1994 FORD TAURUS Complaints

VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED ON THE FREEWAY, GOING TO 120 MPH. IT WENT SO LONG, WHILE HE WAS STANDING ON THE BRAKES IT BLEW OUT THE MOTOR, VEHICLE CRASHED, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES.*AK *YH

SERPENTINE DRIVE BELT AUTO TENSIONER SPRING SNAPPED. CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK. TRANSMISSION REMAINED IN DRIVE, ENGINE REMAINED ON. HAD TO JAM ON THE BRAKE BECAUSE OF NO STEERING CAPABILITY. WHEN TENSIONER SNAPPED IT RELEASED POWER FROM POWER STEERING, ALTENATOR, WATER PUMP, A/C CONDENSER, DRIVE TRAIN. CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN VIRTUALLY UNCONTROLLABLE AT HIGHER SPEED.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET; THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE SEEN REPEAT FAILURES; FORD HAS ALREADY HAD A RECALL FOR THIS PART AND NOW THEIR REPLACEMNETS ARE FAILING AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME MILEAGE (43,000 MILES EACH TIME); THE REPAIR WILL COST MORE THAN THE VEHICLE IS WORTH

GASKETS BEING USED TO REPAIR THE FAILED GASKETS ON THE 3.8L ENGINEER ARE ALSO FAILING.

CAR BEGAN TO ENGAGE IN GEAR WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR ACCELERATING. DURING THIS TIME CAR WOULD ACCELERATED RAPIDLY OR LURCH FORWARD. DUE TO A DEFECTIVE ALUMINUM CLUTCH PISTON HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH A STEEL ONE. REBUILD AXOD-E TRANSMISSION, K FRAME BOLT EXHAQUST GASKET.

I'VE SUBMITTED TWO PROBLEMS, WHICH ARE FROM TWO ENTIRELY SEPARATE INCIDENTS. THE HAD GASKET FAILURE OCCURRED LAST YEAR BUT I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS WEB SITE FOR REPORTING PROBLEMS. OUR MECHANIC HAS TOLD US THAT THESE TWO PROBLEMS ARE EXTREMELY FREQUENT WITH ALL FORD 3.8 ENGINES AND FOR ALL YEARS OF MFG. FORD WAS CONTACT WITH HEAD GASKET PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY 2000 MILES PAST WARRANTY, AND THEY ARE COVERING IT PAST THAT MILEAGE IN CANADA. *AK

ONE DAY THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPS TO THE FLOOR WHEN COMING TO A STOP. BRAKES PUMP UP OK. BLEED BRAKES WHEN I GET HOME, THEY'RE SOFTER THAN USUAL BUT STOP FINE. NOTICE SMOKE COMING FROM WINDSHIELD WIPER AREA AT A STOP ABOUT A WEEK LATER. OPEN HOOD, I DON'T SEE ANY VISUAL DAMAGE, SMOKE IS GONE BY THE TIME I CHECK.. 2 DAYS LATER BRAKE PEDAL DROPS TO THE FLOOR, DOESN'T PUMP UP. BLEEDING DOESN'T HELP, PEDAL STAYS SOFT. I NOTICE SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE A SWITCH OR SENSOR THAT SCREWS INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE MASTER CYLINDER. IT'S WET AND WHEN I FEEL IT I CAN TELL IT'S BRAKE FLUID. I TRY TO PULL OFF THE CONNECTOR BUT IT SNAPS OFF, I NOTICE THAT IT'S BEEN ON FIRE OR HAS BEEN VERY HOT. I CHECK WITH THE DEALER AND IT'S CALLED A HYDRAULIC DISCONNECT SWITCH, IT DISENGAGES THE SPEED CONTROL WHEN YOU PRESS ON THE BRAKES. APPARENTLY IT STARTED LEAKING AND THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I LOST THE PEDAL. APPARENTLY WHEN I NOTICED THE SMOKE IS THE TIME THE CONNECTOR BECAME VERY HOT OR WAS ON FIRE, BECAUSE THE HYDRAULIC SWITCH LEAKED AND ALLOWED BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK ONTO THE CONNECTOR. I ORDERED A SWITCH BUT IT'S ON NATIONAL BACK-ORDER. I STILL HAVE THE CHARRED SWITCH AND CAN CUT OFF THE CONNECTOR IF IT NEEDS TO BE INSPECTED.*AK

ENGINE WOULD NOT START, WHAN LAST RUNNING NOTICE WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST EXCESSIVELY THICK, VERIFED CONCERN EEC TEST-FUEL PLUGS FOULED VEHICLE REQUIRED PLUGS AND DIST CAP/ROTOR TO CONTINUE DIAG-REPLACED PLUGS/CAP/ROTOR-PINPOINT CUSTOMER CONCERN TO FAULTY HEAD GASKET, REMOVED HEADS, REPLACED GASKET, TEST HEADS FOR FLATNESS, REPLACE HEADS. RETEST VEHICLE 02 SENSOR AND TP SENSOR DAMAGED BY HEAD GASKET FAILURE-RECIEVED. REPLACEMENT CUSTOM DECLINED FAULTY SENSOR WILL TRIGGER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.

THE CAR FAILED TO START ON 8 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS,AFTER COOL DOWN CAR STARTED UP WIYH NO PROBLEMS. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHERS WERE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. CURRENTLY, THEY ARE NOT WORKING AT ALL. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHER FAILED DUE TO DESIGN FLAW. CONSUMER WANTS THE MANUFACTURER TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT THEIR EXPENSE. *YH