1994 Ford Taurus complaints

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE CRACKED AT 56,000 MILES, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE JUMPING WHENEVER VEHICLE REACHES 50 OR MORE MPH. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY LIGHTS WENT OUT THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. AFTER DIMMING LIGHTS,CONTINUED ON. NO PROBLEMS UNTIL I TRIED DRIVING WITH "BRIGHTS' AGAIN,LIGHTS WENT OUT AGAIN...THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD IN 1998,AND HAD SWITCH REPLACED ON RECALL. *AK

WINDSHIELD WASHER AND INTERMITTENT WIPERS QUIT WORKING...NOT A FUSE PROBLEM..DEALER ESTIMATES $250.00 TO REPAIR. *AK

THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES AND THE HEADLIGHTS CONTINUES TO FLASH. FORD CANNOT SEEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT. WHILE DRIVING, ON A HIGHWAY OR IN TRAFFIC THE HEADLIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF. SOMETIMES THEY FLASH QUICKLY OTHER TIMES THEY STAY OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS. THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM AND A SAFETY HAZARD THAT WARRANTS YOUR ATTENTION. FORD REFUSES TO PUT MY CAR UNDER THE RECALL THAT EXISTS FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH 1994 TAURUSES BECAUSE OF MY VIN NUMBER? I HAVE HAD THE RECALL WORK DONE AT MY OWN EXPENSE AND STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS GOING ON TWO YEARS. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED SUDDENLY; REPLACED WITH REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND IT FAILED 2 DAYS LATER. DEALER NOT CERTAIN WHAT TO DO; CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THEM; CAR IS COMPLETELY UNUSABLE. POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE FAILURE TO ACCELERATE IS FOLLOWED BY SUDDEN SCREECHING AND LURCHING FORWARD. *AK

AFTER COMING TO A FULL STOP, TRANSMISSION WILL "DISENGAGE". WHEN DEPRESSING GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS, THEN WILL ENGAGE WITH A JOLT. SOMETIMES, VEHICLE WILL NOT ENGAGE COMPLETELY FOR UP TO 10 SECONDS. THIS HAS PROVEN TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC FROM A FULL STOP, OR WHEN CROSSING A ROAD FROM A FULL STOP, AS ONE DOES NOT KNOW IF THE CAR WILL PROCEED IN A NORMAL FASHION OR IF THE TRANSMISSION WILL PREVENT THE CAR FROM CLEARING THE ROADWAY BEFORE ONCOMING TRAFFIC REACHES YOU. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM ACCORDING TO YOUR OTHER REPORTS ON THIS YEAR/MODEL. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ACCELERATE VEHICLE AT A STOPLIGHT. KICKS INTO GEAR WHEN ACCLERATOR IS FLOORED. OVERDRIVE NO LONGER WORKS. CAR WILL ONLY RUN IN REGULAR DRIVE. ALSO ENGINE HEAD GASKETS WERE BLOWN LEAKING ONTO SPARK PLUGS. PROBABLY OCCURRED PRIOR TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. CAR USED TO GET TO AND FROM WORK. MINIMAL MILEAGE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLES SHOOK WHILE DRIVING DUE TO THE ENGINE MOUNTS CORRODING AWAY. DEALER REPLACED THE MOUNTS. *AK

SUDDEN FAILURE OF HEAD GASKET WHICH ALSO CAUSED FAILURES OF BOTH O2 SENSORS, TIMING COVER GASKET, RADIATOR, AND WATER PUMP. THE HEAD GASKET CAUSED A SUDDEN FAILURE WHICH LEFT MY FAMILY AND I STRANDED FOR A SHORT TIME ON THE SIDE OF INTERSTATE 75 SOUTH OF CORBIN, KY (VERY DANGEROUS PLACE FOR A BREAKDOWN). THE INITIAL HEAD GASKET FAILURE CAUSED A MASSIVE LEAKAGE OF COOLANT THROUGH THE CYLINDERS AND OUT THE EXHAUST WHICH CAUSED BOTH OXYGEN SENSORS TO FAIL (ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON). IN ADDITION, HEAD GASKET FAILURE CAUSED ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND ALSO OPENED UP THE COOLING SYSTEM TO BEING POUNDED BY THE PRESSURE OF THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER (FAILED GASKET OPENED UP AN ABNORMAL PATH BETWEEN COMBUSTION CYLINDERS AND COOLING SYSTEM) - THIS RESULTED IN COOLING LEAKAGE FAILURE IN THE RADIATOR, WATER PUMP, AND TIMING COVER GASKET. THESE ARE EXPENSIVE FAILURES THAT APPEAR TO BE VERY COMMON TO FORD'S 3.8L V6 ENGINE (HEAD GASKET FAILURES) WHICH IS ALSO USED IN THEIR SABLE, WINDSTAR, CONTINENTAL, AND MUSTANG. FORD IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY FAILURE AND YET IT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM THAT NHTSA'S OWN SITE SHOWS OVER 150 FAILURES FOR THE WINDSTAR ALONE (SAME ENGINE). FORD NEEDS TO ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS ISSUE - IT WAS CERTAINLY A SAFETY RELATED FAILURE IN MY CASE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

