1990 Ford Taurus complaints

HEAD GASKET FAILED AND ALLOWED COOLANT INTO CYLINDER #4 WHICH RESULTED IN OVERHEATING, TIMING COVER ERRODED CAUSING THE CRANKCASE COOLANT TO BECOME COMTAMINATED. *SLC

WAS MAKING A TURN WHEN SUBFRAME BOLTS CAME OUT DUE TO BEING RUSTY. THIS CAUSED FRAME TO FALL DOWN, AND LOST CONTROL. CONTACTED FORD MANUFACTURER. WAS GIVEN NO INDICATION OF CAUSE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON A HOT DAY ENGINE WILL STALL WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO STOP VEHICLE, AND LET ENGINE COOL OFF. THEN, RESTART VEHICLE AGAIN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 65MPH HEARD A THUMP AND NOTICED A LARGE CHUNK OF TREAD WAS MISSING FROM RIGHT FRONT TIRE. STEEL BELT WAS SHOWING THROUGH, THERE WAS NO WARNING. VEHICLE WAS CONTROLLEABLE, AND TIRE STILL INFLATED. TOOK TIRES BACK TO SEARS, AND WAS INFORMED OF FACTORY DEFECT, DID NOT SELL THOSE TIRES ANYMORE. YOKOHAMA PS09531132 AND P205/70T14 WITH 35,000 MILES. *AK

DURING RECALL REPAIR 94E-036 THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND REQUIRES ADDITIONAL TIME FOR REPAIR, THE CONSUMER WAS CHARGED FOR RENTAL CAR INSURANCE DURING REPAIR OF DAMAGED COMPONENT, OWNER IS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND RECALL REPAIR. NLM

THE EGR SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *SLC

THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES, ONCE WITHIN A YEAR AND THREE TIMES WITHIN 6 MONTHS. *CJ

FORD HAS FAILED TO FIX HEAD GASKET PROPERLY AFTER FAILURE OF ORIGINAL COMPONENT. THIS COMPONENT SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE RECALL APPLICABLE TO OTHER FORD 3.8 L ENGINES. *AK

STEERING FLUID KEPT LEAKING OIL, HAD PUMPS AND HOSES REPLACED, AND DEALER STILL COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. COMING AROUND A CURVE ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE SEEMED LIKE IT DIDN'T WANT TO TURN IN PROPER DIRECTION CONSUMER WAS GOING. CONSUMER WAS PUTTING POWER STEERING FLUID IN FREQUENTLY, CONSUMER SAID IT WAS VERY SCARY ON THE HIGHWAY.*AK

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS A THICK FILM IGNITION MODULE INSTALLED ON THE DISTRIBUTOR, WHERE IT WOULD OVERHEAT AND CAUSE VEHICLE TO STALL WHICH RESULTED IN VEHICLE CATCHING ON FIRE AND WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY, CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER SEVERAL TIMES TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND WAS TOLD BY MANUFACTURER THEY HAD NO INFORMATION ABOUT THE CAUSE OF FIRE

ON NOVEMBER 20, 1998, I HAD WORK DONE ON MY CAR AT SHEEHY FORD COSTING $1100. THE NEXT DAY THE CAR DIED WHILE BEING DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY. KEN REED AT SHEEHY FORD SAID IT WOULD COST $3000 4000 TO REPAIR AN ENGINE BEARING PROBLEM. MY HUSBAND AND I HAD SPENT $4000 FOR CAR REPAIRS IN 1998-ON 2/23 WATERPUMP REPLACEMENT, INSPECTION OF FUEL SYSTEM HOSES AND TUBES, ON 3/18 FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT, 6/12 NEW PFE SENSOR, 8/13 REPLACEMENT ALTERNATOR AND REGULATOR,COOLING FAN AND FUSIBLE LINK , 8/14 REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND INTERGRATED CONTROL MODULE, 11/11 OIL CHANGE AND MULTIPOINT INSPECTION AND ON 11/20/98 ANOTHER OIL CHANGE AS WELL AS GASKETS, SEALS, HOSES THERMOSTAT ON THIS DATE. SHEEHY FORD REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR PART OF THE MONIES SPENT ON 11/20 OR PROVIDE FREE WORK ON OUR OTHER CAR A FORD EXPLORER IN LIEU OF CASH. I CONTACTED MONTGOMERY COUNTY DIVISION OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, AND THEN, THE STATE OF MARYLAND CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION. SHEEHY FORD REFUSED TO ARBITRATE AND NEITHER DIVISION COULD PROVE SHEEHY WAS AT FAULT. I HAD INITIALLY CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS REFERRED TO MY DEALER. AFTER DEALING WITH THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICES , I WROTE A LETTER TO JAC NASSER, CEO OF FORD. ABOUT 6 WEEKS LATER IN MARCH 1999, I DID GET A CALL FROM A FORD REP WHO REFUSED COMPENSATION BECAUSE I HAD DONATED THE CAR JANUARY 31, 1999 SINCE IT WAS NOT DRIVEABLE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO AUTOMATION INC. ON 1/25/99 AND WAS TOLD THE CAR NEEDED NO LESS THAN A CRANK KIT, ESTIMATE $12-15,000. I B

