2001 Ford Taurus Visibility & Wipers Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, HE NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD WAS SOAKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE SEALANT NEEDED TO REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 205,000.

THE WIPER SWITCH/MOTOR ON MY 2001 FORD TAURUS HAS FAILED. I FOUND OUT ONLINE THAT IT HAS BEEN UNDER RECALL FOR 2001 TAURUSES, HOWEVER WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER THEY REFUSED REPAIR. I CONTACTED FORD COMPANY, THEY SAY ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM IS THE SAME IT'S NOT BEEN RECALLED. THE MAIN ARGUMENT: IT HAS 90K MILES, SO IT'S A COINCIDENT. IT'S INCREDIBLE HOW THEY DECEIVE! *TR

APPROX. MID-MAY 2008 NOTICED COOLANT SMELL IN CAR AND WATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR INSIDE 2001 FORD TAURUS WAGON. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AC BLOWER MOTOR ONLY WORKED ON HIGH. TOOK TO SHERWOOD FORD IN SALISBURY, MD END OF MAY 2008 FOR REPAIR. THEY REPLACED RESISTORS TO BLOWER MOTOR AND STATED PROBLEM WAS DUE TO CORROSION FROM WATER DAMAGE FROM LEAK IN WINDSHIELD/COWL. BLOWER WORKED FINE UNTIL AUGUST 18, 2008 STARTED WORKING ONLY ON HIGH AGAIN. TOOK BACK TO SHERWOOD FORD 8-25-08, THEY ARE CURRENTLY REPLACING RESISTORS AGAIN AND STATE THAT BLOWER MOTOR SHOULD BE REPLACED TOO BECAUSE IT IS NOT WORKING UP TO PAR DUE TO WATER DAMAGE. INTERNET SEARCH OF FORD TAURUS COWL LEAK REVEALS MANY OTHER PEOPLE OWNING FORD TAURUS/MERCURY SABLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND FORD WILL NOT ISSUE RECALL. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE BLOWER, IF IT GOES OUT ALTOGETHER THEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION COULD DEVELOP DUE TO INABILITY TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD OF FOG, ETC. REFERENCING COMPLAINT NUMBERS 10184014, 10189897, 10195320, 10205290. CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER ON 8-25-08 AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP WITH REPAIRS FOR THIS KNOWN DEFECT. *TR

WATER LEAKS INTO THE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD ON MY 2001 FORD TAURUS. IN RESEARCHING IT ON THE WEB I FOUND A LINK TO THIS SITE. IT JUST STARTED A FEW MONTHS AGO. I FOUND ANOTHER COMPLAINT 10184014. THIS SITE SAID TO MENTION RECALL NUMBER 03V087000. AS WIDESPREAD AS THIS APPEARS TO BE I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD COVER THE DESIGN MISTAKE. *TR

FOR THE PAST 4 YEARS I HAVE HAD CONTINUOUS LEAKING IN MY VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW AND HAVE BEEN THE ONLY DRIVER. EVERYTIME IT RAINS MY FLOOR HAS A PUDDLE OF WATER ON IT AND IT TAKES DAYS FOR IT TO DRY. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY FAN MOTOR BLOWER 4 TIMES AND I USE A TOWEL TO WIPE THE HUMIDITY OF THE WINDOW SINCE THE HEATER DOESN'T WORK WELL DUE TO ALL THE MOISTURE. I RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND DECIDED TO REPORT IT HERE. *TR

MY 2001 FORD TAURUS HAS BEEN LEAKING WATER INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS AND IT ACTUALLY LEAVES A PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE FLOOR MAKING THE CARPET SMELL AND COLLECT MOLD. THIS IS TURN, THE WATER IS ALSO COLLECTING IN THE BLOWER MOTOR CASING AND FILLING UP CAUSING THE BLOWER MOTOR TO STOP WORKING. I USED TO BE ABLE TO BANG ON THE BLOWER MOTOR CASING TO HELP THE WATER LEAK OUT OF IT AND ONCE THE WATER DID LEAK OUT THE BLOWER MOTOR WOULD WORK, HOWEVER IT IS NOW WINTER TIME AND GETTING BELOW ZERO AT NIGHT, I WENT TO TAKE MY SON TO SCHOOL IN THE MORNING AND THE BLOWER MOTOR WOULD NOT COME ON AT ALL, LEAVING US WITH NO HEAT IN THE VEHICLE AND ACTUALLY CAUSING A DRIVING HAZARD AS THE WINDOWS FOG UP AND FREEZE INSTANTLY, I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH MY SON IN THE CAR...THIS WAS VERY SCARY AND I WANT SOME ANSWERS AS TO WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED ON THESE CARS. I HAVE READ UP ON THIS AND THIS IS HAPPENING FOR YEARS WITH SEVERAL MAKES AND MODELS BUT MOSTLY ON THE FORD TAURUS'. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE BLOWER MOTOR AND FIND THE LEAK...BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN. *TR

THE MOTOR THAT RUNS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID STOPPED WORKING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT HAD JUST REFILLED THE WASHER WINDOW FLUID AND PRESSED THE BUTTON FOR THE FLUID A SECOND TIME WHEN HE BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE. BY THE TIME HE AND HIS DAUGHTER EXITED THE VEHICLE, FLAMES WERE RISING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V258000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER: MOTOR) WAS REFERENCED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 124,004.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT HAD TO HAVE THE BLOWER RESISTOR REPLACED IN HER VEHICLE BECAUSE THE AIR WOULD ONLY BE DISTRIBUTED IN HIGH AMOUNTS. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, THE KNOB FAILED AGAIN AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DEALER STATED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING IN THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE ENGINE, WHICH LED TO THE BLOWER RESISTOR FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE ADDITIONAL TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE CAN HEAR WATER ENTERING HER VEHICLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V087000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD). SHE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,579.

