1993 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

FORD MOTOR CO WILL NOT COVER THIS REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE MASSIVE DOCUMENTATION THAT THE 3.8L ENGINES HAVE A DEFECT IN THE HEAD GASKET. THEY ARE ONLY AGREEING TO REPAIR 1994-95 MODELS AT THIS TIME. I CONTACTED THEM IN SEPTEMBER OF 99 WHEN THE CAR BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS OVERHEATING. THEY ASSURED ME THAT THERE WERE NO KNOWN INCIDENTS OF ANY SUCH PROBLEMS. WHEN WE FINALLY HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKETS, AND THE RADIATOR, IN JANUARY IT WAS OVER $1,600.00. I CONTACTED FORD AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THEY HADN'T HEARD A THING ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH THESE ENGINES, EVEN THOUGH MY MECHANIC SAID IT WAS VERY WELL KNOWN AND HE HAD A STACK OF THEM THAT HE HAD REPAIRED. FINALLY IN MARCH, FORD ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THE 1994 AND NEWER MODELS TO COVER THE HEAD GASKET UP TO 100K MILES. I CALLED AND ASKED TO BE INCLUDED, SINCE MY CAR CURRENTLY HAD LESS THAN 100K. THEY REFUSED TO OFFER ANY HELP. I HAVE NOW JUST HAD TO SPEND AN ADDITIONAL $275.00 TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP, WHICH IS ALSO PROBABLY A RESULT OF THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSES ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK CONTINUOUSLY. YH

FLYWHEEL ASSEMBLY AND FRONT COVER GASKETS FAILED. *SLC

ANTI- FREEZE WAS BLOWING OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE DUE TO BLOWN HEAD GASKETS. DEALER REPLACED 2 HEAD GASKETS. *AK

TEMPRATURE GAUGE SHOWED HIGH DUE TO THERMOSTAT GUAGE FAILURE. YH

SWAY BAR UNDERNEATH VEHICLE WAS ROCKING BACK AND FORTH. RIGHT SWAY BAR WAS WELDED BACK ON. THE LEFT ONE WAS RUSTED. *AK

VEHICLE WAS BLOWING OUT WHITE SMOKE FROM EXHAUST SYSTEM. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND STATED THAT ENGINE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

CONSUMER DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF ON THREE OCCASIONS TO HAVE SAFETY RECALL 98V-323 REPAIRED, BUT AT CLOSE OF BUSINESS THE VEHICLE WAS STILL WAS READY, THE LAST TIME THE DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE 48 HOURS FOR A 15 MINUTE REPAIR. NLM

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. CAR STARTED SMOKING AND THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FORABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

FORD HAS JUST ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS PROBLEN FOR 94 & 95 TAURUSES, BUT WILL NOT ENCLUDE EARLIER MODLES. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

ON SEPTEMBER 13, 1997, I PURCHASED A USED 1993 FORD TAURUS. IT HAD 91,000 MILES. *AK ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****734288

ON SEPT 13, OF 1997, I PURCHASED A USED 1993 FORD TAURUS. IT HAD 91,000 MILES.

VEHICLE STARTED ROUGH. NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM EXHAUST. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC & WAS INFORMED THE PROBLEM WAS THE HEAD GASKETS. THEY NEEDED REPLACING. RESTARTED VEHICLE AGAIN & IT WARMED UP. WHITE SMOKE ONCE AGAIN REAPPEARED. THIS TIME MECHANIC INDICATED IT WAS A CRACK ENGINE BLOCK. *AK

THE ENGINE PROBLEM IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND SHOULD HAVE A RECALL FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE 3.8LITER ENGINES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM, THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A DESIGN PROBLEM. *AK

1993 FORD TAURUS/ 3.8 LITRE / ANOTHER CASE OF HEAD GASKET FAILURE.FORD STATES THAT THERE IS NO RECALL AND THEY DID NOT REPAIR THE DAMAGE! HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 3.8 LITRE ENGINE AND DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS. WE WILL CINTINUE TO FIGHT FORD ON THIS ISSUE. *AK

BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK

VEHICLE WAS HESITATING WHILE DRIVING. TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND NOTHING WAS DONE. *AK

ALUMINUM DRUM PISTON CRACKED AND CAUSED FORWARD GEAR CLUTCHES TO BURN RESULTING IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NLM

THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR RECALL WORK MORE THAN HALF A DOZEN TIMES. THE MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE BROKEN TWICE, THE AIR-CONDITIONING HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, THE HEAD GASKET AND SERPENTINE BELT HAVE BLOWN, AND THE COOLING FAN IS STILL NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE NOT OPERATING PROPER.LY, AND THE CAR DOES NOT STEER PROPERLY. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP - THEY SAID FORD IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS AFTER THE WARRENTY PERIOD. THE DEALER TOLD ME I HAVE THE SAME ENGINE DESIGN AS THE 94 AND 95 TAURUS. WHY WILL FORD NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS OBVIOUSLY INADEQUATE DESIGN? THE REPAIR BILLS ON THIS VEHICLE HAVE BEEN PROHIBITIVE, AND THIS IS NOT A CHEAP CAR! *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY, WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE HEAD RESTRAINTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FRONT SEATS ARE VERY LOOSE. THE POSTS SEEM TO BE PULLING OUT FROM INSIDE THE SEAT. WHEN DRIVING, THE HEAD RESTRAINTS VIBRATE BECAUSE OF THE LOOSENESS. I HAVE TIGHTENED THE CAPS AT THE BASE OF THE RESTRAINT POSTS, BUT THIS HAS NOT HELPED.

HAD THE VEHICLE REGULARLY SERVICED. NOTICED OIL IN THE COOLANT AND OTHER PLACES. COOLANT WAS FLUSHED, AND STILL CONTINUED TO HAVE OIL IN THE COOLANT. DEALER INDICATED THAT CONSUMER HAD A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM.*AK

THE IGNITION CAN BE TURN ON WITHOUT A KEY, ALSO WHEN KEY IS IN YOU CAN PULL IT OUT

VEHICLE HAD THREE SETS OF MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED IN THE THE LAST THREE MONTHS. CAR WAS RIDING VERY ROUGH, AND CONSUMER HEARD NOISES AND SQUEAKING IN FRONT OF CAR. *AK

CAR SHUTTERS AND JERKS WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES VEHICLE WILL START SMOKING. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS AN PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *AK

NO SUMMARY

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE FIRST TIME WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT 23,000 MILES ON 7/23/1996. THIS SWITCH OPERATES THE HIGH BEAMS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND TURN SIGNALS. WINSHIELD WIPER MOTOR ALSO NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. FRONT SWAYBAR LINKS ALSO REPLACED AT 71,000 WHEN NOTICED A BUCKLING SOUND WHEN DRIVING OVER ROAD IRREGULARITIES. I UNDERSTAND FROM OTHER TAURUS OWNERS THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION IS A WEAKNESS.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THIS 3.8L ENGINE RUNS VERY HOT AND WILL CAUSE THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS TO CRACK. THE RESULT IS THAT ENGINE COOLANT ENTERS THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FOULING THE SPARK PLUGS AND USING UP THE COOLANT. THE END RESULT IS THAT THERE IS VIOLENT VIBRATION IN THE ENGINE AND IF YOU CONTINUE DRIVING, YOU WILL DESTROY THE ENGINE. IF THIS HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC, IT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES.

HAD BOTH ENGINE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED ON 10/6/1999 AT 90,197 MILES. RECALL IS IN EFFECT FOR 1994 AND 1995 MODELS BUT NOT 1993 ALTHOUGH SAME ENGINE (3.8L). ENGINE ENDED UP HAVING A BAD MAIN BEARING BECAUSE WATER HAD GOTTEN INTO THE OIL.

CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND HE SAID IT WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. ALSO, TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING/ SHIMMYING/ SHAKING, AND POPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. CONSUMER SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE ENGINE WAS GOING TO FALL OUT. WHEN RUNNING CAR FOR MORE THAN 20 MINUTES, IT BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER AND WON'T TURN. CONSUMER FEARED STEERING IN TRAFFIC. HEADGASKET AND COOLING REPLACED, BUT THERE IS STILL TRANSMISSION AND STEERING TROUBLE. *AK *ML

PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE FORD OWN UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE MATERIALS. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY DEALER AND INFORMED THAT ENGINE HEAD IS LEAKING DUE TO A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. ALSO 3.8L ENGINE. WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO GET NHTSA ON THIS PROBLEM; WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR HELP ON THIS MATTER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE CUTTING ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY.THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS IN A RAIN STORM WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ON HIGH. *AK

THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITHOUT MAINTENANCE RECORD BECAUSE IT WAS GOTTEN FROM AN AUCTION PER CARL AUTO SALES

THE HEAD GASKET HAS A DESIGN FLAW THAT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STALL, THE DESIGN WAS FLAWED BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKET IS BETWEEN ALUMINUM AND CAST IRON WITH BOLTS CONNECTING BOTH METAL PARTS. *SLC

AFTER HAVING THE LIGHTS TURNED ON FOR AN HOUR ON LOW BEAM THE METAL POST HOLDING THE SWITCH ON GETS INCREDIBLY HOT AND THE LIGHTS GO OUT. I HAVE TO PULL OVER PARK THE CAR SHUT IT DOWN AND LET THE SWITCH COOL DOWN AND THEN I CAN USE THE HEAD LIGHTS AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS. IF I SHOULD NEED TO USE THEW HIGH BEAM LIGHTS I CAN ONLY RUN THEM FOR MINUTES BEFORE THEY GO OUT.*AK

COOLANT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED EVER 3-5 DAYS, REBUILT TRANSMISSION, ENGINE SURGING BADLY, DUE TO BLOWN HEAD GASKET, SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS VEHICLE, REPLACE HEAD GASKET AND HEAD BOLTS, REVISED HEAD GASKETS AND BOLTS PROVIDE IMPROVED SEALING AND HIGHER CLAMPING FORCE.

MOTOR MOUNTS BUSTED WHILE PUTTING ON THE VEHICLE.WHEN DRIVING THE CAR THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE CAR WAS DRIVING OFF BALANCE. *AK

THE ABS BRAKES WOULD KICK IN & KICK OUT & THEN WOULD LOCK UP THE FRONT WHEELS. THERE WOULD ALSO BE SOME SKIDDING. CAN FEEL THE PULSATION WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *AK

WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE STALLING AND FAILING TO START. CAMPUS FORD IN OKEMOS HAS FAILED TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM AND WE HAVE HAD APPROXIMATELY $1,000 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS DONE BY CAMPUS FORD AND OTHER SERVICE SHOPS BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. WE FEEL UNSAFE IN THE VEHICLE. IT ONCE STALLED ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE STALL IN CITY TRAFFIC MORE TIMES THAN I CAN REMEMBER.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD OPERATE WHILE IN A OFF MODE POSITION. WIPER / WASHER WOULD COME ON AT WILL. DEALER NOTIFED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY ARE AWARE, BUT NO CORRECTION TO THE PROBLEM CAN BE MADE AT THIS TIME. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS SUBJECT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING RIGHT REAR END LINK STABILIZER BAR BROKE. TAKEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC REPAIRED IT. TWO WEEKS LATER (28 SEP 99) HEARD THE SAME KIND OF LOUD NOISE (THUMPING). THE NOISE WAS MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. THIS TIME IT WAS THE LEFT STABILIZER END LINK BAR THAT HAD BROKEN. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER & IT WAS REPAIRED. *AK

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT BLINKS WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME. STOPS AND RESTARTS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NO RECOGNIZABLE PATTERN.

WHILE DRIVING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE WIPERS, THEY AGAIN WORK. *AK

THE ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED, ENGINE CLUNKED EACH TIME THE TRANSMISSION WAS ENGAGED AND WHEN STARTING TO ACCELERATE. FORD WOULD NOT PAY FOR REPAIRS WHEN REQUESTED DESPITE FACT THAT THEY HAD OFFERED A NO-CHARGE SERVICE PROGRAM BACK IN 1995 REGARDING THIS SAME PART.

THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FORD WILL NOT ADDRESS.

HEAD GASKETS FAILED. *ET