1998 FORD TAURUS Complaints

HUBS ON THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN CHAFED SEVERAL TIMES. VEHICLE SHAKES WHEN TRYING TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK

EVER SINCE I STARTED USED CRUISE CONTROL ENGINE ACCELERATES-RPM AT 2 1/2 WHILE PARKED

PASSANGER SEAT RESTRAINT LOCKS WHEN A LARGE PERSON IS IN THE SEAT. EVERYTIME THE BELT REALS IN A BIT IT STAYS LOCKED, RESULTING IN A VERY TIGHT AND UNCOMFORTABLE RIDE. REPLACEMENT OF THE SEAT BELT SOME MONTHS AGO RESOLVED THE ISSUE FOR A WHILE, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAS RE-EMERGED, AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE UNIT AGAIN. IT SEEMS TO BE UNSAFE RIDING IN A CAR WITH THE SHOULDER BELT SO TIGHT THAT MOVEMENT IS IMPOSSABLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT DUE TO MY FAT STATURE THE SEAT BELT IS MAL FUNCTIONING, BUT WHEN NORMAL SIZED PEOPLE ARE IN THE SEAT THE RESTRAINT FUNCTIONS PROPERLY.

STEERING GOT TIGHT, WHEN TURNING WHEEL, IT MADE NOISE. RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

POWER STEERING PUMP, RACK AND BALLJOINTS ALL FAILED WHILE DRIVING, CREATING AN UNSAFE CONDITION. *AK

RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS 1998 FLEET VEHICLE WITH 70,700 MILES. TWICE IN THE PAST WEEK, APPROXIMATELY 75 MILES DRIVEN VEHICLE HAS LUNGED FORWARD DURING A STOP. BOTH TIMES IT WAS CAUSED BY THE ENGINE FAILING TO REDUCE RPMS DURING DECELERATION. AGAIN, IN BOTH CASES I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES PER HOUR JUST PRIOR TO APPROACHING THE STOP SIGNS. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY APPLYING SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE TO BRAKE, AND ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL. I CAME TO THIS WEBSITE TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS OR SIMILAR REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL AND FOUND WHAT MAY BE A RELATED PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN CARS NOT REDUCING RPM DURING DECELERATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MY CAR DOES THIS ALSO. THAT WAS THE FIRST DIFFERENCE I NOTICED BETWEEN THIS VEHICLE AND THE 1999 FORD TAURUS I USED TO DRIVE AS MY FLEET CAR. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS ONLY RANDOM, I WAS RELUCTANT TO TAKE THE CAR TO A DEALER FOR INVESTIGATION AS THEY WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY OBSERVE THE PROBLEM. WHAT SHOULD I HAVE THEM CHECK? *AK

CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT SHUT OFF WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED, AND BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT SHINE AT SAME TIME. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED, BUT CONSUMER WANTED TO REPORT IT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PART NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO FORD CHANGING DESIGN, TRYING TO GET PART. *AK TRANSMISSION FAILED. *YH

ON 01-19-01 SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH WHEN IT STRUCK THE REAR BUMPER OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THOUGH MY VEHICLE SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL FRONT END DAMAGE, NEITHER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE NOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SPEEDS UP AND CANNOT SLOW DOWN WHEN PRESSING DOWN ON BRAKES. THIS MAY CAUSE A CRASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, BUT DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK THE LEFT FRONT DRIVE WHEEL MAKES ROARING NOISE. THE VEHICLE ALSO TRYS TO PULL OFF WHEN BRAKING TO STOP. THE DEALER NEITHER CAN FIX IT NOR TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK. *YH