1998 FORD TAURUS Complaints

A "SQUEAKING" NOISE THAT IS COMING FROM LEFT FRONT END OF VEHICLE WHILE PARKING OR TRAVELING AT ANY GIVEN SPEED. A PRIVATE MECHANIC STATED THAT TIE ROD ON DRIVER'S SIDE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE ROTORS TWICE ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASED NEW. DEALER CUT ROTORS UPON INITIAL COMPLAINT AND PROBLEM RETURNED WITHIN 3000 MILES. DEALER OFFERED TO REPLACE ROTORS AT MY COST INFORMING ME THEY WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ROTORS WERE AGAIN REPLACED AT 60,000 MILES AND PROBLEM HAS AGAIN RETURNED ONLY 2,000 MILES LATER. THIS APPEARS TO ME TO BE A DESIGN FAILURE AS I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM.*AK

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE AND STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN WOULD VIBRATE MODERATELY TO VIOLENTLY. DEALERSHIP LOOKED INTO THIS DEFECT AND REPLACED FRONT ROTORS/ TIRES, AND BRAKES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

VEHICLE IS PUT INTO PARK GEAR ENGINE WILL REV UP TO 3500 - 4000 RPMS. ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS IS TO TURN VEHICLE OFF. ALSO, WHEN TRAVELING DOWN ROAD AT ANY GIVEN SPEED AFTER HE TAKING FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE SUDDENLY. BRAKES HAVE TO BE PRESSED TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN, HAPPENS RANDOMLY AS WELL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

VEHICLE HAS NO COMPRESSION BRAKING, IT FREEWHEELS ON DOWNHILL GRADES BY AS MUCH AS 25MPH. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND WILL LEAD TO PREMATURE BRAKE REPLACEMENT. *AK

DISTANCE BETWEEN THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS ARE DESIGNED POORLY. WHEN TRANSFERING FEET FROM ONE PEDAL TO ANOTHER, CONSUMER'S FOOT WILL GET STUCK BETWEEN THE PEDALS. *AK *TT

WHEN IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC WITH NORMAL ACCELERATION CAR SEEMS TO SURGE AT ANY GIVEN TIME .YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOUR IN THAT KIN OF TRAFFIC THAT THE CAR WILL DO THE SAME THING AND SURGE.THE ONLY THING THAT WILL SLOW THE CAR DOWN IS PUTTING YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE.YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE CAR WILL SURGE. DEALERSHIP PUT A NEW TRANS , REPLACED AIR BY PASS VALVE,REPLACE SOME COMPUTER CHIP, REPROGRAMMED PCM. CAR HAS BEEN IN 4 TIMES IT STILL SURGES DEALERSHIP STATES CAN NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM AFTER KEEPIN CAR FOR ALMOST TWO WEEKS. .

THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 1998 FORD TAURUS ARE EXTREMELY INSUFFICIENT REGARDING THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF ILLUMINATION. THIS IS A RESULT OF POOR HEADLIGHT REFLECTOR DESIGN. OTHER TAURUS OWNERS I HAVE TALKED WITH EXPRESSED THE SAME GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE HEADLIGHTS. I'VE DRIVEN A 2000 FORD FOCUS, WHICH DID NOT EXHIBIT THE SAME PROBLEM. MY PREVIOUS CAR, A 1996 FORD CONTOUR, HAD EXCELLENT HEADLIGHTS. THE LIGHTS ON THE TAURUS ARE EASILY "OVER DRIVEN" AT ANY SPEED OVER 35 M.P.H. AT NIGHT. THIS RESULTS IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE TAURUS DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. CAN YOU INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM? I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD OFFER AN IMPROVED REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT FOR DEALER RETROFIT TO CORRECT THIS VERY HAZARDOUS SAFETY DEFICIT.

THIS IS TO REGISTER THE ENGINE R.P.M. SURGING THAT OCCURS WHEN THE FORD TAURUS IS PLACED IN PARK FOLLOWING ROAD USE. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER TAURUS OWNERS AND THEIR COMMENTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH MY EXPERIENCES OF THE ENGINE RACING TO 3,000 R.P.M. OR HIGHER. IF THE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTED TO REVERSE OR DRIVE WITHOUT THE BRAKE FIRMLY APPLIED, CERTAINLY WHAT WOULD BE UNATTENDED ACCELERATION WILL OCCUR WITH LIFE THREATENING CONSEQUENCES. I'VE BEEN TO MY FORD DEALER (MARSHALL FORD, INC. OF UNION, MS). THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO DIAGNOSE AND CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE TRIED THEIR BEST TO ACT IN GOOD FAITH. HOWEVER, MY COMMUNICATIONS WITH FORD MOTOR CO. REGARDING THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM HAVE NOT BEEN SATISFACTORY. THEY HAVE DENIED ANY EXISTENCE OF THIS MALFUNCTION. THE NUMBER OF TAURUS OWNERS WITH IDENTICAL ENGINE R.P.M. ACCELERATION COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEBSITE REFLECT A MUCH DIFFERENT STORY. CAN YOU INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND CONSULT WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY CONCERNING THE ENGINE R.P.M. SURGING AS DESCRIBED, WHICH IS POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS.

THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON WENT OUT CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO MOVE INTO GEAR ONCE STOPPED. *SLC