1997 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

INTERMITTENT OPERATION ON LOW AND HIGH SPEED SETTINGS- DEALER DID NOT REPAIR AFTER COMPLAINT. PROBLEM OCCURS WITH RELATIVE FREQUENCY.

SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT CORRECTLY AND LOCKUP AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES. DEALER AND FORD MOTOR WERE CONTACTED AND ADVISED US THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT??? THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED WITH THE EXTENDED WARRANTY (THROUGH TRAVELERS) AT ADDITIONAL COST -- SAFETY EQUIPMENT IS NOT COVERED. WE'RE SCREWED. ESTIMATE OF OVER $400 TO CORRECT BY DEALER. PRESENTLY LOOKING AT AFTERMARKET ALTERNATIVES TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE FORD COMPONENTS. NOT CERTAIN WHETHER "GENUINE" FORD PARTS WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM AS THEY MAY HAVE THE SAME NET RESULT.

JUST STARTED TO PROCEED THROUGH INTERSECTION WHEN CAR SHIFTED FROM LOW GEAR AND ACTED AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. DEALER I TOOK IT TO SEEMS TO BE AWARE OF PISTONS BEING MADE OUT OF A COMPOSITE MATERIAL THAT LIKES TO CRACK.

I PUT MY CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. I HIT A CONCRETE POLE WHICH WAS LOCATED IN THE PARKING LOT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN I BRAKED TO SHIFT FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. THE CAR TOOK OFF LEAVING BLACK MARKS 9 FEET LONG. I DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO HIT THE ACCELERATOR. THE CAR WAS ACTING ON ITS OWN. I HIT THE FRONT OF THE STORE. THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED MY CAR WAS THE STEEL DOOR FRAME AND THE BRICK BUILDING. MY CAR WAS STILL MOVING AFTER I GOT OUT BECAUSE I HAD NOT PUT IT INTO PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. I HAD JUMPED OUT QUICKLY BECAUSE GLASS WAS COMING THROUGH MY SUNROOF ONTO ME. A WITNESS SAID "OH MY GOD, YOUR CAR IS STILL MOVING." I HAD TO GET BACK INTO THE VEHICLE TO PUT IT INTO PARK AND TURN THE IGNITION OFF. THIS PROVES THAT THE CAR WAS GETTING FUEL SOMEWHERE BESIDES ME. I FEEL AS THOUGH THE FUEL SHUT OFF BUTTON LOCATED IN THE TRUNK SHOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS ACCIDENT. BUT IT DID NOT WORK; IN FACT, I AM THINKING SOMETHING MALFUNCTIONED AND INSTEAD OF SHUTTING FUEL OFF THE CAR WAS GETTING FUEL WIDE OPEN.

SPOUSE BACKED OUT FROM A PARKING SPACE AND WHEN SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN "DRIVE" THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, AND BEFORE ANY ACTION COULD BE TAKEN SHE COLLIDED WITH A STORE FRONT. THE "CRUISE CONTROL" HAD BEEN USED THE DAY BEFORE AND THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND CAUSED THE SUDDEN FORWARD MOVEMENT. THE REASON FOR THIS ASSUMPTION IS THAT I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR ON A PREVIOUS RECENT OCCASION, AND NOTICED THE LIGHT INDICATING CRUISE WAS ON ALTHOUGH I HAD JUST STARTED THE CAR. I THOUGHT PERHAPS I MAY HAVE BUMPED IT BUT NOW I AM SURE IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS WAS REENFORCED WHEN I TALKED TO THREE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH FORD PRODUCTS. *AK

BACKING UP & NOTICED POLE, SHIFTED INTO DRIVE & VEHICLE ACCELERATED & HIT STORE FRONT. ACCELERATOR PEDAL COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED AT THE TIME.UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

DUE TO THE MATERIAL IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK TO THE OCCUPANT WHEN LEAVING VEHICLE. ALSO, SAME PROBLEM WITH THE 1994 TAURUS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

HEATER CORE REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS DUE TO FAILURE, THE SECOND REPLACEMENT FAILED ALSO CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT. *MJS

WHENEVER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP OR SLOWING DOWN AND PRESSING ON BRAKES,VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THEY DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, AND CAUSED THE THROTTLE TO REMAIN IN OPEN POSITION, RESULTING IN A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER, BUT THEY COULDN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK.ET.

