1998 FORD TAURUS Complaints

MY CAR PROBLEM HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS. WHEN I HIT A PUDDLE ON THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE THE POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK FOR SEVERAL SECONDS, THOUGH THE ENGINE RUNS FINE. WHEN I HIT THE WATER IT SPLASHES UP AND GETS THE BELT TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP WET AND ALL POWER STEERING GOES OUT FOR 5 TO 10 SECONDS. THIS IS A NIGHTMARE IN TRAFFIC. *AK

WHEN THE CONSUMER REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED MORE. VEHICLE SEEMED TO "RUN" FROM DRIVER WHICH CAUSED HIM TO BRAKE MORE OFTEN THAN NECESSARY, ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING DOWN HILL. *AK *PH *JB

EXHAUST PROBLEMS WITH 1998 FORD TAURUS. NAR 07092003 *MR FORD DEALER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE PART, HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE IT. THE CONSUMER HOPED THAT A NATIONAL RECALL WOULD BE INITIATED TO INSPECT THE POTENTIAL DEADLY CONDITIONS. *CB *JB

TODAY, WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 55 MPH ON RTE 1, MY 1998 FORD TAURUS WAGON SUDDENLY STARTING TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AS LOUD NOISES LIKE BOTTOMING OUT ON SEVERAL BOULDERS EMANATED FROM BENEATH THE CAR. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN SMOOTHLY AND THE A/C PUMPED OUT COOL AIR, BUT WHEN THE CAR CAME TO REST AT A STOP LIGHT IT DID NOT MOVE FORWARD UNTIL THE RPM GOT QUITE HIGH AND ONLY THEN AT A VERY SLOW, HERKY, JERKY PACE. THE CAR SMOOTHED OUT AT AROUND 25-30 MPH, BUT THE PROBLEM GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I NOTICED BLUE-GRAY SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR AND PARKED THE CAR IN A RELATIVELY SAFE PLACE. I NOTICED LIQUID DRIPPING FROM BENEATH THE CAR NEAR THE REAR OF THE OIL PAN. MY HUSBAND CHECKED ON THE CAR ON HIS WAY HOME FROM WORK TO ASCERTAIN THAT THE LIQUID IS TRANSMISSION FLUID. WITHOUT HUMOR I RECALLED A WOMAN TELLING ME JUST TWO WEEKS AGO THAT SHE HAD A CAR JUST LIKE MINE THAT SHE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN RECENTLY, AND I TOLD HER AT THE TIME THAT MY CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ON RTE 1 AND NOT ON I-95, AND IN THE DAY TIME ON A HOT SUNNY DAY AND NOT ON A COLD, WET NIGHT. *NLM

WHEN MAKING LEFT OF RIGHT TURNS A GRINDING NOISE COULD BE HEARD. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED RACK AND PINION STEERING ON 6/17/2003. *AK

WHEN TURNING RIGHT AT A STREET CORNER IN THE RAIN THE POWER STEERING WILL MOMENTARILY FAIL. THE DRIVE BELT WILL MAKE A SLIGHT SQUEAL WHEN IT RE-ENGAGES. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS INADEQUAGE SPLASH SHIELDING INSIDE THE RIGHT HAND WHEEL WELL SUCH THAT WATER IS THROWN UP ON THE DRIVE BELT AND CRANKSHAFT PULLY BY THE COCKED WHEEL. THE DRIVE BELT IS RELATIVELY NEW BUT THE PROBLEM ALSO OCCURRED WITH THE OEM BELT.

NAR 06/05/2003 *MR MECHANICS DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEMS AS A BROKEN TORQUE CONVERTER. *CB

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE TECHNICIAN HEARD A TAPING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE CAM SHAFT SPROCKET FAILED. *JB

1998 FORD TAURUS WOULD OCCASIONALLY NOT MOVE FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES BETWEEN NOVEMBER 2002 AND THE PRESENT. AFTER THE FOURTH TIME (MAY 2, 2003), THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $2800. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION. THEY FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN THE PAN AND BURNT MERCON V. TOTAL COST FOR REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION WAS $1400-$1800. THIS IS A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE SINCE THE SHOP HAS TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT USED FOR TRAILER TOWING OR RACING. ENGINE IS THE DURATEC V6 AND THE TOTAL MILEAGE IS 64077. THIS IS TO ME A SERIOUS CONCERN SINCE A VEHICLE SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 100,000 MILES WITHOUT A MAJOR FAILURE AS WHAT HAS HAPPENED. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FROM A COMPLETE STOP WAS AT A CONGESTED INTERSECTION, AND ONE OF THE TIMES THIS OCCURRED WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHERE THE MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT IS 65 MPH. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. *NLM

THE HEADLIGHTS REMAINED ON AT ALL TIMES, EVEN WHEN THE FUSE WAS REMOVED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM