1996 FORD TAURUS Complaints

TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO MAKE A STRANGE SOUNDS (WHIRLING). PROBLEM ORIGINALLY THOUGHT TO BE A WHEEL BEARING BUT ENDED UP NEEDING A TRANSMISSION COSTING ME $3100. DEALER (SLOAN FORD IN DOWNINGTOWN) WAS INCOMPETENT. I ENDED UP REPLACING TRANSMISSION AGAIN IN MAY OF THE SAME YEAR. GOT NO SATISFACTION FROM FORD. ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT 30000 MILES AND TRANSMISSION AT 54000MILES. I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT A RECALL ON 1996 TRANSMISSIONS (I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS RECALL) I AM VERY CURIOUS IF THIS COULD BE THE REASON FOR THE TRANSMISSION'S SHORT LIFE. *AK

MASSIVE TREAD SEPARATION AFTER ONLY 11,000MILES OF NORMAL ROAD USE. CONTINENTAL-GENERAL CONTACTED RESPONSE WAS "TOUGH LUCK."*AK (TIRESIZE: P20565RS15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P20565RS15 )

FREEZE PLUGS FAILED AT 65MPH; THERMOSTAT SHOWED NORMAL; ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ONLY WHEN ENGINE DIED; REQUIRED HEAD GASKET JOB...

ENGINE INTERMITENTLY ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN. ENGINE SPEED OF 2500 RPM'S AT IDLE AND UNDER LOAD OBSERVED. *AK

AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER WENT TO HIS INSURANCE COMPANY TO HAVE VEHICLE INSPECTED, AT THAT TIME CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO ABS BECAUSE THE DASH LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE, CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS WAS RECENTLY REPAIRED BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP CONSUMER'S PERSONAL MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE ABS HARNESS LOCATED UNDER THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED, CURRENTLY THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES AND SOMETIMES THERE IS A BUZZING NOISE AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKE IS PRESSED DURING THE DAY IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP THAT STATED THEY REPAIRED ABS AND THEIR RECORDS INDICATE THAT A WHEEL SENSOR WAS CHANGED AND THEY ARE NOT OFFERING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, ABS SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY NOT FUNCTIONING LIGHT COMES ON AFTER DRIVING FOR A MINUTES.

VEHICLE STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING, NO WARNING FLASHES TO ALERT CONSUMER. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DEAELR KEEPS SAYING THEY HAVE INTERNAL MEMORANDUM, BUT UNTIL THERE IS A RECALL THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *AK

CONSUMER STATES BACK UP LIGHTS NOT WORKING, AS WELL AS BRAKE LIGHT ON DASHBOARD NOT WORKING WHEN PARKING BRAKE IN USE. *JB

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE DRIVER PLACED CAR IN REVERSE, THE MOTOR REVVED THEN IT WAS PLACE IN DRIVE AND IT TOOK OFF. TRAVELED FOR 2.2 MILES BEFORE CATAPULTING IN THE AIR AND IMPACTING A UTILITY POLE ONLY AFTER CRASHING THROUGH AN IRON I BEAM GATE. BRAKING WOULD NOT EVEN SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. BLEW BOTH PASSENGER TIRES PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. ESTIMATED SPEED REACHED 50-70MPH ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AND DRIVER. *AK

RPMS INCREASED WHILE CONSUMER WAS GOING 60MPH. IT KEPT REVVING WITHOUT GIVING ANY GAS. FINALLY IT QUIT RUNNING, AND VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIFT IN A PARKING LOT. DEALER HAS REPLACED TRANSMISSION TWICE WITH REBUILD TRANSMISSIONS, AND IT STILL WAS NOT CORRECT. DEALER ONLY WARRANTIED TRANSMISSION FOR 12,000 MILES OR 12 MONTHS. DEALER SAID THEY DIDN'T PUT IN NEW TRANSMISSIONS, THEY JUST REBUILD THEM. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY OPERATING IN LOW SPEED MODE. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK