1991 FORD TAURUS Complaints

2 TIRES WITH PARTIAL TREAD SEPARATION WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 9 MONTHS. THIRD TIRE SUFFERED COMPLETE, VIOLENT TREAD SEPARATION AT FREEWAY SPEED. DAMAGED WHEEL WELL AND BUMPER. TRIPPED FUEL EMERGENCY CUTOFF DUE TO VIOLENT SEPARATION. CONTROL OF VEHICLE NOT LOST, BUT SURE SCARED THE KIDS. 3 OF 4 COOPER TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *AK (DOT NUMBER: U9URC17057 TIRESIZE: 205/65R15)

WHILE DRIVING, COOPER GUARDMENS #SCR TIRE P205/70R14 LPLIT ALL THE DOWN ON THE SIDEWALL ON, TIRES WERE PURCHASED FROM SEARS, DOT PLT9FEKR136. *SLC

AIR BAG LIGHT BLINKING A CODE. FORD WANTS $600. TO REPAIR A REAR SENSOR. AIR BAG WILL NOT ACTIVATE IN A CRASH UNTIL THIS EXCESSIVE REPAIR AMOUNT IS PAID TO REPAIR. WE NEED HELP WITH THIS SAFETY ITEM, PLEASE.

AMPLIFIER FOR CRUISE CONTROL HAS BECAME DEFECTIVE, CAUSING GAS PEDAL TO STICK TO FLOOR AT VARIOUS TIMES UNEXPECTEDLY. CONSUMER MUST SHUTDOWN VEHICLE, AND TURN OFF THE IGINTION TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. ONCE VEHICLE IS RESTARTED PEDAL WILL RELEASE ITSELF. DEALER DISCONNECTED THE AMPLIFIER AND CRUISE CONTROL ELECTRICAL AND VACUUM BOX.*AK

OUR FIRESTONE TIRES FAILED IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS THE CURRENTLY RECALLED TIRES. MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING ON THE 210 FWY IN PASADENA AFTER AN HOUR-LONG DRIVE ON A HOT DAY IN SEPT. OUR TIRE "EXPLODED" IN AN UNUSUAL WAY: THE TREAD SIMPLY CAME DETACHED FROM THE TIRE. IT WAS NOT A "BLOW-OUT" IN THE USUAL SENSE--THE TIRE BENEATH THE TREAD WAS UNDAMAGED. THE TIRE WAS RELATIVELY NEW WITH MUCH TREAD-DEPTH LEFT ON IT. WHEN THE TREAD DETACHED, IT STRUCK THE REAR END OF THE CAR AND ACTIVATED THE FUEL PUMP RELAY SWITCH, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN. THANKFULLY, WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE FWY, BUT WERE IN EXTREME DANGER OF BEING REAR-ENDED, POSSIBLY LEADING TO INJURIES OR DEATH. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAD HAPPENED TO OUR FIRESTONE TIRES. ALL FOUR OF THE ORIGINAL FIRSTONE TIRES WE HAD PURCHASED IN 1993 HAD LOST TREAD IN THE SAME WAY, AND HAD BEEN REPLACED BY THE FIRESTONE DEALER AT A REDUCED COST (THE REAR 2 TIRES IN 1995 AND THE FRONT 2 IN 1997, ALL OF THEM FR680 205/65R15). THE DEALER ASSURED US THAT THE REPLACMENT TIRES WOULD PERFORM WELL. BUT ALL FAILED IN THE SAME WAY--THE TREAD CAME DETACHED, SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY. MY TRUST IN FIRESTONE LEAD ME TO REPLACE ALL THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES WITH IDENTICAL MODELS, BELIEVING THAT THE FIRST 4 MUST HAVE BEEN "FLUKES" AND THAT THE OTHERS WOULD BE FINE. BUT THEY WERE NOT; THE 5TH REPLACEMENT WAS THE LAST STRAW, WE SOLD THE CAR IN DECEMBER 1997 AND NEVER AGAIN PURCHASED FIRESTONES. PLEASE PLACE THESE TIRES UNDER SCRUTINY AS WELL, THERE MAY BE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN 4-DOOR SEDANS DRIVING WITH THESE UNSAFE TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: FR680 TIRE SIZE: 205/65R15 )

THE WHEEL MELTED IN A MANNER THAT CAUSED IT TO COME OFF THE AXLE; THE RETAINING WHEEL NUTS WERE COMPLETELY BYPASSED AND TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE. HAD MY SON BEEN ON THE FREEWAY.... PROBABLE SERIOUS INJURY TO HIMSELF AND OTHERS. K&S SERVICEMAN SAID HE HAD SEEN EVEN WORSE SITUATIONS WITH MELTDOWNS OF WHEEL. WHAT IDIOTS USE OTHER THAN STEEL FOR THE WHEEL? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIED BECAUSE OF THIS?

I AM REPORTING MY TRANSMISSION PROBLEM BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT PEOPLE, THAT HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE 1991 TRANSMISSIONS IN FORD'S WERE"KNOWN TO BE BAD" . I AM A SINGLE INCOME PERSON WITH 3 KIDS. I PAID SOMEONE $1200 TO FIX MY TRANSSMISSION. I DROVE IT LESS THAN 1 WEEEK AND IT WENT AGAIN. I CALLED THE PERSON AND TOLD THEM ABOUT IT AND NOW HE HAS HAD THE CAR FOR OVER 1 YEAR BECAUSE HE CANNOT FIX IT AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY AGAIN TO GET IT FIXED. I KNOW THAT IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM. BUT!! I FEEL THAT BECAUSE I HAVE CALLED AND TALKED TO SO MANY PEOPLE (DEALERS, TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS AND OTHER OWNERS OF 1991 FORD TAURUS') AND THEY ALL HAVE SAID THE SAME THING. THAT THE TRANSMISSIONS ARE BAD AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX, AND THAT ALOT OF TIMES EVEN WHEN FIXED (LIKE IN MY CASE, I BELIEVE) THEY CANNOT BE FIXED PROPERLY. SO, AS OF RIGHT NOW I AM OUT A CAR THAT I PAID $7,100 FOR AND THE $1200 DOLLARS FOR A TRANSMISSION. THE PERSON I HAD FIX MY TRANSSMISSION IS A CERTIFIED TRANSSMISSION SPECIALIST BUT I KNOW HE DID HIS JOB IN TRYING TO FIX IT. NOW HE DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO TRY TO FIX IT AND I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE!! I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBITY FOR THE 1991 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

MY DAUTHER WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 M.P.H. AND THE TRANSMATION WENT OUT. IT GAVE NO SINE OF IT GOING OUT. SHE WAS BARALY ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER CARS *AK

CONSUMER HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED MAY OF 1999, AND ON 9TH OF AUGUST VEHICLE STARTED TO MISS. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, TRANSMISSION WAS TOTALLY GONE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WENT TO PULL UP TO A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP IT POPS OUT OF GEAR TO NEUTRAL. HAVE TO REVERSE THE ENGINE IN ORDER TO PUT IT BACK IN GEAR. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT THE PISTON IS BAD IN THE TRANSMISSION, AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK