1997 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING, AND CONSUMER LOST COTROL AND VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD. FOUND OUT THAT IGNITION COIL FUSE WAS BLOWN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED OF AN ACCIDENT.*AK

AIR CONDITIONER AND COMPRESSOR AND RELATED PARTS FAILED. TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS $1539.51. FORD WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH COSTS DUE TO CAR BEING OUT OF WARRANTY (SINCE IT IS A '97 VEHICLE).*AK

POWER STEERING INTERMITTENT FAILURE; FIRST BEGAN WHEN PLACING SHIFT LEVER INTO REVERSE GEAR, THEN LATER OCCURRED ALSO IN FORWARD DRIVE GEARS. SUSPECT ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC PROBLEM SINCE RADIO SPEAKERS ALSO GO SILENT AND POWER WINDOWS DO NOT OPERATE WHEN THIS OCCURS. DISCOVERED THAT REMOVAL OF 15AMP FUSE CONTROLLING BACKUP LIGHTS/HEATER RETURN POWER STEERING AND RADIO CONTROL. ALL OTHER FUSES WORKING PROPERLY. DEALER IS NOT YET CONTACTED.

DEALER CLAIMS NO PROBLEM FOUND BUT BRAKES ABSOLUTELY FAILED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE ARE NO RECALLS, BUT THERE ARE MANY FAILED TRANSMISSIONS IN THIS VEHICLE.*AK

TIRES ON 1997, FORD, TAURUS HAD A TIRE SEPARATION ON REAR TIRE THEN ON FRONT RIGHT TIRE WITH LESS THEN 10 THOUSAND MILES ON EACH TIRE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS WILLING TO WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH CONSUMER. TIRE SIZE IS P205-65R15. *AK *SLC

THERE IS A FUEL SMELL IN PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT DUE TO OIL LEAKING FROM OIL PAN.*AK CONSUMER STATES THE SMELL IS SO BAD IT MAKES HER SICK TO HER STOMACH. *SLC

AT EARLY START AND UPON APPLYING FORCE TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL, PEDALSTICKS. ALSO,AFTER APPLYING GREAT FORCE TO PEDAL IT GOES TO FLOORBOARD WHICH CAUSES UNWANTED AND UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK CONSUMER STATES ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS IN UP POSITION AT IDLE REQUIRING GREAT FORCE, VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD WHEN PEDAL BRAKES FREE. *SLC

BOTTOM OF TRUNK LID RUSTING/PAINT BUBBLING/FORD NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT MAKING A TICKING NOISE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

MASTER CYLINDER FAILED WHILE SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP, CAUSING CONSUMER TO RUN THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. CONSUMER HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK *SLC

HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, LEAVING IT INOPERABLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS, AND LOOKED UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH, AND SHE HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED. TRANSMISSION EXPLODED.*AK

SHIFT CABLE BROKE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30MPH ON A SIDE STREET, AND THERE WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED ON SIDE OF ROAD, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT OTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.WHENEVER THE ALTERNATOR GETS WET THE LIGHT GOMES ON AND THE POWER STEERING FAILS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. NLM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. WITH MANY OTHER CARS AROUND ME THE TRANSMISSION JUST STOPPED THE AUTO ACTED AS IF I HAD SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT WORK IN DRIVE OR LOE GEARS. IF NOT FOR THE DRIVER BEHIND ME SEEING I HAD A PROBLEM AND HELPING BY SLOWING OTHER CARS DOWN I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COAST OFF THE ROAD SAFTLY. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN,NO SLIPPAGE OR OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANNY. THE GARAGE TOLD ME THAT THIS HAPPENS OFTEN WITH THE FORD TAURUS AND IS QUITE COMMIN. I CAN SEE WHERE THIS COULD LEAD TO MANY ACCIDENTS AND THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU SHOULD LOOK INTO. MY TOTAL EXPENCE WAS OVER $2500.00 FOR REPAIRS. *AK