I HAVE HAD THE FORWARD CLUTCH PACK FAIL ON A 14- MONTH OLD NEW AUTO.MOBILE.THE TRANSMISSION WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED BY RECOMMENDATION OF THE FORD DEALER. THIS REPAIR WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. REPAIR COST ESTIMATE IS PARTS $1100, LABOR $500. I FIND THIS PREMATURE FAILURE UNACCEPTABLE FOR A 14-MONTH OLD CAR THAT HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND VERY WELL TAKEN CAR OFF. THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN EXTERNAL CAUSE FOUND TO JUSTIFY THE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT ANY OTHER COMPANY REPRESENTITVE OTHER THAT THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER, WITHOUT A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS IN A COLLISION CAUSING BOTH AIRBAG'S TO DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE AT OWNERS EXPENSE. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS. DEALER UNABLE TO IDENTIFY PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN TURNED ON HIGH SPEED WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK ON AN INTERMITTENT SPEED. IF TURNED ON LOW THE WIPERS DONT WORK AT ALL. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

CONTACTED FORD SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM HAD TO HAVE MOTOR REPLACED DUNLAP FORD FROM BELLEFONTE WERE VERY RUDE. THEY DID AN UNSATISFACTORY JOB AND TOOK SEVERL WEEKS TO COMPLETE THE JOB. THEY INSTALLED A SMALLER ENGINE THAN ORIGINAL. I FEEL I SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR AT LEAST A LITTLE OF THE COST OF 2500.00 . CONTACTED THE DEALER, WENT OUT OF BUSINESS, THE SALESPERSON NO LONGER WITH ANY FORD COMPANY IN THE VICINITY. IT WAS AN EXECUTIVE VEHICLE WHEN PURCHASED WITH 22,000 MILES. FIRST OF ALL THEY SAID IT ONLY HAD 12000 WHEN PICKED UP CAR IT ENDED UP WITH 22,000. THE SALES PERSON THEN STATED THAT IT HAD A 3 YEAR 60,000 MILE WARRANTY FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. WHEN CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS THEY SAID NO WAY.

WINDSHIELD MY WIPERS WILL NOT WORK ON ANY SELECTOR, BUT HIGH. *AK

COOLANT FLUID SHOT OUT OF RADIATOR ONTO ENGINE AND VENTS, AND MIST APPEARED ALL OVER PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. TOOK TO DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED RADIATOR AND HOSES. FIVE MONTHS LATER, WATER WAS LEAKING FROM BOTTOM OF VEHICLE, TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS RELATED TO HEATER CORE RECALL. DEALER THEY REPLACED HEATER CORE PUMP ASSEMBLY AND CORE ASSEMBLY. 14 MONTHS LATER, RADIATOR STARTED LEAKING. DEALER SAID IT WAS PART OF THE SAME RECALL, BUT THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE CONSUMER.*AK

THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM HEATER COIL BROKE, CAUSING A CHEMICAL ODOR INSIDE OF VEHICLE & A MIST. HAD BEEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 8 TIMES FOR THE PROBLEM & EACH TIME THE HEATER COIL WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE ENGINE TO CORRECT THE HEATER COIL FROM BLOWING. *AK

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP. FUEL VEHICLE CRASH, CUT OFF SYSTEM FAILED. CAR KEPT RUNNING. DEALER CONTACTED, AND IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK.ET.

