1997 Ford Taurus Complaint Log

DASHBOARD SHOWS DOORS ARE OPEN, AND INTERIOR LIGHT WILL STAY ON. DEALER COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE FRONT FREEZE PLUG BETWEEN CYLINDER 4 AND 5 BLEW OR FELL OUT CAUSED BY COMPRESSION FROM THE HEAD GASKET, NEW ENGINE REQUIRED, FORD UNRESPONSIVE. *AK

WAS DRIVING & LOST CONTROL. HIT A SIGN, THEN HEAD-ON INTO A CEMENT WALL & BLACKED OUT. AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED SOME INJURIES. REFUSED TREATMENT UNTIL MUCH LATER. AIR BAGS HAD PREVIOUSLY DEPLOYED IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT & WERE REPAIRED. *AK *ML

THE DASHBOARD IS SEPARATING IN LAYERS FROM THE FRAME OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THERE IS TSB 00203 CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. ALSO, THE CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS LIGHT COMING ON AND STAYING ON. *AK

CAM SPROCKET FAILURE. THIS LEAD TO THE ENGINE STOPPING AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. *TR

WAS PROCEDING ACROSS INTERSECTION, STARTING UP SLIGHT GRADE WHEN I LOST FORWARD MOTION OF VEHICLE. I ACCELERATED ENGINE AND THE ENGINE REVOLUNTIONS INCREASED. I PUT TRANSMISSION IN PARK, THEN BACK INTO DRIVE AND SAME THING HAPPENED. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. I THEN PLACE TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE AND THE CAR MOVED BACKWARD AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO. NO PROBLEM IN REVERSE. AGAIN, I ATTEMPED TO PLACE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE, THEN 2ND, THEN LOW RANGE AND COULD NOT GET ANY FORWARD. MOVEMENT. TOOK VEHICLE TO TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST (AFTER DICSUSSING ISSUE WITH DEALER). THE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST SAID HE GOT INTO THE CAR THE NEXT MORNING AND CAR RAN FINE. HE TOOK FOR TEST DRIVE AND CAR RAN FINE. HE INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. HE REPLACED FLUID AND CHANGED FILTER. THE CAR RAN OKEY FOR SEVERAL DAYS, THEN ON 3/16/00, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND REPORTED THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. ESPECIALLY WHEN STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN SHE WOULD PROCEDE FORWARD, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP, THEN JERK THEN ULTIMATELY CONTINUE IN A SOMEWHAT NORMAL FASHION. I CALLED DEALER, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE STATED THE FLUID WAS BURNED AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER INDICATED HE WMAY GO $1,000 OF THE ESTIMATED $2,100 REPAIR FOR A REBUILD TRANSMISSION. I REPORTED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS TO FORD MOOR CO. CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER. LIKEWISE, THEY INDICATED THAT FORD MAY PAY A PORTION FOR THE REPAIR. THE FORD REPRESENTATIVE INDICATE HE WOULD FORWARD A REPORT TO HIS REGIONAL AND DISTRICT OFFICE AND THAT A REPORT WOULD BE SENT TO THE DEALER. IT WAS INDICATED THAT THE DEALER SHOULD RECEIVE A FORMAL REPORT FROM FORD MOTOR CO. WITHIN TWO WORKING DAYS AND THAT I WOULD THEN BE NOTIFIED AS TO WHAT THE FINAL STATUS OF THE REPAIR COST WOULD BE. *AK

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED APPROXIMATELY 6 INCHES ABOVE THE ANCHOR BOLT, AT THE "B" PILLAR POST. THIS INFORMATION IS BEING PROVIDED BY OFFICER R.L. MCEDWARD, (9359), CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL PER C.H.P. POLICY. *AK

BEARINGS FAILED. NLM

I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE FORD TAURUS MFR. NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT..

MOTHER WAS DRIVING AND PULLING INTO A DRIVEWAY WHILE DAUGHTER WAS SEATING IN THE REAR WITH THE WINDOW OPEN ONLY. AFTER PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY WINDOW BOUNCED AND CAME DOWN QUICKLY, AND SLAMMED SHUT INTO HER FACE. *AK

TRANSMISSION QUIT. IF WE WERE ON INTERSTATE, WOULD HAVE CAUSED MAJOR PROBLEM.

