1993 Ford Taurus complaints

I THINK FORD SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE TRANSM. REPLACEMENT AND THAT THEIR SHOULD BE A RECALL ON ALL TAURUS'S DUE TO BOTH THE TRANSMISSION AND THE PEELING PAINT ON THE EXTERIOR, MINE IS CRACKED AND READY TO PEEL. ALL DEALERS DO NOT ACT IN GOOD FAITH IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEIR BONUSES ALONG WITH FORD EXECUTIVES. IF NOT, FORD SHOULD HAVE TO ADVERTISE DISPOSABLE CARS THAT LAST UP TO 30,000 MILES OR LESS. ANY LESS EXPENSIVE ITEM THE US GOV. WOULD GO AFTER WITHOUT HESITATING. THESE ITEMS ARE MAJOR AND ARE THE SAME AS AN AIRCRAFT QUALITY CONTROL. ISN'T THERE ANY GOVT DEPT THAT CAN PROPERLY INVESTIGATE THE WRONGDOING BY FORD? THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THESE CARS WITHLIKE PROBLEMS AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO MAKE USA AUTO MAKERS ACCOUNTABLE. IF I HAD A SMALL OR LARGE BUSINESS AND CONTINUALLY DEFRAUDED THE PUBLIC ONLY FOR PROFIT, WHERE WOULD YOU WRITE TO ME--WOULD I BE TAKING MILLIONS HOME IN BONUSES OR WOULD SOME SYSTEM MAKE ME ACCOUNTABLE? PLEASE RESPOND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.*AK

THERE WAS A COOLANT LEAK. COOLANT GOT INTO THE ENGINE AND DESTROYED THE BEARINGS.VEHICLE NEEDED A WHOLE NEW ENGINE. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE, COOLANT SMELL ALMOST OVERWHELMING INSIDE CAR. FORD SAYS IT WON'T COVER 1993 CARS. OBVIOUSLY FORD DOESN'T STAND BEHIND ITS PRODUCTS. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILURE-HAD TO REPLACE MY ENGINE; COST WAS OVER $3,000. *AK

FRONT TENSION STRUT BUSHING RETAINER HAS PULLED OUT OF SUBFRAME. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR TAURUS. IT PRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD IN THAT WHEEL ALINGMENT WILL NOT BE MAINTAINED IN A PANIC BREAKING SITUATION. FORD DEALER HAS SAID THAT THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR IS TO REPLACE SUBFRAME.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

I TOOK M Y CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND I NOTICED PROBLEMS W/ THE STEERING. THE WHEEL WOULD BE HARD TO TURN WHEN MAKING SHARP RIGHT HAND TURNS. I HAD A FRIEND TETS DRIVE THE CAR AND HE TOLD ME THAT IT MAY BE THE RACKET PINION SYSTEM. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT REAR SAFETY BELT. I CHECKED THE INTERNET TO SEE WHAT RECALLS THERE WAS FOR FORD TAURUS AND I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE SO MANY THAT FORD HASN'T CONTACTED ME ON. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO CONTACT FORD ABOUT? *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED. YH

VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT HE NEEDED A NEW HEAD GASKET. ALSO, OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. VEHICLE STARTED TO KNOCK. KNOCKING CONTINUED AFTER PRESSURE SWITCH REPLACED. A USED ENGINE WAS PURCHASED BY OWNER AND DEALER REPLACED ORIGINAL MOTOR WITH IT. *AK *ML

DOWNSHIFTED INTO 2ND GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THROWING OCCUPANTS FORWARD. ALSO, TRANSMISSION BALKS WHEN ACCELERATING. FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON SUSPECTED BY DEALER. DEALER REFUSES TO COMPENSATE OWNER FOR REPAIR. NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM TAURUS OWNERS EXIST. *AK

HEAD GASKETS FAILED AT 84,000 MILES ON MY 93 FORD TAURUS LX. SIMILAR PROBLEMS HAVE OCCURED ON FORD VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ENGINE (3.8L V-6). I CONTACTED A FORD REP., ONLY FOR THEM TO TELL ME I WASN'T ONE OF THE LUCKY PEOPLE TO PURCHASE A CAR THAT WAS MADE BETWEEN TWO CERTAIN DATES AT A CERTAIN MANUFACTURING PLANT. SO BASICALLY, I'M OUT OF LUCK AND AT FORD'S MERCY, AND MAYBE WITH SOME GOOD LUCK, BUT WITH NO GAURANTEES, THIS PROBLEM MIGHT BE RECALLED OR HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD AGAIN, BECAUSE THEY SON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT EVEN WITH A WELL DOCUMENTED DESIGN FLAW. *AK

