1998 FORD Taurus

UNKNOW LOSS OF OIL MOTOR REPLACEDODDS ENDS ELECTDOOR AJAR LIGHT, INT. LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF I REMOVED THE BULBS ALARM GOES OFF

Transmission is almost completely out.. We have been quoted a cost of approximated $2200 to repair, which is more than the car is worth at this point.

I purchased a used 1998 Ford Taurus from a local Ford dealership in August 2001. In November 2001 at 28,000 miles I took the car in to a local auto repair center for an oil change, and was told the car had a blown head gasket. I took the car back to the dealership and they repaired the car under warranty. I just took the car in for another oil change and asked the mechanic to check the heating system, as it was not performing well. They identified that the radiator was low on coolant and contained combustion gases, indicating a blown head gasket.

At 70 mph on highway transmission had catastrophic total failure. NO prior warnings of trouble. Auto very well-maintained, one-owner driven, 95-98% highway mileage. Ford has offered nothing but run-around. Am leaning towards small claims court.

while pulling away from drive way left front coil spring broke, causing the left front tire to explode, left fron strut blew out also, left fron of vehicle was on the ground. This would have cause a wreck had I been driving at normal highway speed. I see ford has a recall on this problem but not on the 1998 taurus year.

When I first got my Taurus I really thought it was going to be a good car, even when we got it my husband started talking about how he would like to have another one, that was a little newer. Then everything started going wrong, as soon as we would get one thing fixed something else would go wrong. The interior lights have always given us trouble. The service engine soon lights stays on, we have taken it to mechanics and put it on the computer to see what is wrong, they can’t find anything. The dome light would come on when we opened the doors and then sometimes would never go off, we either had to drive down the road at night with the interior lights on or take the bulb out. The lights on the dash board have never worked good, some of them work the others don’t.Then the car started jerking when I would put it into gear, so my husband checked the transmission fluid, before I drove the car and noticed there was none, so when he went o put some in it, it all poured out onto the ground. The transmission seal was broke, went to have it repaired, found out the car needed a new torque converter as well. So we fixed that, a month and a half later the altenator goes out, while I am driving down the highway with my two small children (2 years old & 13 weeks old). We fixed that thinking our bad luck had ended, then needless to say 1 week later my transmission goes out, again while I am driving, I was turning off of the highway onto a side road and all of the sudden the car sounded like it was in neutral when I pressed the gas, thank goodness I was able to coast off of the highway, that could have been a deadly accident if another car had been coming. (I had all 3 of my children at this point). Currently the car is still without a transmission, I don’t have the money to fix it, right now I am having to borrow my mother’s car so I can get back and forth to work, she needs her car back soon, I just don’t know what we will do, no indvidual should have to endure this much stress over a car. The estimated cost we have gotten to re-buld this transmission is anywhere from $1200-$1500. The mechanic told my husband that there isn’t a week that goes by that he doesn’t have a Taurus to work on. I really did think that I would buy another Taurus, since it is roomy enough to fit my 3 children and their car/booster seats, not to mention I like the looks of it, now after this much trouble, this car has nickle and dimed me to death. I just hate to gamble on another one (I have never been much of a gambler).

we have had a ongoing problem with the brake system since purchase, especially with wheel bearings, and rotors. We had a problem with steering, so we bought a new power steering pump, didn\’t fix it, purchased a new steering rack & pinion at the advise of the mechanic, still didn\’t fix it, so they advised to buy a module that goes on top of the rack and it still didn\’t fix it, now we are up against a wall, what else to do, the steering tightens up and makes it hard to drive. The interior lights have never worked and still been unable to fix this problem, power windows had to have new motors twice since purchase! We are so dissatisfied with this vehicle, it has been the worst one mechanically we have ever owned. Is there any thing we need to know about recalls for this vehicle, we are told it has assisted power steering, but it doesn\’t show having this after a 1995 model, so we don\’t know where to go from here. Help us if you can. If there was ever a lemon, we got it!!!! On top of the payment every month, we are going broke in repairs for this car and have since we purchased it. Thank you

Vehicle has intermitant over heating – root cause yet to be determined.Brake rotors wear poorly on driver side – brake job done about every 25,000 miles. (my last taurus (95) did not have this problem.)Interior overhead light comes on when it wants to. Electrical short untracable to date. Bulb has been removed

transmission no forward or reverse

Transmission failed at 50,000 miles. Was properly maintained and I have all service records. Total rebuild required. The symptoms were: groaning noise when shifting from park and slipping when accelerating from a stop.Brake problem was: rear calipers froze causing rapid wear of pads and rotors. Bill was for replacement of calipers, pads and rotors. Front brakes still serviceable after 81,000 KM – normally fronts wear out before rears – rear calipers were defective.

The transmission seemed to almost go into neutral at low speed and just roared with no available thrust or power.Then after a while the transmission went back into gear with a jerk or two and proceeded to work normally.The danger for the driver and passengers is being smashed into from the rear resulting in injury or death. This failure of product is extremely dangerous especially when pulling out onto an interstate highway.What was really disturbing was the failure of the Ford dealer to tell me that this is a common problem with the Taurus and I should especially be careful when pulling out into traffic.

The main problem has been the AX4N transaxle in this vehicle. It failed completely with no symptoms such as slipping, overheating, shuddering or shifting problems. The transmission failed completely with no warning.

The Fuel pump just stopped working causing a complete shut down of all systems no steering, brakes, etc;Just by luck the wife was driving slow in traffic but can you imiange if you were driving at high speeds!!!! And to top it off because of a poor design the consumer gets stuck with a 619.00 repair bill due to the fact the fuel pump is located inside the fuel tank and is labor intensive to repair which really sucks!!!! Thank you for your time but to me this is a real safety hazard not to mention the high cost just to repair a fuel pump

Speedometer stopped working just prior to transmission downshifting into low gear at highway speeds causing sudden de-acceleration. Just missed causing a chain reaction accident.It was a speed sensor failure. There are no fail safe\’s in place to stop this transmission from downshifting at high speed if the speed sensor fails. dangerous!

Last summer, my 1998 Ford Taurus blew an engine. It was about 4000 miles over warranty. The Ford garage told me that it was nothing that I had done. The problem was "probably’ a failure in the oil pump, that my car hadexperienced oil pressure problems. They also said that they regretted that my warranty had expired. I had to pay to replace a new engine. They sent in a "rebuilt" engine, replaced the bad engine, and extended the warranty to100,000 miles.Then, this July (July 25,2003) I was driving the same 1998 Ford Taurus with the previously blown engine. The "add coolant" light came on. I immediately stopped the car. Water was pouring from either the radiator or hose. I called a tow truck and had the car towed home (about a distance of 60 miles). I had it towed to my local mechanic. On Monday morning, the mechanic called and said that I had many more problems that just a leak. Hesaid it looked like I had a blown head gasket. He could not even get the car to start.Because the car was still under warranty, I had it towed to the Bowling Green Lincoln & Mercury in Bowling Green OH. This is where I had originally purchased the car and the place that had replaced the engine the previous summer.After waiting nearing two weeks to get permission from Detroit (?) to fix it, an inspector was sent down to examine the damage. His report indicated that the problem was not from a defective engine, but from "environmentalcontamination". They voided the warranty. I asked what "environmental contamination" meant. I was informed that the inspector had decided that my car had been in a flood.I was taken back. My car had not been in a flood. The mechanics, the service representative, and service manager all confirmed that there was absolutely no evidence that the car was in a flood. I personally heard the service manager talk to someone in Detroit confirming that the car had not been in a flood. Detroit sent out another inspector who took "food samples" from the car. Again, after a two week wait and only after a call to Ford’sPublic relation department did I get an answer to the 2nd inspector’s report on August 22. He confirmed the first inspector’s decision and said that Ford would not be responsible. I was totally taken back. How could twoinspectors determine that the damage to my car be a result from a flood that my car was never in.They told me to go to my insurance company, because comprehensive covers flood damage. I asked them how could I get coverage for a non-existent flood. I went to my insurance company and asked if my car was covered.Yes, your car is covered for flood damage. They, then asked me if the car had been in a flood. I told them that the Ford inspector said it was, but I didn’t know how or when. The insurance company told me that if I had said"yes" that my car would have been covered. I won’t lie, either to Ford or State Farm. I have to be able to look into the mirror each day and look at myself. I also have to be concerned about what my kids and grandkids see and hear me do. My car was not in a flood. It has not even been in high water.I am here with a 1998 Ford Taurus. I still owe lots of money on it. I do not have the $4000.00 plus to buy a new engine (that is what the engine last summer cost). I am lost as to know what to do.The car has around 88,500 miles on it. I now forget those kind of details since I haven’t had it since July 25. This is the problem, the nature of situation, the approximate cost, and the dates that things happened.

I own a 98 ford taurus. The transmission failed completely with no warning also flashers and turn signals also stopped working.The door ajar light will not go off.

I had had my vehicle into Gateway Ford in Tunkhannock PA, 2 Saturdays in a row for check engine soon light and throttle sticking. The first time they stated the gas pedal needed adjusted and nothing was wrong w/ the check engine light. The next day the gas petal stuck and the check engine light was back on. I brought it back the next Saturday (please note each time I had to wait 2 1/2 hours)and they told me it needed a sensor part it would cost $45+ and that they wanted me to tell them what the service dept did to the gas pedal last time it was in. (I guess there is no communication in this garage) I told them and they said they would adjust the gas petal again and put in the new sensor part. Later that same day, the check engine light came back on. I called Gateway at 12:00pm same day, only to find there service dept had left for the day. I thanked the man on the phone and said I would call back on Monday. Yes, I almost forgot the gas petal still sticks. First day of service was 11/11/02 second was 11/16/02. I am confident they will never be able to fix either problem until they get a few more hours of labor to bill me for. Please note they also stated there is no recall or service report of problem with the throttle sticking on my year make and modle of vehicle.

I would like to know if there are any recalls or service bulletines in place or in the works for sticking throttle problems.

Head gasket and head had to be replaced due to overheating, total cost of job was 1400. dollars

Front left strut spring broke and instantly deflated the tire. Apparently Ford had supplied other model years with spring guards, but not for the 1998 model.Three quarters of the lower coil spring broke and the upper part of the spring jumped out of the coil seat. The spring broke at a 45 degree angle and sliced the tire open. After hearing reports of other Ford products with front and rear spring problems I replaced all the struts for $1500. Fords regional recall for 1999, 2000 and 2001 Taurus models did not go far enough. There was no sign of any significant corrosion.

CONSISTANT REPLACEMENT OF FRONT AND REAR DISC BRAKES. fRONT AND REAR DISC BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 12 THOUSAND MILES. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN A CONSISTANT PROBLEM FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE. THE AVERAGE BRAKE REPAIR IS $400 PER AXLE. BELOW IS A LIST OF DATES THAT THE BRAKES FRONT/BACK HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE FRONT CALIPERS HAVE HAD TO BEEN REPLACED THREE SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. 07/20/05 FRONT BRAKES AND CALIPERS REPLACED 400.0008/09/04 REAR BRAKES REPLACED 618.0011/29/03 REAR BRAKES AND FRONT CALIPERS REPLACED 600.0006/30/03 REPLACED FRONMT ROTORS 283.0010/15/03 REPLACED REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS 198.0006/11/01 REPLACED FRONT AND REAR PADS,FRONT AND REAR ROTORS, CLEANED CALIPER SLIDE 315.0010/27/97 RESURFACED FRONT AND REAR ROTORS N/C10/11/99 REPLACED FRONT AND REAR ROTORS, REPLACED FRONT PADS N/C05/24/99 RESURFACED FRONT AND REAR ROTORS N/C04/15/98 REPLACED FRONT PADS AND RESURFACED FRONT ROTORS N/C01/03/02 SANDED FRONT PADS 100.0011/29/02 REPLACED FRONT CALIPERS AND ROTORS; REPLACED REAR BRAKE ROTORS 600.0002/20/04 REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS 130.00

Car purchased in April 2002, milage 69,361 (km). Wanted to purchase extended warranty, told none was available. Transmission totally destroyed Septemebr 15th. Ford unwilling to assist with th repairs.Interestingly, I know of other people that have purchased a 98 Taurus, and were offered a warranty!Am still considering small claims court.

BRAKES:Front brake rotors continue to warp in short amount of time. Since purchasing vehicle on 26 FEB 99, with 14622 miles on it, I have had to replace the front brake disc rotors 3 times and also haved them turned (cut) 3 times. This time (August 03) I have had them done by a mechanic. At least 40% of the mileage that I have placed on the vehicle has been highway mileage.OTHER:Vehicle day time running lights control module is faulty. This happened aprox. 2 years ago. shortly after receiving the vehicle from dealer, which was delivered do to a recall, my daytime running lights became very dime and were of no basic use. Upon returning the vehicle to the dealer, it was first stated that my vehicle did not have dytime running lights, once this problem was fixed, they then identified the problem to some elctronic control module. Do to the cost, aprox $250.00, I chose not to have it fixed.

1998 Taurus se has had problems with cooling system Nov 2001.Cutter Ford Of Aiea the agent for Ford made three attempts to repair problem spaning a year and a half. For the time being problem has been solved. However freeze plug has malfuctioned twice now and I am currently getting it repaired. fuel injectors malfuctioned and where repaired April 2003. I have records of car’s problems dating back to 2000

We’ve owned this car for the past 3 years (resale) and have brought it in for many different kinds of repairs over 20 times for various major malfunctions. Over an 87 day period, the car was in the repair shop for 20 days. Currently it’s in the shop becuase of a cooling system failure, causing engine to overheat beyond repair.

Consumer requesting information regarding 1999 ford taurus.*mr *jb

Exhaust problems with 1998 ford taurus. nar 07092003 *mr ford dealer was notified about replacing the defective part, however they refused to replace it. the consumer hoped that a national recall would be initiated to inspect the potential deadly conditions. *cb *jb

My door latch and/or 'door ajar' light latch is not working, my interior lights stay on all the time and my battery stays run down(i've had to replace it once already), and not only is it hard to drive at night with the interior lights on, it is dangerous. please get back to me on this. thank you, ms. [xxx]. frame. *ak parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact stated that all four seat belts in the vehicle malfunctioned and failed to retract, which left the occupants unsecured. the vehicle was taken to bayshore ford of pennsyville (200 s. broadway st, pennsyville, nj). the contact was informed that the manufacturer no longer produced parts for the vehicle and it could not be repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 139,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. while driving at an unknown speed, the horn became inoperable and the service engine warning light illuminated. in addition, the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 148,230.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 10 mph, the brakes failed completely and the check engine warning indicator illuminated continuously. the failure had recurred on several occasions. the vehicle was taken to a dealer. the technician diagnosed that the vehicle needed a rear proportioning valve. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was 138,000. the vin was not available.

This is the scariest thing i have ever seen while driving my teenage son's vehicle. his vehicle would not decrease in speed. while taking off from a stop, without touching the pedal, the vehicle accelerated on its own. i have never seen a vehicle accelerate without hitting the gas pedal. this is a serious safety concern especially since its a teenagers vehicle. i see that newer tauruses had a recall for the exact same issue. many were reporting the vehicle accelerating on its own, this is exactly what my son's did tonight. also, when i placed his vehicle in park, the vehicle revved up to 4000 rpm's like someone was hitting the gas. i had to shut the car off before it blew the engine. it was nerve racking. this is likely to cause a serious injury of death to my child. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact stated that the heater was not working in the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing, but was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 177,000. updated 10/30/14*cn

Tl* the contact owns 1998 ford taurus. the contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle made a jerking motion and failed to accelerate properly. the failure recurred multiple times and at various speeds. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 170,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact stated that the vehicle started to roll away. as a result, the contact had to depress the brake pedal quickly and shift into park. there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the vin was unavailable. the approximate failure mileage was 260,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact stated that he noticed the vinyl on the dashboard was detached from the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis but was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 66,000.

While applying the brake to stop at a light on a highway access road, the vehicle had trouble stopping. it started violently jerking and vibrating and the brakes were all the way to the floor. the rpm's read in the 4's. i pulled over and in a parking lot, the vehicle rapidly reached 45 mph without stepping on the gas pedal. i was reluctant to have it reach a greater speed so i stopped the vehicle. it once again did not want to respond properly to the brakes. i called ford and eplained the sudden acceleration and the vehicle difficulty in stopping, there are no recalls. i researched online, and it appears that there is a faulty cruise control cable that sticks to the throttle and leaves it open. i once again contacted ford for an estimate to replace the cruise control cable. the service advisor stated that there was no such thing as a cruise control cable. i called the parts department and they said that part is aftermarket and is no longer available. this is a very dangerous situation. i was reading the aol vehicle complaints on this and accidents have occured and people have been injured. i don't know why ford does not recognize this serious safet issue in a timely manner. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact stated that when shifting from reverse to park or from drive to park, the vehicle would rapidly accelerate. the engine rpms increased excessively and the contact shifted into park as he turned the engine off in order to stop the failure. the failure recurred intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to a mechanic or to the dealer for inspection or repairs. the manufacturer was not notified of the issue. the failure mileage was 120,000.

