Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1997 record →
INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON AND STAY ON WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WHICH MAY CAUSE VISIBLE PROBLEM, AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE INTERIOR LIGHTS TWICE. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
TRANSAXLE HAD INTERNAL PARTS FAILURE. TRANSAXLE MADE A LOUD NOISE, THEN VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE.*AK
FALSE LIGHT SHOWING OPEN DOOR WILL NOT GO OFF, THEREFORE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT SHUT OFF/EVEN WHEN CAR IS OFF. *AK
THE CLIP THAT HOLDS THE FUEL LINE BROKE RESULTING A A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. NLM
HEATER CORE REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS DUE TO FAILURE, THE SECOND REPLACEMENT FAILED ALSO CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT. *MJS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
A FUNNY NOISE COMING FROM STEERING WHEEL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC INDICATED THAT AIR BAG WAS DEFECTIVE. CLOCK SPRING/CONNECT SWITCH WERE NOT WORKING. IT WAS DAMAGED. AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK *SLC
APPEARS TO BE A DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF SAFETY CRITICAL COMPONENT. WHILE ACCELERATING TO 40 MPH HEARD LOUD BANG AND FRONT OF CAR JUMPED. SUDDEN FAILURE/NO PREVIOUS WARNING SIGNS. OWNER (ME) SUSPECTED TRANSMISSION OR ENGINE MOUNT. DROVE HOME (3 MI.) AT SPEED LESS THAN 30--TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO SHIFT OK BUT WOULD JOLT ON UP SHIFT. MADE NOISE / "BUMPED" ON TURNING AT VERY LOW SPEED. DEALER HAD RECENTLY SERVICED TRANSMISSION (35,578 MI.). DEALERS SAID 2/3 HARDENED BOLTS SHEARED AND 1/3 WAS LOOSE IN FRONT? LOWER BLOCK MOUNT LOOSE. DEALER CLAIMS NO OTHER DAMAGE RESULTED / WILL LATER RESULT-WE SHALL SEE. TOOK APPROX 6 HR LABOR TO REPAIR. DEALER SAID IF OWNER HAD NOT HAD EXTENDED WARRANTEE ON DRIVE TRAIN, OWNER WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY ALL OUT OF POCKET. MOUNT BOLTS/BRACKET IS SUCH THAT OWNER CAN NOT EASILY CHECK- HAVE TO REMOVE CATY CONVT & R FRONT ENGINE MOUNT FOR ACCESS. BRACKET BOLTS IN TRIANGULAR PATTERN IN LOWER BLOCK- FRONT?. VEH NEVER IN ACCIDENT OR STRUCK; IN VG COND. VEH HAD 12,000 MI WHEN PURCHASED FROM DEALER'S SERVICE MGR'S WIFE. DRIVEN ON PAVED ROADS 8-12 MI/DAY 55 MPH MAX. NOT HOTRODDED. AM INTERSTED IF SAME PROBLEM IN OTHER TAURUS SHO V8 MODELS. *AK
WATER PUMP FAILED. DURING INSPECTION AND REPAIR A RUST COLORED FLUID WAS NOTICED TO BE CONTAMINATING COOLANT SYSTEM. *AK
NOTICED BROWN COOLANT DURING MAINTENANCE. HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH OVERHEATING ABOUT TWO WEEKS PRIOR. NOTIFIED MANUFACTURER, WAS TOLD OUT OF WARRANTY, NO RECALLS, NOT A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM. TOOK TO NON-DEALER SHOP. FOUND LEAKING HEAD GASKET. REPLACED HEAD GASKETS, THERMOSTAT, COOLANT OVERFLOW CONTAINER, AND ANTI-FREEZE. RESURFACED CYLINDER HEADS. PERFORMED COOLING SYSTEM FLUSH. DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AT ~50,000 MILES NOTICED BROWN COOLANT AGAIN.
