1995 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

PE00020; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON FORD, TAURUS 1995, 205/65R15. BOTH FRONT TIRES' TREAD SEPARATED, NOT AT THE SAME TIME.CONSUMER ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. ALSO, BELTS HAD SEPARATED, AND THERE WAS A BIG BUBBLE. A FEW WEEKS LATER, SAME THING HAPPENED WITH OTHER TIRE. THESE WERE THE TWO FRONT TIRES.*AK

ORIGINIAL SPEEDOMETER FAILED IN APRIL 1998. WAS REPLACED ON 5/7/98. ON 12/31/99, REPLACEMENT SPEEDOMETER FAILED ALSO. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THERE IS NOW AN "UPDATED MODEL". I NEED TO HAVE THE CURRENT SPEEDOMETER REPLACED, AGAIN, AND SO THIS WILL BE THE THIRD. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THERE ARE TWO PROBLEMS WITH THIS 1995 FORD TAURUS. THE MOST SERIOUS IS THE STICKING ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS OCCURRED ON A COLD EVENING WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED AND PUT IN REVERSE. IT STUCK TO THE FLOOR AND WAS REMEDIED ONLY WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED OFF TO STOP THE CAR. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS THE NOISY AND INACCURATED SPEEDOMETER WHICH HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. *AK

HEAD GASKETS ON 3.8L ENGINE JUST OVER EXTENDED WARRANTY, NOT COVERED BY FORD BUT SHOULD BE. *AK

TRANSMISSION CEASES TO FUNCTION WITHOUT ANY WARNING (SOUND, PERFORMANCE CHANGE, ETC.). IN THIS INCIDENT, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT A BUSY JUNCTION OF THE EDENS AND THE KENNEDY EXPRESSWAYS IN CHICAGO CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE POWER UNEXPECTEDLY. FORTUNATELY THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO GET ONTO THE LEFT HAND SHOULDER AND WITH THE HELP OF THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TRUCK (IDOT) TO GET OFF THE EXPRESSWAY WITHOUT INJURY OR OTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE SITUATION WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THIS OCCURRED AT A BEND IN THE ROAD WHERE PASSING TRAFFIC TENDS TO COME ONTO THE SHOULDER. IN ADDITION TRAFFIC WAS BOTH VERY HEAVY AND VERY FAST MOVING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILED IN JUNE 1998 AT 48360 MILES AND WAS REPLACED BY FORD UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. CAR HAS HAD COMPLETE SERVICE SINCE NEW INCLUDING ALL RECOMMENDED OIL CHANGES AND ADJUSTMENTS. CAR IS USED FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES (ERRANDS & TRIPS), HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, AND HAS BEEN OPERATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FORD'S USAGE GUIDELINES (LOAD WEIGHT, ETC.). IT HAS HAD NO UNUSUAL OR HEAVY STRESS USAGE. *AK

A RAPID FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET FORCED ME TO ABANDON MY VEHICLE IN AN UNSAFE LOCATION. I THEN HAD TO WALK A SIGNIFICANT DISTANCE IN BELOW FREEZING CONDITIONS TO SEEK ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE CAME WITHOUT WARNING. AT MY REQUEST, THE HEAD GASKET HAD BEEN CHECKED BY A FORD MECHANIC 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES PROBLEM WHENEVER CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED AND BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED. INSTEAD OF CRUISECONTROL DISENGAGING, VEHICLE SUDDENLY GOES INTO A ACELERATION MOD. CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO SHIFT VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN OFF IGNITION SWITCH TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE ENGINE. YH

ENGINE HEAD GASKET LEAK HAS CAUSED THE NEED TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR, TIMING CHAIN COVER, BEARINGS, CRANK AND CAM SHAFT, MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REBUILT, BUT THE WARRANTY CO. THAT THE FORD DEALER SOLD US AS THEY WOULD NOT SELL US THE FORD WARRANTY AS WE BOUGHT A DEMO WILL ONLY PUT IN A JUNK YARD MOTOR FROM A CAR THAT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS APPROX. 30,000 MILES ON IT WE ARE PAYING ON A RENTAL CAR AND HAVE FOUND OUT THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THEIR ENGINE HEAD GASKETS LEAK, AND THAT THE WHOLE MOTOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF INTERMIXING OF FUEL. WE HAD NO PRIOR WARNING UNTIL WE HAD A LEAK OF ANTI-FREEZE NOW WE WILL HAVE SOME KIND OF JUNK YARD MOTOR FROM SOME CAR AND BILLS BEYOND WHAT THE WARRANTY WILL COVER. WE WANT TO BE PART OF A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST FORD WHO WHEN WE CALLED THEM SAID "SORRY." *AK