Applied brakes while stopped in parking lot,pedal went to floor,all brake fluid now under car. unable to lift car,no metal existed from floorpan to rocker panel bottom. brake lines had been affixed to this metal,and now had lost support/mounting place and vibrated and fell apart. the outside of the car looked almost new,but the plastic trim on the lower sill hid the problem outside. now,the door sill(both sides)are getting so bad,we are afraid to step on them,or go over a bad bump or railroad track. i don't understand this,as this metal rotted from the inside-out,as though it never went thru a rust prevention bath process. my friends are current ford people or,like myself,are retired ford people,they said taurus veh. cant have this extreme problem,but i do. thanks for asking. *tr

After driving about a mile, the air conditioning stopped and black smoke came out of the hood. stopped the car and thought of opening the hood but saw flames. three adults and two children (5 and 2 yrs old) got out of the car. called police and fire service. by the time they arrive, the car was in flames. the engine and front row seats were totally burnt. the car was a total loss. there was no way to determine the reason for the (mysterious) fire. this happened in miami, florida. *tr

The car has a recall on lights seat buckle and stud. *tr

When i was turning a corner my car started to shimmy like it had a flat tire i got out to check only to find there isnt a flat tire and that my rack and pinion is gone bad on the passenger side of my car i just replaced the same part on the other side a year ago everytime the alignment goes out the rack and pinion goes bad! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact was driving 10 mph when the throttle became stuck, causing the vehicle to abnormally accelerate without warning. the contact was able to stop the vehicle by shifting into neutral and applying the brakes. the contact took the vehicle to a dealer to have the cruise and throttle cable replaced but the dealer did not have the necessary parts. the dealer lubricated the components but that did not remedy the issue. the contact also replaced the cruise control module but to no avail. the contact had experienced the failure numerous times. the failure mileage was 90,000. updated 07/25/12*lj the consumer stated the vehicle would accelerate on its own. each time, the accelerator pedal would go down on its own, and the consumer had no way of controlling the vehicle. as the consumer stepped on the brake pedal, the vehicle continued to go faster. the dealer fixed the problem. however, it returned months later. the dealer informed the consumer, parts were no longer being made. they sprayed the cables, but the sudden acceleration returned weeks later. updated 07/25/12

Vehicle has had two incidents that may be related to faulty acceleration. perhaps you need to investigate older ford taurus for problems currently under review on 2006, etc. dates and mileage are approx. i do not have reports available. vehicle had speed control. while attempting to park the accelerator suddenly revved up when i hit the brakes. happened so suddenly the car went out of control bounced over parking lot bump and hit other vehicles causing damages to those as well as my vehicle and injury to me as well as cost me a ticket. that was in 2006 as i recall. in january, 2009 or december, 2008 the accelerator suddenly revved up again when i was pulling into traffic from a parking lot on to the highway. i shut off the engine and volunteers helped push the vehicle off the road. i had it towed and have had it stored in my driveway since. no one has ever scanned, etc. to determine what was wrong. is it safe to even sell to anyone? mileage for the second incident was approx. 147000. i have a mandate from the city to remove the vehicle by may, 2012 or face fines therefore if you need anything test needs done before then. message phone only included. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact stated that the rear driver and passenger seat belts failed by not retracting and locking into place. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and they advised her that the seat belts needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

98 ford taurus waggon build date of 11/4/97 with 105,000 miles, front passanger coil spring broke while driving slowly, thank god. apparently very common, why is there no recall for this!! no apparent reason, light useage mostly highway miles. *tt

1998 ford taurus front driverside coil broke while driving. *tr

1998 ford taurus with relatively low miles. always cared for. mechanic informed me it has a rotted subframe. this holds the engine and transmission. dealer stated there are no recalls for this model year. the car (which is in otherwise excellent condition) is unsafe to drive at this point. 3 independent mechanics were surprised to see this level of rot in a car of this condition. *tr

In june 2008 i started my regular yearly maintenance schedule of my 1998 ford taurus wagon. i had my oil change & rotated/balanced my tires. in october 2008 i had two tires replaced (all of my service was done @ a ford dealership in my city) and a multi-point inspection for my vehicle inspection. the mechanic advised me that my car needed rear shocks, as the outer casing was rotted! left inner tie rod was loose & front brakes were worn. i went in on oct 23, 2008 and had all of the work done!,$417.45 for front brakes, resurfaced front rotors; replaced front inner tie rod. then on 11/10/08 i went in to have my vehicle inspected and was advised that it failed, the rocker panels were rotted out! i made an appt for 11/19/08 to find out how much it would cost to fix this & learned that the rocker panels were not available from ford & that i needed to fabricate new ones! my car, which had 142,555 miles on it, which i thought to be in perfect condition, did not pass inspection because of sub-frame rot! this vehicle has only been serviced by ford dealerships, who had just pocketed $621.45 of my money to perform work on a car that they refused to inspect! in searching for estimates to repair this damage i learned that all taurus' rusted in the same place! under the rocker panel covers, right where mine was rotted. i was told by every company to junk my car! i called ford to express my concerns and was only told "your car is no longer under warranty". i just learned today about recalls on ford vehicles due to subframe rot! my car is still sitting in my driveway. i have been unable to fix it and have not junked it yet because i am so saddened that it was never fixed by ford. i have every receipt for all the work performed on my car and would like my car to be included in the updated recalls on ford vehicles! thank you. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact was driving in reverse approximately 2 mph while in the driveway and heard a grinding noise coming from the front end of the vehicle, followed by the front driver side collapsing to the ground. the contact inspected the vehicle and detected that the front driver side coil spring fractured. the vehicle had not been repaired. the contact experienced the similar defect as mentioned in the recall on the 1999-2001 models under the nhtsa campaign id number 04v332000 (suspension:front:springs:coil springs). the failure mileage was 80,450.

I was pulling out of my drive way and my coil spring on my 1998 ford taurus went threw my front right tire. luckily i was only pulling out of my drive way. this could have been very serious, just two days before i was driving to syracuse and going 70mph on the freeway, i would have more then likely died due to this. now ford knows there is a defect in the coils in there cars but yet has done little to fix it or help people. now i am out 600 plus dollars because i had to replace my tire and pay for a whole new coil sping assembly for both sides on the front of my car. all i want is for ford to take responsibility and be held responsible for this and these faulty coil spings and for me to get my money back. *ln

My family owns a 1998 ford taurus se which has been unable to pass inspection due to severe rust on the sub-frame where the k-member bolts to the car, as well as complete rust out under factory installed plastic rocker panel shields. we have been told by our mechanic that the engine k-member could fail during driving conditions if the vehicle were driven through another pennsylvania winter. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact stated that after parking the vehicle and turning it off, it would not start again. the failure occurred intermittently. no warning lights illuminated on the instrumental panel. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer and they informed her that they were unable to diagnose the failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 142,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. while driving 35 mph, the anti theft device engaged and caused the vehicle to stall unexpectantly. the contact coasted the vehicle off the roadway. the contact was able to restart the vehicle and she stated the failure recurred at least six times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer twice. the contact stated the dealer replaced the battery cable, a metal wire to the battery and the key was reprogrammed and replaced. the failure continued to recur intermittently. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 158,273.

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. while driving approximately 2 mph, the contact heard a loud bang and stopped. when he examined the vehicle, he noticed the front passenger side tire had been pierced by a broken coil spring. he repaired the vehicle himself. two months later, the failure occurred again on the front driver side but the tire had not been pierced. he again repaired the vehicle. the failure mileage was approximately 55,000 and the current mileage was approximately 61,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact stated that he was riding in the vehicle as a passenger in the front seat when the vehicle was involved in a crash. the passenger's front seat belt buckle attaching stud failed and he was not properly restrained during the crash and sustained unknown injuries. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 98v198000 (seat belts: front: anchorage) that was issued in 1998 but he as unable to confirm if the vehicle was included in the recall. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was approximately 50,000 and the current was unknown.

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact stated that while driving 5 mph, the vehicle would accelerate and then decelerate for approximately a quarter mile. the driver was able to safely drive the vehicle home at very low speeds. the vehicle had not been diagnosed by a dealer when the complaint was filed. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileages were 112,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the vehicle would occasionally exhibit a no-start condition. she also noticed the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument control panel. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealership. the current and failure mileages were 167000. updated 12/7/09 *cn the consumer stated the engine would become excessively hot. updated 12/08/09*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. while driving approximately 25 mph on normal road conditions, the driver heard a gushing noise outside of the vehicle. the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and oil was observed leaking from underneath the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the failure was contributed to the engine oil pan gasket. the oil pan gasket was replaced at that time. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic on two separate occasions for identical failures. currently, the vehicle is in the process of being repaired. the failure mileage was between 42,000-44,000 and current mileage was 110,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. while backing up in the driveway at low speeds, the vehicle made a rubbing noise. the contact noticed that the coil spring punctured the tire. the vehicle has not been repaired. the dealer stated that there were no open recalls for this vehicle. the contact found a 1999 recall for this component online. the failure and current mileages were 138,000.

My wife was backing the car out of the driveway and suddenly the driver's side front end dropped to the ground and a flat tire occurred. when i took off the flat to replace it with the donut, the entire inside circumference was cut. one of the coils of the coil spring had broken off and sliced into the tire. the coil spring appears to have worn half-way through and then snapped off. fortunately the car was not being driving on the highway at highway speeds! the shocks, mounts links, tires, etc. were replaced at the tune of $1,375.00. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. the contact noticed oil leaking from the vehicle while it was parked in the garage. he later discovered that the engine's subframe was corroded on the rear passenger side. the vehicle was driven to the dealer and they stated that the metal where the subframe bushing was attached was corroded. the mechanic also stated that there was no known remedy for the defect. the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in any recalls; therefore, they were not liable for the repairs. the vehicle has not been repaired. the current mileage was 157,954 and failure mileage was 157,947. updated 12/10/08 *cn updated 12/16/08. *jb

Ford taurus 1998 engine coolant reservoir (plastic container) sprung a leak on the bottom side. no indication of any rubbing against anything. i ordered a replacement from an on-line internet parts wholesaler and they said they had many orders for replacement ford taurus engine coolant reservoir bottles. i never had such a problem on any previous car that i have owed before. *tr

I bought 4 new tires at sears on 10/31/06 .and i had a flat tire so i put air in the tire when i was done i could hear the air leaking out of the valve stem i could see the cracks in the stems and replaced it on 5/18/08 and a month later the same thing i replaced another valve stem on 06/16/08 . now i will have to replace the two front tires valve stems. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. while driving less than 30 mph, the contact heard rumbling noises coming from the vehicle. the independent mechanic stated that the vehicle should be given back to the previous owner because it would not last a year due to the damaged k-frame. a personal friend/mechanic tapped on the frame of the vehicle and it was similar to glass shattering. the mechanic also stated that the snow salt from the roads were corroding the frame. the contact later purchased a subframe and is awaiting its installation. the failure mileage was 107,000 and current mileage was 109,000.

On a couple of occasions, after i brought my 1998 ford taurus to full stop, with the gear in park, the engine continued to accelerate rapidly, very rapidly. i am taking it to my mechanic to check out. *tr

The coil spring in the front driver side punctured the tire immediately flattening it and rendering it undrivable couldn't even put on the spare because of the spring i had my 7 month old son in the car and thankfully we were just backing up and not on the highway yet! this happened on the passenger side last year. i am really concerned about the danger that this poses! *tr

The door adjar sensor light stays on. all doors are shut but light stays on.when this light is on the interior lights stay on and also the automatic door locks will not lock. this problem causes the battery to run down and also for children to be able to open car doors when moving because the doors will not lock. i have taken the bulbs from the interior out to prevent running battery down. have not been able to replace sensors in doors. *tr

Engine oil is leaking on exhaust system from back side of engine. strong smell and oil on ground' 81,000 miles on vehicle. i purchased vehicle new. replaced valve cover gaskets. still leaking oil. *tr

Two separate times brought vehicle to normal stop and engine began to race on its own. had to keep brakes applied full strength. rpm were approx 2000 to 2500. had to shut the engine off both times to stop the surging. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. while driving approximately 5 mph, the contact heard a loud clunking noise coming from the vehicle. he pulled over and noticed that the vehicle's front end was lower to the ground. he took the vehicle to the shop and they stated that the passenger side front coil spring failed. the repair shop replaced the spring. the current and failure mileages were 100,000.

Stuck thermostat caused a boil over. a few months later the integrated pressure/overflow bottle cracked and caused a major loss of coolant. this also lead to the heater core becoming blocked due to the loss of coolant. updated 12/07/07 *jb

A seat back failure happened to my mothers ford taurus during a rear end collision, which caused her to loose control of the car because she couldn't reach the brake or steering wheel after the seat back broke. what should of been a minor accident turned into a very major accident. automobile manufacturers should make cars that's seats don't break with the smallest rear collision. *jb

Jerking, doesn't want to go, felt like fuel filter, but think its transmission. *ak

Air conditioner (a/c) system failed; no cooled air coming out of system; 1998 ford taurus gl v6 3.0l; only 106,000 miles; had to replace discharge line; had to replace manifold lines at compressor; had to evacuate and charge system. parts included a/c manifold line set, discharge line, freon. total cost: $620. *ak

I own a 1998 ford taurus. after reading another report of malfunctioning of front coil springs i have decided to report the same type of incident which happened to the vehicle in 2005. the front left coil spring snapped and punctured the tire, the entire spring was lodged through the front driver's side tire - the vehicle was not drivable, and had to be moved on a flat bed tow truck to the repair shop, where both front coil springs had to be replaced.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford taurus. while driving 20 mph the driver's side front coils spring failed and damaged the front tires. there was a recall # 04v332000 concerning suspension:front:springs:coil springs. the manufacturer would not repair the vehicle because it was excluded from the recall. the current and failure mileages were 62,257.*ak

Today, feb. 26,2007 i was summoned by the mechanic where i was getting the oil changed. while doing the safety inspection he showed me that the front end support rails of the car which holds the engine are rusting through! the whole cradle is in danger of breaking off due to the rust. this will not pass inspection he told me not to drive the car until it gets fixed! this is a defect in the steel i have never had this happen before. *nm

While backing out of my driveway, i heard a grinding noise. i got out to investigate nothing was blocking the tires. i then pulled the car forward and heard a bang. the right front tire blew out due to the front suspension (spring). when the tow truck came (aaa) he said he has seen "many" taurus' that this happens to. i am glad i was not on the interstate when this happened...*nm

My door ajar lights keep coming on even though the doors are all shut. sometimes i am able to open and close a door and the light will go out, but other times the light stays on no matter what you do. the dome light will stay on due to this and you have to take the bulb out in order to drive especially at night. this has been an ongoing problem for quite awhile now and no one is able to find the cause of the problem. i have already had to replace the alternator and two batteries which i believe to be caused from this problem. i would like to know if there is a defect since there are several complaints on the same issue and if so will the dealer find and fix the problem at no cost to me? *jb

Front spring break

While going to work both brakes lines on drivers side went bad after checking with mechanic. was told both lines was rotted away. i do have to order parts from ford. which is going to cause me 265.00 to fix . my car has 49000 miles. no reason why brakes line fail not a old car always taken care of. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 60 mph on the highway, the third brake light lens located on the hatch of the vehicle, separated and fell into oncoming traffic without warning. no injuries were sustained, and the police were not alerted. the dealer and manufacturer were alerted.

While going down road, the right front coil spring broke causing it to slice the front tire. this caused the replacement of both front coil springs, both front struts, as well as both strut mounts. *jb

1998 ford taurus with 68000 miles. front drivers side coil spring fractured. one full broken coil still on strut. damaged rack and pinion steering unit. only found problem after had looked at for loss of power steering fluid. apparently coil failure pulled rack apart on end. recall for 1999-2001 issued nhtsa #04v332/ford recall 04s17. see other websites with people with 1998 model year having same problem. why wasn't recall extended to 1998 model year? or was it? car is in excellent shape and never in accident of any kind. obviously the description in the recall fits my situation. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably to 20 mph while in reverse which resulted in a collision. the vehicle's transmission was put in reverse to back into a parking spot when full acceleration engaged. the vehicle went over an embankment and collided with a tree. the vehicle kept accelerating after the collision until the contact shut the ignition off. the throttle control was not controllable with braking. the fire department was contacted and extracted the 3 injured passengers from the rear window. the manufacturer was not contacted and a police report was taken. updated 09/15/06. *jb

My 1998 ford taurus has 134,000 miles and has been a good car. we have had it for 6 months. it is the only vehicle i have. all of a sudden it kicks itself out of drive when you are driving. so far we have not had an accident because of this--i quit driving it but i came very, very close to being hit by a semi-truck when it just stopped in the middle of the road. i was very lucky!! i have had numerous things done to it but it still continues to do this. i am very angry as i cannot afford to get another vehicle!!! *nm

On april 24, 2006, i experienced a tire blow-out. i had the car towed to the ford dealership in keene and was told that it was caused by a broken front suspension spring. the tow driver had informed me of a recall for that particular problem. i was told that it was for 1999 taurus. my car is a 1998. i had to replace 2 front tires because of this and a spring. the bill totaled $537.78. i would like to have this looked into. *jb

Vehicle is a se wagon, build date 8/4/1998. purchased new 8/26/1998. mileage at failure is 29,608 miles. while reversing at under 5 mph, left front coil spring broke at lower retainer. the spring sliced through the inner sidewall of the tire. contacted ford customer relationship center and was told that 1998 vehicles were not covered under any recall, only 1993 and 1999 through 2001. ford would not do anything except record the failure. total bill was $1,075 for replacing both front struts, two front sway bar links, 1 tire, alignment, and towing. fortunately the failure occurred at low speed in driveway. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while entering the vehicle a loud snapping noise was heard. while reversing out of the driveway, the front driver tire became flat. the vehicle has not been inspected by a mechanic. there is a nhtsa recall, # 04v332000, regarding the front coil springs; however, it is not included in the recall due to the vin. the consumer had both springs replaced at his expense. updated *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while the brake pedal is depressed the vehicle accelerates at various speeds. an independent repair shop determined the throttle sensor control needs to be replaced.

Dt*: the contact stated the abs warning light illuminated intermittently, but there were no problems with the brakes. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop where the abs sensor was replaced, but this did not remedy the problem. the manufacturer and dealer have not been alerted.

Dt*: the contact stated while approaching a stop at 15 mph the brake pedal was depressed. the vehicle did not stop, causing a rear end collision with another vehicle. the brake pedal went to the floor and was spongy. seat belts were in use and minor injuries were sustained by both the contact and passenger. there was a police report filed and the vehicle was towed. the insurance inspector has not disclosed the cause of the accident. the manufacturer was not alerted.

