1996 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

RUSTED OUT FREEZE PLUGS A KNOW PROBLEM ORGINATING WITH FORD. NLM

A FREEZE PLUG BECAME CORRODED, THIS CAUSED THE COOLANT TO SPRAY ON THE DRIVER WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH NO WARNING, ABRUPTLY. NOW HEAD GASKETS COULD BE CORRODED OR CRACKED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. NLM

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE GASKETS BLEWOUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMBER SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE. HAS HAD TO REPLACE HEATER CORE/ RADIATOR AND THERMOSTAT.*AK

CAMSHAFTS IN THE 1996-1999 TAURUS SHO. I HAVE HAD A FAILURE LIKE MANY OTHERS, THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 250 FAILURES OF THIS TYPE, MINE WAS FAILURE NUMBER 221. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND THE ENGINE SEIZED CAUSING THE CAR TO DART TO THE RIGHT, IF THERE WAS A VEHICLE THERE, WE WOULD HAVE COLLIDED. $8500.00 IN DAMAGE, FORD WILL NOT COVER ANY OF IT, THIS IS A QUOTE FROM A FORD REP. "METAL WEARS" BUT AT THE RATE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IS ALARMING, 18 CARS SO FAR SINCE 02-01-2002. AT ABOUT $8000.00 EACH CAR IS $144,000.00 DAMAGES FEBUARY ALONE, FOR ALL 250 CARS, IT IS $2,000,000.00 IN DAMAGES (ESTIMATED). THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN OF THE CAMSHAFT, AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. I BOUGHT A FORD TAURUS 1996 FROM VENUNS FORD IN MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR SEVEN MONTHS AND THE GAS PEDAL WAS STICKING AND TAKING OFF VERY FAST AND SHIFTING ITS GEARS. THE MOTOR WAS RUMBLING AND SHAKING. I HAD TO REPAIR THE AXLES OF THE CAR. I HAD TO TAKE IT BACK EVERY MONTH BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE. THE WATER PUMP OVER HEATED AND THE GAS PEDAL IS STILL STICKING AND TAKING OFF VERY FAST TODAY. ALSO THE DEALER IS TRYING TO TAKE AWAY THE WARRANTY SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. I ASKED THE DEALER TO TAKE A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION BUT THEY REFUSED. I ASKED FOR AN EVEN EXCHANGE FOR A DIFFERENT CAR BUT THEY WANTED ME TO PAY FOR THIS CAR AND THE OTHER IF I GOT ONE. URGENTLY RESPOND TO MY COMPLAINT. *JB

CAR ROLLED BACKWARD INTO GARAGE DOOR WHILE PARKED WITH TRANSMISSION IN PARK POSITION ON LEVEL GROUND. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT NOTICE,IT HAS LOW MILEAGE.POSSIBLE ODOMETER FRAUD BY DEALERSHIP.HOW DO FIND OUT IF ODOMETER MILEAGE WAS HIGHER BEFORE PURCHASE DATE 07/01.THANK YOU T.MCGARY. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET LEAKED AND EVENTUALLY FAILED, THERE WAS RUST IN THE VALVES CAUSING ME TO PURCHASE A NEW ENGINE. I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THE FORD TAURUS IS KNOWN FOR SUCH PROBLEMS AND IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND IF THE MANUFACTURE COVERS THIS.*AK

CAMSHAFT SNAPPED, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SPROCKET ON THE CAMSHAFT CAME LOOSE, CAUSING THE CAM TO QUIT TURNING, THIS CAUSED THE VALVES AND PISTONS TO HIT EACH OTHER, THE ENGINE DIED AND VEHICLE LOST POWER BRAKES AND POWER STEERING. *SLC

