1997 FORD TAURUS SHO Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD SHO TAURUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN REVERSE WHEN THE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND SHREDDED THE TIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A RECALL FOR THE 1998 TO 2001 FORD TAURUS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139000. UPDATED 02/02/10. *LJ UPDATED 02/05/10.*JB

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: 1997 FORD TAURUS SHO FORD (FMC) HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IN WRITING THAT THE PROBLEM IS MANUFACTURER RELATED, WHICH STEMS FROM THE YAMAHA MANUFACTURED ENGINE USED IN SHO MODELS. THE VEHICLE WOULD ROUGH IDLE AFTER 20 MINS. ON THE ROAD, SHAKE AGGRESSIVELY, THEN SHUT-OFF FOR DAYS AT A TIME IN UNPREDICTABILITY. AN AUTHORIZED FMC REPAIR CENTER (MLM) SPENT OVER 3-MOS, CONCURRENTLY, WORKING ON THE VEHICLE TO NO AVAIL. SEE 03/01. THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED IN THIS MANNER FROM 11/00 (MM/YY) THROUGH 04/03, AT WHICH TIME I WAS LEFT WITH NO OTHER FISCALLY-VIABLE OPTION BUT TO ARRANGE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO FMC- FMC WOULD TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY AND PLACE A 7YEAR "REPOSSESSION" STAIN ON WHAT USED TO BE A GREAT CREDIT SCORE. TIMELINE: BETWEEN 11/00 (MM/YY) AND 01/01, CONTINUED CALLS WERE PUT INTO FMC REGARDING MY "SHO" VEHICLE. THE CAR WOULD SHAKE AGGRESSIVELY, THEN SHUTDOWN IN MID-TRAVEL. 01/01: I WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO MLM. AFTER DESCRIBING THE ISSUE, I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $2,200 TO SERVICE THE PROBLEM(S). 03/01: THE ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE WERE SO SEVERE; MLM REQUESTED THAT FMC SEND OUT A "FIELD SERVICE ENGINEER" TO ASSIST THEM. AFTER A WEEK FMC ADMITTED, WHICH WAS DOCUMENTED BY MLM IN WRITING, THAT FMC HAS HAD "SIMILAR PROBLEMS" WITH "OTHER SHOS IN THE FIELD" AND HAD "NO POSITIVE FIX FOR THEM." THIS SUGGESTS THAT FMC KNEW OF THE SHO'S PROBLEMS AND HAVE PURPOSEFULLY FAILED/REJECTED TO AID THE VICTIMS AFFECTED. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, MY PASSENGERS AND I WOULD BE PLACED AT TRAGIC AND UNNECESSARY RISKS, AS THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT-DOWN W/O WARNING- LOCKING UP THE STEERING AND CAUSING ME TO ENGAGE IN "ERRATIC" (AT TIMES) AND "PRECAUTIONARY DRIVING MANEUVERS" WHILE ON PUBLIC ROADS IN ORDER TO REGAIN SOME CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SAFELY STEER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR HIGHWAY. THIS PROVES MALICIOUS INTENT AND DECEPTIVE PRACTICES PERPETRATED BY FMC. IT ALSO PROVES A FORMED PATTERN. WB *TR

CAM SPROCKET FAILURE. THIS LEAD TO THE ENGINE STOPPING AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. *TR

1. DRIVING AT CITY TRAFFIC SPEEDS (25-30 MPH) IN PHILADELPHIA. CAR LOST POWER AND STALLED. UPON RESTART WOULD IMMEDIATELY STALL WHEN IDLE. 2. WOULD NOT STAY RUNNING, TOWED TO FORD DEALERSHIP 3. INFORMED BY FORD DEALER THAT THE CAMSHAFTS WERE BENT AND I NEEDED A REPLACEMENT ENGINE FOR $13,000.00. *NM

THERE WAS A CHAIN LIKE TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, I AS A TECHNICIAN OBSERVED IT TO BE A CAMSHAFT GETTING READY TO FAIL, WHEN IT FAILED MY PREGNANT WIFE WAS DRIVING LUCKILY ON A SIDE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE HAD LOST ALL POWER AND MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER, NOW THE 1997 SHO JUST SITS B/C I CAN NOT AFFORD THE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS! ESPECIALLY WITH A BABY ON THE WAY. *JB

THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON HAS BEEN ON FOR FEW MONTHS. CAR SEEMS TO RUN OK BUT CAN NOT GET CAR INSPECTED BECAUSE OF THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK THE CAR TO AUTO ZONE THEY DID A DIAGNOSIS AND SAID THERE WHERE TWO CODES THAT CAME UP AS A FAILURE. I READ ON YOUR WEB SITE THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL IN DEC. 2001 ON THE DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM UPGRADE. *JB

ON DECEMBER 21, 2004 MY 1997 FORD TAURUS SHO BEGAN MAKING A TICKING NOISE. TWO DAYS (AND ABOUT 20 MILES) LATER, THE LEFT EXHAUST CAMSHAFT SPROCKET FAILED, CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL AND NOT RESTART. AS A RESULT OF THE SPROCKET SLIPPING, THE NO. 5 CYLINDER'S PISTON WAS CRACKED DUE TO COMING IN CONTACT WITH AN OPEN VALVE (THIS IS AN INTERFERENCE ENGINE). 15,000 MILES AGO, THE LEFT INTAKE CAMSHAFT SPROCKET FAILED, RESULTING IN A $2900.00 REPAIR BILL FROM A FORD DEALERSHIP. UNABLE TO AFFORD THE COST OF SUCH A REPAIR AT THIS TIME (NOT TO MENTION UNWILLING TO DEAL WITH THE SAME FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT WANTED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS HARDLY EVER HAPPENS AND THAT I MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO CAUSE IT THE FIRST TIME), I OPTED TO ATTEMPT THE PROCEDURE MYSELF. AFTER FINDING AND REMOVING THE FAULTY CAMSHAFT, I THOUGHT MY PROBLEMS WERE SOLVED UNTIL I CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS. THE NO. 5 CYLINDER PLUG WAS COVERED IN OIL, WHICH MEANS THERE IS A BAD PISTON/RING, AND MOST LIKELY VALVES. I AM CONSIDERING MY OPTIONS TO REPAIR OR PART THE CAR OUT NOW. I BELIEVE THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY BY FORD DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT WILL ARISE WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO SOMEONE ON A FREEWAY. THE LOSS OF POWER BRAKES AND STEERING THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A STALLED ENGINE COULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THROUGH TRAFFIC TO A "SAFE" SPOT ON THE SHOULDER. THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION ON THIS ISSUE AT WWW.V8SHO.COM (IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE SO MANY REGISTERED FAILURES WITHOUT THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF A PROBLEM BY FORD). *JB

VEHICLE QUIT RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE SHUT DOWN JUST AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT ON A BUSY 55MPH HIGHWAY. COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT FOR MY 17 YEAR OLD INEXPERIENCED DRIVER. PUSHED VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO MY REPAIR SHOP. VEHICLE HAD JUST OVER 100,000 MILES. WAS TOLD VEHICLE WAS ONLY RUNNING ON 5 OF 8 CYLINDERS. AFTER EXTENSIVE DIAGNOSIS, IT WAS DETERMINED TO THAT THE ENGINE CAM GEAR BROKE LOOSE THAT OPENS UP THE VALVE TO THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER. MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE HEAD AND THE EXHAUST VALVES. SPENT ALMOST 3000.00 DOLLARS TO HAVE ALL REPAIRS MADE TO THE MOTOR. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT WHEN THE CAR ABRUPTLY SHUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. PLEASE HAVE FORD ISSUE A RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE CAMS WITHIN THE 3.4L V8 SHOWS BEFORE SOMEONE GET SERIOUSLY HURT. *LA

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1997 FORD TAURUS SHO USED.AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND SOME DISTURBING NEWS THE CAM SPROCKETS ARE WILL MORE THAN LIKLEY FAIL AND JUST TO METION FORD NEW THIS AND SCREWD PEOPLE. *AK ANYWAYS THE OTHER DAY ABOUT 2 DAYS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR I HEARD A TICKING NOISE THAT YOUASLLY AND MORE THAN LIKLY MEENS YOUR CAM HAS ALREADY FAILED IT JUST HASNT SLIPPED YET WHEN IT SLIPS YOU HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 4,000 TO 6,000 IN ENGINE REPAIR'S NOW MINE HASNT SLIPPED AND HOPEFULY IT WHANT BUT IT HAS THE TICKING NOISE LIKE YOUR DRIVING A TICKING TIME BOMB AND YOU DONT KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO GO OFF.THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THIS IS I LOVE MY CAR AND I LOVE MY LIFE AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS WHEN THE MOTOR GOES YOU LOSE ALL YOUR POWER LIKE YOUR BRAKES,POWER STERRING NOW IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERN FOR HUMAN LIFE YOU WOULD ASK FOR A RECALL ON THIS AUTOMOBILE AND SAVE PEOPLE THE GREIF THAT FORD IS PUTTING US THROUGH AGAIN MY MOTOR IS STILL FUNCTIONAL THANK GOD BUT IT IS A TICKING TIME BOMB HOPEFULY WE WILL GET JUSTICE AND FORD WILL HAVE TO RECALL ALL FORD TAURUS SHO'S AND HOPEFULY IT WILL COST THEM SOME MONEY AND TROUBLE SINCE THATS WHAT THERE PUTTING US THROUGH NOT TO METION THE TRANS PROBLEMS THAT THEY ALSO KNEW ABOUT BUT I WANT GO INTO THAT OTHER THAN THEY SURGE CLUTCH GOES BAD 1ST-2ND GEAR ARE HARSH WHEN SHIFTING ALOT OF OTHER THINGS I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND CONCERN SINCERLY DAYNE A. GOMEZ

ON MORNING OF JUNE 13, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 8:00 AM, I STARTED MY CAR. THE CAR STARTED BUT MADE A CLICKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE BAY. I LOOKED TO SEE THE PROBLEM AND DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC FOR HIS INSPECTION. AT FIRST CHANCE OF INSPECTION ON JUNE 19TH THE MECHANIC ADVISED ME THAT THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE THE ENGINE AND I WOULD BE BETTER OF TO TAKE TO A FORD DEALER. I THAT TIME DROVE THE CAR TO PLACE OF PURCHASE, WHITMOYER FORD. ON FRIDAY THE 20TH, I WAS INFORMED MY WHITMOYER FORDS SERVICE (DAVE) THAT THE CAMSHAFT HAD SLIPPED AND HAD CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. ON JUNE 23RD I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY SERVICE (800-241-3673) AND ADVISED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. THE FORD MOTOR SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TOOK MY INFORMATION AND PROCEEDED TO READ ME A RESPONSE ALONG THE LINE: THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THUS NO ASSISTANCE WOULD BE PROVIDED IN REPAIRING OF THE CAR. I ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE SUPERVISOR AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUPERVISOR GUIDELINES WERE NOT ANY DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE PROVIDED. I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO THE SUPERVISOR ALTHOUGH I HAVE GOTTEN VOICE MAILS WITHOUT ANY NUMBER TO CALL. I HAVE RESEARCH MORE ON MY PROBLEM AT HTTP://WW2.V8SHO.COM/SHO/CHANGES.HTML AND HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THEY ALONE HAVE 268 CAMSHAFT FAILURES LIKE MINE LISTED. FROM WHAT I CAN DETERMINE THAT FORD MOTOR CO. HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE 1997 AND HAS NOT ADMITTED TO THE PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE FORD TO COVER FOR THE COST OF REPAIR OF ALL 4 CAMS IN THE ENGINE. THE BILL COULD BE AS GREAT AS $10,000 PER OCCURRENCE IF NOT REPAIRED AND PREVENTATIVE WORK PERFORMED. AS OF JUNE 25, 2003 FORD ZONE REP HAS NOT RETURNED PHONE CALLS OF WHITMOYER FORD. THE FOLLOWING WEB SITE HAS PDF FILES WHERE FORD HAS OFFERED, SOME ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE PA ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE, TO A CONSUMER BUT STILL FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM. *NLM