2004 FORD TAURUS Complaints

I HAVE BEEN A FORD EMPLOYEE FOR 17 YEARS AND HAVE FOLLOWED ALL MAINTENANCE ON MY 2004 FORD TAURUS SE 3.0 LITER VULCAN 2-VALVE BETTER THAN THE DEALER WOULD. IT HAS 138,000 VERY EASY DRIVEN MILES ON IT. I LIVE ABOUT 35 MILE FROM THE PLANT ONE WAY. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SERVICED BY ME WITH ALL FORD PARTS, FLUIDS, ETC. NO WARNING, NO CODES FROM SNAP-ON SCANNER, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF MY WIFE WAS PULLING ACROSS THREE LANES OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN THE TRANSAXLE JUST LET GO. NO FORWARD OR REVERSE GEARS AT ALL. CAR ONLY HAD A SLIGHT VIBRATION AT 45-60MPH ON ACCELERATION FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. IT WAS VERY SLIGHT AND YOU COULD ONLY FEEL IT IN THE SEAT OF YOUR PANTS. SHE WAS ALMOST T-BONED BY A SUPER-DUTY TRUCK WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH HER. I HAVE SEEN ALL OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE TRANSMISSIONS. I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE NOT AS LUCKY NOT TO BE HIT BECAUSE OF THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT DROP THE POWERTRAIN POD AS FORD CALLS THEM TO CHECK WHAT BROKE. I WOULD BET A MONTHS PAY IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE SAME ISSUES I HAVE READ AND BEEN ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE WITH THEM. I HAVE TALKED WITH THE QUALITY REP HERE AT OUR PLANT AND HE DID CONTACT FORD BUT THEY TELL ME THEY HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH OF THESE GO OUT TO PLACE A RECALL ON THEM OR ENOUGH PEOPLE HURT OR KILLED. THAT IS THE MOST UNSAFE FAILURE I HAVE EVER SEEN IN A CAR OF ANY TYPE. I AM A PRODUCT EVALUATOR FOR FORD AND TEST DRIVE NEW SUPER-DUTYS EVERYDAY. I KNOW THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW IN THESE TRANSMISSIONS AND FORD KNOWS !!!! THAT IS WHY FORD ONLY COVERS THEM UNDER A 36,000 MILE WARRANTY UNLESS YOU PAY AN EXTRA 2500 FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE TO GET HURT OR WORSE BEFORE THIS ISSUE GET RESOLVED OR RECALLED. THEY HAVE KNOWN FOR AWHILE. I HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER WORKERS AT MY PLANT FROM ATLANTA, GA WHERE THEY DID BUILD THEM UNTIL THE JUNK START POURING DOWN THE ASSEMBLY LINE. 3500 FOR A NEW TRANS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN IT WOULD RAIN, WATER WOULD ACCUMULATE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE SEALS OF THE WINDSHIELD YET, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WAS ENTERING THE VEHICLE FROM THE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2002-2003 MODELS (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V087000-VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD) BUT NOT FOR HIS PARTICULAR YEAR VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000. UPDATED 01/11/2011*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WATER ALSO DRIPPED ON THE BLOWER MOTOR WHICH COULD CAUSE A POSSIBLE FIRE. UPDATED 03/02/11

STOPPED FOR VEHICLE A THAT WAS TURNING - VEHICLE C CAME FROM BEHIND AND PLOWED MY 2004 FORD TAURUS SE INTO THE VEHICLE A . VEHICLE C WAS A LARGE F250 TRUCK TRAVELING ON MAIN HIGHWAY. MY FORD TAURUS WAS IMPACTED FROM REAR AND FRONT IMPACT. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS IN THE ACCIDENT . SEPT, 2010. THE REAR FRAME SURROUNDING THE TRUNK WAS BENT. THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WAS DAMAGED HEAVILY. THE AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY FROM FRONT AND REAR IMPACT. A VEHICLE THAT WE PURCHASED FOR THIS SPECIFIC SAFETY FEATURE AND PAID EXTRA FOR FAILED! *TR

WHEN I BOUGHT FIRST BOUGHT MY 2004 FORD TAURUS IT WOULD SHIFT WITH A JERK AND MAKE A BRIEF NOISE. FORD SERVICED IT AND IT WAS BETTER. BUT IT STILL WOULD OCCASIONALLY SHIFT HARD. ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT WHEN I PUT IT IN DRIVE IT DID NOT ENGAGE IN GEAR, I WENT BACK TO PARK AND THEN SHIFTED TO DRIVE AGAIN AND IT DID NOT GO IN GEAR AGAIN. SO I SHIFTED TO LOW TO FINALLY GET IT GO. THEN IT FINALLY WENT TO DRIVE WHEN I SHIFTED AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS OFF AND ON SINCE THEN, ONLY LATELY IT HAS STARTED TO DO IT MORE AND IS SHIFTING WITH A JERK SOMETIMES ALSO. I HAVE BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, FILTERS, FLUIDS, BELTS, PLUGS, ETC. *TR

MY SON AND WIFE WERE IN THE VEHICLE WHEN IT ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. MY SON HIT THE BRAKES HARD AND FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE CAR BELOW 30 MPH. HE NOTICED THE TACHOMETER WAS RACING 3,000 RPM EVEN THOUGH HE WAS APPLYING THE BRAKE HARD. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER INTO A CONVENIENCE STORE AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THIS WAS THE ONLY TIME THIS HAPPENED ALTHOUGH I OFTEN FELT THE CAR WAS GOING TOO FAST (@ 20MPH) WHEN STARTING UP WITH NO FOOT PRESSURE ON ACCELERATOR. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND REPAIRED 2 DAYS LATER. MECHANIC SAID THE 'AIR INTAKE VALVE' WAS DIRTY (CARBON DEPOSITS) AND REPLACED. HE ALSO NOTED CAR WAS REPROGRAMMED BY THE COMPUTER. CAR PERFORMANCE I BELIEVE, WAS DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF COMPUTER OR MICROPROCESSORS WHICH CAUSED TOO MUCH FUEL TO BE INJECTED INTO THE ENGINE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, SHE TURNED ON THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR. WHEN SHE PULLED OVER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN SPUTTERING. SHE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. SHE TURNED IT OFF AND ON AGAIN BUT IT STALLED AGAIN. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AND FLAMES BEGAN "SHOOTING OUT". THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY BURNED. THERE WAS A FIRE REPORT FILED WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT; A FIREFIGHTER STATED THAT A FUEL LEAK COULD HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE BUT WAS UNSURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 130,000-

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN TRAVELING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED FOR THE FAILURE NOR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CONVERTER AND CONVERTER SHAFT HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE CONVERTER AND CONVERTER SHAFT HAD FAILED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED A SECOND TIME AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND AGAIN, AND WOULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 127,569.

THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING ON MY 2004 TAURUS FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY, WITHOUT WARNING, IMMEDIATELY AS THE CAR WAS PLACED INTO DRIVE JUST AFTER BEING STARTED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THIS DESTROYED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE, WHICH SUDDENLY EXPLODED WHEN THE BROKEN SPRING END PUNCTURED THE SIDEWALL, CREATING AN 8-INCH RUPTURE. THE CAR HAD NOT MOVED AN INCH, AS THE FAILURE OCCURRED EXACTLY AS THE TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED INTO DRIVE WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR HAD 117,617 MILES ON IT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *TR

TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED,DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY TORQUE CONVERTER WENT OUT,TROUBLE GETTING IT TO SIDE OF ROAD IN TRAFFIC. *TR