1994 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

DEALER FAILED TO REPAIR DUE TO MILEAGE OVER SERVICE LIMITS AS PER 00M09/ VEHICLE WAS OVER LIMITS BEFORE NOTIFICATION OF DEFAULT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH ENGINE NOT RUNNING, FRONT RIGHT SIDE DROPPED ABOUT TWO INCHES BECAUSE SPRING BROKE. OWNER CONCERNED BECAUSE HE COULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENED. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK *ML

WHEN COMMING UP TO A STOP SIGN/LIGHT THE CAR WILL SLIP OUT OF DRIVE AND NOT GO BACK IN FOR AWHILE. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT SEVERAL TECHNICAL BULLETINS WERE AVAILABLE FROM FORD STATING THAT THE ALUMNIUM PISTON INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION WERE CRACKING AND SUGGESTED THAT THEY BE REPLACED WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION WITH A STEEL PISTON. THIS REPLACEMENT IS COSTING ME $2,300.00. IF FORD KNOWS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WHY DO THEY CONTINUE TO MANUF. FORD TAURUS' WITH THESE DEFECTIVE PISTIONS. *AK

MY FAMILY AND I WERE ON OUR WAY TO COLORADO LAST MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AND WE LIVE IN NEBRASKA. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE DENVER REGION WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR STALLING. IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY AND I WAS RUNNING THE A/C ALSO. SO EVENTUALLY IT WOULD COOL AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR BUT WOULD ONLY RUN FOR A 10-15 MILES FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. IT DID GET WORSE THE CLOSED WE GOT TO THE HIGHER ALTITUDE PARTS OF DENVER. THE TRIP WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT IF THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURED. I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR HERE WHERE I LIVE BUT I AM AFFRAID TO DRIVE IT OUT OF STATE AGAIN AND I BOUGHT THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE HIGH QUALITY OF STANDARDS IT HAS SET. PLEASE HELP ME IN ANY WAY TO FIX THE ISSUE. THANK YOU. *AK

PE00020, ORIGINAL FORD TAURUS 1994,TIRE SIZE P20565/R15. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, DRIVER'S REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE REAR END, BUT TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. CHANGED THE TIRE WITH THE SPARE TIRE. KEPT DRIVING, AND ABOUT 50 MILES DOWN, REAR PASSENGER'S TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING TREAD TO HIT THE FUEL RESTART SWITCH WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE STALL AND UNABLE TO RESTART. PREVIOUSLY AT 11,000 MILE, THE TWO REAR TIRES HAD STEEL BELTS SHOWING. DEALER REPLACED TIRES. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER FEEL THAT THE TWO TIRES THAT WERE REPLACED AT 11,000 MILES ARE UNSAFE. *YH

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 35 MPH, I NOTICED THE COOLANT TEMPERAURE HAD SHOT UP TO THE RED ZONE. AS SOON AS THIS HAPPENED, IT IMMEDIATELY WENT BACK DOWN TO THE MIDRANGE OF THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND STAYED THERE FOR APPROX. 10 MILES. I CHECKED THE ANTI-FREEZE AT A GAS STATION AND IT SEEMED TO BE FULL. I PARKED THE CAR AND LET IT COOL FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS. I BEGAN MY DRIVE HOME AND THE TEMP. STAYED IN THE MIDRANGE OF THE GAUGE FOR ABOUT 20 MILES AND THEN SHOT UP TO THE RED ZONE. IT HOVERED THERE ABOUT 1 MINUTE AND THEN SHOT BACK DOWN TO THE MID RANGE. I PARKED THE VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE. THE NEXT MORNING, I STARTED IT UP AND DROVE ABOUT 1/4 MILE AND WHITE SMOKE BEGAN POURING FROM THE TAILPIPE. THE SMOKE SMELLED LIKE ANTI-FREEZE. I RETURNED HOME AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. PREVIOUSLY, FORD HAD SENT ME A LETTER DETAILING THE DEFECT AND OFFERING A WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 100,000 MILES. HOWEVER, I WAS ALREADY PAST 100,000 MILES WHEN THEY SENT THE LETTER. CAN THEY BE FORCED TO COVER SOME OR ALL OF THE COST OF REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET? THE CAR FAILED ONLY TWO MONTHS AFTER I MADE THE LAST PAYMENT TO FORD CREDIT CORPORATION. CAN YOU HELP ME?*AK

CONSUMER TOOK IN VEHICLE FOR A ROUTINE CHECK, AND MECHANIC NOTICED RADIATOR LEAKING, AND CRUISE CONTROL BEING OUT. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

I INITIALLY HAD PROBLEMS W/ THE HEAD GASKETS ON THIS VEHICLE. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED AND IT TOOK TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. FINALLY AFTER 2 MONTHS OF WAITING WITHOUT A VEHICLE THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED, AT NO COST TO ME. HOWEVER, UPON GETTING THE CAR BACK I BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE DYING WHILE IN FULL MOTION, IRREGARDLESS OF SPEED TRAVELING. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 7 SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR A PERIOD OF 6 MONTHS TO GET THIS RESOLVED AND HAVE YET TO ONLY GET THE RUN AROUND. LAST NIGHT, ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK MY CAR STALLED ONCE AGAIN. I DO NOT WORK IN A PLEASANT AREA OF CHATTANOOGA AND AS I WAS WALKING TO FIND A PAY PHONE, I WAS ACCOSTED BY AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A GUN WHO WAS THREATENING TO ROB ME AND BEAT ME DOWN. I FLED FROM THE SITUATION PRAYING FOR MY LIFE AND SOMEHOW MADE IT AWAY SAFELY. I AM NOW HOWEVER AT THE BREAKING POINT WITH THIS FUEL PROBLEM WITH THIS TAURUS. I HAVE FOUND INFORMATION CONCERNING A RULING BY CALIFORNIA STATE SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE MICHAEL BALLACHEY, ORDERING A RECALL ON CARS WITH THIS PROBLEM. BALLACHEY STATES THAT FORD HAS SOLD AS MANY AS 23 MILLION VEHICLES WITH THIS FLAW. THE COURT ALSO RULED THAT FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE 1982-THESE VEHICLES STALL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT. THIS MEANS INTENSIFIED DANGER WITH MY PERSONAL VEHICLE BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS PRONE THE OVERHEAT FREQUENTLY, BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKETS ARE ALUMINUM (ANOTHER MANUFACTURERS PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL). I CONTACTED FORD HEADQUARTERS (1-800-392-3673) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE JUDGE HAS NO AUTHORITY TO RECALL THE VEHICLES AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO TO HELP ME. THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, MTN. VIEW FORD, THAT HAS MADE THE NUMEROUS REPAIRS UPON MY VEHICLE CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM EITHER. OWNER DAVID WATSON DIDN'T ADMIT KNOWLEDGE OF THIS RECURRING PROBLEM. HELP PLEASE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING SAW A LOT OF SMOKE COMING OUT OF TAIL PIPE. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON, AND ALL COMPONENTS GO DEAD. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THE NEXT TIME ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON, DON'T TURN OFF THE KEY. THIS HAPPENED ON THE 13TH OF JULY. DEALER SAID PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE, CONSUMER HAS BEEN OUT OF A VEHICLE SINCE.*AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH

WHEN MAKING A TURN WITH THE VEHICLE, IT WILL GO INTO IDLE, THEN REENGAGE. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY. *MJS

CONSUMER BREATHS EXHAUST FUMES. ALSO, DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET CAUSES CYLINDER HEAD TO WARP. *AK

MAJOR HESITATION AND JOLTING DOWNSHIFT MAKES CAR DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. NOT WORTH INVESTING THE ESTIMATED $1800 AFTER ALREADY PUTTING IN HEAD GASKET AND NEW A/C UNIT. WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD !!!

HEAD GASKET BLEW IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR. THE CAR WAS FIXED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC AND FORD DID PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR THE SAME GASKET BLEW AGAIN, FORD REFUSES TO REPAIR THE CAR BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT FORD PARTS WEREN'T USED IN THE CAR. ALSO IN 1997 THE PISTON IN THE TRANSMISSION TORE UP THE CAR HAD 52,000 MILES ON IT. IT COST ME $950 TO HAVE IT FIXED, FORD REFUSED TO PAY FOR THAT.

