1997 Ford Taurus complaints

TREAD FAILED AND 20% CAME OFF TIRE. TIRE DID NOT BLOW. ABLE TO STOP SAFELY. DAMAGED FENDER AS IT CAME OFF CAR.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205R6515 )

I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE FORD TAURUS MFR. NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT..

DEAR GENERAL, ON 6/17/00, I PURCHASE A USED VEHICLE FROM GERMAIN BIG LOT, NAPLES, FLORIDA. THE VEHICLE PURCHASED WAS A 1997 FORD TAURUS GL, VIN# [XXX]. ON THE DATE OF PURCHASED, DURING MY TEST DRIVE, I QUESTION THE SALESWOMAN ABOUT THE FEEL OF THE BRAKES. HER REPLY WAS THAT I WAS USED TO DISC BRAKES AND THAT THE TAURUS HAD ANTI LOCK BRAKES AND I WOULD GET USED TO THE FEEL. UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY WOULD PULSATE AND THE CAR WOULD EXPERIENCE SOME VIBRATION. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN GOOD FAITH AND UNDER THE ASSUMPTION I WOULD GET USED TO IT. THE SALES PERSON ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR HAD JUST LESS THAN 25,000 MILES AND THAT IT HAD FACTORY WARRANTY UP TO 36,000. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

REAR MOTOR MOUNTS ARE WORN OUT. BUT UNDER WARRANTY, AND DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE MOUNTS UNTIL THEY BREAK. *AK OWNER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE OR MODELS HAVE PEMATURE BREAKDOWN OF MOTOR MOUNTS. *YH

POWER STEERING GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

IT ISN'T JUST THE SUV'S WHERE THIS TIRE FAILURE IS OCCURRING--FORTUNATELY I MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE BEFORE WITH LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON ORIGINAL FORD TIRES. *AK

BOUGHT 97 FORD TAURUS USED. NOTICED BROWN COOLANT AFTER PURCHASE (MAR 00). CAR BEGAN OVERHEATING IN SUMMER, RESULTING IN BLOWN HEAD GASKET REQUIRING EXTENSIVE ENGINE WORK. RADIATOR WAS DETERMINED TO BE BAD, REQUIRED REPLACEMENT TO TUNE OF $2300 FOR TOTAL REPAIR. HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT RECALL OF PRODUCT HAS BEEN OUT (98B23) DUE TO FAULTY COOLING SYSTEM AND A COOLING SYSTEM BYPASS KIT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED (WAS NOT). AFTER WORK WAS DONE, ENGINE OVERHEATED AGAIN TWO WEEKS LATER (1 AUG 2000). I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS, AND FORD HAS NOT BEEN ANY HELP AT ALL; THE DEALERSHIP JUST WANTS MY MONEY AND MORE COSTLY REPAIRS. *AKY

TRANSMISSION REPEATEDLY HAD PROBLEMS SLAMMING/JUMPING, AND HOPPING OUT, THEN FINALLY QUIT FORD DIDN'T CARE.*AK

ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 35,000 MILES REPLACED BY A FACTORY REBUILT DEALER TRANNY. SECOND TRANNY FAILED AT 43000, DEALER STATED THAT NO FACTORY REBUILTS WERE AVAILABLE. REBULT TRANSMISSION INHOUSE. BOTH TRANSMISSIONS FAILED DUE TO SHIFTING FROM 1 TO NEUTRAL. AFTER THE REPAIR OF THE SECOND TRANSMISSION THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE BY ITSELF . STARTING FROM A STOP , PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE CAR SHIFTS FROM 1 TO 2 ND TO 3RD , IF I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDEL THE CAR CONTINUES TO GAIN SPEED AND THE TACH NEEDLE DOES NOT DROP DOWN BUT CONTINUES TO STAY IN THE 2 TO 3 THOUSAND RPM RANGE, IT I PUT THE TRANNY IN NEUTRAL THE TACH NEED JUMPS UP TO 3,000 RPMS. *AK

ENGINE COOLANT SYSTEM CORRODED TURNING BROWN. CHANGED COOLANT, RADIATOR ASSY - REMMOVED, EXPANSION COOLANT REMOVED - REPLACED AT 27473 MILES AND RECENTLY CHANGED COOLANT AT 33322, STILL CORRODING. FAILURE WITH POWER TRAN, GEAR CHANGE PROBLEM, OVERHUALED POWER TRAN AT 33290. RECEIVED BAD SERVICE AT GALPIN FORD. GALPIN FORD DID NOT HONERD MY WARRANTY, HAD TO CALL FORD TO ENFORCE THE WARRANTY. GALPIN FORD REFUSED TO FIXED THE COOLANT PROBLEM, GALPIN FORD LEFT OFF THE CAP ON THE RADIATOR , WHILE I WAS DRIVING NOTICE IT AND DID REPORT TO GALPIN FORD. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE ENGINE FAILED WITH NO WARNING. AT 55 MPH, ENGINE LOST POWER, OVERHEATED WITH NO INDICATION FROM TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND QUIT. BROWN CRAP SPEWED FROM THE RADIATOR. LOST ALL FLUIDS. DIAGNOSTICS REVEALED ENGINE HEADS WERE CRACKED AND THE COMPRESSION TEST WAS LOW ON TWO CYLINDERS. A NEW ENGINE WAS REQUIRED. *AK

TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING PRIOR TO FAILURE. YH

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES TO COME TO A GRADUAL STOP AND BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED, THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE . WITH FULL PRESSURE ON BRAKES, VEHICLE KEPT GOING ABOUT 200 YARDS BEFORE VEHICLE STOPPED, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND FAILED WHEN ACCELERATING AND SLAMMED INTO 2ND GEAR THEN REFUSED TO POWER/ WORK AT ALL - 3RD REVERSE PISTON CRACKED DEALER SAID NEEDS REPLACING AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *AK

WHEN STARTING UP VEHICLE AND PUT IT IN GEAR, REACH ABOUT 25MPH AND DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. THEN, ENGINE REVS UP TO 4,000 RPMS AND WHEN REACH 30MPH IT SHIFTS. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

VEHICLE SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL WHEN AT A STOP POSITION. WHILE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY DEALER SAID THIS WAS NORMAL. VALVE BODY HAS BEEN REPLACED, PROBLEM HAS NOT REOCCURRED, ALTHOUGH THERE IS ROUGH SHIFTING. *AK *ML

A KNOCKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. AIR CONDITIONER BELT CAME LOOSE. *AK

NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON DUE TO THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT BEING ON IT ONLY HAPPENS AFTER NOON WHEN TH CAR IS PARKED IN THE SUN LIGHT AND AFRAID TO CAUSE ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE DRIVERS UNDERDASH LIGHT BEING SO BRIGHT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A WATER PUDDLE, THE VEHICLE AND DRIVER EXPERIENCED AN APPROXIMATE 4-5 SECOND LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT CAME ON. *AK *ML

WHEN DRIVING ON WET STREETS OR OVER AN PUDDLE I LOOSE ALL STEERING AND CONTROLL OF CAR. ESPECIALLY WHEN I MAKE AN RIGHT HAND TURNS. BELTS SQUEEL FOR 10 TO 30 SECONDS AND THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS AWWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME IN SEVEN MONTHS CORE HAS FAILED,SAFETY INVOLVED IN THAT WINDSHIELD FOGS ON FAILURE. *AK

EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION HESITATION WHILE SLOWING DOWN INTO A TURN AND ROUGH TRANSITION ( BANGING) WHEN REAPPLYING ACCELERATION COMING OUT OF THE TURN. FORD DEALER REPORTS AFTER DIAGNOSTIC AND TEAR DOWN THAT PROBLEM WAS IN TRANSMISSION FORWARD CLUTCHES AND TORQUE CONVERTOR AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. TRANSMISSION ONLY HAS 48500 MILES AND ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 46000 MILES WITH ONLY SUBTLE ROUGH TRANSIENT SHIFTING AT FIRST. PROBLEM GREW WORSE WITH BANGING AND WHOLE CAR VIBRATION AT TIMES. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND WILL CONTACT SERVICE MANAGER FOR A DETAILED EXPLANATION OF WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED PROBLEM SO THAT A DECISION CAN BE REACHED FOR AN OUT OF WARRANTY COMPONENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SITUATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING EITHER IN RAIN OR OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER AND MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN , WATER WILL GET INTO THE SERPENTINE BELT, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING FOR ABOUT 30-60 SECONDS . THERE IS NO GUARD OR SHIELD TO PROTECT BELTS FROM GETTING WET. FORD CLAIMS THEY CANNOT FIX DEFECT. *AK *ML

PROBLEM 1: DUE TO SIGNIFICANT FRONT END VIBRATION AT SPEEDS AT OR OVER 40 MPH, THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH TIE-ROD ENDS ON A CAR JUST OVER 3 YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES. PROBLEM 2: DISCOVERED THE SAFETY INFORMATION PLACARD ON THE DOOR POST DOES NOT LIST MANDATROY INFORMATION ABOUT TIRE AIR PRESSURES. THE OWNER'S MANUAL REFERS TO THIS PLACARD, BUT ALSO DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY TIRE PRESSURE INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME ON AND STAY FOR ABOUT A MONTH. DEALER COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION SLIPS UNEXPECTEDLY, DEALER SAYS IT'S FAULTY. *AK *ML

WHEN I STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE TRANSMISSION DROPS IN TO NEUTRAL AND DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO GEAR, YOU HAVE TO REV THE ENGINE TO GET IT TO MOVE AND THEN THE TRANS. JERKS REAL HARD, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE CERVO'S AT FIRST AND NOW THE ARE SAYING A SENSOR IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM BUT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT SINCE THE WARRANTY IS OUT! *AK

AIR CONDITIONER WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL UNIT FOR THAT YEAR. REPLACEMENT OF THE UNIT COSTS 1500 DOLLARS AND EVERY PART MUST BE REPLACED. NO COMPRESSOR CAN BE PURCHASED TO REPLACE THE OLD ONE. *AK

