1993 Ford TAURUS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
808 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
105,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1993 model year. Data snapshot: . 65 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 262 of 808 complaints (32.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 61 | 7.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 54 | 6.7% |
| Braking behavior | 54 | 6.7% |
| Steering behavior | 41 | 5.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 26 | 3.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 18 | 2.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 262 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 78 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 63 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 41 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 39 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 38 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 33 |
| Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs | 30 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 262; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 78; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 63; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 41; Electrical System:Ignition: 39; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 38; Engine And Engine Cooling: 33; Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs: 30
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 12 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 11 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 22 |
| 150,000 and above | 13 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 22; 150,000 and above: 13
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (22). 743 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 88 |
| 1996 | 82 |
| 2000 | 338 |
| 2001 | 147 |
| 2002 | 62 |
| 2003 | 28 |
| 2004 | 30 |
| 2005 | 8 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
1995: 88; 1996: 82; 2000: 338; 2001: 147; 2002: 62; 2003: 28; 2004: 30; 2005: 8; 2006: 6; 2007: 5; 2008: 9; 2010: 2; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 61 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 54 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 54 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10095446 · 2004-10-07 (October 7, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10095446 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10108265 · 2005-01-30 (January 30, 2005)
THE CAR STARTED STALLING. THE CAR JUST STOPPED WORKING. IT HAS ALSO ALMOST CAUSED US TO GET HIT WHEN IT STALLS OUT AND WHEN IT WAS ABOUT TO GO OUT WE ALOMOST CAUSED SOME ACCIDENTS. WE HAFT TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE IT IS CRACKED. EVERYONE HAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS OUT OF TAURUS.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 94,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10108265 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002434 · 2003-01-09 (January 9, 2003)
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING. *NLM *DT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE AT AN INTERSECTION. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED WHILE GOING DOWN A HILL. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON, AND THE TRANSMISSION JERKED WHEN SHIFTED. THE AIR MASS FLOW SENSOR AND IDLE AIR CONTROL WAS REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE MLP TRANSMISSION SENSOR, AND FOUND THE LEVER BOLT BROKEN WHERE IT PASSED THROUGH THE SENSOR. *SCC
Owner-reported narrative. 81,101 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002434 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10009742 · 2003-02-24 (February 24, 2003)
NAR 03/03/2003. THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHICH EVENTUALLY HAD TO BE REPLACED, ALSO THE BRAKES WORE OUT PREMATURELY DUE TO LACK OF A SECOND GEAR. THE ENGINE WENT OUT IN NOV 1997 WHICH WAS LIKELY HEAD GASKET FAILURE. JAN 9, 2003 THE ENGINE OVERHEATED WHICH WAS DIAGNOSED AS A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET IN THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009742 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10073898 · 2004-06-14 (June 14, 2004)
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE ACCELERATES. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK IN THE LAST 5 MONTHS THE CONSUMER HAS HAD 2 NEAR ACCIDENT IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE FORD DEALER OFFERED NO INFORMATION THAT WAS HELPFUL, THEREFORE THE CONSUMER CONTACTED A SERVICE STATION WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A DEFECTIVE THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10073898 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10057183 · 2004-01-23 (January 23, 2004)
THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND WIRE HARNESS, STEERING COLUMN COVERS, TURN SIGNAL/WIPER SWITCH WERE REPLACED. *PH *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10057183 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10062882 · 2004-03-08 (March 8, 2004)
THE HORN NOR THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS WORKED IN THE STEERING WHEEL HUB. *PH CONSUMER FELT THAT THERE'S NO NEED TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT ONCE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SUCH AN INCONVENIENCE ON HIS BEHALF. AFTER TEN MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP OF VEHICLE PURCHASED FROM E-BAY, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR FACILITY TO HAVE STEERING CONTROLS FIXED. MECHANIC CALLED CONSUMER AND WAS INFORMED THAT AIR BAG HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM STEERING WHEEL HUB AND REPLACED WITH FOAM TO SIMULATE THE SHAPE OF THE AIR BAG. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO HAVE AIR BAG INSTALLED INTO STEERING W…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10062882 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10070376 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED. STEERING PINS REPLACED 4 DAYS AFTER MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED, THE CAR CATCHES ON FILE FROM AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. I DROVE THE CAR 1 TIME AFTER IT WAS OUT OF THE SHOP. 11 HOURS AFTER I DROVE IT, THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE FROM AN ELECTRICAL SHORT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10070376 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10097379 · 2004-10-18 (October 18, 2004)
NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS CONCERNING LEAKING HEAD GASKETS. *BF THE VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE WHICH INCLUDE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, COOLING FAN, IGNITION WIRING, COIL SPRING FAILURE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, ALTERNATOR, HEAD GASKET AND MUFFLER. WHILE RESEARCHING THE VEHICLE ON NHTSA SITE THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED SEVERAL RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE RELATED THE FAILURES HIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10097379 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10315193 · 2010-03-01 (March 1, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT A WARNING. HE WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE THEN TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT IT FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS THE TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE WHERE HE NOTIFIED A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP CAUSED THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 162036.
Owner-reported narrative. 162,036 miles reported. Look up ODI 10315193 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 502722 · 1996-03-27 (March 27, 1996)
FUEL PUMP REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 502722 at NHTSA ↗