THERE ARE NO LIGHTS AT ALL IN OR OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE. LIGHTS IN FRONT WENT OUT FIRST, AND THEN THIRD LIGHTS WENT OUT. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

BRAKE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS ERRATICALLY. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE. THERE IS A WIRE LOCATED RIGHT ABOVE BRAKE PEDAL, IF THIS WIRE IS MOVED OR TOUCHED, BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS TO FUNCTION. *AK *SLC

SYMPTOMS OF PROBLEM: WHEN CAR COMES TO A STOP THE CLUTCH CAN DISENGAGE UNEXPECTEDLY. ONCE GAS IS APPLIED, IT VARIES IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THE CAR WILL RE-ENGAGE AND WILL ABRUBTLY LURCH FORWARD. THIS RESULTS IN UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT WHICH CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. I WAS ADVISED BY MY DEALERSHIP THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON COLLAPSES AND REQUIRES THE TRANSMISSION TO BE REBUILT OR SOMETIMES REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ADVISED THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN CORRECTED IN LATER MODELS BUT PREVIOUS MODELS WILL NOT BE FIXED UNLESS REQUESTED BY THE OWNER AT HIS OR HER EXPENSE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND THERE ARE SEVERAL STORIES ON THE INTERNET OF THE SAME FAILURES WITH FORD TAURUS TRANSMISSIONS AT VARYING MILEAGE LEVELS, ONE AS LITTLE AS 40,000. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE LOSS OF ENGAGEMENT OR UNPREDICTABLE RE-ENGAGEMENT CAN CAUSE LOSS OF PROPERTY DAMAGE AND PERSONAL INJURY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. THANK YOU.

MIDAS REPAIR SHOP FOUND HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. VEHICLE STARTED HEATING UP/ CHOKING, AND WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT TAILPIPE. MANUFACTURER'S REPONSE WAS THAT THEY WEREN'T AWARE OF PROBLEM, AND NO RECALL WAS ISSUED.*AK

WHEN PRESSING ON BRAKES CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT GO OFF. THIS IS CAUSED BY RESTRAINT WIRING BREAKING OFF CRUISE CONTROL, CANCELLING SWITCH. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING, AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO SERVICE SHOP WHERE THEY FIND OUT THAT A FUSE WAS BLOWN IN FUEL PUMP. *AK

PREMATURE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION AT ONLY 54,300 MILES DUE TO WORN DOWN BEARINGS. *AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING MAKES A GRINDING SOUND WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN. DEALER SAYS THAT RACK AND PINION STEERING IS WEARING OUT, AND WILL GO PERFORM BADLY OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. *AK

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, ANOTHER MOTORIST STRUCK CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

FALSE LIGHT SHOWING OPEN DOOR WILL NOT GO OFF, THEREFORE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT SHUT OFF/EVEN WHEN CAR IS OFF. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS VEHICLE GOES FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. THIS HAPPENS 80 % OF TIME. *AK *SLC

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY NORMAL SPEED POWER STEERING WILL KICK OUT SOMETIMES. ALSO, SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL COME ON AND OFF/ DOOR LIGHT WILL COME ON, AND SPEED CONTROL WILL COME ON. *AK

WHEN COMING TO A STOP SIGN, ACCELERATOR LOCKED UP AND VEHICLE SPED UP. CONSUMER HAD TO PUT GEAR SELECTOR IN NEUTRAL TO KEEP FROM HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE, DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK THE ENGINE ALSO REVS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *TT

TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED WHEN COMING TO A STOP. WHEN TRANSMISSION REENGAGEDF VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