PURCHASED MY 1996 FORD TAURUS WAGON IN NOV. 2001. IT ACCELERATES AT HIGH SPEEDS WITH CRUISE GOING DOWN HILL. THE GAS PEDAL OFTEN GETS HUNG UP WHICH LEAVES ME TAPPING IT MY FOOT TO GET IT TO GO, SO THAT I DO NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT. THE WHOLE CAR RIDES VERY ROUGHLY. IT ALSO HANGS UP IN PASSING GEAR ALMOST EVERY TIME. AND ALSO HOW DO I FIND OUT WHERE TO CHECK TO SEE IF ALL THE RECALLS WERE TAKEN CARE OF. BE CAREFUL FOR WHAT U BUY. *NLM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN EVER MY CAR HITS OVER 250 DEGREE'S IT WILL STALL OUT , YOU THEN HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE ENGINE COOLS TO START IT BACK UP , THIS MAINLY OCCUR,S WHEN IT IT VERY WARM OUT SIDE.I FIRST HAD THIS HAPPEN WHEN I WAS TRAVELING DOWN ON INTERSTATE IN THE MIDDLE OF JULY WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMP WAS ABOUT 95 DEGREE'S ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR JUST DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE. THIS PROBLEM HAD OCCURED SEVERAL TIME BEFOR WHILE DRIVING IN MY HOME TOWN JUST DOING 30- 45 MILES PER HOUR OR SITTING AT A RED LITE .I HAVE READ THAT FORD HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MODULER ON EARLIER MODELS I WENT TO OUR FORD DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDNT JUST FIX IT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT SINCE MY CAR WAS A 1996 NOT A 1995 I FEEL IF FORD NEW THAT THE EARLIER MODELS HAD THIS PROBLEM THEY SHOULD BE WILLING TO FIX IT ON MINE ALSO. *AK

NOTICED A KNOCK IN THE ENGINE AND WAS GOING TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT WHEN GOING DOWN INTERSTATE 75 AT 65 MILES AND HOUR THE CAR LOST ACCELERATION IN HEAVY FRIDAY AFTERNOON TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE EXPRESSWAY AND CALL FOR HELP. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER. THEY HAVE NOW HAD MY CAR FOR 48 DAYS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAMSHAFT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THE REPAIRS WOULD BE BETWEEN $2,800-$3,300. I AUTHORIZED THE REPAIRS. AFTER FINALLY GETTING THE PARTS, REPAIRING AND PUTTING THE ENGINE BACK TOGETHER IT STILL DID NOT RUN PROPERLY. THEY HAD TO PULL THE ENGINE APART AGAIN AND NOW SAID THEY WOULD NEED APPROXIMATELY $2,000 MORE TO REPAIR THE VALVES AND HEAD. THEY REPLACED THE VALVES AND WERE ABLE TO MACHINE THE HEAD. THEY PUT IT BACK TOGETHER AND RETURNED MY CAR AFTER 35 DAYS AND $4,400 IN REPAIRS. THE NEXT MORNING ON THE WAY TO WORK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGH. TOOK BACK TO FORD AFTER 4 MORE DAYS I WAS TOLD THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ENGINE WAS NOW MALFUNCTIONING AND IT WOULD COST ME APPROXIMATELY $2,000-$3,000 MORE IN REPAIRS. AFTER GOING TO THE HEAD OF SERVICE/PARTS THEY AGREED TO COVER THE LAST REPAIRS. I WAS INFORMED THAT WHEN THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETE THAT IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. IF I WOULD HAVE KNOW ALL THIS IN THE BEGINNING I WOULD NOT HAVE AUTHORIZED THE REPAIRS.*AK

WITH VEHICLE IN PARK, IT ROLLED BACKWARDS. THE CONSUMER WAS FOUND FATALLY CRUSHED BENEATH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE ROCKER PANEL AND TIRE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION INDICATOR WAS IN THE PARK POSITION. THE POLICE CONCLUDED THAT THE CONSUMER PARKED ON A PAVED DRIVEWAY ON A UPHILL INCLINE. *JB