NO PROTECTIVE COVER FOR TRUNK LIGHT CAUSED LAMP TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH CONTENTS OF THE TRUCK THUS CAUSING A FIRE. NLM

WHILE STOPPING VEHICLE WILL LUNGE FORWARD, AND MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

WHEN STARTING THE AUTOMOBILE THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION, WHICH IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND THE PLASTIC IGNTION PART BROKE, LEAVEING THE AUTO UNABLE TO START BUT STILL WITH THE BATTERY STILL IN THE ON POSITION. *AK

1997 FORD TARUS HAS BRAKE PROBLEMS. BEGAN WITH SHAKING OF STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKES APPLIED AT EXITS OFF OF INTERSTATE. AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS FROM JAN 99 THRU OCT 01 TO GET THE LOCAL FORD DEALER TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY I HAD THEM SEMI- REPAIRED AT A LOCAL JUST BRAKES REPAIR SHOP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT CALIPERS WEREN'T RELEASING. STILL HAVE BRAKE NOISE AS IF CALIPERS ARE NOT FULLY RELEASING. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION QUIT MOVING THE CAR WHEN BOTH FRONT WHEELS BEGAN TO SLIP CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL AT AN INTERSECTION.

FAILS TO SHIFT INTO 2ND OR SOMETIMES 3RD GEAR. ENGINE RACES IN NUETRAL AND CAR DECELERATES. THEN VERY HARSH SHIFT INTO GEAR WITH TIRE NOISE AND BANG IN TRANSMISSION

BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IS THROTTLE "STICKS" IT IS AN ELECTRONICS CONTROL PROBLEM BUT SIMILAR TO OLDER CARS WHERE AUTO CHOKES STUCK, WHEN COMING TO A STOP ENGINE WILL CONTINUE AT 2500 TO 3000 RPM AND YOU HAVE TO STAND ON THE BRAKES TO STOP. PROBLEM IS ONGOING AND HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS WITH MANY VISITS OVER LAST TWO YEARS WITH NO RESULT. ONE DEALER TOLD ME THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT PROBLEM BUT HAS NO GOOD FIX. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AT TIMES AS CAR WILL CRUISE AT 30 MPH WITH FOOT OFF THROTTLE. IT WILL USUALLY IDLE DOWN AFTER A FEW SECONDS BUT VERY DANGEROUS IN GARAGE AND PARKING SITUATIONS. ALSO IF YOU ACCELERATE (AS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION) AND THAN SUDDENLY LIFT OFF THE THROTTLE, IT CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE. I NEARLY RAN OVER A PEDESTRIAN WHO STEPPED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. I AM NOT ONE TO BE TO PICKY ABOUT CARS BUT AFTER RESEARCHING YOUR SITE, IT APPEARS THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED NUMEROUS TIMES.

ENGINE IS KNOCKING AS CONSUMER ACCELERATES WITH SPEED. *AK TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 37OOO MILES. FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED AT 15000 MILES. ROTORS FAILED AT 24000 MILES. *YH

WINDSHIELD WIPER SPEED CHANGES FROM SETTING,SOMETIMES TO ONLY INTERMITTENT. OCCURS AFTER WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE USED FOR A WHILE, AND WHEN TURN SIGNALS ARE USED. DEALER COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM.*AK

WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR A RIGHT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WILL SPIN, AND THERE IS A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING. THERE IS VIBRATION WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL. *AK

RECALLS 97V097000/96V166000; WHILE DRIVING THE RPM'S WENT UP, ZOOMED UP, AND THE CAR DIED, COASTED TO THE SIDE AND PARKED. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED THE VEHICLE DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE RECALLS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