SPEEDOMETER FAILED 2X - SEEMS VERY COMMON ON 95 TAURUS, SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

2ND TIME FOR TRANSMISSION? *AK

FORD REFUSES TO COMP US FOR FIXING THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF 100K MILE CAP ON SPECIAL WARRANTY. NO SAFETY DEFECT INCLUDED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

A/C HOSE & MANIFOLD FAILED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK AND CAUSE MALFUNCTION OF SYSTEM. *ET

ENGINE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S COST. THREE WEEKS LATER, ENGINE OVERHEATED DUE TO BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER DIDN'T PAY FOR COST, BUT REPAIRED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE @ 83,000 MILES, COMMON WITH FORD TARAUS VEHICLES. FORD WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR FOR 14 DAYS, AT ANY OF THE 5 DEALERSHIPS LOCAL TO CHARLOTTE. THE REPAIRED TRANSMISSION FAILED. THEN THE FORD WARRANTIED TRANSMISSION, REPLACED 7/11/03, FAILED 400 MILES LATER (36,000 MILE WARRANTY), BECAUSE THE FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT! QUALITY OF THE OEM PRODUCT IS ACUTELY IN QUESTION, WHILE WORKMANSHIP AND SERVICE ARE HORRIBLE. INCIDENT DATE IS THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

BETWEEN 55-65MPH THE SPEEDOMETER BECAME ERRATICALLY AND DID NOT READ PROPER SPEED. *AK

UPON HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH ENGINE OF FORD, TAURUS, TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP IN NOVEMBER OF 1999 FOR SERVICING, WHEREAS I WAS INFORMED THAT HEAD GASKETS AND VALVE COVERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WERE LEAKING AND COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ENGINE FAILURE AND DAMAGE THAT WOULD BE EXTENSIVE TO THE VEHICLE. AT THIS POINT, SAID VEHICLE HAD 30,000 MILES ON ODOMETER . BROUGHT VEHICLE TO TWO SEPARATE INDEPENDENT CAR BUSINESSES TO CONFIRM THIS PROBLEM AS EXISTING, THEN PROCEEDED TO NOTIFY FORD MOTOR COMPANY BY BOTH PHONE AND LETTER STATING THE PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE AND EXPRESSING MY CONCERN THAT A CAR SHOULD NOT NEED A HEAD GASKET/VALVE DISORDER AT 30,000 MILES. I ALSO ATATED THAT FORD NEEDS TO ACCEPT SOME RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THIS MATTER, WHEREAS THEY HAVE DECLINED. AS OF THIS DATE, AUGUST 7, 2000, I AM STILL ACTIVELY SEEKING JUSTIFICATION AND COMPENSATION FROM FORD, WHO , HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS PROBLEM IN THE FORD TAURUS WITH THE 3.8 L ENGINES, BUT NOT THE 3.0 L ENGINE. IT SEEMS THAT THE WARRANTY EXTENSION SHOULD COVER BOTH ENGINES, AS IT IS A DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLY PROBLEM FROM THE FORD MANUFACTURER, AND NOT THE OWNER WHO SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE OUTSTANDING REPAIRS DUE TO NEGLIENCE AT FACTORY. *AK

THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE TRACK OF SPEED. *YC

I HAVE HAD 3 SPEEDOMETERS FAIL WITHIN 60,000 MILES OVER A 2 YEAR TIME PERIOD. THE NEEDLE ON THE SPEEDOMETER STICKS OR BOUNCES BACK AND FORTH, THE FIRST TIME WAS AT 32,000 MILES AND I BELIEVE IT WAS FEBRUARY OF 1998. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRENTY AT THAT TIME. THE SECOND TIME IT FAILED WAS AT ABOUT 55,000 MILES IN SEPT. OF 1998. BECAUSE MY DAILY COMMUTE IS SO LONG, I WAS WELL OVER THE 12,000 MILE WARRENTY ON THE REPLACEMENT PART, EVEN THOUGH IT HAD ONLY BEEN 6 MONTHS. I DID NOT HAVE THE PART REPLACED UNTIL JANUARY OR FEBRUARY BECAUSE OF THE COST. AT THE TIME I HAD THE SPEEDOMETER REPLACED I WAS AT 60,000 MILES. AT THAT TIME I PLEADED WITH FORD TO EXTEND THE MILAGE LIMIT ON THE PART BECAUSE I JUST KNEW THE THING WOULDN'T LAST A YEAR. THEY REFUSED, OF COURSE, AND INSIST THEY HAVE HAD NO REPORTS OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS. NONE OF THE DEALERSHIPS I HAVE DEALTH WITH ON THIS ARE WILLING TO HELP EITHER. AS EXPECTED, I STARTED EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE SPEEDOMETER IN NOVEMBER OF 1999, ABOUT 7 MONTHS AFTER THE LAST REPLACEMENT. BECAUSE THE CAR WAS AT 81,000 MILES I COULDN'T GET ANYONE TO EVEN DISCUSS IT WITH ME. I HAVE SINCE FOUND INFORMATION - VIA THE WEB - THAT SUGGESTS THERE HAS BEEN AS SERVICE BULLUTIN ISSUED ON THIS PROBLEM. *AK

IF VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT SPEEDS HIGHER THAN SIXTY MILES PER HOUR, SPEEDOMETER CANNOT REGISTER THE CORRECT SPEED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK *SLC

FORD IS AWARE OF THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF HEAD GASKETS...I RECIEVED A NOTICE,HOWEVER WHEN MY ENGINE GASKET BLEW AND THE CAR OVERHEATED I WAS AT 75,600.600 MILES OVER THE EXTENDED WARENTY.NOW 3 DAYS AFTER PAYING FOR A NEW GASKET AND ALL THE REPAIRS MY DEALER SAID THE CAR NEEDED.I WAS TOLD THE CAR NEEDS A NEW ENGINE WHICH WILL COST AND ESTIMATED 3,500-4,000$MORE.....MAY I ADD THE CAR IS ONLY 4 YRS OLD....FORD WILL NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONCIBILITY.NOW YOU MUST BE ASKING YOURSELF....IS THIS A SAFTY ISSUE?.LET ME ANSWER THAT.WHEN YOU ARE TRAVELING 55MPH AND YOUR ENGINE STALLS BECAUSE IT LOST OIL PRESSURE AFTER IT GOT HOT,AND YOU SUDDENLY LOSE ALL POWER....WELL YES....IT ALMOST CAUSED A VERY BAD ACCIDENT I.

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS FAILED, FORD SENT LETTER STATING REPAIR COVERED TO 60000 MILES, WITH NO EXPLANATION OF WARNING SIGNS OF FAILURE. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL WHEN COMING TO STOP AND JERKS INTO GEAR, CAUSING NEAR ACCIDENTS. AGAIN FORD KNOWS ABOUT PROBLEM (PER TSB) REFUSES TO PAY FOR FIXING. *AK

ABS SYSTEM AND THE BRAKES ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN AND DEALER DECIDED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. GREASED THE REAR CALIPERS AND ADJUSTED BRAKES. NO PROBLEM NOW. *AJK

NO SUMMARY

SPEEDOMETER POINTER JUMPS AROUND, GIVING UNRELIABLE AND FALSE SPEED INDICATIONS. ASSEMBLY ALSO MAKES SQUEEKING NOISES. FORD SERVICE BULLETIN # 99-7-9 RECOMENDS REPLACEMENT; FAILURE CAUSED BY IMPROPER OILING DURING ASSEMBLY. FORD/DEALER NO HELP. DEALER INDICATES THERE "MAY" BE A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. THIS IS SECOND SPEEDOMETER TO FAIL IN THE CAR. FIRST AT 25000 MILES, THIS ONE STARTED ABOUT 36000. *AK

RADIATOR FAILED CAUSING LEAKAGE. MJS

I HAVE HAD HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS,BRAKE PROBLEMS(REAR CALIPERS),ROTORS,TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKAGE,RADIATOR LEAKAGE,ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM,A/C PUMP FAILURE

ORIGINAL SPEEDOMETER BECAME ERRATIC AFTER 21,745 & WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. REPLACEMENT SPEEDOMETER IS NOW ERRATIC (WILL GO TO THE MAX. SPEED INDICATION OF 85) WHEN ACTUAL SPEED IS MUCH SLOWER. SINCE REPLACEMENT HAS BEEN OVER 12 MONTHS FORD WILL NOT REPLACE IT AGAIN. *AK