THE PROBLEMS WITH MY TAURUS ARE THE RESULT OF THE POORLY DESIGNED COOLING SYSTEM OF THE 1997 MODEL. A COOLING SYSTEM BYPASS KIT WAS INTRODUCED BY FORD. I AM TRYING FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT A RECALL WAS DONE. IN THE LAST 4 MONTHS, STARTING NOV. 1999, THREE FREEZE PLUGS HAVE BLOWN. THE FORD SERVICE MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS DUE TO THE ACID BUILD UP IN THE CORRODED COOLANT IN THE COOLING SYSTEM DUE TO THE POORLY DESIGNED COOLING SYSTEM. SO FAR THE HEAD FREEZE PLUGS, THE BLOCK FREEZE PLUGS, THE WATER PUMP, THE THERMOSTAT, AND THE OVERFLOW TANK HAVE BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE OF CORROSION AT A COST OF $800. AFTER THE LAST REPAIR OF THE BLOCK FREEZE PLUGS AND WATER PUMP, WITHIN 30 MILES OF DRIVING THE HEAD HAS EITHER CRACKED OR WARPED, OR THE HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN. I HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF $1211 TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR (IF NO HEAD CRACKS). I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS ENIVITABLE THAT THE TRANSMISSION FREEZE PLUG, RADIATOR, AND HEATER CORE WILL FAIL. THE ONLY WAY TO GUARANTEE PROPER RUNNING CONDITION WOULD REQUIRE A REBUILD AND REPLACEMENT OF RADIATOR AND HEATER CORE AT A COST OF $4500. FORD HAS BEEN APATHETIC ABOUT MY PROBLEMS. IN THIS SITE, I HAVE FOUND COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS DUE TO THE COOLING SYSTEM CORROSION. COMPLAINTS OF BLOWN HEADS AND LEAKING HEATER CORES. I FEEL FORD SHOULD REMEDY MY PROBLEM IN SOME WAY. PLEASE CONTACT ME I YOU CAN HELP ME. *AK

SQUEAKING IN FRONT END, HAD TO HAVE TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED THEN THERE IS STILL A POPPING IN THE FRONT END WHEN I TURN THE WHEELS TO MAKE A TURN. *AK

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S REAR SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT, WHICH WON'T PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES TO COME TO A GRADUAL STOP AND BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED, THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE . WITH FULL PRESSURE ON BRAKES, VEHICLE KEPT GOING ABOUT 200 YARDS BEFORE VEHICLE STOPPED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

CONSUMER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL PRIOR TO PURCHASE, VEHICLE DENIED RECALL REPAIR DUE TO TIME RESTRICTIONS. (98B2) *MJS

WHEN I STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE TRANSMISSION DROPS IN TO NEUTRAL AND DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO GEAR, YOU HAVE TO REV THE ENGINE TO GET IT TO MOVE AND THEN THE TRANS. JERKS REAL HARD, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE CERVO'S AT FIRST AND NOW THE ARE SAYING A SENSOR IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM BUT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT SINCE THE WARRANTY IS OUT! *AK

WHEN TRAVELING ABOUT 35 OR 40 MPH, A LOW HUMMING NOISE IS HEARD, ON 3/8/00 DEALERSHIP REPLACED FRONT HUB BEARINGS DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR CAUSING NOISE. CJ

ENGINE COOLANT SYSTEM CORRODED TURNING BROWN. CHANGED COOLANT, RADIATOR ASSY - REMMOVED, EXPANSION COOLANT REMOVED - REPLACED AT 27473 MILES AND RECENTLY CHANGED COOLANT AT 33322, STILL CORRODING. FAILURE WITH POWER TRAN, GEAR CHANGE PROBLEM, OVERHUALED POWER TRAN AT 33290. RECEIVED BAD SERVICE AT GALPIN FORD. GALPIN FORD DID NOT HONERD MY WARRANTY, HAD TO CALL FORD TO ENFORCE THE WARRANTY. GALPIN FORD REFUSED TO FIXED THE COOLANT PROBLEM, GALPIN FORD LEFT OFF THE CAP ON THE RADIATOR , WHILE I WAS DRIVING NOTICE IT AND DID REPORT TO GALPIN FORD. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER PULLING THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, OWNER SAW THAT THE REAR END SUSPENSION HAD FALLEN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP FIRST, AND LATER TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. *AK *ML