I BOUGHT THE CAR BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS OF GOOD QUALITY.WHEN A SITUATION AROUSED I WAS TOTALLY GIVEN THE COLD SHOULDER BY THIS DEALERSHIP.NOW I AM STUCK WITH PARTIALLY OPERABLE VEHICLE. I AM A U. S. SOLDIER AND I JUST FEEL LET DOWN BY THE QUALITY OF FORD AND THE HANDLING OF THIS SITUATION BY BRIGGS. NO DEFECT MENTIONE DIN SUMMARY. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE. DEALER REBUILT FIRST TIME AND EXACTLY A YEART LATER IT FAILED AGAIN. IT IS 8,000 MILES OVER WARRANTY. THEY OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. A NEW CAR SHOULD NOT DO THIS....TWICE! IT HAS BEEN FACTORY DEFECTS EACH TIME. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION FAILURE. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES: ONCE AT 31,000 MILES OF WEAR; SECOND TIME AT 53,000 MILES OF WEAR, AND AT PRESENT WITH 58,000 MILES OF WEAR. ALL REPAIRS WERE DONE BY DEALER, AND ONCE AT CONSUMER EXPENSE WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK *ML

STALL, ROUGH IDLE, IGNITION MISSING. WIRING REPLACED, BUT VEHICLE CONTINUES TO RUN ROUGH. DEALER CHECK FUEL SYSTEM BUT NO PROBLEM FOUND. UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE VIA DIAGNOSTICS. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED AND GROWN WORSE WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASED IN 04/98 AT @17000 MILES.

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH T RIGHT FRONT BEARING. WHILE DRIVING HEARD A LOUD WINDING NOISE. IT USUALLY STARTS AT ABOUT 40MPH. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, FAILING TO GO INTO GEAR DURING TAKE OFF. WHEN THESE PROBLEMS OCCUR THE TRANSMISSION STOPS PULLING THE VEHICLE. FIVE REPAIR ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM, INCLUDING REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUES.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. *AK

CD PLAYER FAILED. YH

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING AND ACCELERATOR. WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING WENT OUT, AND VEHICLE CONSTANTLY DECELERATED AND ACCELERATED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK

WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, IT WOULD HAVE HIGH IDLE & ACCELERATION. WOULD HAVE TO KEEP FOOT ON BRAKES TO MAINTAIN STOP. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR HIGH ACCELERATION & IDLING, BUT PROBLEM IS NEVER FOUND. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM

WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, AND THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYING WHILE DRIVING. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *YC

PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL AND BRAKES DID NOT APPLY CAUSING VEHICLE TO STRIKE ONCOMING TRUCK CAUSING DAMAGE TO LEFT FRONT SECTION OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL WHILE BREAKS WERE PRESSED AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. OWNER OF VEHICLE HAS HAD PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH BREAK SYSTEM WHICH HAVE BEEN WORKED ON FOR PREVIOUS OTHER PROBLEMS BY DEALER WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45-50MPH WHEN HIT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP ACCURATELY. UPON IMPACT OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WILL ADD VIN.# ONCE RECEIVED. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPS UPON ACCELERATION WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. NLM

NOISE IN FUEL SYSTEM TOOK TO DEALER TWICE NO SOLUTION. SOUND LIKE GURGLE. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION REFUSES TO DOWNSHIFT. NO DRIVE OR REVERSE AFTER COMING TO STOP. HAPPENS MOST OFTEN AFTER DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. WAITING IN PARK FOR 30-60 SECONDS AND THEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE USUALLY ALLOWS CAR TO BE DRIVEN AWAY. TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL AND FLUID TYPE ARE CORRECT. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER NEXT WEEK FOR REPAIRS.

VEHICLE HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH COOLING AND HEATING SYSTEM.*MR FIVE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE THE HEATER BECAME DEFECTIVE. AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY FOR CONSUMER ABSORBED NOT COST. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SIX TIMES OVER THE PAST YEARS. THE EPISODE BECAME MORE UNSAFE AND EXTREMELY INCONVENIENT. ON JULY 26,2003 THE DEFECTIVE RADIATOR SPRUNG A LEAK. CONSUMER STATED FORD SHOULD RECALL THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE GIVEN ANOTHER VEHICLE AT A BIG DISCOUNT PRICE IN 1999. *PH *NLM

TRANSMISSION REPEATEDLY HAD PROBLEMS SLAMMING/JUMPING, AND HOPPING OUT, THEN FINALLY QUIT FORD DIDN'T CARE.*AK