BLOWER OR RESISTOR FAILURE DUE TO LEAKS. *TR

AIR CONDITIONING / HEATER BLOWER STOPPED WORKING. FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR WET WHEN IT RAINS. WILL NEED TO BE REPAIRED SOON WITH COLD WEATHER APPROACHING. EXPECTING $500+ REPAIR BILL. NHTSA HAS MANY COMPLAINTS FOR THIS ISSUE. IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON A 2001 FORD TAURUS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE HEATING UNIT FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,600.

PREMATURE FAILURE OF HEATER BLOWER MOTOR. *NM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A WATER LEAK IN THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE BLOWER MOTOR AND THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT SHE REPLACED THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR A TOTAL OF SIX TIMES, BUT IT FAILED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND GO OFF ON THEIR OWN. THE CONSUMER NOTICED AT THIS TIME THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT COME ON AT ALL. THE CONSUMER DROVE TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

WE PURCHASED OUR 2001 TAURUS, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WOULD FIX SEVERAL WRONGS, ONE INCLUDED THE HEATER. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO DO WHAT THEY PROMISED WE HAVE OUR 2 MONTH OLD $9000.00 PURCHASE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY UNABLE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF COLD WEATHER. WE WERE FIRST TOLD THE SWITCH WAS BAD, WE WERE THEN TOLD THE BLOWER WAS THE CULPRIT,. THE CAR WAS DROPPED OFF IN OUR DRIVE WAY BECAUSE, AS WE WERE TOLD, THE CAR COULD NOT SIT IN THE DEALERSHIP LONGER THAN SEVENTY TWO HOURS. THE HEATER WAS STILL NOT FIXED. I CALLED OUR ORIGINAL CONTACT PERSON, HE PICKED UP THE CAR AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD US THE CAR WAS DONE. I CALLED TO CONFIRM AND WAS TOLD THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT DOING ANY THING ELSE TO THE CAR AS THEY HAD PUT TOO MUCH MONEY INTO THE CAR ALREADY,MY WIFE WAS THEN TOLD, IF WE WANTED TO HAVE THE HEATER FIXED WE COULD HAVE IT DONE UNDER THE WARRANTY THAT WE HAD PURCHASED FOR $1750.00 AND PAY THE $100.00 DEDUCTIBLE, BECAUSE OF THE TIME CONSTRAINTS ON OUR WE OWE CONTRACT(THIS IS LIKE A PROMISE TO FIX) CONTRACT WHICH EXPIRED ON THE LAST DATE WE PICKED UP OUR NEW TO US FORD, I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND TALKED TO THE MANAGER, THE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT THE RELAY WAS REPLACED, BUT THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE PROBLEM........ WHAT A BAD EXPERIENCE ON A 51,000 MILE VEHICLE. I'VE CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS HOPING FOR A FAIR DEAL,NO HELP..I WAS REMINDED THAT MY VEHICLE IS A FORD AND ONLY PURCHASED AT A G.M. DEALER. I'VE CONTACTED FORD AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. FORD HAS NO EXTENDED AVAILABLE. I'VE CONTACTED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY WE PURCHASED WARRANTY FROM AT THE DEALERSHIP, NO HELP, WHAT NOW *JB

WE'VE HAD MANY PROBLEM IN THE PAST YEAR. FIRST IN THE PEAK OF WINTER THE HEATER CORE HAD TO BE REPLACE. FOLLOWING A MONTH LATER WITH THE ENGINE MAKING A HORRIBLE RATTLING, WHEN THE CAR IN IN IDLE IT WOULD STOP ALL TOGETHER, THE CAR HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO A FORD DEALER...WHICH ESTIMATES THE COST TO BE $4700.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS AT 81000 MILES AND THOUGH WE PURCHASED THE ESP...IT IS 1800 MILES OVERDUE...SO THE COST WILL BE OURS TO FIX IT. I'VE NEVER HAD AN ENGINE DIE IN A CAR THAT IS 4 YEARS OLD. THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR THE PAST WEEK WHILE WE FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT.*AK

AIR CONDITION/HEATER FAN STOPPED WORKING. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN WATER LEAKAGE CAUSING MOTOR BLOWER FAILURE ALONG WITH RESISITOR FAILURE. THEY SITED TSB 04-15-3 IDENTIFYING TAURUSES BUILT BETWEEN 5-1-01 TO 12-15-03 OF HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND HOW TO CORRECT IT. IT COST ME OVER $500 TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THIS REPAIR WHEN IT WAS A MANUFACTURED DEFECT. FORD CONSTOMER SERVICE SIMPLY STATED IT WASN'T A LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM SO THERE WAS NO NEED TO RECALL IT OR COVER THE COST OF REPAIR. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT ANY TIME YOU HAVE WATER MIXING WITH ELECTRICAL THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR FIRE. GIVEN THE DEGREE OF CORROSION THE LEAK HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME.*AK

WINDSHIELD POPPED OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO GLASS REPAIR SHOP FOR REPLACEMENT. *PH

THE DEFROSTER/AIR ON MY 2001 FORD TAURUS LX DOES NOT DEFOG MY WINDSHIELD MAKING IT HARD TO SEE WHEN THE WINDSHIELD GETS FOGGED UP.*AK