Smoke was rising from underneath car on the right side. turned engine off and found oil was running down and hitting the hot exhaust pipe causing the smoke. car was towed to the repair facility. repair facility found the oil pan gasket was bulged out on the right side about 3/4" thus allowing oil to run out of the oil pan. oil pan gasket was replaced. *jb

On saturday, march 11,2006, i parked my car in my carport at 7 pm, having driven 30 miles that day with no problems. it remained there until monday morning, march 13, 2006, when i discovered a flat front left tire. the aaa tower noticed the tire was completely destroyed by a coil which had broken off from the spring, preventing him from releasing the tire from the wheel. the ford dealer said my car was not included in the recall. however, my car clearly had the same problem. the spring break was clean, there was no rust, and there had been no provocation to cause a break. had i been driving, there could have been a major accident. the repair bill was $875.00 to replace the front springs and struts and tire. the tower, ford dealer and both repair mechanics examined the coil that broke off. i do not have the part. *jb

1998 ford taurus engine failed. *ts the vehicles engine failed while on an exit ramp. as a result the vehicle ran off the left side of the road and struck four highway signs and poles. the vehicle left rear door, left rear quarter panel, left rear bumper and right side running panel were damaged. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while backing out of driveway, he heard a loud noise. after parking the vehicle, he realized he had a flat tire. the contact changed the tire, replacing it with the spare tire. when he drove the vehicle to an independent tire shop they found the front coil springs broke which punctured the front tire. the manufacturer was contacted and the vehicle is now at the dealership. *ak the consumer was informed a recall had been issued for the coil springs, however the consumer vehicle identification number was not included. updated 01/19/06. *jb updated 02/22/06. *jb

While backing out of our garage, the right front tire blew. the tire was sliced all around on the inside and was in two pieces. this vehicle has 4 new tires and i thought the tire had to be a defect. a local garage came to my house to change it with a spare studded tire that was in good condition. i drove 2 feet when that tire blew. it was obvious that it wasn't the tires. i had to have my vehicle towed to a garage. the mechanic had to replace the front right suspension spring coil and strut mount. he also replaced the left one; it was about ready to snap. i researched this problem on the internet and noticed that ford motor company had recalls on the front suspension coil springs for the 1997 and 1999 vehicles, but not 1998. i contacted ford motor company for any recalls for this vehicle year, as they had recalls on the previous year and year after. there wasn't any concern at all and no recalls; now i am stuck with a bill of $489.71. luckily i wasn't on the highway going 65 mph or it could have been tragic. *jb

I bought the vehicle from this company. i expect that all parts be in safe working condition... i was in an automobile accident june 3, 2005 in which while traveling about 50 mph my car struck the side of a ford truck that had pulled out perpendicular into my lane. my car was wedged beneath the truck and the front end was demolished while the dash has evidence of moving back as well including the bruises on my knees and leg. my car was determined "totaled" and i am in therapy for my injuries to include portions of my body from head to toe. my airbag did not deploy!!! the vehicle was sold to me in less than safe driving condition as the airbag was one of many reasons i agreed to buy the car. ford should not allow the resale of their product unless it is safe. *nm

No heat. took our 1998 ford taurus 6cyl.,3.0l,182fi vehicle to dealer with complaint of no heat. i am told from the ford service advisor that there is rust in the coolant system caused by a metal allergy reaction from the water pump impeller blade and the antifreeze coolant in the system which cause rust the inside of the engine, freeze plugs, heater core, thermostat and eventually cause the engine to overheat/breakdown due to lack of water/coolant circulation. ford answer: replace water pump with upgraded water pump, flush system with anti-rust chemicals, replace freeze plugs, replace heater core, hoses, thermostat and refill with anti-freeze coolant at a cost of @ $1700.00. this vehicle has had regular maintenance on it since i've own it 10/1999, ie. oil changes @5000k mi., coolant flush @1/yr., brakes & tires check/service @5000k mi. i believe ford knows of this problem or they wouldn't have upgraded the water pump to correct the problem. and i believe ford should take care of the replacement of this defective part and related components. *nm

The service engine soon light came on. 2 code read internal problems with transmission - fourth gear and solenoid. code was cleared but came back a week later. had transmission rebuilt to the amount of over $3200. bought 1998 ford taurus used in 2001 with 52000 miles - now 91400. just wanted to make other consumers aware of this costly problem. i have had no other major problems in the 4 years of ownership. *nm

Dt: 1998 ford taurus. the consumer states the speed sensor goes out. the vehicle will down shift while going 70 mph. this happens at all speeds. the vehicle has been to the dealership, they insist it is an owner's problem, not a vehicle problem. they indicate the vehicle needs a new transmission. he has had all of the sensors replaced and the vehicle still behaves poorly. this problem started two weeks ago on august 1, 2005. the vehicle is currently at a local mechanic. ford refuses to do anything other than replace the transmission or give the consumer $500 for the vehicle.*ak

Consumer requesting information regarding 1999 ford taurus.*mr *jb

Front air bags on 1998 ford taurus did not deploy in head on collision.

Dt: the passenger seat belt doesn't work. the seat belt was stuck in the retractor. *jb

While backing out of my driveway i heard a grinding noise and my tire suddenly went flat. removed the tire and saw that right coil spring broke puncturing the entire inner sidewall of the tire. the car was towed to the dealer who first said that all expenses would be covered including the tire due ford's recall for the exact same problem with their taurus. then the service manager told me that my car was not covered under the recall because it's a 1998 taurus. it is plain to see there is a defect in the coil spring. this is the same exact problem the the 1999 -2001 ford taurus' recall. i'm surprised that ford will not stand behind this problem with their 1998 models.

Dt: consumer was driving through mcdonalds when brakes failed, and pedal went to the floor. consumer looked out of car and saw brake fluid on ground. consumer walked to garage, and was told brake line was bent which caused it to rust. brake line was located on driver's side. consumer was told brake line went from front tire to rear tire. when brake went out the air bag light came on. light was yellow with picture of air bag deployed. also, consumer noticed that dash in vehicle on driver's side was separating. *ak

Uncontrolled rapid acceleration experienced while backing up. due to slow speed at time of incident was able to engage brakes fully to slow vehicle, shift to neutral and turn off engine avoiding accident. throttle had returned to normal upon restart.

Consumer stated, the spring that was a part of the strut assembley broke on the passenger front tire. *jb

The transmission stalled and started leaking transmission fluid all over the engine and on the road which caused smoking.

Front coil springs broke twice in six months on 1998, ford, taurus. i looked up recall information on the ford web site. i found out that there was a recall on 1999-2001 for the coil springs breaking. so i called customer support line and explained what the problem was. they said that there was nothing that they could do,they would put in a complaint. so i expressed my concerns about if im driving down the highway with my kids in the car and my tire explodes would they worry about it. then?they said there was nothing that they could do,i have to just keep getting it fixed, and wait and see if a recall comes out. so i was wondering if there was anything that you people could do about this problem that i'm having with ford. thank you. *ak

Both headlight lenses are clouded, discolored and have moisture on the inside. the headlight system is supposed to be a sealed unit. the consumer indicated that this problem causes poor visibility while driving at night.*ak *sb

The car has been looked at the gears slipped off the cam, car completely died

1998 ford taurus station wagon began low power acelerating at stop times 2. a third incident occured from a complete stop with foot on brakes an this time it could not be stopped with both feet on breaks. it ran for about 75 feet and then quit on its own. took to local ford delears ship and they could find nothing wrong with my car. i asked if this were common and was told they never heard of such thing. keep car two days i contacted the taurus club of americal at their web line and it seems there have been many incidents such as this and they called it surging. *ak

Consumer turned the vehicle on and let the engine idle while parked in the driveway. approximately 15 minutes later the vehicle caught on fire under the hood. local fire department arrived to extinguish the fire. the fire damageed total the vehicle. how the fire started? was not determined.*ak

13 march 2005, pulling out of our driveway, right front tire went suddenly flat. removal of the tire showed that the spring on the right front strut broke, puncturing the tire. looking at the fracture zone it appears that corrosion had started at a defect in the steel, creating a crack that eventually yielded to the applied stress and failed. looks exactly like the problem in 1999 tauruses identified in nhtsa recall number 04v332000.*ak

Vehicle started to smoke. consumer had the heater core replaced. however, heater core kept becoming defective. the consumer had the heater core replaced on four occasions. *ak

Upon backing out of the driveway, moving approximately 10 feet, front coil spring broke, blowing the front left tire out. recall 04v332000 concerning front coil spring was issued. *ak *nm

Ford taurus 1998, driver's side spring coil cracked. *bf the consumer stated there should be a formal investigation regarding the coil springs on 1998 taurus. *jb

While driving 2 mph, the rear left door open on it's own. the driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle and pulled over. the cause has not been determined at this time. consumer will contact the dealer in the near future. please provide further details. *nm

Took 1998 ford taurus (duratec 3.0) in for cooling system flush and transmission flush. with only 54,000 miles, i was surprised to find a rear stabilizer bar was broken, and a front axle seal was leaking. those are clearly materials defects, as we take expert care of this vehicle. i have also had problems with rotors since we drove the car off the lot. the poor quality rotors the factory installs on these cars contributes to warping, which would be noticeable by a pulsing when braking from highway speeds.*ak

Consumer slid into a guard rail while traveling 20 mph in wet conditions. consumer struck the guard rail with force head on, and air bags did not deploy.*ak

Nhtsa recall campaign 04v332000; ford issued a front coil spring recall. this vehicle was included in the recall, but the coil springs broke before the recall work was performed.*ak

The vehicle was pulling out of the garage. in the process of doing so he heard an unknown grinding noise coming from the front. he proceeded to pull back into the garage and pulled the left front tire off. he discovered that the front coil spring was broken off the vehicle. please describe details. *nm

While driving 15 mph the front coil spring broke without warning. as a result the front passenger side tire was punctured. a manufacturer's recall 04s17 was issued for that coil spring, however this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak

While pulling out of the driveway the front coil spring broke without warning. as a result, the front passenger side tire was punctured. *ak there was a cut on the inside of the sidewall. the consumer also had a 2001 ford taurus that was recalled for the problem and a 1993 model that experienced the same. *sc *jb

While traveling out of town, had the left front coil spring break on my 1998 taurus station wagon, destroying the tire. repair shop told me there was a recall on something similar, contacted local ford dealer who said the recall only covered 1999 - 2001 ones. had both front springs and tire replaced, along with an alignment. after returning home, i checked out the details of the recall on the nhtsa website. interesting to see that i wasn't the only one with a 98 that had the same problem as was covered under the recall program. contacted ford customer service directly, they told me there wasn't anything they could do since my car was not in the recall. contacted my local ford dealer, who said he would talk to the district service rep to see if ford would cover my repair costs. rep said that they would not cover the repairs. dealer recommended that i hang onto my paperwork in case the recall was expanded in the future. *jb

Fuel pump failure leaving driver stranded. had to have car towed and repaired at a cost of $568.81. *jb

While driving 15 mph consumer heard a loud noise, and then vehicle's front shifted down on the driver's side and stopped moving. vehicle was towed to a repair shop, and mechanic determined that the front coil spring broke, damaged the sway bar, and punctured the front tire on driver's side. dealer was notified.*ak *jb

The front coil spring broke and punctured the tire. *bf this incident happened during a rain storm. *sc *jb

There is a snapping and cracking noise whenever the steering wheel is turned. the entire front frame rusted because of the bad metal used by the factory. the manufacturer will be contacted. *ak the front frame was not built properly. *sc *jb

I'm not sure why this problem is happening. whenever i push the button to let my windows up, turn off my read defrost, or hold any buttons too long the battery light will flash. i was driving down the highway and i turned off my rear defrost and my battery light flashed, then my head lights went out and my car almost shut down, then the lights came back on. the next day, it was night time, and i saw another taurus do the same thing. being that time is changing and i need my head lights, i would hate to have an accident due to the fact i cant see. i have had my car checked to see if the alternator or battery was going out, but all the checks were good. please help with this problem. *jb

A loud noise was heard coming from the front. vehicle vibrated uncontrollably. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove to the dealer for inspection mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. *ak

My whole cooling system has become corroded by the coating inside of the hoses that is used. i have had my heater core replace 2 years ago and my radiator flushed. and now it is failing again. a service bulletin has been issued, so ford knows about the problem. why am i left holding the bag for repairs on defective parts. *nm

While placing the key inside of the ignition switch it failed to turn or and start. the consumer was not able to start or turn the steering wheel. the consumer will contact the dealer in the morning for an appointment to bring it in for inspection and repair. please fill in additional information. *jb

While driving consumer noticed smoke coming out of the air vents on the dashboard. consumer pulled over and exited the vehicle. the entire vehicle went up in flames within seconds. no warning lights came on prior to the smoke and flames. *ak

My 1998 ford taurus experienced the driver side spring breaking and shooting into the tire flattening it while attempting to back up. i went less than an inch when the tire completely deflated. the car was towed and repaired including 2 front struts,1 set front coil springs ,1 upper strut mount, 2 front sway bar links, and tire with frontend alignment. when my husband contacted ford motor co. after the recall for 1999, 2000, and 2001 models he was told my car was not included in the recall, so there was nothing they could do but turn it in as an incident for futher investigation.had i been on the interstae etc this could have killed me, my family or many others. there were no known problems or noises etc prior to this event. i have also had to have the ball joint on that side of the car replaced since that incident.*ak

I have a 1998 ford taurus station wagon. on 5 occasions the car went into a sudden acceleration while i was stopped with my foot on the brake or while i was slowing down to stop. in each case i would press hard on the brake in order to hold the car and immediately shift out of gear. in the first two incidents, brake pressure would hold the car until i got it out of gear. in the later incidents brake pressure would only slow the forward motion. the engine rush was so great that the car would not stop until it was out of gear. on 2 of these 5 occasions i narrowly avoided an accident. the dealer has been looking into this and has been trying to find the cause, so far without success. the date given below is an estimate of the first time that this occurred. *jb

While driving home from the airport on may 14, 2004, my 1998 ford taurus experienced a broken front driver side coil spring. i was traveling approximately 40 mph at the time. the front end of the vehicle dropped down so that the front tire was rubbing on the body of the car (generating tire smoke). i immediately pulled over to the side of the road to survey the damage. it was evident that if i drove the car any farther even more damage would occur. unfortunately, this breakdown occurred in a local prison area where posted signs warn people not to pick up hitch hikers. this made it challenging for me to find someone who would let me use their phone to call a tow truck. i had the car towed to a local garage to get it back roadworthy. to make that happen, i had to purchase 2 new coil springs, 2 new front struts, a new strut mount, 2 new front sway bar links, and a front end alignment. it then took me a few days to feel comfortable driving on any road surface that had bumps on it. in july i became aware of the recall activity associated with 1999-2001 taurus and sable sedans for coil spring breakage. i contacted ford and was informed that this recall did not apply to 1998 models. it appears there may be an issue with 1998 vehicles also. hopefully, more people will utilize this site to document additional incidents to re-open an investigation. *ak

Purchased vehicle from government agency. drove vehicle 197 miles to my home. parked at back of driveway until could transfer title and purchase insurance. was mowing grass backed up car about three feet. heard a loud "thud/pop" with the sound or air escaping, pulled forward about five feet. tire was flat. i thought i had a "blow-out" thought it was odd because had a new set of tires with less than 400 miles on them. asked son to put the donut on so i could take the tire to goodyear for replacement. was the left front tire inside part of tire looked as if someone had taken a knife and cut the tire. upon returning from the tire dealer my son pointed out the broken coil spring on the left front (drivers) side. had car towed to a local garage for repair. the tow truck driver and the mechanic at the garage stated they had never seen a coil spring fracture. let alone one fracture in three place the way the coil spring did on this vehicle. paid to have both front springs shocks and struts replaced. heard about recall for taurus and sable 899,000 on radio station. so i stopped by local ford, hudson in madisonville ky, they could find no information about a recall involving my vin. was given ford customer relation 800 number. called and was essentially told that it was my problem that my vin was not involved in the recall. asked to speak to a supervisor, she returned my call somewhat timely, but reiterated that my vechicle was not involved in the recall, and it was my problem. in the mean time i visited your site and found four complaints with 1998 taurus's with almost identical coil spring fractures. it is my opinion that the recall needs to be expanded and/or the investigation needs to be reopened. the ford customer relation person said their engineers had not determined there is a problem. i think if you wait until ford takes action hell will be froze over. *ak

Got blowout so had 2 new tires put on front of vehicle. drove 1/2 mile down road got another blowout on busy highway. we were able to get off road safely and put spare (doughnut tire) on and return to where we had new tires put on. when they checked after removing tire they found the coil spring on drivers side was broken and had punctured tire. we now have the spare still on vehicle as we can not afford the repairs right now. *la

While driving at any speed vehicle stalled. the problem was due to a faulty automatic transmission. *ak

While applying the brakesthe pedal went to the floor and the driver heard a loud knocking noise from the passenger side wheel. this causes a loss of braking power. the driver was able to maintain control of the vehicle and drove it to dealer. the mechanic informed the driver that the master cylinder needed to be replaced due to a worn housing shaft unit. please provide any additional information. *nm

When the vehicle is driven at high speeds, the steering becomes very stiff. this problem has occurred three times since owning the vehicle. *nm

3rd rack & pinion replaced in my 1998 taurus since i purchased it in august '99 : sept.'99; sept. '03, and apr 04. i have only put 26,000 miles on my car and believe this is not an item that should be replaced with such frequency. *ak

Head gasket and head had to be replaced due to overheating, total cost of job was 1400. dollars

Idle control module malfunctioned. *ak

The fuel pump just stopped working causing a complete shut down of all systems no steering, brakes, etc;just by luck the wife was driving slow in traffic but can you imiange if you were driving at high speeds!!!! and to top it off because of a poor design the consumer gets stuck with a 619.00 repair bill due to the fact the fuel pump is located inside the fuel tank and is labor intensive to repair which really sucks!!!! thank you for your time but to me this is a real safety hazard not to mention the high cost just to repair a fuel pump

1998 taurus se has had problems with cooling system nov 2001.cutter ford of aiea the agent for ford made three attempts to repair problem spaning a year and a half. for the time being problem has been solved. however freeze plug has malfuctioned twice now and i am currently getting it repaired. fuel injectors malfuctioned and where repaired april 2003. i have records of car's problems dating back to 2000

I own a 1998 ford taurus wagon. the rear seatbelts do not work. i can not get them to pull out at all. for that matter, i can not buckle my child in. both sides are affected. the center buckle doesn't have an extracting belt so that is the only usable seat belt in the rear. i have to do something about this because i have to transport children in car seats. the cover was removed in attempt to fix these and i am still unable to get them to work.

Brakes: front brake rotors continue to warp in short amount of time. since purchasing vehicle on 26 feb 99, with 14622 miles on it, i have had to replace the front brake disc rotors 3 times and also haved them turned (cut) 3 times. this time (august 03) i have had them done by a mechanic. at least 40% of the mileage that i have placed on the vehicle has been highway mileage. other: vehicle day time running lights control module is faulty. this happened aprox. 2 years ago. shortly after receiving the vehicle from dealer, which was delivered do to a recall, my daytime running lights became very dime and were of no basic use. upon returning the vehicle to the dealer, it was first stated that my vehicle did not have dytime running lights, once this problem was fixed, they then identified the problem to some elctronic control module. do to the cost, aprox $250.00, i chose not to have it fixed.

Last summer, my 1998 ford taurus blew an engine. it was about 4000 miles over warranty. the garage told me that it was nothing that i had done. the problem was probably' a failure in the oil pump, that my car had experienced oil pressure problems. they also said that they regretted that my warranty had expired. i had to pay to replace a new engine. they sent in a rebuilt engine, replaced the bad engine, and extended the warranty to 100,000 miles. then, this july (july 25,2003) i was driving the same 1998 ford taurus with the previously blown engine. the add coolant light came on. i immediately stopped the car. water was pouring from either the radiator or hose. i called a tow truck and had the car towed home (about a distance of 60 miles). i had it towed to my local mechanic. on monday morning, the mechanic called and said that i had many more problems that just a leak. he said it looked like i had a blown head gasket. he could not even get the car to start. because the car was still under warranty, i had it towed to the bowling green lincoln & mercury in bowling green oh. this is where i had originally purchased the car and the place that had replaced the engine the previous summer. after waiting nearing two weeks to get permission from detroit (?) to fix it, an inspector was sent down to examine the damage. his report indicated that the problem was not from a defective engine, but from environmental contamination. they voided the warranty. i asked what environmental contamination meant. i was informed that the inspector had decided that my car had been in a flood. i was taken back. my car had not been in a flood. the mechanics, the service representative, and service manager all confirmed that there was absolutely no evidence that the car was in a flood. i personally heard the service manager talk to someone in detroit confirming that the car had not been in a flood. detroit sent out another inspector who took flood samples from the car.

Vehicle purchased new, 2000 miles transmission quit working was rebuilt under warranty by ford. transmission is out again car will not move without increasing rpms to 2,500, transmission slips and car is not drivable. makes loud knocking sound. estimated $2,500 rebuild needed. head gaskets went out at 80,000 miles and were replaced for $600, this is a common problem with taurus. *la

While trying to back out of our garage, the front left spring coil in our 1998 ford taurus broke and punctured the tire, causing a blow out. in researching the nhtsa website i learned that the 1993 ford taurus, 1998 ford contour, and 1998 mercury mystique were recalled for the same problem. i also found a complaint indicating the same problem in the 1998 and 1999 ford taurus. this appears to be a chronic problem, and i feel fortunate the incident did not occur, as in other reported cases, while traveling at highway speeds. the dealer and ford motor company were informed of his problem but have made no efforts to contact me regarding this safety issue. also, i am concerned because we had reported excessive vibration of steering wheel and wobbling of the car to the dealer in october and november of 2003 but were told that our brakes were out of round. this makes no sense to us, as the problem occurred not only when braking, but also at higher speeds and when accelerating. i believe that the problem was misdiagnosed and put our safety at risk. i would greatly appreciate an investigation into this problem, as i have concern for others driving the 1998 ford taurus. i would also appreciate some assurance that our car is now safe- i have read that in other situations a shield was installed to prevent a broken spring from making contact with the tire in the future. i have kept my repair receipts and am hoping that this will be treated as a recall and result in reimbursement for my expenses.*ak

The rear seat belt on the passenger side was inoperative and was stuck in the retractor. *ak *sc *jb

Ford taurus throttle stuck open. i started the engine and placed the transmission into reverse. pressing on the accelerator pedal to back out, the pedal wouldn't budge. while applying more and more force, the pedal finally gave in, collapsing to the floor and causing the engine to be stuck at full throttle. being in reverse, the taurus took off at full speed out of the carport to the side of a hill. ramming the car into drive caused me to go forward at full speed. until i slammed the transmission into park and cut off the engine, did i finally come to a stop about 100 feet down the driveway. the vehicle is now sitting at the phil long dealership in colorado springs, waiting to be analyzed. i called ford customer relations center and reported the problem. they said they can not do anything. i have made a video depicting this problem. i will be capturing this to a video file should anyone care to download it. please advise me as to what i should do. best regards david l. powell. *ak

98 ford taurus, well maintained, had catastrophic transmission faliure at 63,000 miles. ford has stonewalled &/or ignored the situation.

As i was pulling away from my driveway about 5 mph i heard a loud noise between hood and front seats. i soon realised that when i steped on the acceleration pedal the car won't go foward. i parked the car immidiately and turned off waited for a couple of minutes i got off from the car and i personally inpected the car from the exterior of the motor, and underneath of it and no oil was spilled (motor or transmission). i turned the car back on steped on the break and shifted to drive, and steped on accelaration pedal, but car wont move. i alo tryed reverse and did not move aswell. when u putted the car into 2nd gear it took a couple of seconds for the car to move. i also tryed 1st. gear and it did not move as well.*ak

Design flaw in the engine block that allows coolant to settle and accumulate in certain spots in the engine block.*mr twelve months after the coolant system was flushed, the vehicle began exhibiting a lost of heat and that was when the consumer was told of the problems with the engine that would eventually cause rust and sediment to accumulate over time if the coolant remained in the engine block. *jb

Engine coolant reservoir sprang a leak on the bottom side. there is about a 1-inch gap between the bottom of the bottle and the fender so rubbing against something was not the cause. i called a parts house who said they had replaced 3 of them in the past 2 weeks. seems like an odd coincidence the bottles leak. i've never seen one leak on any car i've ever owned.*ak

While driving at an undetermined speed and with no warning front left suspension collapsed. consumer had vehicle towed to the dealership. *ak

Brakes in the rear are grinding replaced pads and rotors and the problem still exist. *cb

Whasher pump seem's to have shorted out while driving down the interstate and caused a short in wirng witch resulted in a under the hood fire! all i did was turn on washer pump to clean winshield and nothing happen soon after i smelled wires burning!soon after i seen fire shooting from under car and then it blazed out of hood between the cowl and firewall! the car stoped running i pulled off the sied of i-70 1 mile marker and then called 911......*ak

Vehicle had been in repair shop five times for transmission work. transmission was repaired twice and replaced three times. *ak

I bought my 1998 ford taurus this past spring of 2003, and now that winter has arrived, i find that i have no heat or defroster. i took it to my mechanic and they told me it was my blend door, and they thought it was a recall item. when i contacted ford, they told me it was not a recall item, and that it would cost over $900 to get it fixed. how is this not a saftey issue, and how are they getting away with not paying for it? someone signed off on this cheap part that has obviously failed repeatedly on these vehicles. they need to be held responsible. visibility is a saftey issue, and they should be forced to recall this item. they shouldn't be able to choose not to recall something because it will cost them too much money to fix. they should have thought about that when they went cheap in the first place.*ak

While travelling to work on friday morning, december 5, i had just accessed interstate 65 north and had travelled on it for approximately 2 miles. i had reached my normal cruising speed of 80 mph when i began to cross the bridge over the tennessee river. on the downside of the bridge, i had no warning when all of a sudden my transmission ceased to function. due to the speed i was travelling, i was able to coast until i exited the bridge. after approximately 1/4 a mile, i safely pulled the vehicle over into the emergency lane and came to a stop. i proceeded to check all the gears to determine if the transmission had completely failed. unfortunately, it had. there was absolutely no warning to the transmission failure. there was no noise, no jerk, no anything. the vehicle has approximately 135,000 miles on it, and i ensure that routine service is performed on it. twelve months prior, i had the transmission completely serviced. this complete failure came as a surprise to me as no warning signs were evident. today, i am having to shell out $1600 for a complete overhaul of the transmission system. the company i have performing the repairs is known to be very reputible and told me that a great deal of damage had occurred within the transmission at or just prior to the actual failure. i was shocked when i found out today that others have experienced very similar situations. it appears that there is indeed a flaw in the ford taurus transmission system.*ak

While driving consumer heard a loud noise which was coming from the engine. dealer notified.*ak

While driving the brakes failed after the pedal became soft when depressing. this caused extended stopping distance. consumer managed to pull over, and had vehicle towed to dealership, but problem was not resolved. *ak

Wheel rim on driver's side tire was corroded, causing air to leak from the tire. driver took vehicle to the dealer for wheel rim replacement. *ak

Turn signals would only work at times. sometimes they would start to blink/illuminate. then, stop before the turn was complete, and sometimes they will not blink at all. this was a very common problem on many late 1990 fords. *ak

While driving and with no warning the door ajar light comes on intermittently. consumer has made contact with the dealership. *ak

Rear middle seat belt strap on 1998 ford taurus sedan was not secured by minor occupant while exiting vehicle. belt was outside vehicle when vehicle started moving and was run over by vehicle rear tires causing rear wheel to lock and skid on public street. *la

Smoke began coming out of vents when air conditioning was turned on. if i turned it off and waited a few minutes, the air conditioning would work again. this happened every time i tried to use the air conditioning. in september, when i tried using the heater, it did not work. i changed the thermostat and had engine cooling system flushed. however this still did not resolve my problem. i contacted my local ford dealership,. they informed me that this a common problem with the 98 taurus. the engine coolant ford makes you use clogs the system and turns the coolant into sludge. the only thing you can do is to replace the heater core. they also stated that on average i will have to replace the heater core every other year. this is unacceptable. *la

Heater abruptly stopped working while driving last winter. since then the cooling system has been flushed 6 times. each time it will work for a week and then it stopped again. the car was taken to a dealership where they replaced the blend door motor, charged $230 for it and it did nothing. it was given a "chemical flush" for $125 which did nothing. then the dealership informed me that it would need the heater core and blend door replaced. i was told by another dealership that this was a service bulletin in the first place and they should not have done the other work at all. apparently this was a known problem on the taurus from 96 on. i found a lot of people on the internet complaining about the exact same thing and was told that the nhtsa had advised ford in 96 or 97 that they should probably recall the cars for this problem which causes the defroster to not work and therefore makes it dangerous to drive at all in the winter. apparently ford did a " customer satisfaction" recall which expired in 99 but was never done on my car (i bought it used in 2000). i called ford to ask why this wasn't a recall since from what i have found it effects all tauruses from 96-99 at least. they told me that it wasn't a safety issue so it wouldn't be a recall. i submitted that it is a safety issue since you cannot see out of the windshield in the winter and since when ours stopped working we were on i-70 between st. louis and kansas city during a snowstorm and had to stop because we couldn't see. this is a $1300 repair that ford knew about for a long time, i think they should have to pay for it. *la

While driving, the right rear tire tread separated. *ak all 4 tires blew out at highway speed.*ts *jb

Consumer stated while traveling 25 mph was involved in a three car crash, and consumer's vehicle air bags did not deploy. *ak

The front passenger side seat belt was inoperable, due to a failure in the retractor mechanisms. part is unavailable. *ph

While driving, the brakes work intermittenly. dealer notified. please provide additional information. *ph

When vehicle is put into reverse the vehicle suddenly accelerates.*mr *ts. when the vehicle was placed in reverse, it suddenly accelerated out of control and crashed. *jb

Abs warning light started to flash while driving at 35 mph. when this occurred excessive force had to be applied to depress the brake pedal, causing extended stopping distance. the failure was caused by the ecu and hcu. the parts were replaced.*ak

While driving at 25/30 mph vehicle was in a head on collision. upon impact, driver's side nor passenger's side air bags deployed, and seat belt didn't retract. driver sustained slight injuries.*ak

While driving vehicle shut down at the middle of the road. dealer replaced fuel pump at cost of $695.00, consumer stated that warranty expired. *ak

Consumer called complaining about engine problems. also, that the vehicel has problems with gasket leaks.manufacturer was not contacted at the time of this call. *ak

Consumer stated when the brakes were applied, the pedal traveled to the floor,which caused the vehicle to experience extended stopping distance. dealer notified. *ak consumer was traveling approx. 50 mph approaching an intersection, he applied the brakes but the pedal went to the floor. consumer pumped the brakes 2-3 times and the pedal continued to go to the floor. then he quickly down shifted the automatic transmission to first gear and applied the emergency brake. this caused the vehicle to stop just short of the intersection. after 10 miles, the brakes were working normal. three people were in the vehicle at that time. *ph *jb

Exhaust problems with 1998 ford taurus. nar 07092003 *mr ford dealer was notified about replacing the defective part, however they refused to replace it. the consumer hoped that a national recall would be initiated to inspect the potential deadly conditions. *cb *jb

Brake failure on 1998 ford taurus. *ak

1998 ford taurus; 78000+ miles: recurring transmission problems. owners manual indicates that the illumination of the check engine light may not be referring to a mechanical problem that will affect performance of the vehicle. our light came on one month after we purchased the car. it would go off when we changed fluids or brand of gasoline. on june 28th there was a noticable change in drivability as the speedometer stopped working completely and the car would no longer shift from low gear. the engine would rev to 5000 rpms trying to shift but could not. i certainly believe this to be a dangerous situation while trying to maneuver in 55 to 65 mph traffic. aamco now tells me that it will cost 1500 t0 2000 dollars to fix the problem. i ran a 1993 ford van to 270,000 miles but i did not know that this model had a 12 year history of severe transmission problems. *ak

Today, while driving at about 55 mph on rte 1, my 1998 ford taurus wagon suddenly starting to shake violently as loud noises like bottoming out on several boulders emanated from beneath the car. the engine continued to run smoothly and the a/c pumped out cool air, but when the car came to rest at a stop light it did not move forward until the rpm got quite high and only then at a very slow, herky, jerky pace. the car smoothed out at around 25-30 mph, but the problem got progressively worse. i noticed blue-gray smoke coming from the rear of the car and parked the car in a relatively safe place. i noticed liquid dripping from beneath the car near the rear of the oil pan. my husband checked on the car on his way home from work to ascertain that the liquid is transmission fluid. without humor i recalled a woman telling me just two weeks ago that she had a car just like mine that she had to replace the transmission in recently, and i told her at the time that my car was running fine. this failure occurred without any warning. it was fortunate that i was on rte 1 and not on i-95, and in the day time on a hot sunny day and not on a cold, wet night. *nlm

When making left of right turns a grinding noise could be heard. vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced rack and pinion steering on 6/17/2003. *ak

My car problem happens when it rains. when i hit a puddle on the right front side the power steering does not work for several seconds, though the engine runs fine. when i hit the water it splashes up and gets the belt to the power steering pump wet and all power steering goes out for 5 to 10 seconds. this is a nightmare in traffic. *ak

Nar 06/05/2003 *mr mechanics diagnosed the problems as a broken torque converter. *cb

The headlights remained on at all times, even when the fuse was removed. dealer notified. *nlm

When the consumer removed his foot from the gas pedal, the vehicle accelerated more. vehicle seemed to "run" from driver which caused him to brake more often than necessary, especially when going down hill. *ak *ph *jb

While the vehicle was being serviced, the technician heard a taping noise coming from engine. it was discovered the cam shaft sprocket failed. *jb

When turning right at a street corner in the rain the power steering will momentarily fail. the drive belt will make a slight squeal when it re-engages. it appears that there is inadequage splash shielding inside the right hand wheel well such that water is thrown up on the drive belt and crankshaft pully by the cocked wheel. the drive belt is relatively new but the problem also occurred with the oem belt.

While driving 30 mph, the air bags deployed without impact. *jb

While changing the right passenger tire the consumer hit a tube which caused fuel to leak from the vehicle. the dealer has been notified. *nlm

1998 ford taurus would occasionally not move from a complete stop. this happened four times between november 2002 and the present. after the fourth time (may 2, 2003), the vehicle was taken to the local ford dealership. they stated that the transmission would have to be replaced at a cost of $2800. the vehicle was taken to an independent transmission shop for a second opinion. they found metal shavings in the pan and burnt mercon v. total cost for rebuilding the transmission was $1400-$1800. this is a preliminary estimate since the shop has to determine the amount of damage inside the transmission. the vehicle was not used for trailer towing or racing. engine is the duratec v6 and the total mileage is 64077. this is to me a serious concern since a vehicle should last at least 100,000 miles without a major failure as what has happened. every time the vehicle would not move from a complete stop was at a congested intersection, and one of the times this occurred was on a major highway where the maximum speed limit is 65 mph. this is a serious safety concern. *nlm

The interior lights stayed on after the motor was turned off. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that there would be a charge to look at the vehicle. the consumer had to disconnect the lights so the battery won't go dead. *nlm

The vehicle stalled intermittently. *jb

The vehicle was involved in an accident, and the air bags failed to deploy. *jb

I recently bought a 1998 ford taurus with 49,000 miles on it. it has an intermittent problem with the interior lights. after i get in the car and drive off, the vehicle sometimes thinks that my drivers door is still open. the door is ajar light on the instrument panel remains lit and the interior lights stay on for some time. i can manually turn off the dome light but the under-dash lights stay on. i don't notice it during the day but it is somewhat distracting at night. the door-open detector is no longer a button but is instead some sort of electronic sensor built into the hinge-spring mechamism for the door. it will also not allow me to lock the drivers door. i hit the automatic locks button and all four doors lock then the drivers door unlocks all by itself. i've had the vehicle for about a month and this has happened twice now. it is the interior under-dash lights on at night that is distracting. *nlm

Interior lights remain on when driving (over head and rear compartment plus the courtesy lights on the floor), locks do not automatically lock. *nlm

The vehicle was involved in a frontal accident, and the air bags failed to deploy, the driver was injured. *jb

The rear wheels made a noise.*jb

Electrical short in power door prevented door from locking. *ak *nlm

The rear end mount was loose while driving. *jb

I have a 98 ford taurus and the abs light came on the brakes were not working properly. they would kick back and i could hear a popping sound. so i took it to a care place and the hooked it to the computer it said a bad passenger rear sensor. $200 later the problem wasn't fixed. now they say it is the main modular sensor oh that's $700. well the bad thing is i know of 2 other people that have the same problem. this car is suppose to be a safe vehicle. but i'm not impressed and would never buy one again. i think with this many complaints there should be a recall. *nlm

The driver side seat belt did not lock.*jb

When the hazard lights were turned on, all the lights failed.*jb

Gear shifter does not line up correctly when in any gear. ajar door light and inside dome light stay on and the driverside door will not lock when this happens. also, when getting in or out of the car each passanger gets shocked if you touch one another or the doors. this has been happening for about 3 months now. this happens on a regular bases.

