2008 Ford Taurus Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled however, she was able to pull over and stop the vehicle. The contact stated that she noticed that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the engine temperature gauge was indicating that the engine was overheating. The contact observed that white smoke was coming out from under the hood. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle and had the vehicle towed to her residence. An independent mechanic went to the residence to diagnose the vehicle. The independent mechanic determined that the head gasket had blown and the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

I WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WITH A TRUCK CLOSE BEHIND, WHEN IT JUST DIED. I HAD NO POWER STEERING, BRAKES, ETC. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH THINKING I WAS GOING TO BE HIT BY THE TRUCK BEHIND ME. I WAS IN A CURVE, AND THANKFULLY THERE WAS A STORE. IT TOOK ALL MY STRENGTH TO TURN THE CAR IN, AND SOMEHOW I WAS ABLE TO COME TO A STOP. I HAD NO WARNING, NO LIGHT CAME ON AND MY SON CAME TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. HE SAID IT WAS OVERHEATING. WE HAD IT TOWED HOME AND WHEN HE CHECKED IT THE OIL WAS CREAMY , WHITISH. HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. WE RESEARCHED IT, AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CYCLONE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THE WATER PUMP FAILING, WHICH IS INSIDE THE ENGINE ALONG WITH THE TIMING CHAIN!!! I WAS SHOCKED! WATER PUMPS GO BAD, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT. WHY WOULD ANY COMPANY PUT A WATER PUMP INSIDE THE MOTOR?!?! I NEVER WOULD HAVE BOUGHT IT IF I HAD KNOWN BECAUSE IT IS JUST WRONG. THEN I FOUND OUT FORD HAD BEEN USING THAT ENGINE FOR OVER 10 YEARS, EVEN WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND I WONDER HOW MANY ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES AND DEATHS HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THIS. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!!!! WHY IS THERE NO RECALL? I CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE A NEW ENGINE PUT IN, I'M 63 AND DISABLED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM GOING TO DO. WITH ALL THE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURES DUE TO THIS, I AM SHOCKED THAT FORD HAS NOT HELPED US OUT. THEY MUST HAVE A LOT OF LAWSUITS. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN, I AM SICK ABOUT IT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD TAURUS. WHEN REVERSING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THEN DIMMED. ON ONE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE CONTACT CALLED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN COULD HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 43,000.

I HAVE SEEN MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME EXACT ISSUE. THE WRENCH SYMBOL LIGHTS UP ON DASH WHEN DRIVING AND ENGINE REVS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL, LOW GAS MILEAGE SYMBOL LIGHTS UP AND INSTEAD OF SAYING HOW MANY GALLONS UNTIL EMPTY, THERE ARE JUST 3 DOTS ( ---). I PULL OVER, TURN CAR OFF AND PUTTING IT IN PARK OR ANY GEAR, IT JERKS AND IS LOUD. IT SEEMS AS IF EVERYTHING ON THE CAR IS JUST SHUTTING DOWN, YET STILL WORKING. THE WRENCH SYMBOL HAPPENS MORE OFTEN, AND ALL THE OTHER SYMBOLS ARE ONLY SOMETIMES. I JUST SPENT $1000 ON THE TRANSMISSION GETTING REPAIRED SO IT SHOULDNT BE THAT. IT ALSO SAYS " TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR FAULT" WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THE CAR IS VERY JERKY AND JERKS FORWARD. DOESNT SEEM VERY SAFE. AFTER PULLING OVER AND TURNING THE CAR OFF, IT SEEMS OK IF I LET IT SIT FOR 10 MINUTES OR SO. SOMETIMES, NOT ALL THE TIME THOUGH. I NEVER KNOW.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AS THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

AT HIGHWAY SPEED, VEHICLE SUDDENLY, WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS, STOPS RUNNING, RESULTING IN LOSS OF ALL POWER ASSIST TO MANEUVER VEHICLE TO SAFETY. UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP. PROBLEM DETERMINED TO BE FAILURE OF "COIL ON PLUG" IGNITION COILS, WHICH SHORTED OUT PCM/PROCESSOR ASSEMBLY (MAIN COMPUTER). ADDITIONALLY, THIS MIS-FIRING RESULTED IN PARTIAL LOW EFFIENCY IN CATALYTIC CONVERTER, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY IMPAIR VEHICLE'S ABILITY TO MEET EMISSION STANDARDS. TOTAL REPAIR COSTS: IGNITION COILS (6), SPARK PLUGS (6), AND PCM REPLACEMENT - $2,314.14, CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACEMENT - $1,589.95, FOR A TOTAL OF $3,904.09 FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE AT LEAST 2010, AND HAS ISSUED TWO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD TAURUS. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. UPON RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED AS NORMAL. THE SIMILAR FAILURE OCCURRED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

IT BEGAN WITH ONLY THE WRENCH LIGHT GOING ON AND THE RPM WOULD GO UP AND THE CAR WOULD LURCH FORWARD. I WOULD RESET IT WITH A CODE CHECKER AND I WOULD NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM AND THE LIGHT WOULD EVENTUALLY RETURN. IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO CHANGE THE AIR FILTER, THE AIR FILTER WAS CHANGED AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS. NOW NOT ONLY MY WRENCH LIGHT BUT MY ENGINE LIGHT ALSO GOES ON AND IT RETURNS EVERY DAY AFTER RESETTING IT. AFTER I LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THE PROBLEMS SEEMS TO APPEAR IN OTHER FORD MODELS. I AM VERY SURPRISED THAT THIS IS NOT A RECALL. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND EVENTUALLY SOMEONE WILL GET HURT OR KILLED BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *KB