WE BOUGHT THIS 97 TAURUS WITH 56,816 MILES ON 3/17/99. A WEEK LATER THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER ADVISED US TO GO TO HIS MECHANIC AND HAVE IT CHECKED. THE MECHANIC READ A P1744 CODE, CLEARED THE CODE, ROAD-TESTED THE CAR, AND ADVISED US TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE, AND SEE IF IT WOULD RESET OR NOT. IN THE ONGOING MONTHS ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON THREE MORE TIMES. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS AND THE CAR WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. THESE THREE TIMES IT WAS TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP, THE CODE CLEARED AND WE WERE SENT ON OUR WAY. THE LAST TIME, HOWEVER, WE SAID THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS GOT TO BE SOLVED! THE FORD DEALER SAID IT COULD BE MANY THINGS, AND WOULD COST $63.00 TO INVESTIGATE. AFTER INVESTIGATION, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS IN THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY, APPROXIMATELY $750.00 TO OVERHAUL. THE DEALER WAS GIVEN THE OKAY, AND THE END RESULT WAS A $1,245 BILL TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE VALVE BODY AND PUMP SHAFT. THE NEEDLE BEARING HAD FAILED AND THE PUMP SHAFT SCORED THE BORE IN VALVE BODY. THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THIS REPAIR 1/19/00 HAD 61,808 MILES. THIS IS A DEFINITE CASE OF PREMATURE FAILURE, CAUSED PROBABLY BY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT.*AK

DEALER POURED A NEW ANTI-FREEZE INTO THE SYSTEM WHICH CAUSED HEATER CORE TO CRACK AND CAUSE FUMES TO ENTER INTO VEHICLE, STEAMING UP THE WINDOWS, AND RESULTING IN VISUAL DIFFICULTY. DEALER WILL REPLACE THE HEATER CORE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL STREET VEHICLE THEN REMAINED STANDING AT AN INTERSECTION AT A RED LIGHT WITH TWO VEHICLES AHEAD. ANOTHER VEHICLE, TRAVELING SOUTH BOUND ON CONNECTICUT AVE MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO VAN NESS, WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST, LOST CONTROL AND SIDE SWIPED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, PUSHING IT ONTO THE SIDEWALK. A CHAIN REACTION STARTED IN WHICH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AFTER THE PASSENGER HIT THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK IN PLACE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

WHEN YOU FIRST START THE CAR BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. ONCE VEHICLE IS VERY WARM BRAKE LIGHTS WILL START WORKING AGAIN. CONSUMER FEELS THAT IF MAKING A SUDDEN STOP THE OTHER DRIVER MAY NOT SEE CONSUMER. *AK *ML

MY 1997 FORD TAURUS IN HOT WEATHER WILL INCREASE SPEED WHEN I LET OFF THE GAS CAUSING ME TO RIDE THE BRAKE.

IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT SOME 50 1996 THROUGH 1999 TAURUS SHO'S HAVE HAD CAM FAILURES. THE RANGE IN MILEAGE VARIES FROM LOW MILES TO HIGH MILES. A GOOD NUMBER OF THE UNDER 100K MILES. SINCE THESE CAMS COST $1000 EACH AND 4 IS NEEDED AND IN MOST CASES PISTONS ARE ALSO REQUIRED. ALL OF US WHO BELONG TO THE WWW.V8SHO.COM LIST ARE WORRIED ABOUT FOUR CARS HAVING CAM FAILURES. FORD HAS IN AT LEAST ONE INSTANCE PAID FOR HALF OF THE REPAIR BILL IN CAR THAT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT HAS LEFT THE REST OF US HUNG OUT TO DRY. *AK DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS-----758682.