THE MAIN FAILURE THAT I'M INTERESTED IN REPORTING IS THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM (FAILURE OF HEAD GASKET). I HAVE ADDED THE 3 FAILURES OF THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM SINCE I FEEL ONE OF THESE FAILURES MAY HAVE CAUSED THE ALREADY DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET TO BECOME EVEN MORE PRONE TO FAILURE. 1ST A/C FAILURE IN MARCH 98 WAS FOR ACCUMULATOR HOSE HAD A HOLE IN IT. 2ND A/C FAILURE IN MAY99 COIL-PULLEY-CLUTCH ASSY HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN JULY 99 ALL THE HOSES INCLUDING HEATER HOSE AND THE MANIFOLD-INTAKE LOWER WERE REPLACED. WHEN I DROVE THE CAR HOME FROM THIS REPAIR A SMALL AMOUNT OF SMOKE CAME THRU THE VENTS INTO THE CAR AND THERE WAS A STRANGE ODOR. I CALLED THE GARAGE AND REPORTED THIS THEY SAID, " SOME OF THE ANTIFREEZE MUST HAVE GOT ONTO THE ENGINE AND NOT TO WORRY". FIFTEEN DAYS LATER ON 16JULY19 THE SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT OF THE VENTS AGAIN. THIS IS THE 3RD A/C WHICH WAS FOR A CORE HEATER ASSY. I THINK THAT THIS CAUSE A OVERHEATING OF THE ENGINE AND FURTHER DAMAGED THE ALREADY DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS (TO BE FAR THIS IS ONLY A GUESS ON MY PART SINCE THE TEMP. INDICATOR NEVER GOT IN THE RED AREA. ALSO I SHOULD MENTION THAT THE DAY AFTER ALL THE HOSES WERE CHANGED I HAD TO RETURN THE CAR SINCE THERE WAS ANTIFREEZE ON MY GARAGE FLOOR CAUSE MY A CLAMP NOT BEING INSTALL CORRECTLY. THE ON 14DEC99 THE CAR STARTED OVERHEATING, I CHECKED THE OVERFLOW ANTIFREEZE AREA ADDED ANTIFREEZE AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY DID A PRESSURE TEST AND FOUND A BAD HOSE AND REPLACED IT. ON 21DEC99

VEHICLE HAS SLOSHING FROM FUEL TANK ACTS LIKE REAR SUSPENSION IS LOOSE.

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING BECAUSE THE ENGINE BLEW A HEAD GASKET. THE ORIGINAL ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED IN DEC OF 1997 WITH 55,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET AND GASKET COVER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, ALMOST CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AT 66,000 MILES. *AK

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAPPENS ELSEWHERE, BUT THIS HAPPENED TO ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXPRESSWAY IN CHARLOTTE, NC IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. CAR JUST QUIT RUNNING, COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THANKS. *AK

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE TRANSMISSION HAS GIVEN US PROBLEMS, THE FIRST TIME WAS SEPT 1998 AND THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON WAS CRACKED AND REPLACED AT THAT TIME APPROX 23000 MILES AGO. *AK

MY WIRE GOT INTO THE CAR IN OUR DRIVEWAY, STARTED THE CAR AND IMMEDIATELY PUT IT INTO "DRIVE". THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO ITS MAXIMUM RPMS, FRONT WHEELS SPUN ON ASPHALT DRIVE, FINALLY GRIPPED THE DRIVE AND SHOT DOWN THE DRIVE AT ABOUT 50MPH. SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR..NO BRAKES. THE CAR HIT OUR FIREWOOD STACK AND PUSHED THE WOOD IN FRONT OF THE CAR UNTIL THE FRONT WHEELS CAME OFF THE GROUND, THEN HIT A TREE AT THE END OF THE DRIVE. THE ENGINE STOPPED, SHE TURNED OFF THE KEY AND EXITED THE CAR. I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR EARLIER IN THE DAY AND COULD NOT GET THE CRUISE CONTROL TO ACTIVATE. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED THIS EVENT! *AK