THIS HAS BEEN A VERY TROUBLE-PRONE CAR. CRUISE CONTROL WOULD STICK ON ACCELERATE AND COULD NOT BE DISABLED WITHOUT TURNING OF THE IGNITION. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OTHER COSLTY REPAIRS ABOUT WHICH WE COMPLAINED TO FORD WITH NO REMEDIES OFFERED. THIS COMPLAINT REGARDS THE HEAD GASKETS ON OUR 1993 FORD TAURUS WHICH FAILED AT 93600 MILES. IT COST $1319 TO REPAIR (DATE: 3-16-98). THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT THIS IS COMMON IN THE 3.8L EINGINE. WE KNOW THAT FORD HAS PARTIALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND HAS EXTENDED WARRANTIES BACK TO THE 1994 MODELS, BUT THE PROBLEM EXTENDS TO EARLIER MODEL YEARS.

AFTER DEALER REPAIRED ENGINE AND TIMING GASKET, ONLY DROVE 5 DAYS AND LESS THAN 100 MILES, ENGINE TATOLLY BLEW UP. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IN HOT WEATHER,IT WOULD START TO LOSE POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING. VEHICLE WOULD BE TURNED OFF FOR 1/2 HOUR & THEN RESTARTED. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC PLACED ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE & FOUND NOTHING. GAVE INDICATION IT WAS FUEL PUMP & THAT THE AIR FLOW SENSOR NEEDED REPLACING.*AK

ENGINE RAN ROUGH, REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND FOUND NUMBER 4 CYCLINDER SPARK PLUG OLIVE GREEN FROM ANTI-FREEZE. NEVER COULD KEEP THE COOLANT RECOVERY TANK FULL OF COOLANT FROM 13,000 MILES ON UP. NOTHING COULD BE FOUND WITH THIS PROBLEM WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER ORIGINAL WARRANTY. ENGINE WAS REPLACED IN 2/1995 @ 35,000 MILES. COOLANT PROBLEM AND HIGH ENGINE TEMP STILL EXISTS. 43,000 MILES LATER HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. ENGINE WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1994 BUT DEALER WILL NOT WARRANTY THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS IN A 1993 CAR. *AK

THE HEAD GASKET FAILED ON THIS ENGINE CAR HAD SYMPTOMS OF HEAD GASKET FAILURE , LOSING COOLANT , RUNNING HOT WHEN IDLING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PERIODICALLY CAME ON , NO PROBLEMS EVER DETECTED UNTIL HAD GASKET FAILED. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BROKE, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. FORD HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON SOME MODELS; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED UNDER THE WARRANTY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, ENGINE STARTED SMOKING, AND THEN CAR STALLED. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING ENGINE TO LEAK. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE, AND RESULTING IN OVERHEATING. ENGINE HAS BEEN REPLACED. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT OF VEHICLE. *SLC

HEAD GASKET FAILED, LEAVING ME AND MY FAMILY STRANDED ON A NARROW COUNTRY ROAD AT NIGHT. MY FATHER-IN-LAW HELPED ME NURSE CAR TO A LOCAL GARAGE WHICH DIAGNOSED THE FAILED HEAD GASKET. I WAS TOLD BY MY HOME TOWN FORD DEALER THAT THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE YEARS AND MILEAGE, BUT I HAVE READ ABOUT THE 1994 AND LATER CARS BEING COVERED FOR THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON THE EXACT SAME CAR AND ENGINE. *AK

THE MOTOR MOUNTS BECAME SO SLOPPY THAT THE ENGINE MOVEMENT YANKED THE AIR CONDITIONER PLUMBING AROUND UNTIL SEVERAL LEAKS OCCURRED. THE NEW MOTOR MOUNTS ARE NOW LOOSING UP ENOUGH THAT IN REVERSE, SOMETHING BUMPS UP AGAINST THE FIREWALL AND UN-DAMPENED ENGINE SOUND PASS RIGHT INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED RADIATOR FLUID KEPT GETTING LOW, HEARD A CLNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT. *AK

VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND BLEW THE HEADGASKET WHILE ON MY WAY TO THE GARAGE TO SEE WHY HEATER WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY . THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME I HAD HAD THE COOLING AND HEATING SYSTEM CHECKED,ONCE BY CONLEY BUICK BEFORE I LEFT FL. ON MY WAY BACK TO GEORGIA.THEY HAD CHECKED TO SEE IF FAN WAS WORKING AND SAID THEY SAW NO PROBLEM.NOT LONG AFTER RETURNING TO HINESVILLE ,GA I TOOK VEHICLE INTO HINESVILLE FORD AGAIN ABOUT THE COOLING SYSTEM. THEY CHARGED ME 68 DOLLARS AND DID A RECALL ISSUED FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM WHICH I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF SENT ME ON MY WAY AND SAID I SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY MORE PROBLEMS.I T COST ME $1040.79 TO HAVE REPAIRS COMPLETED ON CAR PLUS THE INCONVIENCE OF HAVING TO GET A CAR TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK .I FEEL THAT HAD THE PROBLEM BEEN INVESTIGATED EARLIER KNOWING THERE WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH HEADGASKETS I WOULD NOT BE OUT OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THEREFORE I AM ENTITLED TO A FULL REFUND AS I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM BUT THEY WERE AWARE OF ONE. *AK

THE FIRST CYLINDER HEAD GASKET WENT AT 17,000 MILES, WHEN MY FATHER OWNED THE CAR. NOW THE SECOND CYLINDER HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN AT 43,000 MILES--DESPITE EXCELLENT MAINTENANCE. I KNOW FORD HAS RECALLED THE GASKET ON THE SAME (3.8L) ENGINE FOR LATER MODELS, AND YOU HAVE MANY COMPLAINTS ON FILE IN YOUR DATABASE ABOUT THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM WITH THE 1993 MODEL. FORD MUST BE FORCED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT. *AK

RAPID ENGINE TEMPURATURE FLUCTUATIONS, LOSS OF COOLANT, WHITE SMOKE FROM EXHAUST. PROBLEM WAS HEAD GASKETS, ESPECIALLY #3 & #4 HEAD. IS SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER 3.8 ENGINES, BUT MANUFACTURER WILL ONLY COVER '94 & '95 MODEL YEARS. LICENSED MECHANIC REPORTS PROBLEM IS CONSISTENT WITH '90 AND UP 3.8 TAURUS ENGINES. DEALER IS REFUSING TO ASSIST WITH REPAIR BILL BECAUSE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT LIST '93 UNDER RECALL. *AK

AFTER HAVING THE LIGHTS TURNED ON FOR AN HOUR ON LOW BEAM THE METAL POST HOLDING THE SWITCH ON GETS INCREDIBLY HOT AND THE LIGHTS GO OUT. I HAVE TO PULL OVER PARK THE CAR SHUT IT DOWN AND LET THE SWITCH COOL DOWN AND THEN I CAN USE THE HEAD LIGHTS AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS. IF I SHOULD NEED TO USE THEW HIGH BEAM LIGHTS I CAN ONLY RUN THEM FOR MINUTES BEFORE THEY GO OUT.*AK

VEHICLE KEEPS STALLING WHEN TRYING TO START UP. CAR RUMBLES WHEN IT FINALLY DOES START. MAKES A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. AFTER I START UP AFTER A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT, I BARELY TOUCH THE GAS AND ITS OFF IN A FLASH. WHEN I AM ON THE FREEWAY AND TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELARATOR, IT CONTINUES AT THE SAME SPEED FOR 5 MINUTES. I CHECKED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND IT WAS OFF. THE ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.*AK

BRAKES REPAIRED ON TWO OCCASIONS. *MJS

CATASTROPHIC HEADGASKET FAILURE. *ET

I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT ON BEHALF OF THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND MYSELF. THE ORIGINAL OWNER HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR (BRAKES, TRANSMISSION) PRIOR TO SELLING THE CAR TO ME. THE CAR WAS IN VERY GOOD OVERALL CONDITION (EXCEPT FOR THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION)AND HAD BEEN ROUTINELY MAINTAINED. IN MARCH THE ENGINE OVERHEATED ON THE ORIGINAL OWNER, HE TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A LEAKY HEAD GASKET AND / OR CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD (BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE FORD 3.8 ENGINE). OTHER MECHANICS, INCLUDING FORD MECHANICS, GIVE HIM THE SAME DIAGNOSIS OVER THE PHONE. THE ORIGINAL OWNER WAS FED UP WITH REPAIRING THE CAR AND DID NOT WANT TO SINK ANY MORE MONEY INTO THE CAR. THE ORIGINAL OWNER OFFERED TO GIVE ME THE CAR - I MADE SEVERAL RECALL INQUIRIES WITH FORD ABOUT THE CAR AND SHARED THE INFORMATION WITH THE ORIGINAL OWNER. RATHER THAN HOPE FOR A FUTURE RECALL THEY SOLD ME THE CAR FOR $500 AND WISHED ME LUCK. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT. I HAVE NOT HAD GOOD EXPERIENCE WITH FORD PRODUCTS MYSELF, BUT BOUGHT THE CAR FOR MY SON WHO WILL PAY FOR REPAIRING THE CAR. MY SON IS KEEN ON BUYING A FORD AND I HOPE TO USE THIS CAR AS A LESSON IN NOT BUYING FORD PRODUCTS. *AK

CYLINDER HEAD GASKET FAILED, ENGINE OVERHEATED, DRIVER AND FAMILY STRANDED. FORD HAS EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR SAME PROBLEM IN 1994-95 MODELS WITH SAME 3.8L ENGINE; WILL NOT HONOR WARRANTY FOR 1993, EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE'S MILEAGE AND AGE WOULD OTHERWISE MEET CRITERIA OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION. INITIAL TELEPHONE CALL TO FORD WAS FRUITLESS.