WHEN APPLYING GAS FROM A STOP POSITION, CAR HESITATES, THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATES INTO INTERSECTION. DEALER REPAIRED THE TRANSMISSION. *AK *ML

MY DAUGHTER 8 YRS. AND MYSELF WERE HURT IN THIS ACCIDENT, MY MEDICAL BILLS ARE OVER $6,000 TO DATE AND ONGOING MEDICAL SERIOUS PROBLEMS INCLUDING RSD DISEASE SPREADING THRU BACK LEG'S, BIG LUMP IN BACK CAUSING NON STOP PAIN..LOOKING FOR ATTORNEY NOW..INJURY IS PERMANANT, WILL NEED PAIN MEDICATION THE REST OF MY LIFE..I AM VERY ANGRY AND I AM THINKING ABOUT CALLING LOCAL NEWS CHANNEL TO INFORM OTHER PEOPLE WITH A FORD TAURAS TO BE CAREFUL WITH THIS MODEL.. I AM NOW DISABLED AND VERY ANGRY, THIS WAS A VERY SAFE CAR I THOUGHT.. I WILL TALK TO SOMEONE FROM FORD BEFORE I HIRE AN ATTORNEY..I WANT MY MEDICAL PAID FOR PLUS THE COST OF THIS CAR THAT RUINED MY LIFE, I WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE TO GO THRU COURT.

DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE CONSUMER $403.00 FOR A TIMING KIT. A FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY ON ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS RECEIVED BY CONSUMER. WOULD LIKE FOR NHTSA TO HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON HAD CRACKED. VEHICLE WAS ON A HILL AT A STOPLIGHT. LIGHT CHANGED & VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE FORWARD. IT WENT BACKWARDS BEFORE IT CAUGHT & THEN FORWARD. FORD HAD 2 TSBS ON CLUTCH PLATE, BUT DEALERSHIP FAILED TO REPAIR CLUTCH. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE, NO DRIVE NO REVERSE CONDITION. FAILURE OF ALUMINUM CLUTCH PISTON AND OTHER COMPONENTS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME ON DASHBOARD. THEN THE ENGINE WILL STALL, AND ANTI-FREEZE WILL LEAK FROM HEAD GASKET. *AK

WHEN TURNING OFF HEADLIGHTS SOMETIMES THEY WON'T GO OFF, AND SOMETIMES THEY'LL COME ON BY THEMSELVES, AND DRAIN BATTERY.*AK POSSIBLE BOLT FAILURE IN SUBFRAME CAUSED CLUNKING SOUND. *YH

TRANSMISSION STAYED IN 1ST GEAR. LEFT MESSAGE AT MANUFACTURER. THEY RETURNED PHONE CALL STATING THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS & THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM.

ENGINE HAD SMELLED HOT ON PRIOR OCCASIONS WHEN CLIMBING HILLS BUT DID NOT REGISTER HOT. MECHANIC DID NOT THINK IT WAS A PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES (IE HIGHWAY SPEEDS) AND MECHANIC REPLACED MOTOR MOUNTS. NOW TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT HIGHER THAN 1ST GEAR.

THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED BECAUSE OF OVERHEATING AND HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THE SAME PROBLEM EMERGED AGAIN, LESS THAN FOUR YEARS SINCE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. *AK THE VEHICLE CONTINUED LOSING ANTIFREEZE. *SC *JB