CAR WAS HAVING SLIGHT AND PERIODIC ROUGH IDLE, MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT WITH HAD GASKET FAILURE. TWO DAYS LATER THE SAME MECHANIC HAS STATED THAT THE WHOLE ENGINE IS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT, DUE TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE. NO PROBLEMS WERE NOTICED. HAVE CONTACTED FORD & THE DEALER, BOTH HAVE ADMITTED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM, BUT THAT THE WARRANTY EXTENSION THAT WAS OFFERED HAS EXPIRED. I DO NOT RECALL RECEIVING ANY NOTICE FOR THIS DEFECT, NOR DID MY CAR HAVE PROBLEMS DURING THE RECALL PERIOD. I HAVE SURVEYED THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH SAME 3.8 HEAD GASKET FAILURES AND FORD IS REFUSING TO RECALL OR REPLACE THEM. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE I CAN TALK TO PRIOR TO VISITING THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND A LAWYER ? *AK

WHILE DRIVING CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING GAS PEDAL TO TRAVEL TO THE FLOOR. ALSO, BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. CONSUMER HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE , PLACE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, AND TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

DUE TO THE LOCATION AND DESIGN OF THE FUEL LINE PLASTIC LINE IS PUSHED AGAINST THE FLOORBOARD AND SIDE PANEL WELD, THE WELD IS BENT, CAUSING A FUEL LEAKAGE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CRUISE CONTROL HAS NOT WORKED FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS. WAS QUOTED $65 JUST TO LOOK AT IT. *AK

DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK INOPERATIVE. YH

SPEEDOMETER FAILED AND REPLACED ON 5/98, REPLACEMENT FAILED. MJS

WHEN STOPPING VEHICLE JUMPS FORWARD,AND WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION, VEHICLE ACTS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL. THIS IS DUE TO A CRACKED PISTON. MECHANIC HAS FIXED IT. *AK

CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 09/09/1999 WHEN PROBLEM DETECTED IN STARTING THE CAR. UPON ATTEMPTING TO START THE ENGINE, ENGINE WILL CRANK AND START BUT IT STALLED WHEN KEY SPRING WAS LET GO AT RANDOM BASIS. DEALER CLAIMED TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED MULTIFUCTION SW AND IGNITION SWITCH, AND REPLACED BATTERY AND CLEANED THE TERMINALS. THIS COST ME $474 AND THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON 09/13/1999. ON 09/20/1999 DEALER CLAIMED THAT THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS JUST THE ADJUSTMENT IN SAFETY SWITCH. DEALER CLAIMED THAT THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. AFTER THAT THE PROBLEM DID NOT GO AWAY AND CONTINUE TO HAPPEN ON RANDOM BASIS. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY WILL CALL ME BACK WHEN THEY ARE READY TO FIX THIS. AS OF 11/22/1999 I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM FULLERTON FORD DEALER. THE PROBLEM IS WORSE NOW AND I CAN NOT EVEN START THE CAR. SO I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AT 1-800-392-3673 AND SPOKE WITH DUANE. I TOLD HIM THAT DEALERSHIP HAS UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I DESCRIBED THE CAR PROBLEM. I ASKED THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HELP DEALER TO IDENTIFY AND FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE DEALER WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN FIXING THE PROBLEM AND THEY DON'T SEEM TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. DUANE REPLIED THAT ONLY DEALER IS AUTHORIZED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I SHOULD TAKE MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND THERE IS NOTHING FORD MOTOR COMAPNY CAN DO FOR ME. I ASKED DUANE THAT WHAT IS THE POINT IN TAKING CAR BACK TO THE FORD DEALER WHEN A

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO DEFECTIVE MOTOR MOUNTS WHICH NEEDED REPLACING. *YC

APPROACHING HIGHWAY ON RAMP, ENGINE TEMP WENT FROM "N" TOO RED BOX AT RIGHT OF GAUGE. DROVE TO DEALER, INFORMED MOST LIKELY A "HEAD GASKET" PROBLEM AND MAY HAVE DAMAGED ENGINE, NO WAY TO KNOW IF ENGINE IS DAMAGED UNITLL REPAIR IS ATTEMPTED.

SPEEDOMETER CABLE HAS FAILED FOR THE THIRD TIME.

TRANSMISSION FAILUE ON VEHICLE WITH ONLY 23,000 ORIGINAL MILES.

OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED. *ET

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *ET

NO SUMMARY

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WERE NOT ABLE TO SHIFT WHENEVER CONSUMER STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT. GOT READY TO PROCEED & HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. COULDN'T GO, HAD TO APPLY BRAKES TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. CONTACTED AMCO, AND THEY SAID THAT THE SERVO WAS CRACKED, AND LEAKING TRANSMISION FLUID INTERNALLY. CONTACTED THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE VEHICLE. TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR A FOLLOW UP AT AMCO, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE MOUNT IS CRACKED. *AK

ANTI-FREEZE. LEAK GOT INTO THE ENGINE. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING WHILE ENGINE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. BUT, AT THE TIME DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. IT WASN'T UNTIL AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED THAT THEY FOUND IT WAS AN ENGINE PROBLEM. LEAK COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 55 MPH CONSUMER COULD LOSE TRACK OF SPEED BECAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING. *AK

PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. NO INCURRING CONDITIONS

HEAD GASKET,TIMING CHAIN COVER AND WATER PUMP FAILED CAUSING LEAKAGE OF COOLANT. YH

ENGINE OIL PAN IS RUSTING UNDER THE PAINT . DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NO SUMMARY.

NO SUMMARY

CAR WAS BEING OPERATED ON IS HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED,CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE ALL FORWARD MOTION AND COASTED TO A STOP DURING RUSH HOUR. *AK

MY WIFE HAD BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE FORD DEALER (STAR FORD) THE PREVIOUS OCTOBER BECAUSE THE CAR HAD STALLED AND DIED IN AN INTERSECTION. NOTHING WAS FOUND TO BE WRONG. SHE HAD IT IN AGAIN FOR STANDARD SERVICING AND COMPLAINED ABOUT IT RUNNING ROUGH BUT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND WRONG. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO OVERHEAT AND RUN ROUGH. SHE MANAGED TO DRIVE IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. WE CONTACTED FORD SINCE MY WIFE HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THEM STATING THAT DUE TO REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKETS THEY WERE EXTENDING THE WARANTY UNTIL THE END OF 1997 OR 60,000 MILES. WE MISSED IT BY A MONTH AND A HALF, OR 5,000 MILES, AND THEY WOULD DO NOTHING TO HELP US OUT. WE HAD THE CAR REPAIRED BUT THIS PAST WEEK, ON OCT. 14 THE NEW HEAD GASKET BLEW. BASED ON THIS EXPERIENCE AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER LETTERS THAT I HAVE READ ON VARIOUS INTERNET WEB SITES, IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT SOMETHING IS DEFECTIVE WITH THIS PARTICULAR MOTOR. ALTHOUGH IN MY CASE, WE HAD NO DANGER INVOLVED WITH THE BREAKDOWN, WE WERE LUCKY TO BE DRIVING IN TOWN WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF HELP. FORD HAS APPARENTLY NOT DONE ANYTHING TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM FOR THE OLDER MODELS LIKE MINE OR EVEN NEWER MODELS. I CALLED THEIR SERVICE TECHNICIAN NUMBER STATING MY CONCERN THAT SHOULD I REPAIR THE CAR AGAIN AT CONSIDERABLE COST, IT WOULD PROBABLY NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I INDICATED THAT MY ONLY RECOURSE WAS TO TRADE THE CAR IN AND LET THE PENDING P

HEAD GASKET FAILED WHILE DRIVING, HOWEVER WHEN CONSUMER CALLED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED PER RECALL DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR BECAUSE THE CAR HAD OVER 50,000 MILES. NLM

THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS. WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE WILL JERK AND DOWNSHIFT LATE. WHEN ON AN INCLINE AND IN DRIVE POSITION, THE CAR WILL ROLL BACKWARDS. DEALER HAS VEHICLE NOW. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT 40 MPH TRANSMISSION SLIPPED, AND VEHICLE WOULD'NT GO ANYWHERE, AND SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO CONTROL DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

THE HEAD GASKETS WERE DEFECTIVE. REPAIRED AND DEFECTIVE A SECOND TIME. THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED. FORD MOTOR FINALLY ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY IN THE FORM OF FIXING IT AT NO COST. HOWEVER, 2.5 MONTHS LATER THE WATER PUMP, RADIATOR AND MOTOR MOUNTS ALL FAILED. FORD REFUSED TO ASSIST IN PAYING FOR THE PUMP AND RADIATOR. THEN REFUSED TO FIX THE MOTOR MOUNTS. I WENT TO THREE GARAGES WHO INDICATED TO ME THAT WHEN MAJOR ENGINE WORK IS DONE ($4,300 WORTH - ENGINE BLOCKS REPLACED) THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED THE OTHER ITEMS ALSO AS THEY WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER. WATER PUMP AND RADIATOR APPROX. $800 AND MOTOR MOUNTS APPROX $300.