Our county agency purchased two ford taurus vehicles new, in 1998 and 1999. at the end of february 2003 within one week of each other the drivers side front coil springs fractured and punctured the tire. in research i have discovered there were recalls in 1998 on the 1993 ford taurus and in 2001 on the 1998 ford contour and mercury mystique, however i see no recalls concerning this problem with the 1998 and 1999 ford taurus. i would appreciate an investigation into this concern with the 1998 and 1999 ford taurus. i believe there is an obvious problem with the coil springs on these vehicles as well. thank you. *jb

Cruise control will not hold the vehicle at a set speed when going down hill. vehicle continues to accelerate well beyond preset speed. vehicle will accelerate 15 mph over preset speed. brakes rotors warp constantly. rotors have been resurfaced or replaced over 5 times. engine speed will not decrease when accelerator pedal is not released. dealer claim all taurus with 3.0l duratic engines have this problem. they claim no technical bulletins have been issued to resolve any of these issues. this requires constant braking and certainly contributes to accelerated brake wear and possibly the rotors warping so often. all of these problems have been reported to the dealership and none have been resolved. nhtsa has countless complaints in your electric files regarding these same issues, yet no recalls have been issued. why? *ph *nlm **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut over to artemis**751827

Consumer stated that they would simultaneously press on the brake and gas pedal without notice causing a distraction to the consumer. dealer notified. ts

When applied brakes, the pedal went to the floor which caused extended stopping distance. this could result in an accident. dealer has been notified. ph on another occasion, the brake pedal went to the floor and the vehicle did not stop this time causing an accident. *tt

There is a problem with the speed control sensor. *jg *jb

1998 ford taurus transmission failure

While vehicle was parked passenger side strut broke, causing spring to break which punctured the right front tire.*ak

Truck cargo light burned holes through 3 layers of fabric, could have cause a fire, this is a very high powered halogen bulb and can get quite hot while the truck is open, the light has no protective cover.

Consumer called complaining about having problems with the transmission accelerator and the rpm will raised up to more then 3 rpm while the vehicle was not moving but yes it was turn on. dealer was contacted and stated to bring the vehicle into the shop but consumer refused to do it because he did not want to pay for the service. mr

Consumer states he had his power steering gear box replaced. he was told by the mechanic that should have lasted at least 100000 miles or more and his vehicle only had 30000 miles. he was charged approx 800.00 for parts and labor. ts

While traveling about 65 mph on the highway. there is clinking noise coming from underneath the vehicle. and there is accessive speed. the dealership is aware of the problem. mr

No deployment of both airbags during head on impact at 35 mph, injuries due to failure. *mjs

When entering vehicle the interior lights illuminate as normal and then should go out when you close the doors. consumer states light does not go out, causing the windows to look like mirrors. consumer states' view is obstructed by this mirror like image, making impossible to see the road. please describe further.

Intermittenly check engine light become innoperable obstructing drivers. rear brakes squealing and moaning failed caused by the rotors. rotor which went bad causing damages the rear brakes and pads. please provide further information. ts

Rotors were worped at 14000mi got them fixed. rotors were worped again at 46000mi even though all 4 breaks pads were fine.

Consumer states that while driving the lights under the dashboard will stay on and the consumer is unable to turn off the lights unless vehicle is shut off. dealer notified. mr

Consumer states that speedometer stays on 10 mph when vehicle is actually going 40 mph, consumer states engine light has illuminated. rpm's raise higher than normal. please provide any further information. mr

Consumer states that while driving the vehicle smoke started coming out of the vehicle and seconds later the vehicle got completely on fire.fire was coming from the engine. dealer was not notified. nlm

Consumer states that she was involved on a car crash and her driver seat collapsed. dealer was not notified. nlm

The oil pan rusted. *nlm *scc

While driving, driver removed feet from gas pedal, engine started running at a full throttle, causing sudden acceleration at a high speed, vehicle turned at a 360 degree angle. vehicle stopped when it hit a wall.*ak

Consumer states that while driving loss braking ability, loss control of vehicle flipped over. consumer grey smoke started to fill cab area, power windows were not working. consumer feels lucky one of the windows was half way down, and consumer crawled to safety. please provide any further information. ts

While driving at any speed and with no warning transmission cooling line cracked, resulting in a fluid leak. dealer notified.*ak

Consumer states that while driving loss all braking ability, consumer loss control of car flipped over. consumer states that grey smoke filled car, power windows locked up. ts

Consumer states that after replacing the steering pump the rack and pinon stops working. contacted dealer. this is a common problem. mr

Consumer states that while driving at any speed and without warning the vehicle will stall and it will be hard for the consumer to control the vehicle. consumer had to replace to fuel pump. dealer notified. mr

While making a turn on the highway the vehicle steering column locks up. the dealership is aware of the problem. mr

While driving and wit no warning when trying to apply brakes pedal went to the floor ,causing extended stopping distance. dealer notified.*ak

Consumer noticed the back system seat belts lap do not retract after releasing buckets. dealer has been notified. please provide further information. mr

Consumer states that the both rear seatbelt will not retract. please provide more info. *mr

Consumer states was hit from the rear in a collision. the driver's seat weld broke and the seat collapsed. nlm

While driving steering column malfunctioned, causing loss of steering.*ak

While traveling down a hill to avoid another vehicle consumer applied brakes and went into another vehicle. upon impact, airbags didn't deploy. dealership was aware of problem.*ak

While parking the vehicle without prior warning the vehicle locked up. the dealership is aware of the problem. me

Unintended acceleration, revving with high idle while parked. owner has rear ended another vehicle due to the unwanted acceleration kicking in when braking. owner has had a total of 3 occurrences; august 13th/ 15th and 22nd of 2002. please describe details. *ak

When starting vehicle it will kick over but fail to start. after numerous tries vehicle will start, this has happened several times. vehicle has been inspected by dealer several times, mechanic found no problem.*ak

While driving approximately 30mph on exit ramp brakes failed completely, resulting in an accident. vehicle was checked by dealer ,who stated that brakes were fine. consumer was scared to drive vehicle.*ak *ts

Power steering developed a leak and suddenly became non functional. system failed, and is being repaired. *ak *scc

While driving 35 to 40 mph on wet pavement, consumer hit a telephone pole and drivers airbag did not deploy until after consumers head hit windshield.driver was injured, and vehicle was totaled.*ak *mj

Rotor service on front end of vehicle once every year for the last two years. dealer has been notified, however unable to remedy the problem.*ak the consumer experienced tires shaking, clunking noise in front wheels when turning, and squeaking noise in rear end when braking. the heater and defroster make a buzzing noise, the brakes pulsate. the rear right brake and rotors failed. the service engine soon light came on. engine makes a buzzing noise when start. the vehicle is not shift correctly. the driver door does not close properly. the vehicle would not start due to battery failure. *yh

Rear window come down without prior warning when vehicle was turned off. consumer will fill additional information. *ak

While driving vehicle will jerk and than stall out.*ak

Rear right seat belt is inoperative, unable to retrack belt from track position, to lock.*ak

Consumer was lowering vehicle with jack after changing tire, vehicle dropped, thread on jack was stripped. no injury.*ak *slc

While starting vehicle and without warning the accelerator pedal stuck. dealer has been notified about problem. this would be the 5th time that the mechanic had noted and documented that this will continue every 15 thousand miles.*ak consumer also stated that the problem is the way the throttle body is being made. *scc

Transmission will not change gears while driving and could cause an accident. cause unknown. dealer notified. *ak when the shifting cable broke, the vehicle became inoperative. *yh

Engine lights come on and stay on all day. had vehicle diagnosed by several dealers, and they all concluded that there was a problem with transmission.*ak

Interior light to alert any door is open, comes off and on without any doors being open.*ak

Rear lap/ shoulder belts would lock up and will not release. had taken vehicle to dealer to be checked out. *ak

Front passengers seatbelt will not pull out.*ak

During normal braking vehicle jerks and pulsates, dealer states drums needed to be replaced.*ak

Dome and door lights continuously stay on. *ak dealer replaced driver door switch. but problem reoccured in addition to the warning bell chiming when keys are in ignition with the doors closed. dealer notified. *tt

While traveling at low speed and when making a left or right turn, steering wheel will lock up and power steering goes out. *ak consumer states when driving at a speed of 65 mph and slow to 10 mph to turn right or left the steering wheel locks up completely, dealer replaced the belts but did not fix the problem. *yd

The vehicle was going 35mph and rearend anothe vehicle. the passenger and driver air bags didn't deploy. the dealer and manufacturer were not notified. please add more information.*jb

There is slippage on driveshaft at very low speeds which causes vehicle to speed up. contacted dealer. *ak *yh

Vehicle was difficult to turn due to a loss of power steering. dealer repaired for 5th time by replacing stabilizer bar and sway bar. problem is getting worse.*ak. consumer stated the right front speaker was distorted when playing tapes, the hood would not open.*jb *tt

While driving heater malfunctioned and blew out cold air. while continuing to drive heat remains cold. please provide any further information.*ak

While driving 50 mph the vehicle started slowing down. transmission had failed without prior warning. dealer determined there were metal pieces in the pan.*ak

Bolts holding automatic transmisson is rubbing against power steering return alignment hose. if there is too much friction it could cause a potential fire. deaeler has been notified.*ak

While driving approximately 30 mph, both frontal air bags deployed unexpectedly. driver was hit in the stomach and required surgery to correct internal injuries. dealership has not examined vehicle to determine reason for unexpected deployment. please provide any additional information / documentation.*ak

Front passenger side door will close. consumer has to push down lock and close door so it will stay shut. if doesn't push down lock door will not shut. have to contact dealer.*ak

Transmission blew a seal and the fluid poured out of vehicle. engine light kept coming on. vehicle bucked when changing gears. dealer stated vehicle was repaired. vehicle still bucks and the light still comes on. transmission slips and hesitates. *jg *ak

Vehicle was rearended while driving 30 mph seatbelt did not restrain consumer, and she hit her head on steering wheel. consumer suffered neck and arm injuries. vehicle has not been examined by dealer yet.*ak

While driving, driver and passenger air bags deployed on their own. *ak the air bag deployment caused injuries and broke the windshield. it also damaged the sunviser and mirror. *yh

Remote key does not work. consumer not able to unlock or lock vehicles doors. also, alarm does not sound when entering vehicle. please provide any further information.*ak

Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision at 30mph. upon impact air bags did not deploy. *ak one person was injured in the accident. *jb

My son is away at college and was driving our 1998 ford taurus se with less than 100,000 miles. in the middle of driving the car just stopped and would not go into gear. from reading other complaints this seems to be a transmission defect in the ford taurus. we have been the owners of this vehicle since being purchased new off the dealer lot. cost to fix this transmission problem is prohibitive and makes no financial sense given the current kbb value. ford needs to recall these vehicles and correct the defect. now we have our child stuck at college 3 hours away with a junk vehicle also stuck 3 hours away while still paying costly insurance on it. *tr

There were particles coming through the air vents and all over the car. the consumer's children have become sick and the consumer wears a mask. the consumer has taken the vehicle to the dealer for repair with no solution. *jb

Request for assistance in repairing 1998 taurus wagon.*mr the consumer experienced sudden acceleration while attempting to park the vehicle. this problem recurred when the vehicle was being parked at the dealer for a repair estimate. the consumer noticed that the vehicle horn and cruise control were inoperative and believes this may be caused by a defective clock spring. *nm

While driving at 25 to 30 mph vehicle suddenly died, could have been rear ended by another driver. took vehicle to dealer, and they stated it was fuel pump primary module relay.*ak *slc

Ongoing problem with power steering pump would intermittently/momentarily stop operating while driving. had to stop vehicle and restart it for power steering to operate again. vehicle been to dealer, but problem still occurring. *ak

Inside courtesy light would come on and stay on for 25 minutes or up to an hour before going out while driving. dealer was not notified at this time. feel free to provide any further information on this matter.*ak

Engine light will come on, and speedometer and odometer fail to function while vehicle is in operation. dealership has examined vehicle, and could not reproduce problem. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak

While driving would step on brakes pedal and vehicle will start vibrating. rotors had been resurfaced four times already. *ak

A "squeaking" noise that is coming from left front end of vehicle while parking or traveling at any given speed. a private mechanic stated that tie rod on driver's side needed to be replaced. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak

Speedometer would agitate while driving, unable to determine correct speed. dealer/manufacturer were not notified at this time. feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak

Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision with a 1993 ford, probe. at an impact of 45 mph, both air bags did not deploy. dealer/manufacturer were not notified at this time. provide any further information.*ak

When applying brakes pedal went to the floor, causing extended stopping distance. please give any further details. *ak

There was a knocking noise coming from front of vehicle. when dealership examined vehicle, it was determined that main piston in engine was corroded and had to be 'cleaned'. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak

Fuel pump has failed twice, and was replaced march 2000 and 2001. latest incident was due to pump not having enough pressure to pump fuel into engine. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak

When brakes were applied vehicle and steering wheel/column would vibrate moderately to violently. dealership looked into this defect and replaced front rotors/ tires, and brakes. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak

Vehicle is put into park gear engine will rev up to 3500 - 4000 rpms. only way to stop this is to turn vehicle off. also, when traveling down road at any given speed after he taking foot off accelerator, vehicle will accelerate suddenly. brakes have to be pressed to slow vehicle down, happens randomly as well. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak

Pe00 020 ; consumer was traveling on the highwat and noticed that vehicle started to vibrate. he was in control of vehicle and was able to coast to the shoulders. left front tire tread had separated from vehicle. it was goodyear tires. consumer will fill in more information then needed.*ak

Distance between the gas and brake pedals are designed poorly. when transfering feet from one pedal to another, consumer's foot will get stuck between the pedals. *ak *tt

Hubs on the rotors have been chafed several times. vehicle shakes when trying to stop vehicle. *ak

Steering got tight, when turning wheel, it made noise. rack and pinion needed to be replaced. *ak

The forward clutch piston went out causing vehicle not to move into gear once stopped. *slc

While driving in rain windshield wipers stopped working. took vehicle to dealer who informed consumer that windshield wiper motor needed to be replaced. part not available due to ford changing design, trying to get part. *ak transmission failed. *yh

When turning a corner vehicle made a squeaking sound, especially when turning to right.*ak

After consumer put vehicle in park engine accelerated, engine revved. *ak

While driving vehicle speeds up and cannot slow down when pressing down on brakes. this may cause a crash. took vehicle to dealer, but dealer could not determine cause. *ak the left front drive wheel makes roaring noise. the vehicle also trys to pull off when braking to stop. the dealer neither can fix it nor take the vehicle back. *yh

Cruise control failed to disengage, causing vehicle to accelerate. *ak

Air conditioning system has failed; no cool air was coming out. dealership is aware of problem, it will cost $1200.00. *ak

Cruise control will not shut off when brake is applied, and brake lights do not shine at same time. it has been repaired, but consumer wanted to report it. *ak

When consumer was driving and applied brakes there was a popping noise. braking system didn't allow her to brake effectively.*ak the brakes failed due to a problem in auto lock system. *yh

On two occasions when brakes were applied under normal conditions pedal went to the floor , resulting in extended stopping distance. dealer has inspected vehicle, and have not been able to duplicate the problem. *ak

When lever is in park vehicle would idle up to 3000 rmps like it was taking off. vehicle started to accelerate on its own. foot would remain on the brake due to high acceleration. have been to dealer at least 4 separate times for the problem. *ak

While driving 45mph took foot off accelerator and vehicle increased speed & maintained that speed. cruise control not on. vehicle failed to slow down with braking & rpms had came down without braking. will be taking to dealer for a check.*ak vehicle takes off by itself and can be slowed only by braking. *yh

Consumer was driving out of driveway and heard a loud grinding noise when turning vehicle to the right. she took vehicle to dealership, and they told her steering rack and pinion broke. dealership fixed it the first time. then, vehicle repeated the same problem. *ak

Vehicle's speed did not decrease when gas pedal was released. consumer said it was just like using cruise control. *ak

Cruise control picks up speed when going down hills. dealer & the consumer both test drove a 2000 taurus & the vehicle also increased in speed. consumer stated that his 1994 taurus was traded in for this 1998, didn't do this.*ak

Braking system needed replacement due to premature wear of parts. dealer notified, and repairs were being made at consumer's cost. please feel free to provide any further details. *ak

Vehicle experiencing a problem with increase in speed during deacceleration, while going down a incline. dealer notified, and informed consumer that was normal. *ak cruise control malfunctioned. *yh

While waiting to make a left turn another driver hit consumer at about 50 mph, and consumer's airbags did not deploy.*ak

Vehicle accelerates to 3 rpms when in park. abs light stays on since rack and pinion was replaced 8-9 months ago.*ak

When using cruise control it will not disengage, causing vehicle to travel over the speed limit. please provide further information. *ak

Whle driving consumer noticed smoke coming underneath driver's side, and from underneath hood. consumer pulled over, and within minutes vehicle had caught on fire. vehicle was a total loss. investigator advises fire caused by faulty fuel lines. damage too excessive to have been electrical. *ak

Trunk will not remain open, it will close on consumer's head, took to dealer, and they said the weight of the spoiler will not hold it up. *ak

When consumer traveled on the highway rpms registered as high as 4 . then, rpms went back down to zero when consumer shut the vehicle off. also, consumer noticed a loud noise underneath the engine when shifting gears. noise sounded like something was going to drop from underneath the vehicle.*ak the vehicle accelerated as high as 4000 rpm's when in park. it appears that the transmission or the engine falling out. the vehicle is still under warranty but can't be fixed. *yh