MY 1996 FORD TAURUS SHO STARTED MAKING A CHATTER NOISE ON THE TOP END OF ENGINE. I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER IN ALBANY, NY. THE DEALER WAS ORANGE MOTORS. THEY CHARGED ME 100.00 TO DIAGNOS THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AND THE COST WAS GOING TO BE $12,000.00. SINCE I WAS IN SHOCK WITH THE PRICE, I LOOKED INTO THE PROBLEM MYSELF AND FOUND A WEBSITE V8SHO.COM. THEY DESCRIBED MY EXACT FAILRURE. THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE AMONG ALL 1996,97,98,AND 99 SHO'S. THE ENGINE IS BUILT BY YAMAHA FOR FORD. THE PROBLEM IS THE DESIGN OF THE CAM SHAFT. THE TIMING GEAR SPROCKET IS PRESSED ONTO THE CAM AND CAN COME LOOSE AT ANY TIME. IF YOU HEAR THE AUDIBLE CHATTER FROM THE ENGINE, YOU MUST STOP DRIVING IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE GEAR WILL SLIP ON THE CAM AND THE ENGINE WILL SELF DESTRUCT BENDING VALVES AND DESTROYING THE ENGINE. IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW AN INDIVIDUAL MAINTAINS THE CAR. THIS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE AT ANYTIME. FORD KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM. THEY ISSUED SPECIAL SERVICE BULLITEN 15879 TO CHECK FOR THE PROBLEM. IN MY CASE THE FORD DEALER WHERE I TOOK THE SHO DIDN'T EVEN TELL ME NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR ANY FURTHER. WHEN THIS IS CAUGHT IN THE BEGINNING STAGES YOU CAN WELD THE SPROKETS TO THE CAM. AFTER TAKING MY CAR APART MYSELF, I FOUND BOTH FRONT CAMS TO HAVE A PROBLEM. ONE MOVES LEFT AND RIGHT ON THE SPROKET AND THE OTHER IS LOOSE ON THE CAM.(READY TO SPIN COMPLETELY LOOSE AND KILL THE ENGINE. THE COST OS THIS SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD NOT BE THE CONSUMER'S RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS A LATENT DEFECT BY THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

THIS FAILURE IS A SAFETY HAZARD. WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING AT RANDOM, THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS QUIT WORKING, AND THE SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON! THEY ALL APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO THIS MLP/TR SWITCH. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND 4 OTHER OCCURRENCES THAT WERE REPORTED. WHEN I CALL THE LOCAL FORD SERVICE GARAGE, THE SERVICE MANAGER KNEW EXACTLY WHAT MY PROBLEM WAS AND SOLD ME THE SENSOR SWITCH. HE WAS AWARE THAT THE POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING WHEN THESE SYMPTOMS OCCUR. I EXPERIENCED THE POWER STEERING FAILING ON A TURN AND HAD MUCH TROUBLE CONTROLLING THE CAR. I'M WORRIED THAT MY DAUGHTER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. *AK

EXCESSIVE BRAKING & TRANSMISSION GEAR USE---BRAKES OVERHEATED CAUSING ROTOR GLAZE

THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT AT 70,000 MILES WHEN THE ORIGINAL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO BE MALFUNCTIONING; SECOND, AT 112000 MILES THE 4TH GEAR CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE BUTTON FOR OVERDRIVE ON THE AUTOMATIC GEARSHIFT SELECTOR TO POP OFF, DEALER RECOMMENDED A NEW TRANSMISSION (HOWARD AUSTIN HAS SUBMITED THIS COMPLAINT ON BEHALF OF HIS HOUSEKEEPER) . *YD

CONSUMER STATED THE JACK COLLAPSED DURING A TIRE CHANGE, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UP ON THE JACK JOINT IN THE JACK, IT SEPARATED CAUSING IT TO FOLD FOWARD, THEREFORE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FALL PINNING THE CONSUMERS WRIST BETWEEN THE FENDER AND THE TOP OF THE TIRE.*JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE POWER STEERING WILL NOT TURN ON OR OFF AND CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO STEER OR TURN. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

MY CAR HAS BEEN AT THE FORD PLACE IN MONROEVILLE,AL AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED AS FAR AS THE TRANSMISSION AND THE POWER STEERING. *AK

3 TIRES BLEW OUT AFTER I BOUGHT CAR

WHILE DRIVING 66MPH VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER WITHOUT WARNING. EVERYTHING LOCKED UP. TOOK TO DEALER, AND DALER INDICATED ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT SIDEWALLS FAILED ONLY 3 WEEKS INTO OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE, GENERAL ALL SEASON RADIAL, P205/65R15, DOT NUMBER NOT GIVEN. *SLC