IN A PARKING LOT WAS NOT ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE BATTERY. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THIS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

SPEEDOMETER FAILS TO OPERATE. THIS DEFECT WAS FIXED IN APRIL OF 1997 (COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.) HOWEVER, DEFECT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. WHEN TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, NEEDLE ON SPEEDOMETER WILL JUMP AROUND. *AK

WHILE IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER IS NOT WORKING, AND THERE IS A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 10MPH AND EXCEEDING OVER 40 MPH THERE IS VIBRATING AND SHAKING IN THE DASHBOARD. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHEN COMING UPON A STOP OR HITTING THE BRAKES,VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WAS BEING HIT FROM BEHIND. *AK

I HAVE YET TO HEAR FROM A FACTORY REP (I WAS TOLD ONE WILL CALL) AND THE SERVICE MGR. HAS NOT BEEN COOPERATIVE UP TO THIS POINT.

AFTER WARM-UP TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT IN/OUT OF NEUTRAL WHEN REQUIRED. WHEN COMING TO STOP THE DOWN SHIFT IS ABSENT/DELAYED. WHEN STARTING FROM STOP UPSHIFT IS DELAYED AND SUDDEN. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY ALARMING AND DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC. *AK

WHENEVER VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP POSTION, A GRINDING SOUND WOULD BE HEARD, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD. VEHICLE BEING INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. SEEKING ANY INFORMATION ON THIS PROBLEM FROM NHTSA. *AK

RADIATOR OVERFLOW IS TWO PIECES AND THE TOP IS GLUDED ON. IF VEHICLE OVERHEATS TOP OF PLASTIC RADIATOR OVERFLOW CONTAINER WILL EXPLODE SENDING BOILING ANTIFREEZE ONTO ANYONE IN VINCITY. THIS HAPPENED TODAY. DRIVER RAISED HOOD AN SAW COOLANT OVERFLOW BOTTLE SIDES WERE BULDGING AND AT THAT SAME INSTANT THE CONTAINER BLEW UP CAUSING SECOND DEGREE BURNS FROM FACE TO WAIST.

WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY SOUTH BOUND TO SAN DIEGO AT A SPEED OF 75MPH AND IN THE FAST LANE. WE HAD BEEN DRIVING ABOUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS WHEN SUDDENDLY THE CAR BEGAN DOWN SHIFTING AND THE CAR LURCHED VIOLENTLY BACK AND FORTH. WE THOUGHT THE ENGINE HAD DIED INITALLY, BUT THE CAR BEGAN LURCHING BACK AND FORTH AS IF IT WERE GOING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. WE STRUGGLED TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND LUCKILY WERE NOT HIT OR CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR DEALERSHIP WHICH WAS OVER 150 MILES. THE CAR HAS BEEN THERE FOR A WEEK AND THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I FEEL LIKE I AM PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE WAITING FOR ANOTHER OCCURANCE. I DON'T WANT TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR BE PART OF ONE BECAUSE OF A FAULTY TRANSMISSION THAT OCCASSIONALY MISBEHAVES.

WHILE DRIVING 65MPH ON THE INTERSTATE CAR JUST COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. CAR STILL HAD BATTERY POWER, BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RUN. *AK

SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE JUMPS AND MAKES A GRINIDNG NOISE AT SPEEDS OVER 40 MPH. WE HAVE REPLACED THIS PART TWICE IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. *AK

TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE FAILED.*ET

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY

STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO TURN. IT'S POWER STEERING, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE THAT HARD TO TURN. CONSUMER IS AFRAID THAT VEHICLE MAY HIT SOMEONE. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR DUE TO DEFECTIVE PART(S) IN THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, MOST LIKELY THE CLUTCH PISTON. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WON'T COVER BY ANY WARRANTY.......A 95 WITH ONLY 58K. *AK

THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON WHEN THE THERMOSTAT GUAGE WENT TO HOT FROM NEUTRAL, THEN THE CAR OVERHEATED AND STALLED THE ENGINE AT ABOUT 55 MPH. SMOKE AND STEAM POURED OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR. ONE COULDN'T START THE ENGINE AGAIN UNTIL IT COOLED DOWN.

NO SUMMARY