1994 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

WHEN OPENING DRIVER'S DOOR INSTEAD OF STAYING OPEN IT WILL COME BACK AND HIT DRIVER'S LEG. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH ENGINE MADE A CLANKING SOUND. THEN, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO GAS STATION, WAS TOLD HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING, ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A EXTENDED WARRANTY BY FORD 7 YEARS OR 100000 MILES, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS OVER THE WARRANTY LIMIT.*AK *JB

HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS-TEMPERATURE GAUGE READS HOT REGULARLY. MUST STOP ON SIDE OF ROAD TO CHECK ENGINE. $2,000+ TO REPAIR-MILEAGE IS 20,000 MI. PAST RECALL WARRANTY. FIGURES! *AK

THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER, PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT THE CONSUMER HAD WORK DONE ON THE STEERING COLUMN, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL DAMAGES. NLM

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON HIGHWAY AND ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS IN FRONT OF HER, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP, RESULTING IN A REAR END COLLISION. ABS BRAKING SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

SUBFRAME BODY MOUNT BECAME DETACHED AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SWERVE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A CHUGGING NOISE. NEXT DAY, HAD NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. THEN, VEHICLE OVERHEATED. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC INDICATED ENGINE'S HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. *AK FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING DUE TO EXPIRED WARRANTY. *SLC

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM AS INDICATED IN RECALL IN CALIFORNIA WHERE VEHICLE WILL STALL DUE TO TFI IGNITION MODULE. HOWEVER, THIS RECALL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN OTHER STATES. *AK *JB

ODOR COMING THROUGH VENT OF VEHICLE. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN FUEL IS LOW. ODOR IS CAUSING PASSENGERS TO GET SICK. *AK

VEHICLE RECENTLY BEGAN DYING WITHOUT REASON, ENGINE JUST COMPLETELY STOPS, WILL NORMALLY RESTART WITHIN 30 MINS. MECHANIC CAN GIVE NO CAUSE, SAID IT IS COMMON TO TAURUS. BRAKES HAVE BEEN INSPECTED AND NO PROBLEMS NOTED, HOWEVER WHEN YOU ARE TURNING TO THE RIGHT OR ONTO AN INCLINED SURFACE THEY LOCK. FUEL IN TANK SLOSHES NOTICABILIY WHEN TURNING, SHAKES VEHICLE.

MOTOR MOUNTS INSTALLED NEW MOTOR MOUNTS RECOMMAND REPLACING FRONT STRUTS AND SWAY ARM LINKS. FOUND SEPERTINE DRIVE BELT DRYROTTED AND CRACKING INSTALL NEW SEPENTINE BELT.

ON APRIL 24, 2001 WHILE DRIVING ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY AT A SPEED OF 60- MPH, A VALVE FELL OFF THE RACK AND PINON AND I COMPLETELY LOST THE ABILITY TO STEER MY VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP IN SOME NEARBY BUSHES AND MY PASSENGER AND I ESCAPED WITHOUT SERIOUS INJURY. I AM EXTREMELY ANGRY AND CONFUSED BY THIS ENTIRE INCIDENT. MY TAURUS HAS JUST OVER 58,000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE KEPT UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE OF IT SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 1994. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL STALL AND DIE IN WARM CLIMATE WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE WILL START UP ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER IT HAS STALLED OUT. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT PROBLEM.*AK

OIL PAN LEAKED DUE TO CORROSION. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL AND NOT EXTENDED UNDER A WARRANTY. *AK *SLC

THE DEALER CAN NOT GET THE PART MY CAR NEEDS TO KEEP RUNNING . I HAVE ALSO TRIED BRINGING MY CAR TO DON OWENS AUTO REPAIR SHOP . DON OWENS TRIED TO GET THE PART USED BUT CANT GET ONE. THE CAR STALLED OUT ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND I COULDNT GET IT STARTED AFTER IT STALLED. HAD IT TOWED IN TO DEALER . DEALER CANT FIX IT , PRIVATE AUTO REPAIR SHOP CANT FIX IT WHAT DO I DO FOR TRANSPORTATION WHILE THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER UNTIL DECEMBER!?*AK

VEHICLE WILL STALL WHEN EITHER ACCELERATING/ DECELERATING OR GOING UP A HILL. DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED VEHICLE.*AK

SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY, RIGHT SIDE, FRONT ROD MOUNTING HOLE CORRODED THROUGH.

