1997 FORD TAURUS Complaints

THE FROST PLUGS IN THE ENGINE BLOCK FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY DUE TO INTERNAL CORROSION. THIS CAUSED RAPID LOSS OF NEARLY ALL COOLANT FROM THE ENGINE. THE LOSS OF COOLANT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT, THE HEAD GASKET TO FAIL, AND THE HEADS TO CRACK. WITHIN NINETY SECONDS, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND CONSUMER WAS LEFT WITHOUT POWER. *JG

BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT PASSENGER RESTRAINT SEAT BELTS NO LONGER RETRACT AFTER USE, NO LONGER PROVIDE TIGHT RESTRAINT, AND THEREFORE PUT PASSENGERS AT RISK. DT

CAM SPROCKET FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY BEING NOTIFIED BY FORD. FORD HAS KNOW OF THE PROBLEM AND SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED OWNERS AS THERE IS APROCEDURE TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. BY NOT WELDING THE CAMS ENGINE FAILURE ACCURS CAUSING EXCESSIVE DAMAGE TO ENGINE. PREVENTIVE WELDING FOR $ 500.00 CORRECTS THE PROBLEM. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE TOTAL ENGINE AT A COST OF ABOUT $6,00.00 FOR SALVAGED MOTOR. DT

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SLIPS THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM., TS

CAM FAILURE; APPARENTLY ROTATED RELATIVE TO CAMSHAFT. OCCURED AT LIGHT TIP IN UNDER 45MPH, UNDER 3200 RPM. ENGINE STARTED MISSING, (RUNNING ON 4 CYLINDERS) AND LOSS OF POWER BRAKES. ENGINE STARTED OVERHEATING WHILE DRIVEN 1/2 MILE TO FIND PARKING LOT. DEALER ESTIMATED COSTS AT $3000 - $9000. DT

WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. WE WERE CLOSE TO AN OFF RAMP, AND EXITED. AT THAT TIME, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE STARTED TO CLIMB, AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A GARAGE NEAR OUR HOME. AN ENGINE CORE PLUG HAD FAILED, THE RESULTANT LOSE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT, AND DAMAGE THE HEAD GASKET. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR $3900. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY, BUT THEY STATE THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS ENGINE PROBLEM, SO I AM SUEING THEM IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT. DT

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS WHILE ON HIGH OR LOW SPEED WILL GO INTO INTERMITTENT MODE. WHICH STARTED HAPPENING AFTER HE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. (EACH TIME HE WOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS, IT WOULD WORK OKAY) THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND IT WENT ON INTERMITTENT MODE WHILE ON HIGH OR LOW SPEED WIPER MODE. THEY INSTALLED SWITCH PART #XW3Z-13359-CASWITCH 357698-1EA, WHICH WORKED FOR A WHILE, BUT EVENTUALLY STARTED AGAIN.-SOME WHAT AFTER REPAIR, BUT LESS THAN OFTEN *SCC

THE ACCELERATOR STUCK, WHEN I PRESSED IT DOWN TRYING TO MERGE ON THE FREEWAY, SO I PRESSED IT DOWN HARD HOPING IT WOULD POP BACK UP, BUT IT DID NOT. SO I HELD THE BRAKE DOWN HOPING THIS WOULD BRING THE ACCELERATOR BACK UP BUT THAT DID NOT WORK EITHER. SO AS A RESULT I HAD TO JUMP OUT OF THE CAR WHILE MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAY, I DID THIS WHILE HOLDING THE BRAKE DOWN TO SLOW THE CAR UP. I WAS NOT SERIOUSLY HURT. MY CAR INSTEAD OF CRASHING INTO THE OFF RAMP WALL DECIDED TO PROCEED STRAIGHT ONTO THE FREEWAY TO THE CENTER DIVIDE WHERE THE FRONT TIRE STOPPED IT. I WAS GIVEN A RIDE BY A MOTORIST THAT ALMOST HIT ME WHEN I JUMPED OUT THE CAR. WHEN MY CAR WAS FOUND THE TIRES WERE STILL SPINNING BECAUSE THE PEDAL WAS STILL STUCK, NEITHER OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED IN THE CRASH. DT

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ON FLAT SURFACE AND NO WARNING THE POWER STEERING WILL LOCK UP THEN DISENGAGE AND IT IS CAUSING IT TO BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD MOTOR WIPER ALSO STATES THAT THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *MRWHILE OPERATING ON HIGH OR LOW SPEED, WILL GO TO INTERVAL WIPER MODE. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. FINALLY, THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND A SWITCH WAS INSTALLED. SOME TIME AFTER THE REPAIR, THE PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN, THIS TIME NOT AS OFTEN. *JG