THE PULLEY THAT DRIVES THE BELT FROZE AND FELL OFF CAUSING THE POWER STEERING, THE ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP AND BATTERY FAILURES. YH

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THROTTLE SYSTEM GOT STUCK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE, AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN, WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

FTER A HEAVY RAIN AND IF CAR GOES THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER THE ENGINE WILL STALL. CONSUMER SAYS ENGINE WILL START BACK UP AGAIN. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID CONSUMER NEEDED A REVISED AIR CLEANER. *AK

THE ACCIDENT WAS AT A VERY LOW SPEED (~15 MPH) AND MORE DAMAGE AND INJURY WAS CAUSED BY THE AIR BAGS THAN BY THE CRASH. ONLY THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE CAR WAS DAMAGED BY THE CRASH, YET THE AIR BAG SHATTERD THE WINDSHILD AND BLEW OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED HEARING LOSS, FACIAL BURNS AND GLASS CUTS FROM THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.

BEFORE PARKING THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL. WHILE PARKED, SMOKE CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASH, THEN FLAMES WERE COMING OUT, POLICE OFFICER PULLED THE FUSES/ BATTERY AND THEN FIRE WENT OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SENSOR POWER BRAKES AND POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RUN UP A CURB AND INTO A BUILDING. THERE IS A TSB BULLETIN ON THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

I WAS SOLD A 5 STAR LEMON. THE CARFAX WESITE HAS 6 LEMON HISTORY REPORTS. ALSO MY CAR HAS A RECALL ON AX4S AUTO-TRANS. I HAVE THE REPORTS. PLEASE CHECK ALL REPORTS, I FEEL ME AND MY FAMILY IS IN GRAVE DANGER, PLEASE I DON'T WANT TO DIE. PLEASE DEAL WITH THIS SITUATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MY LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS. THANK YOU

THE POOR DESIGN IN FUEL SYSTEM RESULTED IN FUEL PUMP WIRES RUBBING AGAINST THE FUEL FEED LINE AND SHORTING. YH

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT SEEMS CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATES UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO IDLE AND ACCLERATE UNEXPECTEDLY, AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED TWO SENSORS WITH ELECTRONIC TIMING AND IDLER. PROBLEM IS REOCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ENGINE COOLANT SYSTEM CORRODED EVEN THOUGH IT HAD BEEN FLUSHED JUST PREVIOUSLY, CAUSING A CYLINDER HEAD/HEAD GASKET TO CRACK REQUIRING $1,600 IS REPAIRS TO THE OWNER. VEHICLE IS NOT CURRENTLY UNDER A WARRANTY, SO OWNER IS HAVING TO PAY FOR REPAIRS THAT HE FEELS ARE THE RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. OWNER WAS ADVISED BY SERVICE ATTENDANT AT FORD DEALERSHIP THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS JUST LIKE THIS WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. IF THE COOLANT SYSTEM IS NOT FLUSHED A CERTAIN WAY, WHICH THE OWNER HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING, THE PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED HERE WILL OCCUR. IF IT IS BAD ENOUGH, SERVICE TECHNICIAN INFORMED OWNER THAT IT MAY RESULT IN TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. *AK

TRANSMISSION STARTED TO FAIL BY NOT GOING INTO GEAR IN THE MORNING, IT THEN WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 20 MPH AND HAD TO BE TAKEN BACK TO WHERE I PURCHASED IT AFTER I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO HELP AND BASICALLY DID NOT WANT ANY PART OF MY PROBLEM. WHEN I ASKED FORD IF ALOT OF TAURUS' HAVE THIS PROBLEM THEY REFUSED TO RELEASE THAT INFORMATION. I THINK I HAVE A ROGHT TO KNOW SINCE I AM AN OWNER OF A TAURUS AND I STILL OWE A VERY LARGE SUM OF MONEY ON THIS CAR. I THEN CHECKED IN TO IT MYSELF AND FOUND MIND-BOGGLING STORIES OF HOW FORD WILL NOT MAKE GOOD ON THESE TAURUS'. THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE STUCK WITH THIS TYPE IF CAR WITH A BAD TRANSMISSION IT IS HORRIBLE, A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CO. WILL NOT MAKE GOOD ON THESE CARS THEY KNOW ARE BAD. *AK