APPEARS TO BE A DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF SAFETY CRITICAL COMPONENT. WHILE ACCELERATING TO 40 MPH HEARD LOUD BANG AND FRONT OF CAR JUMPED. SUDDEN FAILURE/NO PREVIOUS WARNING SIGNS. OWNER (ME) SUSPECTED TRANSMISSION OR ENGINE MOUNT. DROVE HOME (3 MI.) AT SPEED LESS THAN 30--TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO SHIFT OK BUT WOULD JOLT ON UP SHIFT. MADE NOISE / "BUMPED" ON TURNING AT VERY LOW SPEED. DEALER HAD RECENTLY SERVICED TRANSMISSION (35,578 MI.). DEALERS SAID 2/3 HARDENED BOLTS SHEARED AND 1/3 WAS LOOSE IN FRONT? LOWER BLOCK MOUNT LOOSE. DEALER CLAIMS NO OTHER DAMAGE RESULTED / WILL LATER RESULT-WE SHALL SEE. TOOK APPROX 6 HR LABOR TO REPAIR. DEALER SAID IF OWNER HAD NOT HAD EXTENDED WARRANTEE ON DRIVE TRAIN, OWNER WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY ALL OUT OF POCKET. MOUNT BOLTS/BRACKET IS SUCH THAT OWNER CAN NOT EASILY CHECK- HAVE TO REMOVE CATY CONVT & R FRONT ENGINE MOUNT FOR ACCESS. BRACKET BOLTS IN TRIANGULAR PATTERN IN LOWER BLOCK- FRONT?. VEH NEVER IN ACCIDENT OR STRUCK; IN VG COND. VEH HAD 12,000 MI WHEN PURCHASED FROM DEALER'S SERVICE MGR'S WIFE. DRIVEN ON PAVED ROADS 8-12 MI/DAY 55 MPH MAX. NOT HOTRODDED. AM INTERSTED IF SAME PROBLEM IN OTHER TAURUS SHO V8 MODELS. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO WORK AND HAD TO BE REBUILT AT THE COST OF 1926.00. THE TRANSMISSIONS SHOP THAT DID THE WORK STATED THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS UPDATES HE HAD TO DO TO THIS VEHICLE TO CORRECT PROBLEMS THAT HAD COME DEFECTIVE DIRECTLY FROM THE FACTORY WHEN THE VEHCILE WAS NEW. I DONT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS THAT WERE DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY AND HAVE FORD TELL ME , SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS.*AK

HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM A STOP WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. CHECKED FOR CORRECT GEAR PLACEMENT. DEPRESSED GAS PEDAL, AND TACHOMETER WENT OVER, BUT VEHICLE WAS NOT MOVING.VEHICLE COULD BE REVERSED BUT NOT FORWARDED. TOOK TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, AND TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A USED ONE.*AK

