1990 FORD TAURUS Complaints

WHILE DRIVINHG ON THE HIGHWAY AND TURNING TO THE LEFT, STEERING BECOMES STIFF AND STICKS. DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM. *AK

THE BODY MOUNTS BECAME DETACHED FORM THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE MOTOR TO DROP. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE MAKE, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. MJS

THE ENGINE STALLED WHEN HOT AND CUT BACK ON AFTER COOLING. LAST TIME VEHICLE STALLED, AN ENGINE FIRE BROKE OUT. DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. *AK

SINCE MID 1997, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL REGULARLY. THEY USUALLY WORK, BUT OCCATIONALLY, THEY WILL STOP, OR SLOW DOWN TO AN UNUSABLE SPEED. SOMETIMES THIS CAN BE FIXED BY TURNING THEM OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN. SOMETIMES THIS DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I NOTIFIED FORD OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY SAID THEY WILL NOT PAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM, AS IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I BELIVE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, SINCE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAN STOP UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING IN STORMY WEATHER. THIS CAUSES SUDDEN LOSS OF VISIBILITY.

THE FRONT RIGHT DOOR CAME LOOSE AND OPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE DEALER TIGHTENED THE BOLT WHICH HOLDS THE DOOR CLOSED. THEY CHARGED ME ABOUT $60. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE DOOR LOOSENED AGAIN. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE DOOR COMES LOOSE OFTEN, AND HAS TO BE RETIGHTENED REGULARLY, AT A COST OF ABOUT $60. I NOTIFIED FORD, AND THEY SAID THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM, AS THE DOOR OPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE INJURY.

IN 1996, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASE FAILED. I HAD USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND NEEDED TO RELEASE IT QUICKLY. WHEN I PULL THE BRAKE RELEASE, IT BROKE OFF. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY. IT WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF ABOUT $90. THE SAME INCIDENT OCCURED AGAIN THIS YEAR (1999). I NOTIFIED FORD OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, AS A FAILURE OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASE IS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY PROBLEM. I BELIVE THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY PROBLEM. IF THE BRAKE IS PRESSED BY ACCIDENT, AND THE BRAKE RELEASE FAILS, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RELEASE WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION.

AFTER COMING TO A LIGHT AT AN INCLINE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED AND ALLOWED THE CAR TO START TO ROLL BACKWARDS INSTEAD OF GAS BEING APPLIED AND GOING FORWARD. VEHICLE NEEDS NEW TRANSMISSION. *AK

THERE IS A NOISE DUE TO ENGINE MOUNTS COMING LOOSE. DEALER SAID ENGINE MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE DEALER FOR A RECALL SERVICE TO REPLACE THE "SUB-FRAME REAR PLATE NUT". WHILE FIXING THE RECALL MATTER, THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE FRONT AND REAR ENGINE MOUNTS WERE BAD, AND THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF MOVEMENT IN THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, SOMETIMES RESULTING IN A "CLUNKING" NOISE BEING HEARD WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE OR PARK. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE MOUNTS SHOULD BE REPLACED AND WOULD COST ME $343.70. A FEW YEARS AGO, I HAD NOTICED THE MOVEMENT IN THE ENGINE WHEN THE CAR WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK OR REVERSE, AND HAD ASKED MY LOCAL GARAGE MECHANIC ABOUT IT. HE TOLD ME THE MOUNTS ON THE TAURUS WERE NOTORIOUSLY BAD, BUT MY PARTICULAR CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY A FORD RECALL. I DID NOT PURSUE REPLACING THE MOUNTS AT THAT TIME. HOWEVER, NOW THAT THIS RECALL NOTICE ON THE FRAME CAME OUT, I HAVE LOOKED AT MATERIAL AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET, AND SEE THAT THERE WAS A GENERAL RECALLFOR ENGINE MOUNT DETERIORATION ON THIS CAR IN MARCH 92. (92M77) I DO NOT THINK I RECEIVED A NOTICE OF THAT RECALL. SINCE I DRIVE MY 3 KIDS AROUND IN THIS CAR, I TRY TO KEEP IT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE AND DETERIORATING ENGINE MOUNTS IS A RECALL NOTICE I WOULD HAVE PURUSED. IN ANY EVENT, I CALLED THE DEALER (CENTURY FORD IN ROCKVILLE, MD) TODAY ASKING ABOUT THE ENGINE MOUNT DETERIORATION RECALL AND WHETHER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT AND REAR ENGINE MOUNTS SHOULD ALSO BE TAKEN CARE OF AT NO COST TO ME. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE PARAMETERS OF THAT RECALL WERE IN EFFECT ONLY FOR 60,000 MILES OR 6 YEARS. THEY SAID MY CURRENT MILEAGE, ABOUT 69,000, PUTS MY CAR OUTSIDE THAT LIMIT AND THEREFORE FORD WOULD NOT PAY THEM TO DO THAT WORK. (I.E. I MUST PAY.) I HAVE SINCE CALLED FORD AND ASKED THEM ABOUT THIS SITUATION AND THEY JUST SAID THEY'D DO NOTHING. I THINK THE DETERIORATION OF THE ENGINE MOUNTS SOUNDS LIKE A WELL-KNOWN (TO FORD, ANYWAY) PROBLEM ON THIS CAR AND SEEMS STRUCTURALLY TO BE INTRINSICALLY RELATED TO THIS OTHER RECALL ON THE SUB FRAME, AND POSSIBLY CAUSED BY IT.

FUEL INJECTION- CAR STALLS, WON'T ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. WIPERS- STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD, VISIBILITY HAMPERED. WHEELS- MAKING A SQUEEKING NOISE, WHEN INSPECTED FOUND LARGE CRACKS. OWNERS MANUAL WAS NOT INCLUDED WITH THE CAR. MOTOR MOUNTS KEEP BREAKING. SPARE WHEEL/TIRE THAT CAME WITH VEHICLE WAS RUSTED, PARTS OF THE JACK MISSING. POWER STEERING FLUID PUMP WAS CRACKED/LEAKING, HAD TO BE REPLACED. AIRCONDITIONER COMPRESSOR DID NOT WORK, BELT CONNECTED TO THE ALTERNATOR WOULD NOT MOVE, SO CAR WOULD NOT START. BRAKE CYLINDER LEAKING FLUID ONTO BRAKES. HOOD WILL NOT STAY UP.