IGNITION JUST CUT RIGHT OFF WITH NO PRIOR WARNING.*AK

SUBFRAME FAILED WHILE MAKING A TURN. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT STEERING JAMMED. *SLC

FORD EST. REPAIR COST $4,141,FORD SAID RECALL NOTICE WAS ISSUED. I NEVER RECEIVED IT! NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT AT FIRST, VEHICLE WAS NOT STARTING AT ALL. THEN, VEHICLE STARTED AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF TAIL PIPE. ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT AT 30000 MILES. *AK THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAD GIVEN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO OWNERS OF 1994-1995 MODELS. *YH

CONSUMER COULD TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT ALL ELECTRICAL POWER STAY ON, INCLUDING LIGHTS JUST LIKE KEY WILL BE IN PLACE. *AK

AIR WILL GO THROUGH CONDITIONER EVEN WHEN IT IS OFF. WHERE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR WENT OUT, AND AIR LINES WERE CONTAMINATED.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER IDENTIFIED PROBLEM AS BEING WITH IGNITION MODULE AND VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER. *AK *SLC

SUBFRAME IS CORRODED, LIKE IN RECALL 98V323000, YET THIS VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF RECALL.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 15MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WAS ENTERING INTO AN INTERSECTION WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE COMING FROM ANOTHER DIRECTION HIT HIM HIM. UPON IMPACT, DRIVERSIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, BUT CONSUMER WASN'T HURT.*AK *SLC

WHEN YOU UNLOCK THE DOORS USING THE ELECTRONIC REMOTE THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR WILL OPEN ITSELF WITHOUT USING THE HANDLE TO MANUALLY OPEN IT.THIS IS A FORD TAURUS STATION WAGON LX MODEL PURCHASED IN 1994. THE REASON I CHECKED PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS BECAUSE A GUY AT A FIRESTONE TIRE PLACE HAD THE CAR AND IT POPED OPEN ON HIM AS HE STARTED THE CAR AND DIDN'T KNOW OF THE PROBLEM AND THE DOOR OPENED WIDE AS HE WAS TAKING THE CAR OUT OF THE REPAIR SHOP. THE DOOR WILL ALSO OPEN AS YOU TURN THE CAR OFF AND IT UNLOCKS ALL THE DOORS. WHEN THE UNLOCK OPERATION HAPPENS IS WHEN THE DOOR WILL OPEN BY ITSELF. *AK

DEALER ADMITS THAT THERE HAS BEEN MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKETS ON THIS MODEL. THEY SENT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY UP TO 100,000 MILES. THE CAR HIT 102,900 MILES AND THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. FORD REFUSES TO FIX A DEFECT THAT THEY KNEW EXISTED IN THIS CAR. PLEASE RESPOND BACK TO ME. *AK

IN A FOUR YEAR PERIOD WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE STARTER FIVE (5) TIMES, UPON REPAIR THIS LAST TIME WE WENT TO AN INDEPENENT MECHANIC WHICH WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. HE ALSO STATED ENGINE MOUNT WAS CRACKED AND LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN FOR SOMETIME. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO GO ON OCCASIONALLY THIS TO IS UNDETERMINED.*AK

MY BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED IN THE CROSSWALK OF MY SONS' ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHILE SCHOOL WAS LETTING OUT. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MIDAS FOUND A PERFECTLY GOOD BRAKE HOSE WITH A HOLE RUBBED IN TO IT. HE SAID (AND I HAVE IT IN WRITING), THAT THE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE BRAKE HOSE IS VERY WIMPY AND BENDS TOO EASILY THEN RUBS A HOLE IN THE BRAKE HOSE. THEREFORE, ALL THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKED OUT AND MY BRAKES FAILED. I HAVE THE DEFECTIVE HOSE, AND THE BRACKET IS STILL ON THE CAR. LUCKILY NO KIDS WERE IN THE CROSSWALK OR SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE REPAIR COST WAS $200 (I HAVE THE RECEIPT) AND I WOULD LIKE FORD TO REIMBURSE ME AS WELL AS ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO DIE OR BE INJURED BEFORE THIS IS ADDRESSED. THE SERVICE MANAGER AND OWNER OF THE MIDAS SHOP WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED SAID HE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM IN OTHER FORDS. HE EVEN CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER ABOUT IT AND SAID HE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING BACK. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHILE SLOWING DOWN,TURNING, AND THEN ACCELERATING. *AK