Vehicle was hit from right rear passenger's side door, going at a speed of aproximately 15 mph, and both passenger' side and driver's side airbags did not deploy. the defect was costing consumer to reinstall the airbags. *ak

Passenger's side rear seat belt doesn't retract properly. dealer has been contacted. *ak

While consumer was turning into a day care center vehicle suddenly accelerated into a wall. consumer's foot was on the brakes at the time of incident. *ak

While driving on the highway and upon applying the brakes pedal, pedal will go to the floor, and brakes failed. then consumer drove to the side of road, and brakes started working again. *ak

After driving and putting vehicle in park, vehicle will idle to 3000 rpms. the only way to stop, is to shut off vehicle. *ak

Would touch brake pedal lightly to slow down or stop, and vehicle would suddenly accelerate for no reason. acceleration problem was intermittent. took vehicle to dealer at least 3 times & problem was not resolved. *ak

Door ajar light and the dome light stay on. also, doors do not lock when releasing the brake. at night the driver is not able to see the road clearly. the dealer was called about the problem. an appointment has been made for the dealer to look at the vehicle. please provide any further information. *ak

Consumer was pulling into a parking space, applied brakes, and car started to race and ran into a brick wall. dealership was notified. also, two months ago, sudden acceleration occurred again. *ak *ml

While driving could smell fumes, and mold. also, while stopping would hear a loud squeaching noise or metal scraping. *ak

Vehicle suddenly accelerated while in park. consumer was able to stop vehicle. but took it straight to dealer after dealer recommended that consumer bring vehicle in, and they would do whatever was necessary. consumer got there and dealer was very nasty to her. they wouldn't give consumer a rental car, and consumer practically had to beg them to give her a ride home. *ak

When braking consumer would hear a grinding and grumbling noise, this happened at 30,000 miles. consumer felt that brakes were worn out. took vehicle to dealer, and had top front and back brakes redone. *ak

When putting key into the ignition vehicle did not start. had to be towed to dealer. dealer has seen several vehicles for same problem , and cannot find solution. *ak *ml

When turning the key in ignition vehicle does not start. dealer has seen vehicle several times, but cannot find the problem. *ak *ml

Hood internal release isn't working, hood release is jammed or stuck. consumer can't open it to put anti -freeze. *ak *ml

While stopped in traffic, the vehicle suddenly surged forward without warning. the driver had to turn the ignition off and forefully apply brakes to stop vehicle and avoid collision. vehicle taken to dealer, but problem could not be found. *ak *ml *slc

When traveling on the highway the car just stalled without prior warning. before it was turned back on, vehicle surged forward, then cut off. *ak

While driving and making a left hand turn power steering went completely out. also, when making a turn driver's side seat belt will lock. contacted dealer and manufacturer. vehicle is not under warranty. *ak

At a stop sign driver took foot off the accelerator pedal and vehicle suddenly accelerated. driver applied the brakes, but engine was still revving. cause unknown. *ak *ml

While driving down hill and setting speed control at a certain speed, it will not stay at set speed, but it will speed up. dealer said there was nothing he could do. *ak

V6 engine head gasket cracked, causing an engine fire while vehicle was in use. prior to this incident, consumer had complained about engine check light coming on. but, dealer did not detect a defect. *ak

When the vehicle is in park consumer has to hold down the brake pedal tightly because vehicle will accelerate up to 3rpms. if brake pedal isn't held down hard, vehile will take off. *ak

Brake pads do not have a warning noise due to a change in design, causing owner to be unaware of faulty brakes. dealer says it's normal. *ak

Vehicle is stalling and the rpm valves are going up. ehicle kicks into gear and shifts very hard. *ak

While traveling at 50 mph, vehicle was involved in an collision in which the vehicle rear ended another vehicle, neither the passenger side / driver side air bags deployed. there were no injuries. *yc

While driving at a speed of 25 mph and upon applying the brakes, they failed, causing consumer to rear end the vehicle in front. this accident occurred in dry weather conditions. *ak

Accelerator stuck causing an accident. driving into a parking garage, put the car in reverse because passed the key pad then forward, and vehicle just took off and struck another vehicle. *ak

While driving vehicle, 8-year old in rear seat was playing when the seat belt became wrapped around neck. pulled vehicle over. pushed release button & belt retractor wrapped tighter around child's neck. was no emergency release for retractor. owner forced belt off child's neck. bruises left on neck & chin. *ak

Brake pedal at rest is about 1/2 inch above the gas pedal. if driver puts his put to the right on the brake pedal, the toe of the shoe will also contact the accelerator pedal as the brake pedal is depressed. *ak

Vehicle drifts off to the right ,and when applying the brakes the vehicle shimmies excessively. dealer says steering column was malfunctioning. problem still exists.

Vehicle does not decelerate normally when the accelerator is released due to a computer controlled design feature of the engine. the design flaw results in deceleration, and excesive acceleration if going down hill. also causes cruise control to overshoot the set speed by 20-40 mph

The fuse box is located too close to the brake pedal . every time brakes are applied, foot would hit the fuse box. this would cause the cover of the fuse box to come off. then the fuses were knocked out & would cause vehicle not have brake lights. has taken vehicleto dealer & so far the mechanic has repaired it 5 times. *ak

While driving at 40 mph stopped for sign, and while crossing over, going west, the hood bent, windshield broke and front left wheel broke from the frame ,and the consumer hit the steering wheel hard, and the air bags didn't deploy. *ak

Ongoing problem with vehicle not deaccelerating when foot is removed off pedal. vehicle would intermittently continue for a few seconds or more, and sometimes up to a minute, before vehicle would return to normal speed. dealer notified, and informed consumer that condition was normal. *ak

While driving 30mph & another vehicle entering from side road in front of taurus,stopped. driver of taurus applied brakes quickly, but they failed and rearended vehicle in front. upon impact with other vehicle, dual air bags failed to deploy. driver suffered head & leg bruises. *ak

When coming to a stop vehicle will lurch/jump forward intermittently, causing safety hazard.dealer cannot determine cause. *ak

Key was in igintion with engine turned off when a 4-year old child moved shift lever from park to neutral without applying brakes, causing vehicle to roll. *ak

Accelerator pedal sticking while driving . vehicle had been in the repair shop on two occasions, and problem still reoccurring. *ak

When cruise control is set it accelerates al least 15 mph past the speed it was set for. *ak

Vehicle does not decelerate after the driver has removed foot from gas pedal. dealer says that the vehicle is operating normally, problem still exists.

Consumer was involved in a 40 mph frontal collision in which the driver's and passenger's air bgas did not deploy. please give any further details. *ak

Consumer's wife was involved in a front end collision, and the air bags did not deploy, consumer's wife sustained injuries. *ak

While driving down a hill with the cruise control set at a specific speed vehicle will exceed that speed by 25 miles. *ak

The vehicle will pick up speed by itself withoutaccekerating, which could cause an accident. *ak

Upon traveling at 50 mph ran over a fence and hit a tree, the air bags did not deploy. also there was a hole in the fender. dealer had not been contacted. *ak

Consumer parked vehicle at 9:00pm and plugged in heater block, using an extention cord due to low tempartures to keep oil warm over night. vehicle was used as a rental car at airport. consumer bought vehicle in november 1998 at dealership-roen ford-715-425-6122--660 n. main st. dealer said there was no known cause for fire, but will give consumer replacement vehicle. consumer plugged in engine block emersion heater approx. 9pm, 8am the next morning vehicle's front had completely melted, and the garage was smoke filled. *ak

Trunk lid will not stay up when opened. dealer notified,and informedconsumer that the weight of the spoiler was the cause and nothing else was mention to correct the problem... consumer had the trunk lid hit her in back of head on four occasions. can nhtsa help in this mater or provide additional information . *ak

There was a fire within the trunk when sleeping bag caught on fire. consumer put the fire out. however, smoke caused alot of damage. manufacturer is aware of the problem. *ak

Was driving vehicle & slid on patch of ice & hit a curb. both air bags deployed. no injuries. the lower control arm was damaged. *ak

Passenger's side air bag deployed unexpectedly, causing the vehicle not to respond to any of its function. also, brakes and transmission shifter failed; and key was stuck in the ignition, causing the vehicle to coast into a tree and then flip over. dealer has been contacted. *ak

While backing out of a parking space vehicle took off in reverse, causing driver to smash into 3 other cars. owner experienced same problem on march 26th and april 29th. those incidents did not result in a crash. the vehicle has been towed to the dealership. *ak

Power windows lock up. dealer has repaired the vehicle. *ak

While driving with cruise control activated it disengaged without manual operation and without warning, cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak

Going downhill with speed control set at 65 mph, speed went up to 80 mph. the dealer was made aware of the problem. condition was stated to be normal. *ak

While driving electronic parts are not responding properly, the panel lights will blink, as well as the headlights. sometimes consumer can't get the headlights to come on at all. dealer has been contacted. vehicle has been in to dealer three tims and they still have not found the problem. *ak

While driving the vehicle will idle which will cause the vehicle to accelerate with the brakes applied. this may cause an accident. had to place the vehicle in neutral and turn off the engine in order to stop the idle and accleration. dealer replaced idle air valve, but problem is still occurring. cause unknown. *ak

When the brake pedal is pushed there are no brakes. extended stopping distance occurs. dealer 4 times contacted, and stated to wait until the next failure to check. problem still exists. no remedy to repair. *ak.et.

Consumer's wife was in involved in an accident which totaled the vehicle. vehicle was struck on the driver's side front headlight, caused the vehicle to spin around and push the rear trunk lid into the vehicle, which struck the consumer's wife vehicle. both air bags did not deploy. dealer notified. *ak

While driving and took foot off the gas pedal, the vehicle kept going and did not reduce speed, which may have been a problem with the throttle system. there is a tsb bulletin saying it is normal condition. *ak *ml

While driving had to make a sudden stop by depressing the brake pedal to the floorboard, the vehicle continued to travel, resulting in an accident. *ak

While driving smoke came the engine. the cooling fan had stopped working. the dealer has been notified. *ak

The headlights don't give enough visibility on the left and right sides of the vehicle. dealer says they can't do anything. *ak consumer states that there is an object in the corner of the lenses that keeps the light from spreading out. *slc

While driving and pressing the gas pedal the vehicle won't accelerate which almost caused an accident. cause unknown. please provide details. *ak

The steering wheel vibrates and shimmies when driving at 60 to 70mph. dealer syas they are aware of problem and are working to fix it. *ak

Seat belt retractor on the drivers side won't retract at all times. it doesn't snap at all, there is no drag in the belt, dealer cannot duplicate the problem. *ak

While drving vehicle about 50 mph and when consumer stepped on the brake pedal to stop vehicle the brakes did not work properly, and the tires would shake or vibrate. the rotors were replaced twice, but still experienced the same problem. dealer was contacted. *ak

While the vehicle was parked the hatchback window bursted. the dealer has repaired the vehicle. *ak

While driving vehicle consumer commenced to slow down by applying brakes, vehicle suddenly accelerated out of control for unknown reason. vehicle taken to dealer and problem cannot be duplicated at this time. *ak

Vehicle at first wouldn't shift into gear. stepped on the brakes and downshifting, it jerked. the dealer cannot duplicate the problem. *ak

While driving 20 mph the front wheels locked up,causing the vehicle to go into a intermittent skid. in addition, dealer replaced the transmission cooling lines which did not remedy the problem. please give any further details. *ak

Consumer experiencing transmission problem ; whenever vehicle is coasting and needs to accelerate, vehicle would hesitate before acceleratio. dealer notified, and informed consumer that transmission / onboard computer was not programming incorrectly. dealer put in another transmission, but problem still occurs. dealer informed consumer nothing could be done. *ak

Consumer experiencing problem with steering; vehicle always steers to the left. consumer took vehicle to a repair shop, and learned the vehicle was without a front camber/caster. consumer informed dealer/manufacturer of this problem, and they informed consumer because vehicle's warranty expired they are not responsible. consumer would like to know how can they be held responsible for vehicle not having the front camber/caster parts. *ak

The brake pedal and the gas pedal are too close, and gas pedal is 1/2 inch lower. when stepping on the brake pedal can hit the gas pedal at the same time. dealer states no modification because of design specifications. consumer states he has a big foot in this case.*ak

The reflection off the dashboard reflects onto the windshield, causing poor visibility. . *ak

When accelerating vehicle makes a loud noise, and when stopping the engine makes a loud grinding noise. also, when doing 45 to 50mph the steering wheel vibrates. dealer has not seen. *ak

While rear trunk lid was up it became inoperative/ falling down and striking owner. possible cause defective torsion bar, manufacturer's defect. *ak

The vehicle is unsafe on icy or wet roads because it does not decelerate when consumer takes foot off the gas instead it speeds up. nlm

The vehicle constantly pulls to the left, consumer was told this was due to torque. nlm

After about 60000 miles the serpentine belt that drives the power steering started slipping when we hit a puddle, causing power steering to stop. belt replaced at 68,000, but problem recurred starting again at about 85000 miles. very dangerous, unexpected failures. dt

Problem: door-ajar warning lamp on; all doors checked, including tailgate; all are closed firmly (not slammed shut). interior overhead lamp and underdash lights do not go out consistently after the engine's started and put into gear. appears that random order of check/re-close doors; lock and unlock doors and tailgate by smartkey or manually; set and release emergency brake. there's no consistent pattern to getting the lights turned off. gervais ford suggests that it's one of the contact switches, usually the driver-side, that contributes to this, rather than a relay or timer; but that they have to catch it in the act to properly diagnose it. really aggravating to have to pull the fuse in order to avoid running down the battery in the winter, until we can get it to gervais's shop. dt

Lost ability to steer vehicle. steering belt pulley and pump failed.

Transmission down-shifted at highway speed causing sudden de-acceleration without brake lights almost causing a chain reaction accident behind me. cars were forced off the road to avoid smahsing into me and other vehicles tring to avoid me close call. lucky for me everyone was paying attention and no one got hurt. this transmission has no fail safe in place to prevent sudden downshift when the speed sensor fails. dangerous! dt

Consumer has been hearing popping noise in the front end of the vehice, many parts have been replaced but the problem still exist. nlm

Transmission started slipping. took it to dealer who couldn't look at it for 2 days. drove across the street to have another shop run it on their computer. after turning car back on, it would not shift into any gear or move. had to have it towed to another shop. when they took the transmission pan off found broken chunks of metal. had to have a complete transmission rebuild to the cost of $2600. always kept our dodge products to 190,000 miles with no major problems. after bought this card heard ford taurus often has tranny problems. won't buy another ford. nlm

Whwn i removed my oot from the gas pedal the car suddendly accelerated (full throtle). i could not stop the car by applying brakes. the car got out of control and ran into awall.*ak

The cruse dosent hold when going down hill if sat a 60 , it will increase to 75 or more .also there is a grinding noise that is coming from the front of car the faster and in incline it gets very very loud. and the steering wheel vibrates a lot.also ford has grinded down the hubs three times since i bought the car and the brakes are going bad again. *ak

I have not experienced this failure yet but we have 121 documented failures at http://www.v8sho.com. camshaft sprocket detaches from camshaft causing instant engine failure, possible engine fire as well. ford will not address this problem.*ak

This complant is directed at ford motor company,after alot of research on the internet and talking to transmission shops it is a on going problem with the ford transmission.i feel it is wrong for a major component like the transmission to go out on a 1998 auto. it is even worse to still be paying on it.i contacted both the dealer and ford motor company and they could care less.with all the problems with the transmissions there should be a recall or and offer to ofset the cost just like what they offered for the 91-95 cars with the 3.8 engine and cover thier mistakes in design.any advise would be helpful. signed kevin robinson. nlm

While pressing the cruise-control "on" button, the vehicle immediately lost forward drive power and went into neutral. the speedometer also registered "zero mph" eventhough i was proceeding with forward motion. after i safely guided the vehicle out of traffic flow i tried to re-engage the transmission but could not. i pressed the cruise control "off" button and then tried to reengage the transmission into drive at which time it did engage. the transmission at that point engaged but did not perform in a normal or safe pattern! if this situation occured in a more dynamic traffic area i am afraid of what the possibility for an accident could have been. i took the vehicle to a dealer and was told that the problem was a (vss) vehicle speed sensor. due to the low mileage on the vehicle i am concerned about this condition. when it occurs, driveability is seriously impaired! thank you for your attention to this matter.*ak

The abs light comes on intermittently. took it to the service station today and they told me the abs computer went. at only 67000 miles? what gives? $600.00 repair. also door ajar light stays on all the time. had to disconnect the bulb in the interior lights so the battery doesn't run down. car squeaks when making turns, a/c rattles. not happy with this car at all.*ak

Fire inspector and private inspector unable to determine exact cause of fire although location determined to be near firewall, center rear of engine compartment.*ak

Transmission was not shifting smoothly, engine check light came on, ford dealership determined it was low transmission pressure error code. they removed the transmission, found it had failed and replaced it. the extended warranty covered most, not all, of the cost, but a transmission should not shell out after only 49,000 miles on a well-maintained car. i don't think the ford engineers have a good matchup of computer and transmission here, it seems to search for gears too often and hesitate during downshifts. i especially hate the way the computer kicks up the idle to simulate a free-wheel sprag that better automatics use. this causes the car to coast up to dangerous speeds on long downhill stretches - i have had the cruise set under 60, but the car hit 80 without any help from me - this is on hills that no other car i drive gain more than 5 miles-an-hour. *ak

I bought the 1998 ford taurus used but in good shape,at 70,000 the complete exhaust system failed the dealer fixed it but 5 more thousand miles and it would have cost over 1000.00 dollars.on july 31 2002 the car had a complete transmission failure including all the components that connect it to the engine.i take very good car of my cars because i live in a rural area with the nearest city of any size 45 miles away.the miles might sound like alot but they are all easy highway miles.i contacted the local dealer but they said it was out of waranty and said it would cost over 3500.00 to fix,i had it worked on in a shop in reno nv and they informed me that the damage was not normal wear and tear and they work on hundreds of transmissions on ford car. after doing some research it is a ongoing problem with many ford's with the 3.0l and 3.8l v-6 engines.it seems wrong for a relatively new car that i am still paying on to have this king of major problem and ford need's to come clean that thier is a major design flaw. p.s i am also having problems with my 2001 ford winstar's transmission too

