1998 Ford Taurus Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE HORN BECAME INOPERABLE AND THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,230.

THE DOOR ADJAR SENSOR LIGHT STAYS ON. ALL DOORS ARE SHUT BUT LIGHT STAYS ON.WHEN THIS LIGHT IS ON THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON AND ALSO THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT LOCK. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES THE BATTERY TO RUN DOWN AND ALSO FOR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO OPEN CAR DOORS WHEN MOVING BECAUSE THE DOORS WILL NOT LOCK. I HAVE TAKEN THE BULBS FROM THE INTERIOR OUT TO PREVENT RUNNING BATTERY DOWN. HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLACE SENSORS IN DOORS. *TR

CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE ON AND LET THE ENGINE IDLE WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE FIRE DAMAGEED TOTAL THE VEHICLE. HOW THE FIRE STARTED? WAS NOT DETERMINED.*AK

I'M NOT SURE WHY THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING. WHENEVER I PUSH THE BUTTON TO LET MY WINDOWS UP, TURN OFF MY READ DEFROST, OR HOLD ANY BUTTONS TOO LONG THE BATTERY LIGHT WILL FLASH. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND I TURNED OFF MY REAR DEFROST AND MY BATTERY LIGHT FLASHED, THEN MY HEAD LIGHTS WENT OUT AND MY CAR ALMOST SHUT DOWN, THEN THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. THE NEXT DAY, IT WAS NIGHT TIME, AND I SAW ANOTHER TAURUS DO THE SAME THING. BEING THAT TIME IS CHANGING AND I NEED MY HEAD LIGHTS, I WOULD HATE TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE FACT I CANT SEE. I HAVE HAD MY CAR CHECKED TO SEE IF THE ALTERNATOR OR BATTERY WAS GOING OUT, BUT ALL THE CHECKS WERE GOOD. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM. *JB

WHILE PLACING THE KEY INSIDE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH IT FAILED TO TURN OR AND START. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO START OR TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER IN THE MORNING FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING IT IN FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE AIR VENTS ON THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WENT UP IN FLAMES WITHIN SECONDS. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON PRIOR TO THE SMOKE AND FLAMES. *AK

TURN SIGNALS WOULD ONLY WORK AT TIMES. SOMETIMES THEY WOULD START TO BLINK/ILLUMINATE. THEN, STOP BEFORE THE TURN WAS COMPLETE, AND SOMETIMES THEY WILL NOT BLINK AT ALL. THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON MANY LATE 1990 FORDS. *AK

THE HEADLIGHTS REMAINED ON AT ALL TIMES, EVEN WHEN THE FUSE WAS REMOVED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM

INTERIOR LIGHTS REMAIN ON WHEN DRIVING (OVER HEAD AND REAR COMPARTMENT PLUS THE COURTESY LIGHTS ON THE FLOOR), LOCKS DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY LOCK. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER HAS MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

WHEN THE HAZARD LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON, ALL THE LIGHTS FAILED.*JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE LIGHTS UNDER THE DASHBOARD WILL STAY ON AND THE CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO TURN OFF THE LIGHTS UNLESS VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR

FIRE INSPECTOR AND PRIVATE INSPECTOR UNABLE TO DETERMINE EXACT CAUSE OF FIRE ALTHOUGH LOCATION DETERMINED TO BE NEAR FIREWALL, CENTER REAR OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT.*AK

DOME AND DOOR LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY STAY ON. *AK DEALER REPLACED DRIVER DOOR SWITCH. BUT PROBLEM REOCCURED IN ADDITION TO THE WARNING BELL CHIMING WHEN KEYS ARE IN IGNITION WITH THE DOORS CLOSED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *TT

INTERMITTENT BATTERY DISCHARGE...BATTERY REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR...UNSATISFACTORY FUEL ECONOMY -ONLY 9 MPH. *AK

WHLE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING UNDERNEATH DRIVER'S SIDE, AND FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND WITHIN MINUTES VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. INVESTIGATOR ADVISES FIRE CAUSED BY FAULTY FUEL LINES. DAMAGE TOO EXCESSIVE TO HAVE BEEN ELECTRICAL. *AK

DOOR AJAR LIGHT AND THE DOME LIGHT STAY ON. ALSO, DOORS DO NOT LOCK WHEN RELEASING THE BRAKE. AT NIGHT THE DRIVER IS NOT ABLE TO SEE THE ROAD CLEARLY. THE DEALER WAS CALLED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. AN APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN MADE FOR THE DEALER TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE FUSE BOX IS LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL . EVERY TIME BRAKES ARE APPLIED, FOOT WOULD HIT THE FUSE BOX. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE COVER OF THE FUSE BOX TO COME OFF. THEN THE FUSES WERE KNOCKED OUT & WOULD CAUSE VEHICLE NOT HAVE BRAKE LIGHTS. HAS TAKEN VEHICLETO DEALER & SO FAR THE MECHANIC HAS REPAIRED IT 5 TIMES. *AK

WHEN TURNING THE KEY IN IGNITION VEHICLE DOES NOT START. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING ELECTRONIC PARTS ARE NOT RESPONDING PROPERLY, THE PANEL LIGHTS WILL BLINK, AS WELL AS THE HEADLIGHTS. SOMETIMES CONSUMER CAN'T GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO COME ON AT ALL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN TO DEALER THREE TIMS AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT FOUND THE PROBLEM. *AK