HEARD TAPPING SOUND COMING FROM ENGINE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED THREE TIMES LOST ALL POWER TO VEHICLE UPON INSPECTION FROM FORD DEALER THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE CAM SPROCKET HAD STRIPPED FROM THE CAM SHAFT AS A RESULT THE ENGINE IS TOTALED RESULTING IN A 6000.00 DOLLAR LESS TAX AND LABOR REPAIR BILL. DT

CAM FAILURE 1996 TAURUS SHO AT 99K MILES

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THERE IS A GASOLINE SMELL COMING THROUGH THE VENT AREA INSIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MPH VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE HEAD ON, CAUGHT ON FIRE, CAUSING INJURIES. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK *YD

CAR STALLL WITHOUT WARNING, DEALER CANNOT FIND PROBLEM, MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT. OTHER TAURUS OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. FORD IS NOT INTERESTED.

WHEN PURCHASED, THIS CAR WAS SERVICED, INCLUDING A COOLING SYSTEM INSPECTION. I ALSO NOTIFIED FORD BY TELEPHONE THAT I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR, PROVIDING THE VIN. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE CAR AT THAT TIME. THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS CHECKED 4 MONTHS AGO, AND WAS FINE AT THAT TIME. SEVERAL DAYS AGO, THE CAR OVERHEATED, SPEWING COOLANT WHEN THE HOOD WAS LIFTED. I DID NOT, AT ANY TIME ATTEMPT REMOVAL OF THE COOLANT CAP; THE COOLANT WAS SPEWING FROM BENEATH THE CLOSED CAP. MY MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE COOLING SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY CONTAMINATED WITH RUST AND SLUDGE. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT FORD HAD A RECALL ON THE SITUATION. WHEN I CALLED FORD, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL WAS OVER, THAT THEY WOULD NO LONGER COVER THIS PROBLEM, AND THAT THE RECALL WAS OVER IN 1999. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS RECALL. FORD DID PROVIDE ME WITH A TSB NUMBER- 972416. BUT, TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO BEAR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT A MANUFACTURER CAN DECIDE TO REPAIR A SERIOUS DEFECT FOR ONLY A LIMITED TIME, AND ONLY IF THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINS DURING THAT TIME? I WAS STRANDED IN A VERY BAD PART OF ATLANTA BY THIS INCIDENT, AND COOLANT WAS SPEWED ALL OVER ME. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, IN MY VIEW, NOT THE 'CUSTOMER SATISFACTION' ISSUE FORD TERMED IT ON THE TELEPHONE WHEN I SPOKE WITH THEM TODAY. THIS SITUATION WAS PRODUCED BY A DESIGN DEFECT THAT FORD CLEARLY HAS KNOWLEDGE OF AS EVIDENCED BY THE TSB. FORD HAS ALSO PRODUCED A RETROFIT PART TO CORRECT THE SITUATION- F7DZ8522AA (COOLANT RECOVERY KIT). WHY IS FORD NOT BEING REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS SITUATION ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES?*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING, VEHICLE STALLED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER, TIMING CHAIN BROKE DESTROYING THE CAMSHAFT, 8 VALVES, UPPER GASKET, HEAD BOLTS AND CAUSING THE CAM SPROKET TO FAIL. *TT

CAMSHAFT SPROCKET FAILURE. *AK

THE CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND AFTER AVOIDING TRAFFIC AND COASTING OFF OF THE HIGHWAY WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEIR DIAGNOSIS IS THAT THE SPLINES ON THE CAMSHAFT GEAR OF THE INTAKE CAMSHAFT ON THE REAR CYLINDER HEAD ARE STRIPPED AND THE SPLINES ON THE EXHAUST CAMSHAFT ARE IN POOR CONDITION. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR $4500 - $5000. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 68K MILES ON IT.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