Car was smoking from under and when taken to garage told it was an oil pan gasket that was a common ford problem and could catch fire if driven too long cause it would get hot.*ak

After sitting for 3 days the battery is dead, vehicle has been to 2 dealers, one dealer replaced a module and it still goes dead. this has happened since new. *ak

Vehicle in park, engine running, vehicle idling normally at about 1000 rpm. all of a sudden engine idle will go up to about 3500 rpm, cannot kick down. the only thing i could do was to shut engine off and restart.*ak

Head gasket-car died, warning lights did not light. *ak

A friend owns a ford taurus and is having the same problem hers is a 1997. no safety defec t listed. *ak

The drivers side seat belt snapped during the accident (air bags worked fine) 10" from bolt that secures belt to the floor. there was no damage to the car in this area that would have cut the belt. belt looked normal. driver 125#, 45mph crash,belt brakes? luckily, after being bounced around inside she was in the back seat after the crash and was not ejected from the car. *ak

First the interior light stayed on for hours. we were in the act of moving to la. i called the1-800 number in owner's manual. was told problem used to exist with mercury but not with taurus. are not the two cars the same, except for the namesassigned to them? at any rate,i was told to pull out bulb or get to panel for fuse. i pulled out bulb. then the turbo component in engine gave out after i arrived in la. aamco had to tow it away because, at best, it lurched forward or backward a few feet. aamco replaced turbo unit for 1400.00 they replaced bulb interior. within a week the old problem started again. the light would not go off, the doors would not automatically lock, and another problem stared--the symbol for a door not closed would stay on. no matter if i re-re-re- closed the doors. i took it back to aamco. they said to take it to a shop that specialized in this problem. well, i'd like to know if the dealer here is supposed to fix the problems at no cost. i'm guessing --not --because there is no recall. at any rate, i did not take the car in because i did/do not have the money. the problem with the light and symbol went away, but a new problem has developed. the antenna will not go down. thanks for reading this.*ak

As documented on v8sho.com site. mine hasn't failed but 59 have and i want to know what ford is responsible for in the way of repairs. no safety defec tlisted. *ak

My door latch and/or 'door ajar' light latch is not working, my interior lights stay on all the time and my battery stays run down(i've had to replace it once already), and not only is it hard to drive at night with the interior lights on, it is dangerous. please get back to me on this. thank you, ms. k. frame. *ak

I puchase this program car with 19,089 , it came with the original factory of 36/36,000 mi. warranty. i also purchased an extended warranty of 72 months of 60,000 miles. about 500 miles after i first pickup my car the transmission started slipping, i took it to the dealership and they found nothing wrong with it when they put it on their computer. then they tried to move it. the transmission had completely burned up, and had to be rebuilt. the next time the transmission started having trouble, was on aug 28, 2001, at 55,000 miles. the car started experiencing periods where it wouldn't engage, had extended shifts, or shift harshly. when i took it to the local ford dealership, i was told that the transmission need to be replaced, this is 36,311 miles after the first transmission was replaced. when i asked ford are they going to extend this warranty beyond the 12/12000 they told me there is no need. i check another website http://www.autosafety.org and found out that geartrain meltdown, and cracks in the foward clutch piston, has plague ford taurus's since 1986.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Engine will not shift into high gear sometimes. car will hesitate when shifting and sometimes the gear selecter says it is in gear but car will not move.*ak

Vehicle can be in drive and moving, or in park and sitting still, the engine will begin to hesitate after running for 10-15 minutes. the dashboard instruments get extremely hot, the lighting will dim on its own. all electronics (i.e. radio, air conditioning etc...) will fail. the car will then cut off without warning. vehicle also lunges forward if in park or stopped while in drive, if it has been running for 10-15 minutes or more.

Complete separation of tread from tire. tire remained inflated and i was able to pull safely to the side of the road.*ak (tiresize: p205/65r15)

Frontal collision airbags did not deploy, both cars totaled. *ak

When this car is running more than 40minutes, the engine "bucks"/jerks/hesitates and is not responsive--as if it would stall but never does, 'though the dash "trouble" lights blink for 1/2 second each time. this was repeated 2-3 times at each of 5 seprate incidents. i had the engine checked with a scanner at my regular mechanic's place and the transmission checked at a reliable transmissions specialist. nothing found. various road tests could not reproduce this experience. i did replace the fuel filter. other incidents occurred 6/21 about 15-min. later after being stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic for 20 minutes on a 55-60mph route i always use. the 3rd incident was 7/6, accelerating after a full-stop intersection. 4th&5th were on 7/8 when driving @25-30mph, but driving for a while. i do notice after driving 15-20 minutes regularly, the automatic shift @between 35-40mph hesitates. i have been keeping my highest speeds down to 60mph or less, and usually driving no more than 1/2hr. each trip. i'm afraid to take a long trip for fear the car will hesitate, lose power, or slow down in heavy expressway traffic. i am concerned for my safety.*ak

Proceeding down the street and the engine shut off and the tires locked and the brakes failed. could not stop or steer, hit a pole. *ak

The door ajar switch stayed on prohibiting the power locks to perform and keep the dome light on. when trying the lock the door with the power lock switch on the door console, the doors would unlock as the door ajar sensor read a door was open. when discussing this with coastal ford, the repair is was not covered. i contacted ford at (800)392-3673. i was told by essence, the problem with not considered a recall; therefore, i am not entitled to the reimbursement. i paid coastal ford $101.34 for this repair. i saw another ford vehicle come in with this same complaint. i have heard the same complaint by other ford owners. please advise if this is a common complaint and if there is any recourse to receiving compensation. thank you.*ak

Rotors replaced twice / resurfaced 4x in 30000 mi. pads also replaced 4 times in 30000 mi. vehicle shakes side to side wildly when brakes applied at speed.*ak

Brakes master cylinder failed causing loss of front brakes reducing braking capability. *ak

Vehicle having shifting problems. vehicle transmission failed while in the middle of an intersection. transmission failed due to electronic failure. mechanic stated due to defect. from manufactuer. *ak

Vehicle returned driectly after purchase for non-functional tail light which was replaced. condensation was present in tail light. bulb alone was changed. light failed again in june of 2001. dealer inspected car and fixed light by changing lens. upon delivery of car tail light still did not work even though vehicle received new nys inspection sticker. car kept additional days. at this point only lens was changed, bulb has not been checked, but car passed inspection. charge was 224.70 for a new lens without repair being completed. dealer rep stated that silicone caulk could have been applied to stop leak and new lens was not necessary. metro ford then cleaned a "corroded light socket" for no charge. this should have been done before lens change and not price gouged consumer. also how can car pass inspection w/o tail lights. this is a violation of nys inspection law at least. this car had been delivered as repaired and if we had not checked to see we would have assumed the repair was completed. this corrosion problem, according to ford, is common, therefore shouldn't the problem be considered as a recall fix and not blown off as an annoyance. please advise d wilkes. *ak

On 6-28-01 i was on i-75 going north. my tire unraveled on me. my husband and a state trooper put on a spare. my husband had my tires rotated 2 months before. i have had 3 flats and tire replacements on my car. i called ford motor customer relations. nick (800-392-3673) told me ford has nothing to do with general tires. he transferred me to general tires (800-847-3349). eileen at general took the complaint and gave me a file #38421. i agreed to go to belle tire to have the tire inspected. eileen called belle tire. i took the tire to belle tire on 7-2-01. darrell at belle tire (313-271-9400) called general tire. jill at general told him a file should not have ever been made on my complaint and i should just take the tire back to where i got it. she was very abrupt and rude. i left.*ak

The braking system is horrible and dangerous. i change brakes every 20,000 miles or less. i drive highway miles and should be changing as often. all i get told by the dealer is that they need to be changed every 20k miles. the car shakes and makes noises. *ak

Applied brake pedal to floor during a panic stop. felt like brakes were not working properly and caused me to rearend vehicle in front. *ak

We've tried to contact ford several times, but only receive the standard courtesy letter & "they will look into it". in the meantime, anyone in that car is at risk due to the seriousness of the problem. our own children can't ride in it! we have to have a vehicle to get to work, so we'll have to try to get rid of it, since ford refuses to respond. all we would want is it fixed! there's also a problem with the paint peeling off of the front bumper that will cost $250.00 to fix! *ak

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

This vehicle was purchased with good brakes, with approximately 30000 miles we have replaced pads 4 times, and also have replaced the calipers & rotors, and now the speed sensor. is this an ongoing problem with this vehicle? the unit is smoking when driven.*ak

I have had to replace the brake rotors twice on this vehicle since purchased new. dealer cut rotors upon initial complaint and problem returned within 3000 miles. dealer offered to replace rotors at my cost informing me they were not covered under warranty. rotors were again replaced at 60,000 miles and problem has again returned only 2,000 miles later. this appears to me to be a design failure as i have spoken to many people who have experienced this very same problem.*ak

Vehicle has no compression braking, it freewheels on downhill grades by as much as 25mph. this is very dangerous and will lead to premature brake replacement. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

When in bumper to bumper traffic with normal acceleration car seems to surge at any given time .you never know when your in that kin of traffic that the car will do the same thing and surge.the only thing that will slow the car down is putting your foot on the brake.you never know when the car will surge. dealership put a new trans , replaced air by pass valve,replace some computer chip, reprogrammed pcm. car has been in 4 times it still surges dealership states can not duplicate problem after keepin car for almost two weeks. .

The headlights on the 1998 ford taurus are extremely insufficient regarding the quantity and quality of illumination. this is a result of poor headlight reflector design. other taurus owners i have talked with expressed the same grave concern about the headlights. i've driven a 2000 ford focus, which did not exhibit the same problem. my previous car, a 1996 ford contour, had excellent headlights. the lights on the taurus are easily "over driven" at any speed over 35 m.p.h. at night. this results in a dangerous situation for the taurus driver and passengers. can you investigate this problem? i believe that ford should offer an improved replacement headlight for dealer retrofit to correct this very hazardous safety deficit.

This is to register the engine r.p.m. surging that occurs when the ford taurus is placed in park following road use. this has been reported by other taurus owners and their comments are consistent with my experiences of the engine racing to 3,000 r.p.m. or higher. if the transmission is shifted to reverse or drive without the brake firmly applied, certainly what would be unattended acceleration will occur with life threatening consequences. i've been to my ford dealer (marshall ford, inc. of union, ms). they have attempted to diagnose and correct this problem. i believe they have tried their best to act in good faith. however, my communications with ford motor co. regarding this serious problem have not been satisfactory. they have denied any existence of this malfunction. the number of taurus owners with identical engine r.p.m. acceleration complaints on your website reflect a much different story. can you investigate this problem and consult with ford motor company concerning the engine r.p.m. surging as described, which is potentially very dangerous.

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Ever since i started used cruise control engine accelerates-rpm at 2 1/2 while parked

Passanger seat restraint locks when a large person is in the seat. everytime the belt reals in a bit it stays locked, resulting in a very tight and uncomfortable ride. replacement of the seat belt some months ago resolved the issue for a while, however the problem has re-emerged, and the dealer refused to replace the unit again. it seems to be unsafe riding in a car with the shoulder belt so tight that movement is impossable. the dealer stated that due to my fat stature the seat belt is mal functioning, but when normal sized people are in the seat the restraint functions properly.

Recently purchased this 1998 fleet vehicle with 70,700 miles. twice in the past week, approximately 75 miles driven vehicle has lunged forward during a stop. both times it was caused by the engine failing to reduce rpms during deceleration. again, in both cases i was traveling at approximately 40 miles per hour just prior to approaching the stop signs. i was able to stop the car by applying significant pressure to brake, and engine returned to normal. i came to this website to see if there were any recalls or similar reported problems with this model and found what may be a related problem with certain cars not reducing rpm during deceleration at highway speeds. my car does this also. that was the first difference i noticed between this vehicle and the 1999 ford taurus i used to drive as my fleet car. because the problem is only random, i was reluctant to take the car to a dealer for investigation as they would probably not be able to actually observe the problem. what should i have them check? *ak

Power steering pump, rack and balljoints all failed while driving, creating an unsafe condition. *ak

On 01-19-01 subject vehicle was traveling at approximately 35mph when it struck the rear bumper of another vehicle. though my vehicle suffered substantial front end damage, neither the front driver side nor the passenger side airbag deployed. *ak

With in last month when the car was in park or neutral engine would run up to about 3000rpms. only way to stop it was to turn it off with the key. it has not done this in gear. *ak

We have had this car in the shop 8 times sence we bought it. we've only put 12000 miles on this vehicle and my wife is scared to drive it! no afety defect mentioned in summary. *ak

In initial failure, broken links caused vehicle to fail to turn at speeds greater than 45 mph. in the second failure, suspension became loose. *ak

Cruise control failed to hold while descending a hill. if control set to 55, unless you apply the brake you can be doing 75-85 mph at the bottom of the hill. dealer says condition normal and that it is impossible to design a system that will hold speed on an incline, despite personal experience in previous vehicles to the contrary. *ak

Steering groans in the am or after a long trip. system lacks boost. dealer installed ps service kit. net result noisy system and numerous additional failures. *ak

Power steering system noisy after previous repair. replaced pump twice, with no net gain. dealer indicates condition normal. subsequent problems indicate dealer in error. *ak

High pressure hose ruptured while parking. no steering boost after failure. vehicle driven to dealer with smoke coming from under hood. *ak

High pressure power steering hose ruptured at highway speeds. loss of vehicle control. loss of power steering boost. no injuries. *ak

I was at a stop when the engine lunged ahead and died,at the time i had my foot on the brake. it repeated this 3 other times. the repiring dealer said the ground cable for the pcm was lose causing the engine to lose control. the lunging was quite violent. *ak

Car came equiped with daytime running lights from factory. at this time the headlights will not go off unless i disconnect the battery. this problem has not effected the back lights in any way. they are controlled with the light switch, but not the head lights. please advise. *ak

Transmission does not shift smoothly / jerks forward when placed in park / skips gears. *ak

While driving from 35 mph and above grinding and pulsation from front brakes lead to replacment of brake pad and rotors three times at 40,000 miles abs "electronic control unit" replaced 50,000 miles $700 repair. *ak

Car has no engine braking on coast down. in fact throttle seems to open when coasting down a grade. this requires braking to prevent runaway. believe this has resulted in premature brake wear and warped rotors. the last car i owned that had this problem was a 1972 nova, which opened the throttle to prevent no2 emissions. i thought we had progress. ford needs a better way to control emissions. *ak

Turning corner at appx 20mph heard loud clonk noise unable to steer vech,rack & pinion snapped, lifted hood belt had came off wheel was on the ground, ford mechanic told warranty rep that it was my fault because i ran low on power steering fluid. i drove a 24ft tractor and 53ft trailer combination for 6 years across the us canada and mexico and had to do my own maint. and minor repairs to my truck does this sound like someone that jumps in and out of a car without checking fluid levels,or doing proper maint on their vech?? i only had the vech for 38days but always keep all fluid levels checked, before this happened i would hear a low humming noise when turning the steering wheel but the powersteering fluid was at the normal level.

2-year old vehicle with major transmission problems. per independent repair shop, problem was a factory defect--only explanation. i will proceed to place a complaint with ford motor company requesting reimbursement in full!

Left rear rotor cut badly due to frozen caliper. milage 21,475. both rear brakes replaced under warranty. second failure on left rear rotor at 35,140 miles. determined by dealer to be "normal wear". both rear brakes replaced at customer cost. front brakes indicate normal wear.

The car is idling up to 4rmp in "park" the car accelerate when taking out of park in put into gear

Front right tire was separating and still had plenty of tread replaced front two tires with the same general tires but worried that these are some of the tires that should be recalled with the other general tires that are being recalled now. *ak( dot number: )

After 40 mph the car has a surging problem. i took it to my dealer and they replaced the throttle sensor which they informed me that it did not fix the problem. they called ford motor co and found out there is a surging problem when the hydrocarbon builds up. they dont know how to fix the problem so they are not going to recall them until they know how to fix the problem. when you put the car in neutral while driving 40 mph the rpm's go up. they are supposed to go down. patalano ford expects me to pay for the throttle sensor even though they know it did not fix the problem. i am riding in an unsafe car. what can be done about this?

