "SCREWING OUR CUSTOMERS IS OUR NUMBER 1 PRIORITY!!" THANK YOU.NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

ON MONDAY MARCH 27, 2000, THE CAR OVERHEATED INTO THE RED LINE. ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 29, 2000, I DROVE THE CAR TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. THE REPAIRS WERE NOT COMPLETED UNTIL 4/11/00; THE FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY WERE VERY BUSY WITH FORD 3.8-LITER, V-6 ENGINE BLOWN HEAD GASKET REPAIRS. ON 5/8/00 I RETURNED THE CAR TO REPLACE AN OXYGEN SENSOR DAMAGED DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. BASED ON NEWSPAPER ARTICLES THAT FORD WAS REIMBURSING FOR HEAD GASKET REPAIRS ON THE 3.8-LITER, V-6 ENGINE, I WROTE FOUR LETTERS TO DATE (7/30/00) SENT BY CERTIFIED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED TO MR. A. R. O'NEILL, VEHICLE SERVICE AND PROGRAMS, FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE DIVISION. SO FAR, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY WRITTEN RESPONSE FROM MR. O'NEILL. *AK

CAR AFTER BEING DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 TO MINUTES WOULD NOT RESTART. AS OF TODAY 4/19/2000 HAS BEEN TAKEN BACK TO DEALER 5 TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEMS. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, AND WATER IS RUNNING INTO THE CYLINDER. *AK

VEHICLE KEPT STALLING OUT BEFORE DYING OUT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. OUT. DRIVER HAD NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN OUT, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE. FORD HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON LATER YEARS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL. *AK

THERMOSTAT STUCK, BLEW OUT THE HEAD GASKET, AND WARPED THE ENGINE HEAD. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, WHITE SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE BACK. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS HEAD GASKET. ON JUNE 23, 19 99 , POWER RELAY WAS REPLACED, AND CURRENTLY WENT OUT AGAIN, CAUSING THE CAR NOT TO START. ALSO BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

CONSUMER WASD TRAVELING 50MPH & VEHICLE STARTED OVERHEATING. THERMOSTAT WAS ALL THE WAY UP. MECHANIC INSPECTED VECHICLE & FOUND HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. *AK

BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET AFTER 72000 MILES. I SEE WHERE FORD HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE 3.8 V6 ON VEHICLES NEWER THAN 93. I HAVE THE SAME ENGINE AND WHY CAN'T THAT BE COVERED ALSO? *AK

I WAS GOING 70 MPH DOWN THE FREEWAY AND THE CAR STARTED BUCKING AND SMELLED TERRIBLE. PULLED OF AT THE NEXT EXIT AND BY THAT TIME THE CAR WAS IDLEING VERY ROUGH. TRIED TO MAKE IT HOME AND THEN NOTICED THE TEMP GAUGE SWUNG ALL THE WAY OVER TO H. THEN I NOTICED IN MY MIRROR THAT WHITE STEAM WAS POURING OUT FROM THE CAR. PULLED OVER AND SHUT IT DOWN QUICK. IT WOULDN'T EVEN TURN OVER FOR THE TOW TRUCK MAN, WHICH I SPENT 1 1/2 HOURS WAITING FOR. I THINK FORD SHOULD EXTEND IT'S WARRANTY DOWN ANOTHER YEAR SINCE THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM. MAYBE WITH ENOUGH OF IT BEING REPORTED, THEY WILL.