WHILE FREEWAY DRIVING, THE CAR DIED. NO WARNING LIGHTSOR ANY OTHER VISABLE PROBLEMS. TOWED TO NEAREST DEALER AND WERE TOLD THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN AND COULD HAVE ANOTHER FOR 5,500.00. TOWED THE CAR HOME AND FOUND THE COOLING RESIVORE WAS CRACKED AND HAD EMPITIED ALL COOLENT. WE FIND FROM FORD MOTORS THAT THIS WAS A RECALL ITEM, AND WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED. *AK

ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSED POWER WINDOWS TO FAIL. ALSO, STEERING MALFUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND APPOINTMENT WAS RECEIVED. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAS WHINING SOUND WHEN LETTING OFF THE GAS. *AK

JUST THE TRANMISSION PROBLEMS. *AK

THE RADIO SHORTED OUT, AND CAUSED A FIRE WHILE DRIVING. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED TO GET OUT OF FIRST GEAR CAUSING PROBLEMS IN TRAFFIC. TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AT RIVERVIEW FORD-MERCURY IN COLUMBIA, IL. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHIICLE. *AK

SQUEAKING IN FRONT END, HAD TO HAVE TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED THEN THERE IS STILL A POPPING IN THE FRONT END WHEN I TURN THE WHEELS TO MAKE A TURN. *AK

ENGINE COOLANT IS TURNING BROWN. CHANGED COOLANT AT 20,000 MILES AND RECENTLY CHANGED AGAIN AT 45,000.SHOUD NOT BE HAPPENING ON A 97' VEHICLE.

TRANSMISSION STARTED TO FAIL BY NOT GOING INTO GEAR IN THE MORNING, IT THEN WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 20 MPH AND HAD TO BE TAKEN BACK TO WHERE I PURCHASED IT AFTER I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY DID NOT WANT TO HELP AND BASICALLY DID NOT WANT ANY PART OF MY PROBLEM. WHEN I ASKED FORD IF ALOT OF TAURUS' HAVE THIS PROBLEM THEY REFUSED TO RELEASE THAT INFORMATION. I THINK I HAVE A ROGHT TO KNOW SINCE I AM AN OWNER OF A TAURUS AND I STILL OWE A VERY LARGE SUM OF MONEY ON THIS CAR. I THEN CHECKED IN TO IT MYSELF AND FOUND MIND-BOGGLING STORIES OF HOW FORD WILL NOT MAKE GOOD ON THESE TAURUS'. THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE STUCK WITH THIS TYPE IF CAR WITH A BAD TRANSMISSION IT IS HORRIBLE, A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CO. WILL NOT MAKE GOOD ON THESE CARS THEY KNOW ARE BAD. *AK

THE HEADLIGHT BEZEL IS DISCOLORED. THERE APPEARS TO BE A FOG INSIDE THE BEZEL. THE DEALER STATES THAT THIS IS NOT A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE DEALER STATES "SOMETHING" MUST HAVE BEEN SPRAYED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BEZEL. I WAS TOLD THAT SOME OF THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE A GASKET LEAK AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGAURDING THIS PROBLEM? *AK

WAS DRIVING & LOST CONTROL. HIT A SIGN, THEN HEAD-ON INTO A CEMENT WALL & BLACKED OUT. AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED SOME INJURIES. REFUSED TREATMENT UNTIL MUCH LATER. AIR BAGS HAD PREVIOUSLY DEPLOYED IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT & WERE REPAIRED. *AK *ML

CONSUMER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL PRIOR TO PURCHASE, VEHICLE DENIED RECALL REPAIR DUE TO TIME RESTRICTIONS. (98B2) *MJS

WHEN CONSUMER HAS VEHICLE IN PARK GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT MOVE IN DRIVE. GEAR SHIFT IS STUCK. *AK

DOOR AJAR LIGHT ON DASH STAYS ON. SOMETIMES OCASIONALLY IT GOES OFF, INTERIOR LIGHTS WON'T GO OFF BECAUSE OF IT, RESULTING IN A DEAD BATTERY, BACK WINDOW DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF. THE DEALER THINKS I'M CRAZY CAUSE WHENEVER I TAKE IT IN TO BE REPAIRED THE LIGHTS ARE ALL OFF. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A RELAY SWITCH AND THEY SAID THEY FIXED IT AND IT STILL IS BROKEN. *AK

IN COLD WEATHER ENGINE IDLES HIGH. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE 3 TIMES, AND REPLACED SENSOR ON ENGINE. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH WARPED ROTORS. ROTORS HAD BEEN TURNED TWICE DUE TO VIBRATION BUT IT REOCCURRED. DEALER ONLY WANTED TO TURN THE ROTORS AGAIN. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE DONE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK *ML

BELT SEPARATION IN THREE OUT OF FOUR OF THE OEM TIRES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: M6T4 TIRE SIZE: 225-55ZR16 )

#1 DOOR AJAR LIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND DOME LIGHT ON EVEN THOUGH ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED. *AK

ENGINE OPERATES ROUGHLY. *AK