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

WHILE COASTING VEHICLE WILL STALL. THERE ARE NO BRAKES OR STEERING WHEN THIS HAPPENS.*AK

TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES WITHIN A 1 YEAR PERIOD. TRANSMISSION HAS BURNED OUT EACH TIME. WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE JERKS & CUTS OFF. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK

THE TAURUS STALLS IN WARM WEATHER, BUT WILL RESTART IN 30 MINUTES. I UNDERSTAND FORD TFI IGNITION MODULES HAVE BEEN PROBLEMATIC IN THE PAST.

WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE WOULD STALL, IGNITION SWITCH BECAME HOT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THIS IS THE 3RD HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN 2 1/2 YEARS OF THIS TYPE ENGINE!

VEHICLE HAS HAD SEVERAL IGNITION COMPONENT FAILURES WHICH RESULTED IN VEHICLE STALLING. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE DIES. ALL POWER IS LOST. SOMETIMES IT WILL RESTART AFTER A FEW MINTUES. MOST OF THE TIME VEHCLE HAS TO BE TOWED. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ON GOING FOR 3 YEARS. DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THIS PROBLEM. DIFFERENT PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES.*AK

MOTOR KEEPS SHUTTING OFF

MICHELIN XW4 TIRES P205 65 R15 EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND STEEL BELTING OFF THE REAR TIRE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *SLC

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE DIDN'T PASS EMISSION TEST. CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES ENTERED VEHICLE AND CONSUMER GOT SICK. *AK

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE & STARTED TO MAKE RIGHT TURN, VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE. ALSO MADE CLICKING NOISE. HUSBAND CHECKED UNDER VEHICLE & NOTICED TRANSMISSION MOUNTS WERE BROKEN. WOULD NEED TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. AT DEALERSHIP, MECHANIC INDECATED STRUTS WERE GONE &ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

WHEN VEHICLE SWITCHED FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, IT SURGED FORWARD SUDDENLY. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE, AND CANT FIND A SOLUTION. *AK

RIGHT SIDE STRUT SPRING BROKE FOR NO APPEARENT REASON. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION HAS EXTENDED SHIFTS EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. IT RECENTLY BEGAN DOWNSHIFTING HARD, AND UPSHIFTS VERY QUICKLY, SOMETIMES ROUGHLY UNDER MODERATE ACCELERATION. THE MOTOR MOUNTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE SINCE PURCHASE IN 1996.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH CONSUMER LOOKED INTO REARVIEW MIRROR, AND NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR. PULLED OVER, AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED. *AK

HEAD LIGHT SWITCH FAILED. YH

WHEN DRIVING IN HOT WEATHER CONDITIONS VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF/DIE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING DUE TO FUEL PUMP NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP ON THE LEFT POSITION WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. *AK

WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN I ASKED THE SERVICE REP. IF THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT HE HAD SEEN IT BEFORE AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL BUT THAT IT WAS FOR THE 93. I LOOKED UP THE RECALL AND SAW THAT IT WAS FOR 88-92 MODELS SOLD OR REGISTERED IN 14 STATES (BUT NOT VA). I CALLED FORD'S 800 NUMBER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED, BUT THAT A MANAGER WOULD CALL ME IN 24 HOURS (NO CALL TO DATE). I TALKED TO THE A DIFFERENT SERVICE REP (J. MORRISON) WHO TOLD ME MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL AND THAT THERE WAS NO ONE TO TALK TO, NO REGIONAL SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. WHEN I PICKED MY CAR UP, I TALKED TO A THIRD SERVICE REP. WHO TOLD ME THERE IS A REGIONAL REP, BUT THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW THE NAME AND SUGGESTED I CALL FORD. NO ONE WILL TELL ME THE BASIS FOR WHY MY CAR WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL EVENTHOUGH IT EXHIBITED THE SAME EXACT DEFECT AND WAS REPAIRED IN THE SAME EXACT MANNER IF IT HAD BEEN RECALLED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 65MPH UP ON A VERY STEEP HILL VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN,AND THE GAS PEDAL STUCK WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, AND THAT DIDN'T HELP. SO CONSUMER SHIFTED TRANSMISSION DOWN TO A LOWER GEAR. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN WHEN DRIVING DOWN A STREET, VEHICLE JUST STARTED ACCELERATING, NO WARNING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TEMPERATURE SENSOR CAME ON/OFF, AND VEHICLE CUT OFF. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS TIMING CHAIN. THEN, ANOTHER MECHANIC SAID IT WAS HEAD GASKET. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

FORD NOT RESPONDING. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

EXHAUST SYSTEM FAULTY. NLM

GRAY PAINT FADING AND PEALING OFF. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS THEMSELVES OFF IN THE UP POSITION. HAVE TO PUSH ON WIPERS WHILE TURNING THE WIPERS ON AND OFF TO GET THEM TO LIE DOWN IN THE PROPER POSITION.