SECOND CAMSHAFT FAILURE WITHIN ONE YEAR. REPAIRING DEALER WAS REQUESTED TO CHECK VALVE TAP IN SEPTEMBER. ORIGINAL CHAMSHAFT REPAIR WAS DONE HOWEVER CAR CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE ENGINE PRESSURE AND TIMING PROBLEMS. REQUESTED SERVICE DEALER TO CHECK VALVE TAP IN SEPTEMBER 2001. DEALER REFUSED TO DO SERVICE, EXPLAINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS ABOVE THEIR HEADS. COMPLAINED NUMEROUS TIMES TO FORD CONCERNING REPAIR AND DEALER'S RESPONSE. DEALER NOW BELIEVES CAR NEEDS NEW ENGINE. INITIAL REPAIR WAS $3000 AND TOOK TWO MONTHS. FORD HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE FAILURE OF THE CAMSHAFT SPROCKETS FOR AT LEAST 3 YEARS. HOWEVER, NO ACTION HAS BEEN INITIATED TO REPAIR ALL PROBLEMS AT ONE TIME ONLY TO HANDLE EACH CAMSHAFT AFTER FAILURE RESULTING IN LARGE REPAIR BILL.

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ON, FOLLOWED BY SHAKING AND VIBRATION. ALSO INTERMITTENT STALLING WOULD OCCUR WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR APPLYING ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM A STOP POSITION, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER SHOP, AND HAD SOME SEVERE REPAIRS DONE, PROBLEM CONCERNING ENGINE IS STILL OCCURRING, ALSO REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED, THE COOLANT OVERFLOW BOTTLE CONTAINED A LEAK. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH HEARD A TICKING SOUND. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER REPLACED A BROKEN CAMSHAFT.*AK

THE DISPLAY SHOWS THAT THE DOOR IS AJAR WHEN IT IS NOT, THIS PREVENTS THE DOORS FROM LOCKING AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FROM GOING OFF. *TT

STARTET WITH WHIRRING SOUND WHEN CAR REACHED AVERAGE SPEED OF 50 MPH OR HIGHER. SEARCHED AND CHECKED ALL FLUIDS. THEN BEGAN TO SMOKE UNDER CAR. TOOK TO GARAGE. TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. BUT MECHANIC HAD TO REPLACE AGAIN BECAUSE THE NEW ONE WAS ALSO CRACKED IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE. WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE TAURAS. THE MECHANIC HAD REPLACED SEVERAL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. HAVE RESEARCHED AND FIND THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THE VEHICLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. IF TRANSMISSION HAS A DEFECT IT SHOULD BE RECALLED AT THE MANUFACTURERS EXPENSE. FORD SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK

MY 96 TAURUS SHO HAD SEVERE ENGINE FAILURE AT 66,682 MILES. THE ENGINE (CAMSHAFT) SHOULD NOT FAIL ON WELL CARED FOR VEHICLE WITH ONLY 66,682 MILES ON IT. THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE SHO ENGINE THAT IS CASUING HUNDERDS OF CONSUMERS TO PAY HUNDERDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. WHY ISN'T ANYONE CAUSING FORD TO ADDRESS THIS. THERE OUGHT TO BE GREATER CONSUMER PROTECTION AGAINST A MANUFACTURER OF A DEFECTIVE AUTO. PLEASE ASSIST. THANKS!*AK

THE CAR BEGAN MAKING A TICKING SOUND FROM THE VALVE TRAIN AREA. THIS NOISE BECAME MUCH LOUDER OVER A PERIOD OF WEEKS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED IT AS A LOOSE SPROCKET ON THE REAR BANK INTAKE CAMSHAFT. AS A MEMBER OF THE V8SHO ORGANIZATION (WWW.V8SHO.COM), I AM AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND IT'S MANY OCCURRENCES. THERE ARE NOW OVER 30 REPORTS OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM (WITH OCCURRENCES ON ANY ONE OF THE 4 CAMS), AND 14 REPORTED FAILURES IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2001 ALONE! THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AS THE SPROCKET IS MERELY "PRESSED" ONTO THE CAMSHAFT WITH NO OTHER MEANS OF ATTACHMENT. OVER TIME, THE CONNECTION WORKS LOOSE CAUSING THE OFFENDING CAMSHAFT TO SPIN FREELY, THUS ALLOWING THE VALVES TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE PISTONS, CAUSING COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO CATCH THIS ON MY ENGINE PRIOR TO COMPLETE FAILURE. MYSELF AND NUMEROUS OTHERS HAVE CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY WITH LITTLE SUCCESS ON THEIR OWNING UP TO THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER'S FIX IS USUALLY TO REPLACE THE CAMSHAFT(S) AT A COST OF $1080 EA., FOR PARTS ALONE! THAT IS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION AS THE OWNER IS STILL LEFT WITH A DESIGN FLAW, REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT IT'S A NEW CAMSHAFT. MY BILL WILL BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $2000+ AND THAT'S WITHOUT THE SPROCKET ACTUALLY COMING LOOSE! FORD NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS GROSSLY NEGLIGENT DESIGN FLAW!*AK

MOTOR MOUNT HAS BROKEN, SAFETY ISSUE?*AK

HEATER CORE BROKE OR RUPTURED AND ANTIFREEZE CAME OUT OF THE VENTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. IT PUT A GREASY FILM ON WINDOWS LIKE FOG OR STEAM. HEATER WILL NOT WORK. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND DEALER COULDN'T CONTINUE TO FIX VEHICLE BECAUS E WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT. *AK

VEHICLE STALLS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, DEALER HAS ADJUSTED PCM BUT THIS DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM, THE BRAKES CAUSE VIBRATION WHEN STOPPING.*AK *NLM

ENG SIZE 3.0 TRANSMISSION TYPE AX4S OR AXODE , TRANSMISSION JUST STOP PULLING FORWARD, HAD CAR SINCE OCT. 1998 BOUGHT USED ALWAY HAD PROBLEM WITH JERKING WHEN CHANGING TO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR FROM DAY ONE WHEN I BOUGHT CAR . TOLD THE DEALER ABOUT THE JERKING WHEN CHANGING GEAR HE SAID THE THE WAY THE CAR WAS MADE. CAR IS IN SHOP NOW FOR TRANSMISSION WORK. THEY SAID IT MUST BE THE COMPUTER , COULDNT FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I THINK A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE ON 1996 TAURUS . I AM TIRED OF SPENDING MONEY ON THIS CAR. I KNOW FORD KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.

CAMSHAFT FAILURE. THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING MORE AND MORE OFTEN ON THESE CARS. I HAVE SPOKE TO MANY THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. FORD IS DOING NOTHING FOR THE VICTIMS OF THIS PROBLEM. WHAT MORE CAN WE DO TO GET A RECALL OR REIMBURSMENT?

I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF THIS TYPE OF FAILURE ON VARIOUS WEBSITES (WWW.V8SHO.COM). THIS SEEMS TO BE A WIDESREAD PROBLEM, AND FORD IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT AT THIS TIME. THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL OF THESE SHAFTS. I AM PRETTY SURE THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS A GROWING PROBLEM. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE RESULTS IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE. *AK

PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS VEHICLE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK (TIRESIZE: P20565R15)

BASED ON INFO READ FROM OTHER FORD TAURUS SHO OWNERS, CAMSHAFT PROBLEM IS OCCURRING IN A HIGH NUMBER OF THESE VEHICLES. THE FORD DEALERSHIP THAT DID MY CAM REPLACEMENT SHOWED ME THE DEFECTIVE CAM AND THE SPROCKET THAT WAS ATTACHED TO IT, THAT MOVED FREELY. IT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A MOVEABLE PART. MOST COMPLAINT APPEAR TO BE FOR THE SAME TYPE OF CAMSHAFT ENGINE FAILURE. PROBLEM IS, I HAVE BEGUN HEARING THE SAME CLICKING NOISE AGAIN. THERE ARE 4 CAMSHAFTS IN THIS ENGINE AND ONLY ONE WAS REPLACED FOR THE $2200.00 FEE. IF ANOTHER ONE GOES, I WILL HAVE A VEHICLE WITH PAYMENTS, THAT WILL BE OF LITTLE VALUE WITHOUT THE SHO ENGINE, IT WAS PURCHASE FOR. YOUR HELP PLEASE.*AK

NORMAL CAMSHAFT FAILURE ACCURRING IN THESE MODEL CARS. *AK