HEATER CORE AND EXPANSION TANK CRACK AND LEAKS CAUSING STEAM AND ANTI-FREEZE SMELL TO ENTER CAR CAUSING POOR VISIBILTY AND ALSO NAUSEA FROM SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1997 FORD TAURUS SHO FORD (FMC) HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IN WRITING THAT THE PROBLEM IS MANUFACTURER RELATED, WHICH STEMS FROM THE YAMAHA MANUFACTURED ENGINE USED IN SHO MODELS. THE VEHICLE WOULD ROUGH IDLE AFTER 20 MINS. ON THE ROAD, SHAKE AGGRESSIVELY, THEN SHUT-OFF FOR DAYS AT A TIME IN UNPREDICTABILITY. AN AUTHORIZED FMC REPAIR CENTER (MLM) SPENT OVER 3-MOS, CONCURRENTLY, WORKING ON THE VEHICLE TO NO AVAIL. SEE 03/01. THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED IN THIS MANNER FROM 11/00 (MM/YY) THROUGH 04/03, AT WHICH TIME I WAS LEFT WITH NO OTHER FISCALLY-VIABLE OPTION BUT TO ARRANGE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO FMC- FMC WOULD TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY AND PLACE A 7YEAR "REPOSSESSION" STAIN ON WHAT USED TO BE A GREAT CREDIT SCORE. TIMELINE: BETWEEN 11/00 (MM/YY) AND 01/01, CONTINUED CALLS WERE PUT INTO FMC REGARDING MY "SHO" VEHICLE. THE CAR WOULD SHAKE AGGRESSIVELY, THEN SHUTDOWN IN MID-TRAVEL. 01/01: I WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO MLM. AFTER DESCRIBING THE ISSUE, I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $2,200 TO SERVICE THE PROBLEM(S). 03/01: THE ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE WERE SO SEVERE; MLM REQUESTED THAT FMC SEND OUT A "FIELD SERVICE ENGINEER" TO ASSIST THEM. AFTER A WEEK FMC ADMITTED, WHICH WAS DOCUMENTED BY MLM IN WRITING, THAT FMC HAS HAD "SIMILAR PROBLEMS" WITH "OTHER SHOS IN THE FIELD" AND HAD "NO POSITIVE FIX FOR THEM." THIS SUGGESTS THAT FMC KNEW OF THE SHO'S PROBLEMS AND HAVE PURPOSEFULLY FAILED/REJECTED TO AID THE VICTIMS AFFECTED. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, MY PASSENGERS AND I WOULD BE PLACED AT TRAGIC AND UNNECESSARY RISKS, AS THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT-DOWN W/O WARNING- LOCKING UP THE STEERING AND CAUSING ME TO ENGAGE IN "ERRATIC" (AT TIMES) AND "PRECAUTIONARY DRIVING MANEUVERS" WHILE ON PUBLIC ROADS IN ORDER TO REGAIN SOME CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SAFELY STEER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR HIGHWAY. THIS PROVES MALICIOUS INTENT AND DECEPTIVE PRACTICES PERPETRATED BY FMC. IT ALSO PROVES A FORMED PATTERN. WB *TR

GEAR BROKE INSIDE TRANSMISSION AND EXPLODED OUTWARDS, BREAKING THE CASE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THEY TOOK CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *AK DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY HAD EXCESSIVE TEETH DAMAGED AND PROBABLY CAUSED CASE TO BREAK OUTWARD. *YH

THE CLIP THAT HOLDS THE FUEL LINE BROKE RESULTING A A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. NLM

MY BOSS HAS A 1998 TAURUS AND TRANSMISSION FAILED. OUR REGIONAL OFFICE IN MIAMI NO LONGER USES THE TAURUS DUE TO REPEATED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THOSE VEHICLES ARE IN A FLEET OF LEASED AUTO FOR THE COMPANY. *AK

TRANSAXLE HAD INTERNAL PARTS FAILURE. TRANSAXLE MADE A LOUD NOISE, THEN VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE & WOULDN'T STAY RUNNING. WIRES FOR FUEL PUMP HAD RUBBED AGAINST FLEX HOSE, CAUSING IT TO EXPOSE THE WIRES & SHORT OUT. DEALER COLD DO NOTHING BECAUSE NO RECALL. *AK ALSO THE CV JOINTS FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION PAN CRACKED. THE BRAKES VIBRATED CAUSING THE STEERING TO VIBRATE TERREBLY. THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER SAYS, MUST BE DEFECTIVE. *YH

AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR, DON'T KNOW WHEN TO EXPECT NEXT FAILURE. NO CONTACT FROM MANUFACTURER, DO THEY CARE?NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

THE CAR BARELY MOVES, IF AT ALL, WHEN IN ANY GEAR. TRANSMISSION IS MAKING A LOUD BUZZING NOISE. FLUID WAS CHECKED AND IS NOT LOW. *AK

A FUNNY NOISE COMING FROM STEERING WHEEL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC INDICATED THAT AIR BAG WAS DEFECTIVE. CLOCK SPRING/CONNECT SWITCH WERE NOT WORKING. IT WAS DAMAGED. AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK *SLC

RIGHT REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKING, FORD WILL NOT REPLACE IT DUE TO VEHICLE BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

NO SUMMARY