WHILE TRAVELING & MAKING A STOP NOTICE ENGINE JUMP UNDER HOOD. EALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION *AK

WHEN VEHICLE HAS BEEN STARTED IGNITION SWITCH BECOMES HOT. WOULD TAKE SOMETIME BEFORE IT BECOMES VERY HOT. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 3 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM & EACH TIME THE MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF OVERHEATING OF THE IGNITION SWITCH.

THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO ON WHILE DRIVING. IT IS VERY HAZARDOUS TO ME AND OTHER TRAFFIC. THIS PROBLEM HAS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *AK

ON TWO OCCASIONS THE ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO MOVE UP WHEN ACCELERATING AND UPWARD WHEN IN REVERSE. *ET

VEHICLE HAD FAILURE OF THE REAR MOTOR MOUNTS, RECALL NOTICE RECEIVED LATER 98V-323, WHICH CONCERNS REAR BODY SUB-FRAME MOUNTS, DENIED REIMBURSEMENT AS THE MOTOR MOUNTS AND SUB-FRAME MOUNTS ARE NOT THE SAME COMPONENT. *MJS

THE LEFT FRONT FIRESTONE FR680 TIRE (P205/65R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, IN OCTOBER 2000, THE FRONT END EXPERIENCED VIBRATION AT SPEEDS FROM 35MPH TO 60MPH, THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT THE FIRESTONE TIRES BE REPLACED. *SLC

WHEN YOU PUT TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE 2 OUT OF 4 TIMES THE VEHICLE WILL START TO SHAKE AS IF THE BRAKES WERE ON AND YOU ARE TRING TO GIVE IT GAS AND THEN THE VEHICLE SHOOTS BACKWARDS. *AK

I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE JAN 1994; IT HAD 78,000 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT. IN THE LAST YEAR I HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH NO RESOLUTION. FRONT CENTER SEAT BELT BUCKLE BUTTON REMAINS DEPRESSED AND WILL NOT RETURN TO THE TOP POSITION MAKING IT UNUSEABLE AS A RESTRAINT. TAILGATE LATCH HAS BROKEN OFF DEEP INSIDE THE DOOR AND WILL NO LONGER LATCH. CATALYTIC CONVERTER "RAM'S HORN" BURNED OUT IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR; STARTED ENGINE AND BARELY AVOIDED SERIOUS ENGINE FIRE AS RESULT OF CONVERTER FAILURE. CAR SURGES WHEN IDLING, CAUSING IT TO LUNGE BACK AND FORTH SO HARD IT IS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED; WINSHIELD WIPERS STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD WHEN USING INTERMITTENT WIPE; A YEAR AGO WIPER MOTOR BURNED OUT AND WAS REPLACED. HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION WORKED ON THREE TIMES IN THREE YEARS. LED INDICATOR ON STEREO BURNED OUT 1 YEAR AFTER CAR WAS PURCHASED. ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE FAILED-ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE CONTINUOUS DESPITE $3,000.00 + IN ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THEM. ALSO HAVE HAD TO REPLACE RADIATOR, AS WELL AS BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT TRANSAXLES ON FRONT OF VEHICLE IN AUGUST 1999. FREEZE PLUGS ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. CAR CURRENTLY "STORED" IN MY DRIVEWAY, AS I CANNOT AFFORD TO PUT ANY MORE $ INTO USELESS REPAIRS ON THIS VEHICLE.

CONSUMER OWNS 2 FORD TAURUS VEHICLES, A 1990 AND A 1994, BOTH TRANSMISSIONS HAVE FAILED. *ET

HAVING TROUBLE WITH WEBSITE; PROBLEM IS WITH DEFECTIVE PAINT ON CAR EXTERIOR. PAINT ON HOOD/ROOF/SIDE MIRRORS LOOKS LIKE IT WAS RUBBED OFF. PAINT ON THE ROOF APPEARS THIS WAY IN 3 WIDE VERTICAL SECTIONS. I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT OTHER TAURUS CARS ALSO SEEMED TO BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE PAINT. PLEASE IGNORE SECTIONS REGARDING CRASH/FIRE, ETC. WEB PAGE GAVE ME PROBLEMS ON THIS SECTION OF THE FORM.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT RETURN TO RESTING POSITION. WOULD STOP IN MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD. HAVE NOT TURNED VEHICLE OFF. WOULD HAVE TO FORCE TO RESTING POSITION & THEN TURN VEHICLE OFF. HAS BEEN TO DEALER EACH TIME FOR PROBLEM. INFORMED BY MECHANIC WIPERS NOT WORTH EXPENSE OF REPAIRING. *AK