STEERING EXHIBITS GROAN OR SHUDDER WITH SOME LOSS OF ASSIST WHEN RECOVERING FROM A RIGHT TURN. FORD HAS ISSUED OVER 10 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS MATTER. DEALER AND FORD MOTOR CONTACTED. FORD MOTOR TOOK INFORMATION AND INDICATED THAT NO ASSISTANCE WILL BE OFFERED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. REPAIRS ESTIMATED AT $500. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SLIGHT LOSS OF POWER ASSIST IN RECOVERING FROM A TURN WHICH COULD CONTRIBUTE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. YH

VEHICLE ACTS AS IF IN PARK, THOUGH IT SHIFTS TO ALL GEARS- CAR DOESN'T MOVE. CAR LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING IN MIDDLE OF A TURN. OUT OF WARRANTY BY 3 WEEKS, BUT IN ON MILEAGE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER UNWILLING TO CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY.

THE HEATER CORE IS INOPERABLE, CAUSING THE WINDOWS TO FOG UP, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW. DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML

HEATER CORE WENT OUT, CAUSING COOLANT FLUID TO LEAK AND ODOR/ FUMES GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE. *AK

TIRE ON REAR SIDE OF VEHICLE WAS SPLIT, CAUSING A ROUGH RIDE. CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO, COMPLAINING THAT SPEEDODOMETER WAS DEFECTIVE, IT DIDN'T SHOW HOW FAST VEHICLE WAS GOING. *AK

VEHICLE PARKED. OWNER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE WINDOWS WERE BLOWN OUT & BLACK SMOKE ESCAPED & THEN FLAMES. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED & PUT FLAMES OUT. GAVE NO INDICATION OF ORIGIN OF FIRE. INSURANCE INSPECTOR CHECKED VEHICLE & INDICATED A POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING SYSTEM THAT CAUSED THE FIRE. *AK

THE CAR WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED BY MY FATHER, RAY ZUMWALT, IN NOVEMBER 1997 AND I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM HIM JUNE 19TH ,1999. THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS MAY 1999 WITH APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES ON THE CAR, TRANSMISSION REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP IN DALLAS, TEXAS. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILED 10,000 MILES LATER , ON 10/15/99 AND WAS REPLACED BY PRITCHETT FORD IN ALBANY, GA. THE CAR WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEARLERSHIP.

JUST THE TRANMISSION PROBLEMS. *AK

WHEN APPLYING THE GAS THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE. THE DRIVER HAS TO KEEP FOOT ON GAS PEDAL UNTIL THE VEHICLE JUMPS FORWARD. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. IN MARCH OF 1999 VEHICLE ACTED UP AGAIN. BROUGHT IT TO DEALER, CLAIMED TRANSAXLE FAILED. TALKED TO OTHERS WHO CLAIMED THAT VEHICLE HAD A CRACKED PINION GEAR. CALLED DEALER SEVERAZL TIMES. BUT DEALER HAS NOT RESPONDED. *AK

THIS VEHICLE QUIT ON THE HIGHWAY AND WAS TOWED BACK TO OUR SHOP. THE FUEL PUMP FUSE HAD BLOWN. THE WIRES TO THE FUEL PUMP INSIDE THE FUEL TANK HAD BEEN RUBBING AGAINST A HOSE CLAMP AND HAD SHORTED TOGETHER. FORD DOES HAVE A TSB CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. THE NUMBER IS 98-25-1. IT CONCERNS ME THAT THE WIRES ARE SHORTING OUT IN THE HIGHLY FLAMMABLE ENVIRONMENT OF THE INSIDE OF A TANK FULL OF FUEL AND VAPOR. I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS ONLY COVERED BY A TSB AND NOT A RECALL.

SHIMMY IN STEERING COLUMN DURING BRAKING INDICATED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM NEEDED REPAIR. PADS REPLACED AND ROTORS TURNED AT 55000. STEERING COLUMN WOULD "GROAN" INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TURNED TO RIGHT AND THEN RETURNED TO CENTER. DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY NEEDING REPLACEMENT. WOULD NOT PERFORMA UNDER WARRANTY. CAR ONLY HAD 58,000 MILES (WAY TOO SOON!)