DEALER STA TED,SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED TO REPLACE WITH STEEL PISTON BUT NOT A RECALL THIS DEFECT ALLOWS TRANSMISSION TO REPEATLY JUMP OUT OF GEAR.TED THAT THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON IN TRANSMISSION IS CRACKED*AK

THE ENGINE BEGAN STALLING IN 1999 AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO THIS DAY...I SUSPECT THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AS IT WAS A COMMON FAILURE FROM WHAT I HAVE LEARNED. I DO NOT KNOW OF A RECALL HOWEVER. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER HERE IN FREMONT AS IT SEEMED TO BE OVERHEATING AND HE SAID IT WAS PROBABLY A BLOWN HEADGASKET AS IT WAS A RECALL PROBLEM. MY CAR WAS PAST THE 7 YEAR LIMIT BY TWO MONTHS HOWEVER. AT THIS TIME THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS ALSO QUIT. NEEDLESS TO SAY FORD HAS LOST MY BUSINESS FOREVER. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS I FOUND ON YOUR SIGHT . MANY OF THEM SEEMED TO BE THE SAME PROBLEMS I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING. FORD SHOULD MONITOR THIS LIST AND THEY COULD SEE WHERE THE FLAWS WERE IN THIS MODEL IF THEY CARED. EXCELLENT SIGHT WHICH I WILL SCAN BEFORE BUYING MY NEXT VEHICLE.*AK (TIRESIZE: 205 60 15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 205 60 15 )

CERTAIN LIGHTS AND FUSES WOULD GO OUT ON VEHICLE, BECAUSE OF TAILGATE DOOR OPENING/CLOSING, AND WIRES MAKING CONTACT WITH METAL, AND WHEN THEY ARE ALL FUSED TOGETHER IT CAN CAUSE A FIRE.*AK WIRING HARNESS WAS NOT INSULATED AND MAKES CONTACT WITH METAL AND BURNS. *YH

I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY TEMPERATURE GUAGE HAD JUMPED ALL THE WAY TO HOT. I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE THE MILE AND A HALF TO MY HOUSE. AT A RED LIGHT MY CAR WAS MAKING A SLIGHT KNOCKING SOUND. MY HUSBAND FOUND THE RADIATOR EMPTY AND TRIED TO FILL IT AGAIN WITH ONE GALLON ANTI-FREEZE AND ONE GALLON WATER. HE STARTED THE ENGINE AND LARGE AMOUNTS OF SMOKE CAME OUT FROM THE TAIL PIPE AND THE ENGINE AND THE EXHAUST PIPE AND WATER WAS DRIPPING UNDERNEATH THE EXHAUST. WE HAD A PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND HE DIAGNOSED IT AS BEING A BLOWN HEAD GASKET.

RECALL NHTSA: 94E036000/ FRONT SHOCK ABSORBERS. SWAY BAR BRACKET BROKE ON CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO PERFORM ANY SERVICE ON VEHICLE. *AK THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT BRACKETR BROKE AWAY FROM THE SUBFRAME. ALSO, THE CRUISE CONTROL KEEPS GOING OUT. *YH

CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO A COUPLE DIFFERENT MECHANICS/DEALERS IN REGARD TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN TIMING BELT ASSEMBLY WHICH WAS CAUSING A CLUNKING NOISE TO OCCUR WHILE IN IDLE. THERE WAS NO OIL PRESSURE, AND OIL LEAKED FROM ENGINE. MECHANIC SUGGESTED TO HER THAT SHE HAVE ENGINE REPLACED, AND NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE. *AK THERE WAS A RECALL # 00M09 REGARDING ENGINE OIL LIGHT ON, DEALER PERFORMED COOLING SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS AND DISCOVERED OIL CONTAMINATION FROM COOLANT, WHICH CAUSED EGO SENSORS INOPERATIVE. EGO SENSORS AND CLEAR CODES WERE REPLACED. THERE WAS ALSO TRANSMISSION LEAK. SPEED SENSOR AND GOV COVER SEAL WERE REPLACED TO CORRECT IT. THE CONSUMER WANTS REIMBURSEMENT OF REPAIR COST SINCE THE ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE. *YH

ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE, AND OIL WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEWOUT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THERE'S NO HEAT. *AK

MY SON BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM HIS GRANDPARENTS. IT WAS ORIGINALLY BOUGHT BRAND NEW FROM DICK MASHETER FORD IN COLUMBUS, OH. THE MILEAGE WAS AT 50,000 WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND THE FORD DEALER IN JOHNSTOWN, OHIO TOLD US THAT 1994 TAURUS'S HAVE ONE OF THE MOST UNRELIABLE TRANSMISSIONS THAT FORD HAD PRODUCED AND THAT THEY HAVE SERVICED A LOT OF TAURUS TRANSMISSIONS. THE COST FOR MY 19 YEAR OLD SON ON A CAR THAT SHOULD HAVE NOT NEEDED ANY MAJOR WORK WAS $2,100 FOR A RE-BUILT TRANSMISSION FROM AAMCO IN REYNOLDSBURG, OHIO. MY SON OWNS THE CAR AND HIS NAME IS [XXX], I AM HIS MOTHER [XXX].*AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

I TOOK MY CAR TO WADE FORD AND COMPLAINED ABOUT IT OVER HEATING . THEY TESTED AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG.*AK

I'VE SUBMITTED TWO PROBLEMS, WHICH ARE FROM TWO ENTIRELY SEPARATE INCIDENTS. THE HAD GASKET FAILURE OCCURRED LAST YEAR BUT I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS WEB SITE FOR REPORTING PROBLEMS. OUR MECHANIC HAS TOLD US THAT THESE TWO PROBLEMS ARE EXTREMELY FREQUENT WITH ALL FORD 3.8 ENGINES AND FOR ALL YEARS OF MFG. FORD WAS CONTACT WITH HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY 2000 MILES PAST WARRANTY, AND THEY ARE COVERING IT PAST THAT MILEAGE IN CANADA. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. CONTACTED REPAIR SHOP THEY STATED THAT IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING A LOT TO THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF VEHICLE

TIMING COVER GASKET LEAKING COOLANT. DEALER EVALUATED HEAD GASKET UNDER OWNER TRANSMISSION; FOUND COOLANT LEAK. FORD AND DEALER WON'T OTIFICATION. REPORTED OIL & TRANSMISSION LEAKS, SAID HEAD GASKET OK. ANOTTHER GARAGE FIXED OIL/REPAIR AS PART OF ENGINE COOLING PROBLEMS WITH 3.8L ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM.*AK

NO HEAT; TEMP GUAGE PROBLEMS. CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER. WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF RECALL. CAR BOUGHT FROM AN INDIVIDUAL NOT A DEALER. SO MAYBE THAT IS WHY WE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL. APPARENTLY THIS PROBLEM IS A COMMON ONE.*AK (TIRESIZE: 15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 15 )

CONSUMER WENT OUT TO START VEHICLE. PUT KEY INTO IGNITION AND STARTED VEHICLE TO CHARGE. HE TOOK KEY OUT OF VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE WAS RUNNING WITHOUT KEY INSIDE OF IGNITION.*AK

FORD AT FIRST DENIED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADGASKET ASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE. I CALLED THEM LATER AFTER I FOUND OUT THEY HAD A "SECRET" RECALL FOR THE PROBLEM WE HAD. THEY SAID THERE MIGHT BE A PROGRAM FOR THAT PART, BUT ONLY IF IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED AT A DEALERSHIP. WE USED A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THUS THEY DENIED COVERAGE TO US. *AK

VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ENGINE COOLING PROBLEMS, WATER PUMP REPLACED DUE TO A COOLANT LEAK, VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING, COOLANT CONTAINED 180/220 PPM OF CARBON MONOXIDE, HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, THERMOSTAT LEAK, CRACKED SERPENTINE BELT, OIL SENSOR LEAK, RADIATOR LEAK, FRONT COVER GASKET WAS LEAKING COOLANT, CONSUMER FEELS THESE PROBLEMS ARE CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET AND FEELS THAT ALL PROBLEMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *SLC