1997 FORD TAURUS Complaints

1. STEERING AND POWER COMPLETELY FAILED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING AFTER ONLY TWO WEEKS AFTER BUYING CAR 2. HAD REPAIRED AT DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT IT,SOMETHING ABOUT MODULE, 3. AFTER ABOUT 4 MO. STARTED SAME PROBLEM AGAIN, NO RESPONSE FROM DEALER OR FORD ABOUT MY CONCERNS,CAUSED MY DAUGHTER TO HIT A TREE DAMAGING CAR HEAVILY AND CAUSING MY DAUGHTER TO HIT HER HEAD RESULTING IN HEADACHES 4. HAD CAR REPAIRED FROM ACCIDENT AND LET IT GO BACK BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT 5. NOW WE'RE BEING CONSTANTLY HARASSED BY FORD MOTORS LAWERS WELTMAN,WEINBERG & REIS 323 LAKESIDE AVE. CLEVELAND 44113-1099, PHONE216.739.5081 WITH GARNESHMENTS NOW THEY TRYING TO GET OUR SOCIAL SECURITY. *NM

ON DECEMBER 21, 2004 MY 1997 FORD TAURUS SHO BEGAN MAKING A TICKING NOISE. TWO DAYS (AND ABOUT 20 MILES) LATER, THE LEFT EXHAUST CAMSHAFT SPROCKET FAILED, CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL AND NOT RESTART. AS A RESULT OF THE SPROCKET SLIPPING, THE NO. 5 CYLINDER'S PISTON WAS CRACKED DUE TO COMING IN CONTACT WITH AN OPEN VALVE (THIS IS AN INTERFERENCE ENGINE). 15,000 MILES AGO, THE LEFT INTAKE CAMSHAFT SPROCKET FAILED, RESULTING IN A $2900.00 REPAIR BILL FROM A FORD DEALERSHIP. UNABLE TO AFFORD THE COST OF SUCH A REPAIR AT THIS TIME (NOT TO MENTION UNWILLING TO DEAL WITH THE SAME FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT WANTED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS HARDLY EVER HAPPENS AND THAT I MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO CAUSE IT THE FIRST TIME), I OPTED TO ATTEMPT THE PROCEDURE MYSELF. AFTER FINDING AND REMOVING THE FAULTY CAMSHAFT, I THOUGHT MY PROBLEMS WERE SOLVED UNTIL I CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS. THE NO. 5 CYLINDER PLUG WAS COVERED IN OIL, WHICH MEANS THERE IS A BAD PISTON/RING, AND MOST LIKELY VALVES. I AM CONSIDERING MY OPTIONS TO REPAIR OR PART THE CAR OUT NOW. I BELIEVE THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY BY FORD DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT WILL ARISE WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO SOMEONE ON A FREEWAY. THE LOSS OF POWER BRAKES AND STEERING THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A STALLED ENGINE COULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THROUGH TRAFFIC TO A "SAFE" SPOT ON THE SHOULDER. THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION ON THIS ISSUE AT WWW.V8SHO.COM (IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE SO MANY REGISTERED FAILURES WITHOUT THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF A PROBLEM BY FORD). *JB

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS INSPECTING HIS VEHICLE, HE FOUND THE SUBFRAME HAS RUSTED OUT. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER. BOTH CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. *NM

THE SEAT BELT IN MY VEHICLE RANDOMLY COMES UNFASTENED WHEN I AM DRIVING. EVEN WHEN I PULL ON THE BELT AFTER FASTENING THE BUCKLE AND IT SEEMS SECURE, IT SOMETIMES STILL POPS OUT. *AK

I WAS INVOLVED IN A ONE CAR ACCIDENT WITH SOME STONE GUARD RAILS ON ROUTE 18 NORTH IN EATONTOWN, NEW JERSEY. MY SEAT BELT RELEASE ON IMPACT AND SENT ME FLYING TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR ON TOP OF MY BOYFRIEND. ALSO THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. AND WE HIT THE GURAD RAILS AT 65 MPH. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR SOMETHING BACK FROM SOMEONE AT THE FORD HEADQUARTERS. BECAUSE MY BOYFRIEND AND I COULD HAV LOST OURS LIVES DUE TO THE DEFECTS OF THIS CAR. THE CAR IS TOTALED OUT. ANDMY BOYFRIEND ONLY WALKED AWAY WITH A BRUISED SHOULDER AND WHIPLASH, WHILE I ON THE OTHER HAND HAD A CONCUSSION, WHIPLASH AND VARIOUS MUSCLE STRAINS. I THANK MY GOD . *AK

VEHICLE MOVING DOWN A HILL. POWER BRAKES AND STEERING LOST POWER,ENGINE STILL RUNNING, BUT NO POWER TO BRAKES OR STEERING. FINALLY STOPPED VEHICLE WITH NO INCIDENT. TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND RESTARTED, POWER TO BRAKES AND STEERING RESTORED.*AK TOOK TO SERVICE.REPLACEMENT WAS MADE TO CAMSHAFT SENSOR. PROBLEM SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN CORRECTED, BUT RETURNED ABOUT 6 MOS. LATER...SAME CIRCUMSTANCES,ONLY IN FIRST INCIDENT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD BEEN APPEARING INTERMITTENTLY.

THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS. IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION WAS NO LONGER OPERABLE. *JB

THIS COMPLAINT WAS FILED VIA E-MAIL. THREE DAYS AFTER PURCHASING AND INSTALLING FOUR NEW TIRES, ONE OF THE TIRES WENT FLAT, AND A PIN HOLE LEAK WAS FOUND IN THE SIDEWALL, NEAR THE BEAD. TWO MONTHS LATER, MADE A LEFT TURN TOO WIDE AND CLIPPED A CURB. THIS RESULTED IN FRONT RIGHT TIRE LOOKING LIKE IT WAS CUT IN MULTIPLE PLACES THROUGH THE PLYS IN THE SIDEWALL. AT THE SAME TIME, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SHOWED A BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL. PEP BOYS IMPLIED THERE WAS NO DEFECT ON THESE TIRES, AND OFFERED NO WARRANTY COVERAGE. COOPER, FUTURA PLUS TOURING SE. *AK THE CONSUMER HAS THE DEFECTIVE TIRES IN HIS POSSESSION. *NM

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL REGARDING FRONT COILS SPRINGS WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY FRACTURE WHEN OPERATED IN HIGH CORROSION AREAS. *NM *SC THE CONSUMER HAD TO WAIT 5 MONTHS BEFORE GETTING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE DEALER WOULD ONLY REPLACED THE COIL SPRING IF THEY CRACKED. *JB

WHEN CONSUMER WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE STOPPED. THEN, SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE A NOISE. FROM THAT POINT ON EACH TIME VEHICLE CUT OFF, RESTARTED, AND MOVED A BIT. AFTERWARDS, VEHICLE CUT OFF AND CONSUMER RESTARTED IT UNTIL HE GOT HOME. THEN, HAD IT TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO TOLD HIM THAT THE SPROCKET CAME LOOSE. MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT BECAUSE THE LABOR AND PARTS WOULD COST ABOUT $6000.00 - $8000.00. CONSUMER TOLD MECHANIC NOT TO BOTHER BECAUSE HE COULD NOT AFFORD IT. HE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO HIS HOME. *AK THE CAM SHAFT WAS BROKEN, 2 CYLINDERS WENT BAD, THE TRANSMISSION WAS AFFECTED, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL POSSIBLY DUE TO THE COIL PACKS AND THE STRUTS WENT BAD. *SC