2008 FORD TAURUS, ENGINE DIES UNEXPECTEDLY. DIED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. ALMOST GOT HIT WITH ON-COMING TRAFFIC TWO TIMES, ALSO DIES AT STOP SIGNS AND WAITING FOR LIGHT TO CHANGE. IT IS VERY DANGERIOUS BECAUSE DIFFICULT TO STEER WITH ENGINE DEAD. HAD IN SHOP 2 TIMES BUT NO HELP. *TR

I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, DECELERATING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 8 WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR SPED UP SIGNIFICANTLY PUSHING THE CAR FORWARD. EVEN THOUGH I APPLIED HEAVY FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ENGINE AND RPM GAUGE KEPT INCREASING TO BETWEEN 1800 AND 2400 RPM'S, FAR FROM THE AVG OF 800 WHEN COMING TO A STOP. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE RPM AND ENGINE SPEED KEPT INCREASING JUST AS IF THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK. I PUT IT IN PARK AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I PULLED THE HANDBREAK AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE KEY OFF. UPON RESTARTING THE CAR, THE IDLE WAS NORMAL. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IT HAS HAPPENED.

WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 FORD TAURUS WITH 80K MILES ON 01-21-11 THE CAR STARTED MISSING. DROVE THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY TO MY MECHANIC. DIAGNOSIS WAS A BADLY BURNT COIL ON THE #2 CYLINDER. IN ORDER TO GET TO THE #2 CYLINDER AND SPARK PLUGS MY MECHANIC MADE ME AWARE THAT THE AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDS TO BE REMOVED AND WHILE THAT IS TAKING PLACE I SHOULD HAVE A TUNEUP SINCE ONE IS RECOMMENDED AT 90K ANYWAY. COIL IN THE #2 CYLINDER WAS REPLACED AND TUNEUP COMPLETED AND CAR WAS STILL MISSING. FURTHER DIAGNOSIS SHOWED THAT THE COMPUTER THAT RUNS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WAS RUINED WHEN THE COIL BURNT OUT AND FOR THE CAR TO RUN AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO IT WILL ALSO NEED THIS COMPUTER. SO I AM GOING TO INCUR A $1000.00 OR MORE IN EXPENSE BECAUSE MY EXCELLENT CONDITION 08', 80,0000 MILE CAR IS MISSING. IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS THIS MUCH POSSIBLE DAMAGE AND EXPENSE TO HAPPEN WHEN A COIL GOES BAD IS A FLAWED SYSTEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. PRIOR TO EACH FAILURE, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. FUTURE FORD IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTOR AND THE FUEL INJECTION SENSOR, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED THROUGH DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.

I WAS ENTERING I 70 EAST IN COLUMBUS OHIO OFF THE JAMES ROAD EXIT, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO THE OUTSIDE LANE. I SPED UP TO ADJUST MY SPEED, AS A VEHICLE WAS IN THE SAME LANE. WHEN I ACCELERATED, THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY TOOK OVER AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND REVVED UP HIGH AND FAST. MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO HIT THE BRAKES, I DID, BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT DEPRESS OR BRAKE. I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF EVERYTHING TO DO AND MONITOR THE CARS AROUND ME, AS WELL. I TRIED HOLDING DOWN THE BRAKES HARD AND TAKING OFF WHILE THE CAR WENT FLYING BY TWO EXITS, I KNEW I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO EXIT BECAUSE I COULDN'T STOP. I CONTINUED WITH TRYING TO LOCATE THE FLASHER AND THINKING ABOUT HITTING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUT, I DIDN'T BECAUSE I WAS UNSURE WHETHER IT WOULD COME TO A QUICK STOP. I KEPT PUSHING DOWN AND UP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. SUDDENLY, THE REVVING BEGAN TO SETTLE DOWN (A FAST DOWNWARD REVVING SOUND) AND I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE THE CAR. I WAS UNSURE WHETHER TO PULL OVER SO I DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO MY DESTINATION WHICH WAS ONLY 3 EXITS AWAY. I PARKED AND LOOKED AT THE CAR AND ESPECIALLY THE AREA NEAR MY FEET, THERE WAS NOTHING INTERFERING WITH THE BRAKES OR THE ACCELERATOR. I PANICKED ALL THE WAY HOME, NOT KNOWING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN SO I STAYED OFF THE FREEWAY, BELIEVING THE FREEWAY SPEED WOULD CAUSE A SIMILAR ISSUE. AS SOON AS I GOT HOME, I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND FOUND SOME SIMILAR INSTANCES WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. I WILL CALL THE DEALER TOMORROW. I HAD A PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH THE TRANSMISSION STOPPING ON THE FREEWAY AND DISENGAGING WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN I STOPPED. WHEN I WOULD PULL OVER AND SWITCH THE GEARS, THE CAR WOULD MAKE A LOUD DROPPING SOUND. AND IT WOULD BE DIFFICULTY TO SWITCH GEARS. THE CAR SHIFTS AT TIMES AND KICKS BACK. THE DEALER REPLACED A SENSOR BUT, IT HAS NOT RESOLVED THE ISSUE COMPLETELY. I'VE TAKEN IT BACK AND THEY FOUND NOTHING. I HOPE THEY WILL FIND SOMETHING, AS I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR AFTER TONIGHTS EXPERIENCE. *TR

USAA FLEET VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IN NORMAL OPERATION ON A DOWNTOWN STREET IN GA. *TR

THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN A RENTED 2008 FORD TAURUS. I LEFT A RESTAURANT, DROVE A VERY SHORT DISTANCE TO MY HOTEL, PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE, BEGAN APPLYING THE BRAKE AND THE ENGINE SURGED UNCONTROLLABLY. NO MATTER HOW I BRAKED, I COULD NOT STOP IT. IT TORE OUT A SMALL TREE AND LODGED INTO THE WALL OF THE HOTEL. *TR