1999 FORD TAURUS Complaints

AT VARIOUS TIMES (SINCE 34000 MILES) THE ENGINE WILL REV BUT NOT MOVE FORWARD. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND STOP THE VEHICLE ALTOGETHER AND RESTART, OR RUN THE ENGINE HOPING IT WILL SHIFT INTO GEAR. ALWAYS HAPPENS AT FIRST GEAR, THE RPM NEEDLE IS AT THE TOP OF THE DIAL AND THE ODOMOTER NEEDLES STICKS AND DOESN'T MOVE. I HAVE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS ALREADY WHEN COMING OUT INTO INTERSECTIONS. HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND AM TOLD A REPAIR CANNOT BE MADE UNTIL THEY ARE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEMS IS GOING TO GET ME KILLED. I AM NOW AT 53000 MILES AND IT CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. WHERE CAN I GET SOME ASSISTANCE. THE FIRST 3 CHECKS ON THIS PROBLEM OCCURED WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS HIT WHILE DRIVING AND THE AUTOMOBILE SPUN AROUND THREE TIMES THEN HIT A POLE. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED BUT THE DRIVERS AIR BAG BURST OPEN AND A WHITE SUBSTANCE CAME OUT OF IT. PLEASE GIVE RESPONSE IN REGARDING AIR BAGS. *CB *JB

WHEN THE VEHICLE A/C WAS ON A ROTTEN FOOD SMELL EMITTED THROUGH THE VENTS AND INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE LEAKED COOLANT WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. THE VEHICLES COOLANT LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT DID. THE DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN THE LOSS OF COOLANT THEREFORE THE REPAIRS WERE NOT MADE. *AK *PH *NLM

CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME COOLANT LEAKES OUT ONTO THE GROUND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED. ALSO WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLES ACCELERATES WITHOUT ANY WARNING ,AND VEHICLE STALLS WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *AK

RE: 1999 FORD TAURUS: VIN # [XXX] MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 1999 FORD TAURUS FROM NORTH POINT FORD IN NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, ON FEB. 16, 2001. SINCE NOVEMBER 2002, WE HAVE HAD THE CAR AT TWO FORD DEALERSHIPS AND THREE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS TRYING TO GET THE HEATER FIXED. SO FAR IT HAS COST US $1,324.21. DURING THE MOST RECENT REPAIR, NORTH POINT FORD TOOK APART THE ENTIRE COOLANT SYSTEM, FLUSHED EACH COMPONENT AND FOUND RUST IN THE ENGINE BLOCK, WHICH THEY SAID WAS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. AT PRESENT, THE HEATER IS WORKING, BUT WE FEEL WE ARE DUE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY WHEN WE BOUGHT IT WITH 29,891 MILES. (THE CONTRACT STATES 28,890 AS THE DEALER DENIED OUR REQUEST TO LIST THE CORRECT MILEAGE.) WE PURCHASED AN EXTENDED "BUMPER TO BUMPER" WARRANTY AT A COST OF $1,733 AT NORTH POINT FORD. THE BIG SELLING POINT WAS THE WARRANTY WOULD COVER ALL MAJOR REPAIRS SUCH AS THE AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER SYSTEM. THE WARRANTY IS HANDLED THROUGH WARRANTECH AUTOMOTIVE, P.O. BOX 1179, BEDFORD, TX 76095. THE CONTRACT # IS 14747754; THE CONTRACT PLAN CODE IS CV60100UKD; THE SELLING DEALER CODE IS 718688 AND THE LOCAL AGENT CODE IS 183. HOWEVER, THE WARRANTY COMPANY HAS PAID VERY LITTLE TOWARD THE REPAIRS, CLAIMING THEY ARE "MAINTENANCE." I HAVE LOCATED SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE INTERNET. AMONG THEM IS #01-15-6 "HEATER CORE - REPEATED FAILURE" AND #01-11-6 "COOLING SYSTEM - CORROSION/CONTAMINATION/OVERHEATING." WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT ON THE 1999 TAURUSES, FORD SENT THE VEHICLES FROM THE FACTORY WITH A HIGHLY CORROSIVE COOLANT. THIS WOULD EXPLAIN THE SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE HEATER CORE FAILURE AND COOLANT SYSTEM CORROSION. [XXX] FROM THE FORD EXECUTIVE OFFICES CALLED AUG. 5 TO SAY FORD IS UNWILLING TO HELP AND I MUST TAKE UP THE FIGHT WITH THE WARRANTY COMPANY.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE CONSUMER NOTICED CRACKS ON ALL FOUR TIRES. THE FRONT TIRES HAD MAJOR CRACKS ALL OVER THE SURFACE OF THE SIDEWALL, WHILE THE TWO REAR TIRES HAD FINE CRACKS ON THE SURFACE OF THE SIDEWALL. *MR *CB *NLM

THERE WERE STEERING POWER PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING HAD GONE OUT, AND THE CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. *AK THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AS THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN A YIELD TO THE RIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY. THE STEERING WAS STIFF AND DIFFICULT ON TURNS, ESPECIALLY RIGHT TURNS. THE FRONT SEAL WAS FOUND BUSTED AND LEAKED OUT OF THE CLUSTER COVER. *SCC *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT FRONT TIRE BEGAN TO COME APART, DUE TO THE TREAD TARING OFF. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING SNAPPED. MY CAR HAD ONLY 51,377 MILES. I HAD TO HAVE BOTH COIL SPRINGS, 2 GAS STRUTS, 2 UPPER PIVOT STRUT MOUNTS, 2 SWAY BAR LINKS, AND 1 CONTINENTAL LEFT FRONT TIRE WITH ONLY 5,000 MILES ON IT REPLACED. IT COST $ 1,204.93. IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET REIMBURSED FOR IT. I'VE HEARD THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL FORD MODELS. THE PLACE THAT I TOOK IT TO SAID THEY DID A TAURUS FOR THE SAME EXACT REASON THE WEEK BEFORE.*AK

TRANSMISSON IS CAUSING VEHICLE TO STAY IN NEUTRAL LIKE GEAR WHILE ACCELORATING, HIGH RPM'S REACHED WITHOUT CHANGING GEARS OR PICKING UP SPEED. SPEEDOMETOR GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING FROM TIME TO TIME USUALLY DURING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. TOOK TO SPECIALIST WHO QUOTED $2,300 TO FIX NOW MORE IF COMPLETELY GOES OUT. SPECIALIST STATED IT WAS THE THIRD 1999 FORD TAURUS SEEN THIS YEAR ALONE. *AK