DEFECTIVE BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH, CAUSING BRAKING FLUID TO LEAK, AND RESULTING IN NO BRAKING ABILITY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. ALSO, COULD NOT SHUT VEHICLE OFF WHILE IN USE, HAD TO PULL THE FUSE IN ORDER TO SHUT VEHICLE OFF. DUE FAILURE OF IGNITION SWITCH. SWITCH REPAIRED. ALSO, ENGINE OIL PAN RUSTED THROUGH AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK *ML

POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSES ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK CONTINUOUSLY. YH

ENGINE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED @ 64K MILES AND NOW, 3 YEARS LATER, @ 96K MILES. SERVICE MGR @ DEALER SAID HEAD GASKETS SHOULD LAST 100K TO 150K MILES, BUT WOULD NOT FIX SECOND HEAD GASKET FAILURE FOR FREE. FORD ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE (HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THERE IS EXCESSIVE SHAKING. DEALER REPLACED MOTOR MOUNTS. BUT, PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT AT 61000 MILES DUE TO POOR MANUFACTURING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

COOLANT LEAKAGE AND WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM TAIL PIPE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE HAD A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S EXTENDED WARRANTY. HEAD GASKETS REPLACED. RECALL FOR '94 MODEL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK *ML

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 33 MPH, HIT A POTHOLE AND FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE. CONSUMER WOULD FILL IN MORE INFORMATION AS NEEDED. *AK

SPARE TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE IN THE SPARE TIRE COMPARTMENT, CAUSING REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW TO EXPLODE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND HE SAID IT WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. ALSO, TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING/ SHIMMYING/ SHAKING, AND POPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. CONSUMER SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE ENGINE WAS GOING TO FALL OUT. WHEN RUNNING CAR FOR MORE THAN 20 MINUTES, IT BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER AND WON'T TURN. CONSUMER FEARED STEERING IN TRAFFIC. HEADGASKET AND COOLING REPLACED, BUT THERE IS STILL TRANSMISSION AND STEERING TROUBLE. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, AND WHITE ESMOKE CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. *AK

IN JANUARY 1998 I NOTICED WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS STAYING IN THE RED ZONE NEAR THE H. I TOOK IT INTO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THE NEXT MORNING AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR WAS AROUND $1100. ON SATURDAY 05/27/2000 WHEN DRIVING AWAY FROM A PARKING LOT I NOTICED THE CAR WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS PEGGED AT THE H, AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT THE TAILPIPE. I PARKED THE CAR AND HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP NEAR MY HOME. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AGAIN. THE REPAIR BILL IS POSSIBLY GOING TO BE BETWEEN $1100 - $1500. BOTH INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 1993 TAURUS 3.8 V6 ENGINE. I HAVE ALSO BROWSED YOUR COMPLAINTS SECTION OF YOUR WEBSITE AND FOUND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS LIKE MINE. I WILL BE CONTACTING THE NATIONAL FORD OFFICE IN THE MORNING TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY RECOURSE THEY CAN OFFER. IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM I FEEL LIKE FORD SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND/OR REIMBURSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY SPENT MONEY ON REPAIRING THIS PROBLEM. *AK

CYLINDER HEAD GASKET FAILURE. STEAM COMING OUT OF EXHAUST PIPE. CAR IN SHOP, DID NOT TAKE TO DEALER YET. ESTIMATED FAILURE MILEAGE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

BESIDES HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND REPLACEMENT, WITHIN TWO DAYS OF THE ORIGINAL REPAIR, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THERE HAD BEEN DAMAGE TO THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS WHICH WERE REPLACED. *AK

CONSUMER'S SON HAD AN ACCIDENT AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED. AUTOMOBILE WAS HIT 3 TIMES GOING 55 MPH, ONCE IN THE REAR AND TWICE IN THE FRONT. *AK *ML

VEHICLE WAS HESITATING WHILE DRIVING. TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND NOTHING WAS DONE. *AK

TEMPRATURE GAUGE SHOWED HIGH DUE TO THERMOSTAT GUAGE FAILURE. YH