1996 FORD TAURUS Complaints

WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP IT JUMPS INTO NEUTRAL. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN POWER STEERING WILL QUIT WORKING ON RAINY DAYS WHEN I GO THROUGH PUDDLES OF RAIN ON RIGHT WHEEL. THEN, START WORKING AGAIN AFTER A FEW MINUTES. *AK

VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITH COPPER COLORED ANTIFREEZE, DUE TO THIS THE COOLANT RUSTED OUT THE FREEZE PLUGS, WATER PUMP, AND THERMOSTAT. *SLC

THE NEW AUTO BATTERIES LACK THE AMPERE HOUR RATING MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO RECHARGE PROPERLY. YH

GAS PEDAL WAS STICKING OR BINDING:THROTTLE CABLE WAS FOUND TO HAVE A NOTCH OR DEFECT ON THE PLASTIC PORTION; CABLE, THROTTLE BODY AND GAS PEDAL WERE REPLACED; PAID 20% COPAYMENT. CONCERNED THAT THERE MAY BE OTHER CARS WITH DEFECTIVE THROTTLE CABLES. *AK

THE AIR CONDITIONER CLUTCH STOPPED CYCLING ON AND OFF, CONSTANTLY ON, CLUTCH WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE BEARINGS BURNT OUT AND THE CLUTCH CEASED UP AND THEN BURNT THE SERPENTINE BELT. THE SYSTEM WORKED FOR A WEEK AND WENT OUT AGAIN AFTER THE CLUTCH AND THE AC CYCLING SWITCH WAS REPLACED, THE VEHICLE IS IN FOR THE THIRD REPLACEMENT, THE MECHANIC CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE SYSTEM IS FAILING. *MJS

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL ONLY WORK ON HIGH SPEED SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL. SOMETIMES LEFT TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WILL NOT STAY DOWN OR EVEN HOLD DOWN TO USE THE TURN SIGNAL. *AK

ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WE WERE DRIVING AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULDN'T GO FASTER THAN 45, CAM SENSOR, CAMSHAFT, DIED ROUGH IDLE, EGR SENSOR BAD, SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT, DIES AT STOPS AND SLOW DOWNS, FUEL PUMP DOESNT HOLD PRESSURE, LONG CRANK TIME NO TURN OVER TILL ABOUT A MINUTE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON.

THE INCIDENTS HAVE ALL BEEN THE SAME: THE CAR IS USUALLY GOING UNDER 35MPH. THE CAR STARTS TO SHAKE, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP, THE CAR ACTS AS IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH GAS GETTING TO THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE EITHER CUTS OFF OR BEGINS TO CHUGG AND SHAKE ANY TIME THE CAR SLOWS OR STOPS. I'M SURE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND HOW FRIGHTENING THIS CAN BE SINCE I NEVER KNOW WHEN THIS SITUATION IS GOING TO OCCUR AND I'M PETRIFIED THAT IT WILL HAPPEN DURING RUSH HOUR ON A MAJOR ROAD CAUSING ACCIDENTS AND MAJOR DAMAGE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I WAS WITHIN FEET OF A SERVICE STATION AND BROUGHT IT TO THEM. THE CODE ON THE ENGINE LIGHT SENSOR WAS, "EGR". THEY DID A 60,000 MILE SERVICE, CHECKED THE EMISSION SYSTEM, AND FOUND NOTHING. AFTER 41 MILES, THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SAME SERVICE STATION. THEY REPLACED THE DPFE SENSOR. I'VE SINCE TAKEN IT BACK TO THEM 3 OR 4 TIMES, WHENEVER THE CAR STARTS TO SHAKE AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON. THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN THINK OF TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND ARE AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO. THEY EVEN HAD A CLASS WITH 50 TECHNICIANS GIVEN BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND USED MY CAR AS THE EXAMPLE. THEY TOOK APART THE ENTIRE EMISSION SYSTEM AND "ROTO-ROOTED" IT. I DROVE LESS THAN 10 MILES AND THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AGAIN. SO FAR, I'VE SPENT CLOSE TO $500. BECAUSE THE GARAGE WHERE I ORIGINALLY TOOK IT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN CHARGING ME FOR RETURN VISITS. I CONTACTED FORD'S CONSUMER HELP LINE ON MAY 2, 2000. DAMIEN SAID THAT BECAUSE I'D HAD SO MUCH TROUBLE, HE THOUGHT THAT I WOULD GET SOME FINANCIAL HELP FROM FORD AND HE'D LET ME KNOW IN TWO DAYS. WHEN I DIDN'T HEAR FROM HIM, I CALLED FORD AGAIN AND SPOKE WITH CAROL. SHE SAID THAT I WOULD GET NO HELP AND THAT MY FIRST STEP WAS TO TAKE THE CAR TO A FORD DEALER & THAY WOULD HELP ME. THEY DON'T WANT TO HELP ME. WHAT CAN I DO? *AK

REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE RESTRAINT WILL NOT RETRACT, CAUSING OCCUPANT TO BE UNRESTRAINED. *AK