1995 FORD TAURUS Complaints

THE VEHICLE HAS HAD 5 MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED IN A YEAR. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE IS JUMPING BACK AND FORTH , WILL NOT REGISTER SPEED, CAUSING SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

THIS IS THE SECOND FAILURE OF A SPEEDOMETER IN THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 32000 MILES, AND WAS REPLACED UNDER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. THE SECOND FAILED AT APPROX. 65000 MILES, AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED 75000 MILE WARRANTY, THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WARRANTY, OR BY THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. OTHER 1995 TAURUS OWNERS I HAVE SPOKEN TO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A POORLY ENGINEERED AND/OR MANUFACTURED PART AND THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

RADIATOR OVERFLOW IS TWO PIECES AND THE TOP IS GLUDED ON. IF VEHICLE OVERHEATS TOP OF PLASTIC RADIATOR OVERFLOW CONTAINER WILL EXPLODE SENDING BOILING ANTIFREEZE ONTO ANYONE IN VINCITY. THIS HAPPENED TODAY. DRIVER RAISED HOOD AN SAW COOLANT OVERFLOW BOTTLE SIDES WERE BULDGING AND AT THAT SAME INSTANT THE CONTAINER BLEW UP CAUSING SECOND DEGREE BURNS FROM FACE TO WAIST.

THE CONNECTOR TO FUEL PUMP WOULD GET VERY HOT & FALL OFF. WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET FUEL TO VEHICLE. HAD CONTACTED DEALER & WAS INFORMED THE WIRE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE GROUNDED. THIS WOULD ALLOW FUEL TO VEHICLE. *AK

CONNECTOR FROM THE STARTER FAILED, CAUSING A NO-START CONDITION .PART HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND REPAIRED ONCE, BUT DEFECT KEEPS OCCURRING. TSB HAS BEEN ISSUED. *AK

WHILE DRVING THE CAR, THE SPEEDOMOTOR DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THE NEEDLE JUMPS AROUND AND THE UNIT MAKES A LOUD BUZZING NOISE. ON A LONG TRIP, THIS NOISE MAKE DRIVING VERY DISTRACTING AND I NEVER KNOW HOW FAST I AM DRIVING. BOTH FORD AND THE DEALER HAVE ADVISED ME THAT THE REPAIR OF THIS PROBLEM IS MY RESPONSIBILTY EVEN THOUGH I HAVE ARGUED THAT I DID NOTHING TO INCUR THE DAMAGE. IS THIS TYPE OF COMPLAINT REVIEWED BY YOUR ORGANIZATION? I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.

CAR STALLED OUT (35MPH) NEAR END OF 200 MILE TRIP. WAS DIAGNOSED BY KING L-M AS A FUEL PUMP FAILURE, AND REPLACED AT A COST OF $507. NHTSA COMPLIANT DATA BASE INDICATES A LARGE NUMBER OF FUEL PUMP FAILURES, AND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS (I.E., CONTINUED STALLING, LOSS OF POWER, ELECTRICAL SHORTING IN FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY, ETC.). I'M BEGINNING TO WONDER WHETHER YOU PEOPLE EVER DO ANYTHING WITH THE DATA THAT CONSUMERS PROVIDE. DON'T YOU REALIZE THAT LOSS OF POWER (ENGINE SHUTDOWN) PRESENTS A MAJOR SAFETY RISK? ALSO, FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE EXISTENCE OF A DESIGN DEFECT IN THIS FUEL PUMP (SEE TSB'S # 96-7-5, 95-25-2, AND 94-16-3). THE MOST RECENT TSP SUGGESTS THAT THE OEM PUMP BE REPLACED WITH A FUEL PUMP OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN AFTER THE OEM PART FAILS. THE ISSUE DESCRIBED IN THE TSP INVOLVES "REDUCED POWER, HESITATION, STALLING, AND NO-START CONDITIONS... CAUSED BY A LACK OF VAPOR PORTS IN THE (OEM) FUEL PUMP. GIVING THE DATES OF THE TSP'S(WHICH APPLY TO 1989-1995 TAURUSES), IT IS OBVIOUS THAT FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS SAFETY DEFECT FOR A VERY LONG TIME. WHY HASN'T THIS ITEM BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA? WHY ARE THE REFERENCED TSP'S NOT AVAILABLE ON THE NHTSA DATA BASE? FORD HAS UNGRACIOUSLY OFFERED TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMPS AT THEIR EXPENSE ONLY WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS DURING THE BASIC VEHICLE WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE, UNTENABLE POSITION-- AS THE ISSUE INVOLVES (1) KNOWN DESIGN DEFECTS (PER THE TSP'S); AND (2) MATTERS OF PUBLIC SAFETY. I HEREBY REQUEST THAT A FULL AND COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE COMPONENT IN QUESTION BE UNDERTAKEN BY NHTSA.

I AM NOT SURE HOW TO CONTACT YOU. I AM A TRAUMA SURGEON AND JUST ADMITTED A FOUR YEAR OLD WHO WAS IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WITH SEAT BELT ON AND MOM HIT A DEER DEPLOYING THE AIRBAG. CHILD WAS HIT IN THE FACE AND WITH LARGE BRUSE TO FACE AND CHEST. ADMITTED FOR OBSERVATION AND OK. PLEASE EMAIL ME ([email protected]) IF THIS IS NOT THE PROPER WAY TO NOTIFY YOU. THANK YOU. JR HALL, M.D.

SPEEDOMETER FAILED DECEMBER OF 1997 AND WAS REPLACED JAN. 3,1998. HOWEVER, POSSIBLE DEFECT OF THE REPLACED SPEEDOMETER FAILED ON JUNE 1999 AND WAS REPLACED AGAIN JULY 6, 1999. *YC