1999 FORD TAURUS Complaints

I LOST THE POWER STEERING ON MY 1999 FORD TAURUS STATION WAGON. WHEN IT STOPPED WORKING, I HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME TURNING AROUND CORNERS. I HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO MY DRIVEWAY. I THEN BECAME AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AS I DID NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO MAKE A TURN. I HAD TO HAVE A MALE FRIEND WHO IS FAR STRONGER THAN ME, DRIVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. MY CAR ONLY HAS 41,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS NOT A PART THAT SHOULD WEAR OUT. I WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE RACK AND PINION SEALS HAD LEAKED AND THAT THE WHOLE RACK AND PINION STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR A TOTAL BILL OF $734.51. I FEEL THAT THIS PART ITSELF IS DEFECTIVE AND IT ALSO COULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS WHEN A DRIVER IS NOT ABLE TO NEGOTIATE A TURN AS EXPECTED. I WOULD APPRECIATE ALL YOU COULD DO TO INVESTIGATE THE POWER STEERING EQUIPMENT USED ON THE 1999 FORD TAURUS. THE INCIDENT DATE IS JAN. 2, 2003 BUT YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM ONLY GOES TO 2002.

ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27TH, 2002, MY SON ZACHARY, AGE 17, WAS DRIVING OUR 1999 FORD TAURUS. (VIN # 1FAFP53U7XA255465) ON A TWO WAY STREET, SPEED LIMIT 35 MPH, WHEN HE NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AREA. HE MAINTAINED CONTROL AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE TIRE WAS SHREDDED - HE CALLED ME AND I ARRANGED FOR A TOW TO A LOCAL GARAGE. THEY (MURRAY'S) FOUND THAT THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING HAD BROKEN, PUNCTURING THE TIRE AND WRECKING THE SHOCK TOWER UPPER BEARING. MY SON DID NOT RUN OVER ANYTHING; THE COIL SPRING HAD SIMPLY BROKEN. THE CAR HAS 75K MILES ON IT. THE LOCAL GARAGE (MURRAY'S) TOLD US THE VERY NEXT DAY ANOTHER 1999 FORD TAURUS. CAME IN WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM (RON MURRAY INC. (585) 334-5382). MY FATHER -IN-LAW CONTACTED SOME FRIENDS WHO WORK AT LOCAL FORD DEALERS AND THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM SPRINGS IN THE 1999 MODELS; IN FACT THE SPRINGS WERE CHANGED FOR THE NEXT MODEL YEAR. HOWEVER, THERE IS CURRENTLY NO OFFICIAL RECALL FROM FORD. I DID RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM - ALL 1999 FORD TAURUS'S. - PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO OBTAIN THE REPORTS: HTTP://WWW.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/CARS/PROBLEMS THE REPAIR BILL WAS $322.32 AND WE WERE WITHOUT USE OF THE VEHICLE FOR A WEEK WAITING ON PARTS. IF MY SON HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY - WELL, I HATE TO THINK OF WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED SHREDDING A FRONT TIRE AT 65 MPH. PETER TICHACEK (585) 265-5688

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING HER AUTO IT BEGUN TO MAKE A LOT OF NOISE. SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS HER TRANSMISSION THAT WAS MAKING THE NOISE. CONSUMER STATES SHE ONLY HAS 25000 MILES ON HER AUTO AND THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT BE GONE OUT. PH

CONSUMER NOTICE ONCE PLACING KEY IN IGNITION SWITCH, IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT TURN OR STEERING WHEEL. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH

CAMSHAST SLIPPED AND CAUSED MOTOR DAMAGE. I WAS IN A PARKING LOT SO NO SAFETY ISSUE. HAVE READ THRU WWW.V8SHO.COM THIS IS A PROBLEM FORD DENIES AND THINK A RECALL IS IN ORDER. IT HAS HAPPENED TO PEOPLE WHILE DRIVING AND THEY LOST POWER STEERING AND BREAKING CAUSING A REAL SAFETY ISSUE

BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. HAD THE SAME PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE. HAD TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP EACH TIME FOR ACCELERATING AND NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG WITH TRANSMISSION. TS

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TURNED OFF, ALSO STOP WHEN IN USE. TS

AT 30,000 MILES I HAD TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION ON MY NEW CAR DUE TO THE PLASTIC PARTS THAT THEY ARE MADE OUT OF. I HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY SO THEY CHARGED ME $100.00.... I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN DUE TO THE CAR NOT ME CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I PAID $100.00 THEN ALSO. I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE PAID A PENNY EITHER TIME. THESE ARE THE CAR'S PROBLEM'S AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THEY NEVER TOLD ME OF A RECALL. NOT EVEN THE FORD I BOUGHT IT FROM WOULD TELL ME OF ANY RECALL'S. BY LAW THEY SHOULD NOTIFY ME, AND TELL ME IF I ASK. I WAS IN A WRECK ONCE IN THIS CAR AND I FLOORED THE CAR TO AVOID A HEAD ON COLLISION. THE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE PULLED ME FORWARD AND ONCE I WAS HIT THE ENGINE DIED AND I WAS IN A TAIL SPIN. THE ONLY THING THAT SAVE US FROM BEING CRUSHED BY THIS TRUCK, WAS ME PULLING UP OUT OF THE WAY BY MY SPEED. BUT THE ENGINE BEING SHUT OFF COULD HAVE KILLED US. IF YOUR ENGINE GET'S CUT OFF YOU CAN'T PULL YOUR SELF AWAY FROM THE OTHER CAR'S. THAT IS A DEADLY MISTAKE CUTTING OFF THE FUEL.

INTIALLY DIAGNOSED AS POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK - TURNS OUT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A LEAK IN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING.

THE INTERIOR LIGHT CONTINUES TO REMAIN ON AND THE DASH READOUT INDICATES THAT THERE IS A DOOR OPEN WHEN THERE ACTUALLY ISN'T. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK AS LONG AS THE CAR BELIEVES THERE IS AN UNLOCKED DOOR.