CAR WAS STALLING AT STOP SIGNS AND MAJOR INTERSECTIONS. WHEN TRING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE INITIALLY UNTIL EXTRA GAS WAS APPLIED. THEN IT WOULD LUNGE INTO FIRST GEAR AND THE CAR COULD BE DRIVEN, AT LEAST UNTIL THE NEXT STOP. THE WARMER THE CAR GOT, THE WORSE THE PROBLEM WOULD GET AND MORE IT WOULD STALL. I WAS EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING REAR ENDED AND STARTED CALLING NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION SHOPS. I THEN FOUND OUT THAT TAURUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ARE A COMMON PROBLEM AND TRANSMISSION SHOPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAD BEEN FIXING EARLY AND MID 90'S TAURUS FREQUENTLY OVER THE YEARS. ALSO, FORD NEW OF THE PROBLEM AND WAS THE SOURCE OF THE IMPROVED REPLACEMENT PART. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NAME OF THE FAULTY PART, BUT IT MAY HAVE BEEN CALLED AN ALUMINUM CLUTCH CYLINDER. THE COTTMAN TRANSMISSION SHOP GUY NEW WHAT THE PROBLEM SOURCE WAS JUST BY TALKING TO HIM OVER THE PHONE AND HE SHOWED ME THE HAIR LINE CRACK IN THIS THIN ROUND ALUMINUM PART. HE ALSO SHOWED ME THE STEEL REPLACEMENT PART BOUGHT FROM FORD. I ALSO HAD TO PAY OVER $1400 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FIXED SINCE THE FAULTY PART CAUSED DAMAGE TO OTHE PARTS. I HAD TO GET THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY REBUILT. PRETTY BAD CONSIDERING THIS CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND ONLY HAD ABOUT 60,000 MILE ON IT. DT

THIS IS THE SECOND RECALL FORD HAD ON THIS PART. DUE TO THE MILEAGE ON MY CAR FORD IS REFUSING TO HAVE THIS FIXED. I BELEIVE THAT SINCE THIS IS A DEFECT DUE TO FORD THEY SHOULD PAY TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON WAS CRACKED WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO MOVE. NLM

CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A CRACKED PISTON INSDE TRANSMISSION. DEALERSHIP HAD TO OVERHAUL ENTIRE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE MECHANIC SAW MORE DAMAGE THEN IT WAS ANTICIPATED. *AK

JUNE 1997 I WAS TOLD BY A 2 DIFFERENT MECHANICS ..ONE FROM PENSKE AUTO IN MILFORD MA, THE OTHER FROM BERADI AUTOMOTIVE IN MILFORD ...AFTER BRINGING IN A CAR FOR A PROBLEM WHERE MY CAR WOULD RUN HOT AT IDLE...THAT MY HEAD GASKET WOULD EVENTUALLY FAIL BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. PENSKE WENT SO FAR TO BELIEVE IT ALREADY HAPPENED AND MY BLOCK WAS CRACKED. THEY RECOMMENDED TAKING THE CAR TO A FORD DEALER FOR CHECK UP. ON 6/16/97, WITH ODOMETER SHOWING 53123 MILES, I TOOK THE CAR TO VALLEY FORD IN MILFORD. I TOLD THEM PENSKE THOUGHT THE BLOCK WAS CRACKED. THEY INVESTIGATED AND SAID THIS WASN'T THE CASE. TO MY COMPLAINT THAT THE ENGINE RAN HOT AT IDLE, WITH A FLICKERING OIL LITE ONLY AT IDLE THEY CLAIMED THE GETTING HOTTER AT IDLE WAS CHARACTERISTIC OF THAT MAKE AND THE LITE FLICKERING WAS DUE TO A "SENSITVE LITE". THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN HOT AT IDLE, SOMETIMES SMELLING. I TOOK THE CAR TO BERADI AUTOMOTIVE AND THEY REITERATED SOME DAY MY HEAD GASKET WOULD FAIL AND THEY HAVE "REPLACED A BUN. *AK