RIGHT REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKING, FORD WILL NOT REPLACE IT DUE TO VEHICLE BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK
CONSUMER HEARD LOUD BUZZING NOISE WHEN TURNING, UPON INSPECTION THE THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS FULL OF RUST, TECHNICIAN INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSALVAGEABLE AND THAT IT HAD BEEN SUBMERGED IN WATER. NLM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
BRAKES KEEP WARPING. MATERIALS THAT ARE USED FOR BRAKE PADS CAUSE ROTORS TO OVERHEAT & BECOME WARPED. EVERY TIME BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE WOULD SHIMMY. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES & MECHANIC CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
I OWN A 97 FORD TAURUS THAT LIKES TO PING. IT STARTED IN 1998 AND AT THE START OF A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP, WENT AWAY, BUT CAME BACK. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER IN TACOMA WA, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY CLEANED A CYLINDER AND THAT THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS THAT LIGHT PINGING IS OK. THEY BLEW ME OFF. I MOVED TO FORT KNOX, KY AND THE WHOLE TRIP IT LIGHTLY PINGED. I PUT ON OVER 5,000 MILES IN LESS THAN A MONTH SO IT ISN'T CARBON. USED NAME BRAND FUEL THE WHOLE TRIP. IT GOT TO THE POINT HERE THAT I TOOK IT BACK TO FORD AND WAS TOLD BY FORD, THAT FORD HAS THIS "PINGING"PROBLEM IN ALL THEIR ENGINES. V-6 TO V-8 AND IN DIFF. VEHICLES. HE HAD JUST REPLACED A 4.0 LITER THAT DAY. . HE WOULDN'T HELP ME BECAUSE I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 3 MONTHS, HAVE 37,000 ON THE FORD AND I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH DOCUMENTATION ON THE PROBLEM. I WORK WITH A GUY WHO OWNS A 98 TAURUS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE CHANGED FUEL BRANDS AND OCTANE RATINGS AND IT DOESN'T GO AWAY. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT TAKES A FEW HOURS OF DRIVING TO START ACTING UP, BUT IT IS THERE. HILLS, STEADY DRIVING, CITY DRIVING, IT DOESN'T MATTER. I AM WORRIED THAT I WILL EAT AN ENGINE AND FORD WILL TELL ME "OH WELL". CAN YOU SHED ANY LIGHT ON THIS FORD KNOWN PROBLEM? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
MY BOSS HAS A 1998 TAURUS AND TRANSMISSION FAILED. OUR REGIONAL OFFICE IN MIAMI NO LONGER USES THE TAURUS DUE TO REPEATED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THOSE VEHICLES ARE IN A FLEET OF LEASED AUTO FOR THE COMPANY. *AK
FUEL SPITTING OUT OF FILLER NECK, AND FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. VEHICLE BEEN AT DEALERS SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. *AK THE NOZZLE SHUTS OFF WHEN FILLING THE GAS TANK AND THE TANK SPITS OUT GAS. THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT THE FUEL GUAGE STILL MALFUNCTIONS. *YH
GAS GAUGE READS EMPTY WHEN FULL, DIGITAL MILES LEFT GAUGE READ 0, THREE OF FOUR TAURUS'S WITHIN THE FLEET HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS GAUGE. *MJS
GAS GAUGE READS EMPTY WHEN FULL, DIGITAL MILES LEFT GAUGE READ 0, THREE OF FOUR TAURUS'S WITHIN THE FLEET HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS GAUGE. *MJS
VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE & WOULDN'T STAY RUNNING. WIRES FOR FUEL PUMP HAD RUBBED AGAINST FLEX HOSE, CAUSING IT TO EXPOSE THE WIRES & SHORT OUT. DEALER COLD DO NOTHING BECAUSE NO RECALL. *AK ALSO THE CV JOINTS FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION PAN CRACKED. THE BRAKES VIBRATED CAUSING THE STEERING TO VIBRATE TERREBLY. THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER SAYS, MUST BE DEFECTIVE. *YH
GEAR BROKE INSIDE TRANSMISSION AND EXPLODED OUTWARDS, BREAKING THE CASE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THEY TOOK CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *AK DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY HAD EXCESSIVE TEETH DAMAGED AND PROBABLY CAUSED CASE TO BREAK OUTWARD. *YH
COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING AT ONLY 37,204 MILES . PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
COOLANT FLUID SHOT OUT OF RADIATOR ONTO ENGINE AND VENTS, AND MIST APPEARED ALL OVER PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. TOOK TO DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED RADIATOR AND HOSES. FIVE MONTHS LATER, WATER WAS LEAKING FROM BOTTOM OF VEHICLE, TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS RELATED TO HEATER CORE RECALL. DEALER THEY REPLACED HEATER CORE PUMP ASSEMBLY AND CORE ASSEMBLY. 14 MONTHS LATER, RADIATOR STARTED LEAKING. DEALER SAID IT WAS PART OF THE SAME RECALL, BUT THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE CONSUMER.*AK
NO SUMMARY
NO SUMMARY
EVER SINCE TIRE SEPERATED AND WE WENT OFF THE ROAD, EVEN THE SECOND SET OF NEW TIRES WON'T STAY BALENCED. ONE TO TWO TIMES A MONTH HAVE HAD TO HAVE TIRES RE-BALENCED. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. THE FORD DEALER CLAIMS THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND GENERAL TIRES HAVE NOT RETURNED OUR CALLS. (TIRESIZE: P205/65R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )
TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY SLIPPED FOR 30SECONDS TO A MINUTES BEFORE ENGAGING
WHEN SUN HITS VEHICLE OR EVEN WHEN TEMPERATURE IS HOT AT NIGHT, INTERIOR LIGHTS AND DOOR AJAR LIGHT COME ON. LIGHTS STAY ON FOR AN HOUR OR MORE BEFORE GOING OUT. THIS CAUSES POOR DRIVER'S VISIBILITY WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM.
AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE. *SLC
BOUGHT CAR 1-97 IN OCTOBER OF 97 TOOK IN TO DEALER FOR NOISE WHEN STEERING--SAID NOTHING WRONG IN JAN 98 TOOK TO OUR MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD RACK AND PINION WAS MAKING THE NOISE--TOOK BACK TO DEALER THEY SAID RACK AND PINION SHOULD OF BEEN REPLACED BEFORE COMING OFF LOT BECAUSE OF SAFETY UPGRADE BUT WAS NEVER REPLACED!! SO THEY DID REPLACE IT---THEN IN 1999 TOOK CAR BACK FOR POWER STEERING LEAK--THEY COULD NOT FIND ONE--NOW I HAVE OBVIOUSLY LEAK WITH ONLY 15,000 MILES ON CAR--AND DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO HELP FIX SINCE MY WARRANTY IS OVER!! ANY OTHER PROBLEMS LIKE THIS???
WINDSHIELD WIPER SPEED CHANGES FROM SETTING,SOMETIMES TO ONLY INTERMITTENT. OCCURS AFTER WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE USED FOR A WHILE, AND WHEN TURN SIGNALS ARE USED. DEALER COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM.*AK
AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR, DON'T KNOW WHEN TO EXPECT NEXT FAILURE. NO CONTACT FROM MANUFACTURER, DO THEY CARE?NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS UP AND DOWN WHEN YOU MAINTAIN A STEADY SPEED OF APPROX. 60 MILES AN HOUR. THE WHOLE CAR JERKS WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IT FEELS LIKE THE POWER TO THE CAR TURNS OFF IT IS SUCH A HARD SHIFT. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM AT 32,000 MILES TO JIM SKINNER FORD. THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, "TAURUS'S DO THAT". IT ALSO JERKS REALLY HARD WHEN I SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE BUT THEY SAID THIS IS NORMAL ALSO. PERIODICALLY, WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP IT SURGES FORWARD. *AK
THE CAR BARELY MOVES, IF AT ALL, WHEN IN ANY GEAR. TRANSMISSION IS MAKING A LOUD BUZZING NOISE. FLUID WAS CHECKED AND IS NOT LOW. *AK
BEARINGS FAILED. NLM
A VEHICLE WHICH IS LESS THAN THREE YEARS OLD SUFFERS A FAILED CLUTCH ON THE AIR CONDITIONER. AFTER CHECKING INTO POSSIBLE PART RECALLS THROUGH NHTSA, A HARD COPY SHOWS THE LAYOUT OF WHAT THE PART SHOULD LOOK LIKE , WITH SERIAL NUMBERS TO IDENTIFY THE PART. UPON INSPECTION OF THE COMPRESSOR, NO SERIAL NUMBERS WERE FOUND, JUST WHAT TYPE OF REFRIDGERANT SHOULD BE USED. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE PART I NOW POSSESS IS NOT THE ORIGINAL PART THAT WAS USED AT TIME OF MANUFACTURE. FURTHER RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS PROBLEM IS FREQUENT WITH THE TAURUS, BUT MY SPECIFIC MODEL HAS YET TO BE LISTED. I NOW WISH TO MAKE IT KNOWN. THE THEORY OF THE PART NOT BEING THE ORIGINAL SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WAS PASSED OVER AND SUPPRESSED FROM THE CONSUMER. ADDITIONALLY, AS OF 09/15/00 ONE OF THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED AND NO LONGER WORKS. THIS ON A VEHICLE LESS THAN THREE YEARS OLD. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A VEHICLE FOR TEN YEARS AND NEVER HAD THESE SORT OF PROBLEMS. I WISH TO RELAY THE INFORMATION OF WHAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH WITH THIS MODEL FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 TO 50 MPH DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
SERVICE BULLETIN 98-3-7: INTERMITTENT NEUTRAL CONDITION - NO WARRANTY COVERAGE EVEN THOUGH FORD HAS UPGRADED THE PART. DEALER QUOTE WAS $2500. TRANSMISSION SHOP UPGRADED FOR $1500. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE TIRE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE BODY AS HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE FIRESTONE TIRES UNDER RECALL. AT NO TIME DID THE TIRE DEFLATE. WHEN THE TREAD CAP SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE IT FLEW UP ONTO THE FENDER AREA AND CAUSED SOME SCRATCHING. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITHOUT INCIDENT OR INJURY TO ANY OF THE PASSENGERS AND NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED.( DOT NUMBER: A3UR442117 TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )
WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR WE DISCOVER SHORTLY AFTER IT HAD BEEN BADLY RECKED THEY DID NOT TELL US TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP AND THEY HAD A WHOLE NEW FRONT END ON SEVERAL PEICES OF GLASS WAS STILL IN THE CAR HAS HAD A POPPING NIOSE SINCE WE BOUGHT IT THEY KEEP SAYING THEY DONT HEAR IT THEY KEPT IT SO LONG EACH TIME WE TOOK IT TO THEM WE HAD A ENGINE PUT IN IT AFTER NOT EVEN A YEAR HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS AND THERE IS NO WARRANTY SO WE PAY FOR EVERY THING BUT IT HAS BEEN A LEMON EVER SINCE WE BOUGHT IT THE CAR LOT TRIED TO SAY THEY DIDNT KNOW IT HAD BEEN VERY BADLY WRECKED DIDNT TAKE ANY OFF THE PRICE AFTER WE FOUND OUT AND THE DOOR DOONT EVEN LINE UP RIGHT.
ENGINE HEAD GASKETS HAVE BLOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 15MPH AND RAN OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER, AND FRONTS WHEELS LOCKED UP. THERE WAS A HORRIBLE OF NOISE, AND BATTERY LIGHTS CAME ON. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
TREAD SEPARATION FAILURE, FIRESTONE FR680 P205/65 92S M+S, DOT HYUR F6A 353( DOT NUMBER: HYURF6A353 TIRE SIZE: P205/6592S )
WHEN IT RAINS AND CONSUMER TURNS ON WINDSHIELD WIPERS THERE IS A GRAYISH FUME THAT COVERS WINDSHIELD, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.*AK
CONSUME RWAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY BECAUSE SHE HEARD A BUMPING NOISE. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER, AND SHE DISCOVERED THAT RIGHT PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, ONE BIG CHUNK OFF TIRE. TIRES WERE GENERAL #G45 205/70 R15. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP.*AK
BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IS THROTTLE "STICKS" IT IS AN ELECTRONICS CONTROL PROBLEM BUT SIMILAR TO OLDER CARS WHERE AUTO CHOKES STUCK, WHEN COMING TO A STOP ENGINE WILL CONTINUE AT 2500 TO 3000 RPM AND YOU HAVE TO STAND ON THE BRAKES TO STOP. PROBLEM IS ONGOING AND HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS WITH MANY VISITS OVER LAST TWO YEARS WITH NO RESULT. ONE DEALER TOLD ME THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT PROBLEM BUT HAS NO GOOD FIX. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AT TIMES AS CAR WILL CRUISE AT 30 MPH WITH FOOT OFF THROTTLE. IT WILL USUALLY IDLE DOWN AFTER A FEW SECONDS BUT VERY DANGEROUS IN GARAGE AND PARKING SITUATIONS. ALSO IF YOU ACCELERATE (AS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION) AND THAN SUDDENLY LIFT OFF THE THROTTLE, IT CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE. I NEARLY RAN OVER A PEDESTRIAN WHO STEPPED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. I AM NOT ONE TO BE TO PICKY ABOUT CARS BUT AFTER RESEARCHING YOUR SITE, IT APPEARS THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED NUMEROUS TIMES.
TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING ONTO THE CATALYIC CONVERTER. VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 97V097000. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND MECHANIC SAID THAT IT WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE, CONSUMER FELT IT WAS TOO SOON TO HAVE A NEW ENGINE.*AK
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
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