There are 224 stored owner reports matching the powertrain & transmission leading-label group for the 1994 Ford Taurus in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 50 of 224 matching reports. This is a limited sample of up to 50 reports, ordered by incident date when available, not the complete group. The list controls page through the loaded reports only.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)THE CAR WHEN LEAVING A STOP ACTS LIKE ITS IN NEUTRAL THEN CATCHES AND LEAPS FORWARD. FORD USED A CHEAP FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON. *TR
AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE AND APPROACHES A STOP, IT "DE-CLUTCHES" AND EITHER FAILS TO SHIFT INTO GEAR, WHEN PUSHING GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE OR IT THEN SHIFTS HARD DURING TAKE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE IS 85,000. MANUFACTURE HAS SUPPOSEDLY SENT OUT TSB FOR REVISED FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON #9837. FORD HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM THROUGH TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN'S 91-5-7, 92-1-4,92-26A-6, 93-9-11 AND 94-24-7 WHICH EVEN TELLS THE DEALERS TO USE A STEEL PISTON AND NOT TO USE THE ALUMINUM PISTON AND IF THEY HAVE ANY IN STOCK TO RETURN THEM TO THE PARTS DEPOT FOR CREDIT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND BOTH THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION COLLAPSED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 93V106000 (STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS) AND CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY FILED A COMPLAINT ON THE CONTACT'S BEHALF. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD TAURUS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AND THE CONTACT OBSERVED WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ACTIVATED WATER LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A TRANMISSION DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD TAURUS. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE AND APPROACHES A STOP, IT "DE-CLUTCHES" AND EITHER FAILS TO SHIFT INTO GEAR OR SHIFTS HARD DURING TAKE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 96,000.
DT: 1994 FORD TAURUS. THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH SOMEONE HAD REAR ENDED IT. THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE IT KICKED INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, AND WAS DETERMINED IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMATIC CLUTCH PISTON. THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PROBLEM. WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED FORD, THEY STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE PROBLEM STARTED AROUND THE MIDDLE OF JULY. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE SINCE THEN. IT OCCURRED AT LEAST 12 TIMES. *AK *JB
WHILE SHIFTING,THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE GEAR WOULD SHIFT ERRATIC WHILE ENGAGING. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
WHILE SHIFTING AND WHILE DRIVING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
WHILE DRIVING, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ HOT, THEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. THE DRIVER PROCEEDED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC. DIAGNOSTIC TEST INDICATED A FRONT LEAK SLID ALONG SHIFT AND SLIP. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. *LA
MY TAURUS WAS RUNNING GREAT, NO PROBLEMS AT ALL UNTIL TODAY 7-9-2004. I WENT IN STARTED MY CAR, IT MADE A NOISE, THEN STOPPED THE NOISE. MY TRANSMISSION ENGAGED IN PARK ONLY. ALL OTHER GEARS THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I PUT IT IN REVERSE, NOTHING, NEUTRAL, FIRST, NOTHING, SECOND, NOTHING DRIVE, NOTHING AND STILL NOTHING. MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. MY FLUID LEVEL WAS FINE. NO EVENTS LED UP TO THIS MISHAP AND I AM WONDERING WWHAT TO DO.*AK
1994 FORD TAURUS REVERSE JUST STOPPED WORKING,(SOUNDED LIKE NEUTRAL ). THE CAR STRUGGLED TO GO OVER 25MPH TO GET HOME. WE MADE IT HOME JUST IN TIME FOR THE CAR TO STOP WORKING ALL TOGETHER! NONE OF THE GEARS WORK AND I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SURFACE. ONLY 36,000 MILES AND ALREADY A NEW TRANSMISSION!
TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY. PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
TRANSMISSION SEALS FAILED CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF FLUID. ALL INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PARTS REPLACED ALONG WITH FAILED TRANSMISSION MOUNTS
NO FORWARD OR REVERSE ENGAGEMENT OR DELAYED FORWARD AND-OR REVERSE ENGAGEMENT. SHIFTS OUT OF GEAR WHEN YOU STOP.
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
TRANSMISSION ERRATIC FORWARD SHIFTING AND LATE. DT
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE MERGING INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY, VEHICLE CUT OFF, WITHOUT WARNING. ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED, THE TRANSMISSION HAD BLOWN. TS
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING TRANSMISSION WILL LOCK UP. VEHICLE CAN ONLY GO INTO NEUTRAL. *AK DEALER NOTIFIED.
TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN STOPPED INCLUDING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHERE THE EVENT COULD POSE A TRAFFIC HAZARD. AFTER BRIEF PERIOD, TRANSMISSIONS POPS BACK INTO GEAR CAUSING VEHICLE TO BOLT FORWARD. DEALER CHARGED $60 TO ADVISE THAT FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON IS "STICKING" AND TRANMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT $2,700 PLUS. FORD ADVISES THAT THEY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. RESEARCH REVEALS THAT THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THAT VINTAGE OF TARUS. FORD USED INFERIOR MATERIALS TO SHAVE A FEW BUCKS AND HAS SINCE CHANGED PRODUCT DUE TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF FAILURES. HOWEVER, THE COMPANY THAT CLAIMED "QUALITY IS NU JOB NUMBER ONE" REFUSES TO ACT IN A RESPONSIBLE FASHION RELATIVE TO THIS DEFECT. GARNET FORD SHOUD HAVE TOLD ME BEFORE CHARGING $60 FOR AN ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSMISSION OR BEFORE REPLACING THE ENGINE MOUNT FOR $400 (APPARENTLY A RELATED PROBLEM) THAT THIS YEAR OF TARUS HAS HAD EXTENSIVE PROBLEMS WITH PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURES. FORD SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF ITS CORPORATE BEHAVIOR RELATIVE TO ITS REFUSAL TO ADDRESS THE MASSIVE NUMBER OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS OF PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THIS MODEL.*AK
GRADUALLY WHILE DRIVING OVER A TWO MONTH PERIOD, A PISTON IN TRANSMISSION CRACKED, RESULTING IN SYSTEM NOT ENGAGING AFTER DRIVING AND PARKING FOR TEN MINUTES OR MORE. WHEN DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE WILL EITHER SLAM INTO GEAR/JERK DRIVER/OCCUPANTS OR WILL SLIP OUT OF GEAR WITH NO WARNING. *AK AFTER THE REPAIRS, CONSUMER WROTE TO THE FORD COMPANY TO ADVISE OF THE FAILURE AND TO REQUEST RELIEF FROM PREMATURE FAILURE. FORD DENIED THE REQUEST. *JG
Showing 1-20 of 50 loaded 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.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: May 4, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.