Was driving to work ar 5am on 6-21 and it was raining while sitting at a stop sign an 18 wheeler passed and caused water to splash up and my car died. i started the car and went on to work and worked 7.5 hours on my way home i was motioned off the road by another driver and told to get out of the car that there was flames shooting out from the car this driver took me to get a tow truck and while we were gone the fire dept had to be called to put a fire out on the car. the car has been at putnam lincoln for over 2 months because it has to have a new motor and ford will not replacre the motor because they said i drove through water this has caused me much stress and mental trauma and because of this i might have to file bankruptcy if i can not get help getting my car back on the road. i was told by putnam that the same thing happened to another ford car the same day and have been told about several 1997 ford vechicles that the same thing has happened to and that the consumer has to pay to fix the vechicle i can not afford to fix the vechicle and it is not safe for a vechicle that will catch on fire to be on the road and if the problem was due to me driving in the rain that am why and how could it catch on fire that afternoon. i need help desperately please i have also been told that ford can not determing the amount of damage caused by the fire until they get the 3500. need for the new motor and get the car started again all ford has offered me is to extend two months payments i am scared of this vehicle and do not really want it back but i need to get the whole situation resolved somehow i had this vechicle back to the dealer several times for fuel pump problems whie it was still under warranty i thank god that i was not injured but i need something done about the car

No summary

Vehicle accelerates by itself. it does not slow when accelerator is released. problem is intermittent, and two visits to the dealer provided no solution. dealer said to bring it in when it is happening, but this is unworkable as car must be shut off to stop high engine speed and then the problem stops until next occurance. i feel this vehicle is dangerous and the cavalier attitude of the dealer is of no help.*ak

This is an se model with a factory installed spoiler on the trunk. the springs are not strong enough to hold the trunk lid in it's fully open position. this has hit myself and members of my family several times. how long before one of my kids get seriously hurt getting something from the trunk!! the dealer says it is because of the added weight of the factory installed spoiler. they say they can not fix the problem. this is nonsense. the service report stated that no problem was found!!*ak

Vehicle speed does not decrease after release of gas pedal. vehicle maintains speed! cruise control is not activated. no engine braking occurs! this happens at any speed. place trans in nuetral while in motion and the rpm increases afew hundred rpm the maintains rpm. application of the brakes decreases rpm proportionatly to mph while in nuetral..dealer says " like it or not that is how it is". *ak

I was coming home from work at 35 mph the light turned red i hit the brakes and the car accelerated and i pushed the brakes again, but it would'nt stop .i ran through the intersection and hit another car, causing him to hit someone else.if the speed zone had been higher someone could have got killed.*ak

Wnen i left the dealer and put the brakes on a block away they did not work and the engine accelerated. i took the car right back to the dealer and was told if they could not make the car 100% i could trade. well that never happened. the first time i used the cruise control it make a horrible noise when i engaged it. when i put my car in park the engine revs up to between 3 and 4. i have to turn it off to make it stop.*ak

Although i have stated my vehicle was going at a low mph, the vehicle that hit my back passanger side was going at about 45 mph for impact, at which point my car was sent spinning around, and both airbags did not deploy. my car was still running when it came to a stop and i had to manually shut it off.*ak

Intermittent battery discharge...battery replaced 3 times in the last year...unsatisfactory fuel economy -only 9 mph. *ak

Car will accelerate on it's own after car is put into park, now it is doing it while you are driving, interior light will come on and not go out, radio turns on and off by it's self, electric seat only works half the time, goes back then will not go back up, car will increase in rpm's when you are in park and will continue to go up unless you turn off engine, starting to climb in rpm's when you are driving. seat belt will not stay latched on passenger front seat.*ak

Catalitic converter pipe bracket cracked and sounded like a manifold leak. cost to replace the entire unit is about $600.00 dollars. this dos not seem to be a standard amount of time for this to happen on this type of vehicle. *ak

The vehicle consistently will accelerates on it's own while coasting at a slow speed. this requires heavy pressure on the brake pedal to bring the vehicle to a stop. this is a very repeatable failure. the vehicle also idles very fast at all engine temperatures which causes very harsh transmission shifting. the local ford dealer has had the vehicle several times and is telling me this is normal.

Extreme wear on one front disc pad. *ak

The dealership i purchased the car from replaced a battery on 05/20/00. after replacement of the battery, the airbag light came on. the service department said it needed a new airbag module. since this light had never come on before, i believed it had to do with the new battery replacement. i refused the installation of the new airbag module to see if the light would go off on its own. after three weeks it has not. i have an extended warranty which will not cover the replacement of the airbag module. my second concern is with the daytime running lights (drl). they have occasionally gone on and off while driving and have stayed on after the car has been turned off as well. i can make them go off by turning the headlamps on and off. the dealership can find no cause for this. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Engine check light has come on everytime i start my care since i purchased it. notified dealership but because the light would go out they overlooked it. *ak

When braking and stopping or bringing the vehicle to a stop, the vehicle started to accelerate and the engine began to race with my foot on the brake. i had to put the car in park and shut off the engine. my right foot was completely on the brake and not on the accelerator. i'm very interested to hear if anyone else has reported a similar problem. *ak

This could have been a fatal accident i was driving at about 60 miles and all of a sudden i had lost control of wheel and was fighting to steer the car. this happened twice within a month 7/23/99 and again8/23/99. the lord was truly with me i could have had a serious accident both times. *ak

Car accelerates all on its on, including going uphill without even touching the gas pedal car will travel between 30 and 40 mph. when placed in park car races at between 3500 and 4500 rpms and has to be shut off. placing the car in neutral does not eliminate the problem. have had car at the dealer twice and they couldn't find or couldn't be bother to find problem. requires excessive brake use and sometimes still lurches forward with four wheel antilock brakes applied. have notified ford motor company and they sent me a questionnaire!! this has been going on now for 5 months without resolution and it is inevitable that an accident is surely to occur. *ak

1. need complete new transmission, 2nd gear burned up with only normal wear and tear. 2. doon and door ajar lights won't go off, interior panal lights won't come on and i get shocked every time i close the door after exiting. 3. gear shift column broke while car was in park shifting to drive.

To, whom it my concern . i bought a brand new ford taurus in 1998 with in the first two years of owning the car we've had new rotors put on the car twice this wil be the third time it will be going into the shop for front brakes . each time i go they tell me that (the are just warped and we will replace them for you at no charge ) . but , after having the car back for a couple of week the same sever shuttering happens . this has been and on going problem from the start . the brakes on this car are not capable of handling the weight of the car. the second concern is the way the car s trans is shifting , also leaks . in 99 i had a ford shop look at the trans . they said the speed sensor was leaking they replaced it free of charge but , when the car shifts gears aruond a corner at idle or coasting and i go to step into the gas it like its in neutal this makes me feel as if i'm not in control of the car . just a note i love ford but, i've not had any luck in fixing any of these probles. thanks sincerly james quinn. *ak

Idle air control (iac) valve stuck, causing sudden acceleration and crash into a business sign. assumed driver error since no other apparent cause. after repairs, on january 24, 2000, throttle opened suddenly again causing car to accelerate in reverse while backing from residence garage. no damage this time. later same day at highway speed, throttle again opened but was brought under control. *ak

Sudden acceleration without operator action. in october '99, the vehicle was on the highway traveling forward when it began to accelerate. the operator stepped on the brakes hard for a while and the acceleration stopped. in january '00 the car was parked in the operator's garage. the operator started the vehicle and then the rpm's picked up to a level way above normal fast idle. the operator noticed that the accelerator pedal had no resistance. the dealer was notified this time and he sent 2 mechanics to inspect. the dealer replied that everything was "ok".*ak

Heat/vibration of engine caused plastic vacuum elbow to break. this caused loss of vacuum to brake booster and loss of brakes. customer ran into brick wall. we are vehicle investigators/engineers for insurance companies. normal vibration and heat caused this failure. i would recommend some kind of strain relief or a superior material for this important part. this elbow connects main manifold vacuum to a vacuum manifold mounter on left side firewall. this manifold feeds the vacuum systems for the vehicle and the power brake booster (bosch unit). resultaing in loss of manifold vacuum caused the engine management system to surge and idle poorly. there were no broken or fatigued engine mounts to cause unwarranted stress on this plastic elbow. it appears that plastic elbow is made from pvc. i would recommend either steel, brass, or a polyolefin based composite be substituted for existing materials used.---thank you, greg barnett note: credentials available upon request . *ak

While installing a child safety seat, the locking clip pierced the seat belt. i don't think that a lap belt only should require a locking clip to secure a child safety seat anyway, but since this one did, i really think that there is a problem with the belt since it allowed a locking clip to pierce it during installation.

The day before the accdeints, the gas padal were sticking, and started to slide. on the day of the accdeint i wer on my way to the dealer and a car cross over very close to i and i turn to involed hit it and sidle againsted a little crub , my right side tire barely touch the crub .ans less that a second the air bags went out than 30 secondlater the secind bag came out. this shouldn't had happen.

Car idles 1,000-1,100 rpm. will travel more than a mile on level highway after accelerator released. braking is never assisted by engine as should happen to one degree or another

I was disengaging cruise control which was set at 62 mph to deaccelerate on a decline to maneuver curves in road. i applied brakes and they did not respond. car actually started to accelerate resulting in a crash against a guard rail. air bags failed to deploy and resulted in two injuries although not severe

While at a complete stop, engine accelerated, high idle speed and shifting to neutral would not bring down. had to shut enginine down. dealer could not duplicate problem, no codes. dlr said to return if problem arises again.

Since moving to el paso, tx, my ford taurus' a/c has begun spewing out a vile smell after driving about 30 minutes. when i park and then restart after work, or the next morning, a thick musty mold spore smelling cloud blows through the a/c vents for the first few minutes. my wife reports the same problems with her '96 ford taurus. friends with allergies can't stand riding in the vehicles. when we returned to kc, mo (place of purchase) for a visit, the smell seemed to go away temporarily. one we returned to el paso, the problem came back within a week. i suspect that there is a mold that is indiginous to this area that finds the a/c vents a furtile breeding ground. the smell has been verified by casa ford, but they failed to take appropriate action to remedy the problem. i complain to ford "customer care" but they don't care.

No summary

Inconsistent speed control, vehicle will not decelerate, will pick up speed on hills, absolutely no engine braking, requires excessive use of brakes

Following is the e-mail from a person assigned to this taurus: it might be advisable to alert all drivers of newer tauruses to the fact that there is a fuel pump shut-off switch located on the upper inside wall of the trunk. this is inertia operated, and an unsecured load hitting the right side of the trunk can trip it, shutting down the engine. i had this happen yesterday as i turned off the freeway down james street. without the power boost on brakes and steering, i was barely able to get the car slowed and into the muni garage. if i had less strength in my legs, i would not have been able to avoid a collision. once the switch has been actuated, it can be reset via a button on its top, but accessing the trunk in necessary to do this.

This problem really hampers my need for speed. no safety defect listed in summary. *ak

Low speed brush with right front wheel caused air bag deployment with such force that right side windshield was shattered. passenger front seat unoccupied.

Steering wheel vibrates at highway speed. i originally complained of a brake chirp at 3000 miles. the dealer cut the rotors and drums. the brake chirp went away but ever since the steering wheel has vibrated at highway speeds. the dealer then balanced the wheels twice and had it done twice at outside shops. the dealer then repleced the general tires with michelins and replaced three of four rims, all to no avail. the dealer then contacted ford who said the was no repair available, but they are trying, and have customer be patient. that was july 1998. since then they have replaced a spring in the steering system and cut the drums and rotors again. i stated to the service advisor i would rather have the drums and rotors replaced because i felt two cuts on a car less than a year old was too much. he stated ford would not allow this because the rotors were too thick and they would bill the dealership if they replaced them. since i think the rotors or the drums are the problem i then called

We connected the immersionblock heater at 9:00, mar 2. at about 8:30. mar 3, wwe discovered our car had caught fire and burned, the front end being demolished: the engine burned th rough, much of the front end being melted. roen ford personnel state the cuase to be "unidentified" but suggest the cause might be a short in the electrical system, perhaps the block heater.

Although cruise control is set, the car accelerates when going down a hill. acceleration up to additional 15 miles an hour. driver must brake in order to maintain desired speed. service department states this has been reported to them, but they have no solution. *ak

The auto dosn't slow down correctly. on level highway it only slows to 45mph without applying the brakes. my 1992 ford taurus did not act this way. the dealer and ford customer assistance center say this is normal, but the loaner car also a 1998 taurus did not act this way. this problem is a safety hazard, wastes gasoline, and caused the breaks to wear out faster. i would be willing to demonstrate the car to your department if you have a location in wichita, ks. also, your web site is nice and user frendly. thanks, steve wright

Steering wheel pulsation wwhen braking over 50mph 2 different dealers tried to fix the problem bought it back to ford 7 times. engine stopped when parallel parking brake light came on twice car is only 8 months ld

Since new, vehicle fails to decelerate immediately when foot removed from accelerator. will also accelerate going downhill with cruise on.

The engine knocks and pings when it's ready to shift to the next gear, the original engin was replaced and the problem is still occuring.

My children could have been injured. thank the lord they wern't in the car!

Needs service warning light illuminating, computer chip malfunction. mjs

Safety seat does not stay fastened. mjs

Front left and right door speakers failed. yh

Power steering pressure hose failed. yh

Front brake pads failed. yh

Front rotors failed. yh

Abs brakes failed. yh

On two occasins vehicle experienced anti-lock system failure ccausing grinding. *yc

Emergency brake light not visible when wheel is tilted as (designed), the result car was driven several miles with emergency brakes engaged. yh

The design location in which a starter is directly below the oil filter is a potential safety hazard. yh

Fuel gauge failed. mjs

Brake pads failed.

Gear shift indicator failed.

Consumer experienced a period of sudden acceleration, which overpowered the vehicles brakes. the consumer was able to steer the vehicle into a parking lot where he lost control and hit a brick, as a result the vehicle was totaled and the consumer sustaining multiple bruises to body. *scc

Consumer experienced a period of sudden acceleration. the consumer was able to steer the vehicle into a parking lot where he lost control and hit a brick wall , as a result the vehicle was totaled and the consumer sustaining multiple bruises to body. *scc

The left rear seatbelt became stuck and could not be released or used, the consumer believed this to be an unusual failure since the rear seats are rarely occupied, it took two visits to repair the defect at a considerable cost to the consumer, soon after this repair the right rear seatbelt became stuck and could not be used. nlm

Consumer states rpm races up to 4,000 rpms for no reason. dealer could not duplicate problem. and the problem still exist. *tt

While in motion, consumer applied brakes to stop at an intersection, at the same time vehicle accelerated to full throttle causing a near collision. *jg manufacturer notified. *tt

An intermittent acceleration problem---powertrain control module was reprogrammed

The engine revs when the brakes fail, the dealer could not duplicate the problem. *yh

The brakes failed and was fixed but the problem continued. *yh

Gas gauge reads empty when full, digital miles left gauge read 0, three of four taurus's within the fleet have similar problems with the gas gauge. *mjs

A grinding sound was heard from the rear of the car, the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer who found that the rear disc brakes along with the rotors needed to be replaced, this repair was not covered under warranty and the consumer feels that it should be. *slc

While driving at 70 mph, the tread on the rear driver's side general tire came off. driver was able to control the vehicle. *cj

The vehicle make noise continually, several repairs to try and fix noise problems (brakes, tires, alignments), however noise still continues, possibly an axle problem. *mjs

Cruise control does not hold speed while going up and down inclines, fluctuation is 15 to 50 miles mph, too extreme. *mjs

At slow speed when braking the abs system failed to stop vehicle causing accident. *slc

Brake failure caused the vehicle to roll through the intersection resulting in accident. *et

Accelerator hesitates to accelerate, jerks and sticks down.*et

No deployment of both air bags during frontal impact accident, resulting in injury. yh

Power steering unit experiences noise, replacement of hose and unit did not rectify noise problem. *mjs

Windshield is peppered with small holes. *mjs

Temprature gauge is inoperative at times because of sending unit failure. yh

Whining noise in drive line/transmission due to air bypass valve failure. yh

Vibration in the engine area due to broken transmission mount. yh

Power steering is noisy. yh

Rear brakes worn out and rotors needed turning causing noise ,also all tires needed replacement. yh

Design location of the starter is directly below the oil filter resulting in fire when changing oil filter, electrical short from tool burned filter housing and ignited the oil stream. mjs

Vehicle experienced sudden acceleration while backing up, resulting in collision with other vehicles. mjs

Vehicle has experienced four incidents of sudden acceleration, also has problems with cruise control, due to possible (fuel/throttle/linkages) failure. mjs

Consumer is not able to get the approved airbag disconnect switch installed by the dealership. mjs

The design of the brake and accelerator pedals are too close in proximity, causing accidental slipping onto pedals. mjs

During acceleration the drivers seat ( spine ) area makes noise. *yc

Vehicle experiences "speed flair", when brake pedal is released and before consumer can engage accelerator pedal vehicle shoots forward, unable to rectify problems, consumer does not have complete control over vehicle when this occurs. mjs

Vehicle experienced sudden acceleration as driver was putting vehicle into park resulting in vehicle hitting a wall.

Excessive use of brakes required when cruise control is in use, picks up speed when going over bumps.

Erratic operation of cruise control allows the vehicle th accelerate 10-15 mile over the setting while the overdrive is on. when overdrive is turned off cruise control maintains setting.

Unspecified.

Seat belt recall work denied due to non-defective buckle, upon inspection from other source the buckle was found defective and replaced.

Heater system failed.

The design of the accelerator and brake pedals are too close together causing the driver to depress both while attempting to stop resulting in the vehicle lunging forward.

Vehicle steering rack and pinion with a spring yoke will rectify problems with steering control and vibration, unable to get parts as of 22-jul-98, design flaw.

Rotors failed and wiring assembly for abs failed causing brake failure.

Rack and pinion steering spring yoke is defective causing shimmy and steering problems.

Vehicle accelerates on its own while going downhill.

Trunk light burned garment in the trunk, lamp did not have a cover due to the design.

Design of vehicles were calibrated with increased dash-pot function causing in the vehicle not decelerating when taking the foot off the pedal.

Vehicle does not decelerate immediately when the gas pedal is released.

Cruise control loses control when going down inclines.

No failure specified.

Daytime running lights flickering due to defective module.

Brakes failed.

Headlight switch was burned causing the headlights to remain on when the switch was off.

Headlight switch was burned causing the headlights to remain on when the switch was off.

While traveling notice brakes were spongy when depressing brakes to slow vehicle down, but vehicle countined to s travel. consumer put vehicle in park mode, and turned engine off, and vehicle still traveled. consumer stated that acclerator was stuck. please provide further information.*ak

Ongoing problem with fuel spitting back out while refueling. dealer notified, and informed consumer that part was not covered under manufacturer's recall, and any repairs would be at consumer cost. *ak

Headrest does not come up high enough to protect occupant in case of vehicle crash. dealer says it's part of design. *ak

The trunk has a spoiler on it and it does not stay up when lifted. the trunk had fallen on the owner numerous times. dealer sau\ys that it is normal and cannot be fixed. *ak

During bad weather conditions (rain mixed with snow) driver applied brakes & vehicle would not slow down, causing loss of control which resulted in ancollision. upon impact, both airbags did no deploy which could have caused injury. also, steering failure. *ak

While pulling into a parking space with foot on brake, car suddenly accelerated and crashed. dealer could not identify the defect. damage: $1,500. this is a serious saftey problem that has been repeatedly reported for model years 1996 through 1999. why hasn't the government taken any action? i wonder how many people did not live to tell about it. i was one of the fortunate ones. this not only puts the driver and passengers in jeopardy, but pedestrians as well!