ON OR ABOUT 2/26/2000 WHILE DRIVING IN AIKEN, SC I ATTEMPETED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN AND MY CAR DISENGAGED WHILE IN GEAR AND MY CAR WAS ALMOST HIT BY A SEMI-TRACTOR TRUCK. MY FATHER AND MY HUSBAND HAVE HAD IT CHECKED OUT BY QUALIFIED MECHANICS, AND THEY TELL US IT IS THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON IN THE TRANSAXLE. THERE HAVE BEEN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLITENS (TSB) PUT OUT BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY SINCE 1991 ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THEY MADE MY CAR WITH A DEFECTIVE PART AND BOTH MYSELF AND ME TWO CHIRLREN COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE ALERT TRUCK DRIVER. FORD HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM THROUGH TSB'S 91-5-7,92-1-4,92-26A-6, 93-9-11 AND 94-24-7 WHICH EVEN TELLS THE DEALERS NOT TO USE THE ALUMINUM PISTON AND IF THEY HAVE ANY IN STOCK TO RETURN THEM TO THE PARTS DEPOT FOR CREDIT. MY FATHER MR. BOB PATTERSON HAS CONTACTED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT LAWYER WHO HAS REVIEWED THE TSB 94-24-7 AND HE FEELS THAT FORD IS TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE. MR. PATTERSON HAS CALLED THE DEALER WHO REFERED HIM TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-392-3673(JOY) WHO STATED IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. HE FURTHER CONTACTED MR. RON SUMNER FORD MOTER COMPANY PRIORITY SECTION 313-322-3000 WHO SAID IT WAS UP TO THE DEALER TO INITIATE ANY ACTION TO GET ASSISTANCE AND THEN STATED THAT HE DIDN'T THINK FORD WOULD OFFER ANY. WHEN YOUR OFFICE WAS MENTIONED HE SAID THAT FORD WASN'T SCARED OF YOU. ALSO HE WOULD NOT PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH MR. JAQUES NASSER (CEO FORD) WHEN ASKED TO FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE. IN CALLING BACK THE DEALER AND TALKING TO MR. SATCHER HE STATED THAT IT WAS NOT HIS RESPONSIBLITY TO CONTACT FORD FOR A CUSTOMER COMPLAINT, BUT FORD'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT TO IT. AS A CERTIFIED ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTIONIST FOR THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA I ASK HOW MANY FATAL ACCIDENTS INVOLVING FORD VEHICLE HAVE BEEN LISTED AS DRIVER ERROR JUST BECAUSE THE INVESTIGATOR DIDN'T KNOW OF THIS SITUATION. *AK

EXCESSIVE LOSS OF COOLANT, NO SIGN OF LEAKAGES. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

AFTER CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THIS, AND HAVING RECEIVED SOME COMPENSATION FOR THE REPAIRS I FEEL THE COMPENSATION IS INADAQUETE. IT DID NOT COVER MY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES. I HAD $3,416 IN REPAIR BILLS (REPLACED THE ENGINE) AND WAS REIMBURSED $2,900. THE DIFFERENCE WAS STATED AS BEING PARTS REPLACED WHICH FORD WOULD NOT COVER. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BY A REPUTABLE SHOP AND NOT THROUGH FORD. I FEEL IF I HAD DONE THIS THROUGH FORD (WHICH QUOTED ME $3,900 FOR THE REPAIRS) THEY WOULD HAVE COVERED THE REPAIR COSTS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

RECALL 98I002000/FRONT COIL SPRING: WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER HIT A DIP IN THE ROAD, FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE, PUNCTURING THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE, AND CAUSING POOR STEERING CONTROL. HOWEVER, MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *ML

KNOCKING NOISE HEARD AT 1500 RPM. DEALER SAID THAT THE CRANKSHAFT WAS BENT/CRACKED AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. OWNER HAD TO DRIVE UNSAFE VEHICLE AROUND FOR ANOTHER WEEK WHILE DEALER WAITED FOR APPROVAL FROM FORD. *AK *ML

DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET-CREATED RELATED PROBLEMS W/ENGINE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED OF PROBLEM AND REPAIR, UNWILLING TO RECTIFY PROBLEM BECAUSE STATED DEFECT OCCURRED AFTER 100,000 MILE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. MILEAGE AT INCIDENT EXCEEDED WARRANTY BY 2706 MILES. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT PROBLEM EXISTED BEFORE INCIDENT EVEN THOUGH HEAD GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE BEGINNING. SHOULD BE REIMBURSED AND THIS ISSUE MADE A TOTAL RECALL FOR THESE YEAR VEHICLES ARE KNOWN TO HAVE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TEMPERATURE WENT UP AND VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING DUE TO A LEAKING ENGINE HEAD GASKET. ALSO, VEHICLE HAD A FAULTY WATER PUMP AND DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. DEALER REPAIRED VEHICLE. *AK *ML

EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE JUMPING WHENEVER VEHICLE REACHES 50 OR MORE MPH. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS DUE TO AN ALUMINUM RING BEING EATEN UP INSIDE TRANSMISSION. RING WAS REPLACED WITH A STEEL RING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

ENGINE RUINED BECAUSE OF ANTIFREEZE IN OIL. *AK

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO RELEASE WHEN BRAKES WERE TAPPED TO SLOW DOWN. ALSO, THERE WERE NO REAR BRAKE LIGHTS, AND VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. WOULD NEED TO APPLY BRAKES TO EDGE VEHICLE TO SHIFT. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS. OWNER HAS PARTS. *AK *ML

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING BECAUSE THE ENGINE BLEW A HEAD GASKET. THE ORIGINAL ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED IN DEC OF 1997 WITH 55,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE MAIN FAILURE THAT I'M INTERESTED IN REPORTING IS THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM (FAILURE OF HEAD GASKET). I HAVE ADDED THE 3 FAILURES OF THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM SINCE I FEEL ONE OF THESE FAILURES MAY HAVE CAUSED THE ALREADY DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET TO BECOME EVEN MORE PRONE TO FAILURE. 1ST A/C FAILURE IN MARCH 98 WAS FOR ACCUMULATOR HOSE HAD A HOLE IN IT. 2ND A/C FAILURE IN MAY99 COIL-PULLEY-CLUTCH ASSY HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN JULY 99 ALL THE HOSES INCLUDING HEATER HOSE AND THE MANIFOLD-INTAKE LOWER WERE REPLACED. WHEN I DROVE THE CAR HOME FROM THIS REPAIR A SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE CAME THRU THE VENTS INTO THE CAR AND THERE WAS A STRANGE ODOR. I CALLED THE GARAGE AND REPORTED THIS THEY SAID, " SOME OF THE ANTIFREEZE MUST HAVE GOT ONTO THE ENGINE AND NOT TO WORRY". FIFTEEN DAYS LATER ON 16JULY19 THE SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT OF THE VENTS AGAIN. THIS IS THE 3RD A/C WHICH WAS FOR A CORE HEATER ASSY. I THINK THAT THIS CAUSE A OVERHEATING OF THE ENGINE AND FURTHER DAMAGED THE ALREADY DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS (TO BE FAR THIS IS ONLY A GUESS ON MY PART SINCE THE TEMP. INDICATOR NEVER GOT IN THE RED AREA. ALSO I SHOULD MENTION THAT THE DAY AFTER ALL THE HOSES WERE CHANGED I HAD TO RETURN THE CAR SINCE THERE WAS ANTIFREEZE ON MY GARAGE FLOOR CAUSE MY A CLAMP NOT BEING INSTALL CORRECTLY. THE ON 14DEC99 THE CAR STARTED OVERHEATING, I CHECKED THE OVERFLOW ANTIFREEZE AREA ADDED ANTIFREEZE AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY DID A PRESSURE TEST AND FOUND A BAD HOSE AND REPLACED IT. ON 21DEC99 ENGINE OVERHEATING AGAIN. PUT MORE ANTIFREEZE IN TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. FIRST THEY CALLED AND SAID""IT WAS THE THERMOSTAT." THEN THE NEXT DAY THEY SAID, "BLOWN HEAD GASKET". I THINK ALL THIS OVERHEADING DIDN'T HELP THE HEAD GASKET BUT I REALLY THINK FOLD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE AND MADE TO REPLACE THESE HEAD GASKETS FREE EVEN THOUGH THE EXTENDED WARRENTY PERIOD ON THE RECALL HAS PASSED. THE RECALL WAS NOT CLEARLY WITTEN.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE TRANSMISSION HAS GIVEN US PROBLEMS, THE FIRST TIME WAS SEPT 1998 AND THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON WAS CRACKED AND REPLACED AT THAT TIME APPROX 23000 MILES AGO. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK