1988 Ford TAURUS: complaints, problems and recalls

SUBJECT VEHICLE: 1988 FORD TAURUS, VIN NO. [XXX] THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING INSULATION BECOME ABRADED,OR PUNCTURED, AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURRED THAT RESULT IN A FIRE IN THE SEAT CUSHION MATERIAL. AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED IN THE SERVICE DEPT. OF TEXAN FORD, INC., 20777 KATY FREEWAY, KATY, TX 77450, PHONE [phone removed]. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE SERVICE TECH WORKING ON THE CAR. THE FIRE APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY THE POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING ROUTED OVER RATHER THAN UNDER THE FRONT…

Owner-reported narrative. 199,134 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000629 at NHTSA ↗

INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE ENGINE WOULD ACT AS IF IT WERE RUNNING OUT OF GAS, ENGINE WOULD QUIT. AND THEN CAME BACK WITHOUT WARNING. ENGINE DID NOT NEED TO BE RESTARTED RIGHT AWAY BUT WOULD CUT OUT AS DESCRIBED AND THIS CONDITION WOULD CLEAR ON IT'S OWN. EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE WOULD SKIP AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING AND DID STALL. WOULDN'T START AND RUN WITHOUT INCIDENT. DEALER DIAGNOSIS WAS TO REPLACE THE DISTRIBUTOR AND ELECTRONIC IGNITION MODULE EVEN THOUGH THEY RECOMMENDED NOT REPLACING STATING THAT THEY WERE NOT SURE T…

Owner-reported narrative. 176,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007000 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN I TRY TO TURN ON THE VEHICLE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS HARD TO TURN ON THEN WHEN IT IS TURNED ON THE DASH DOESN'T LIGHT UP, AND THE WHOLE CAR IS DIGITAL. I HAVE TO PLAY WITH THE SWITCH AND TRY AND TURN THE KEY A LITTLE BACKWARDS TO GET THE DASH TO LIGHT UP. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ALMOST A YEAR (SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR). *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 79,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018563 at NHTSA ↗

THE IGNITION SWITCH DID NOT WORKING PROPERLY. IT WAS HARD TO GET THE VEHICLE TURNED ON, AND WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED, THE DASH LIGHTS DID NOT COME ON. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PLAY WITH THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION TO GET THE DASH LIGHTS TO COME ON. *PH *JB *CB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10029521 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *PH

Owner-reported narrative. 53,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10032416 at NHTSA ↗

1988 FORD TAURUS GL 3.0L V-6. HEATER CORE FAILED DURING WINTER MONTH WITH TEMPS IN THE 30-40 DEGREE F RANGE. WINDSHIELD AND ALL OTHER WINDOWS FOGGED OVER AND ELIMINATED VISIBILITY INSTANTLY. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AT NIGHT AT APPROX 9:30 PM. ATTEMPTS AT USING A PAPER TOWEL WHICH WAS HANDY WAS TO NO AVAIL. AS SOON AS THE INTERIOR WINDOW WAS WIPED, IT INSTANTLY REFOGGED. USE OF DEFOGGER WAS FUTILE AND USE OF THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS OF LITTLE TO NO HELP. THE IMMEDIATE NATURE OF THE INCIDENT, FOR AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER OR A DRIVER UNFAMILIAR WITH T…

Owner-reported narrative. 157,925 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033226 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A FUEL LINE PROBLEM. *AK THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE IDLE, MILEAGE PER HOUR, THE A/C, THICKNESS IN THE FUEL, AND THE IGNITION. (REFER TO: ODI# 10073942) *SC THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER WERE INOPERATIVE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10063192 at NHTSA ↗

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S FUEL LINE. *MR CONSUMER WAITING FOR SETTLEMENT ON REPAIRS MADE ON FUEL PUMP, ENGINE MOUNTS, POWER BRAKE BOOSTER, MASTER CYLINDER, AIR CONDITIONER, MANIFOLD, TIRES, AND TRANSMISSION. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10073942 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 1991-03-04 (March 4, 1991)

THE POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING IS ROUTED OVER RATHER THAN UNDER THE FRONT SEAT SUPPORT BRACE, ALLOWING DAMAGE BY SEAT CUSHION SPRING ENDS WHEN SEAT IS OCCUPIED.

Consequence: POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING INSULATION MAY BECOME ABRADED,OR PUNCTURED, AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD OCCUR THAT COULD RESULT IN A FIREIN THE SEAT CUSHION MATERIAL.

Remedy: REVISE ROUTING OF POWER SEAT WIRING TO PREVENT DAMAGE FROM SEAT CUSHION SPRING CONTACT.

Reported: 1991-08-06 (August 6, 1991)

FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE SEVERE CORROSION IF OPERATED IN AREAS WHERE CALCIUM CHLORIDE AND SODIUM CHLORIDE ARE USED EXTENSIVELY.

Consequence: SEVERELY CORRODED ROTORS MAY FRACTURE OR SEPARATE NEARTHE INNER EDGES OF THE BRAKE DISCS RESULTING IN REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS,HIGHER THAN NORMAL PEDAL EFFORTS, LOUD GRINDING NOISES, AND MODERATE PULLS WHENTHE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS MAY INCREASE MINIMUMSTOPPING DISTANCES, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WITH FULL CAST FRONT BRAKE ROTORS.

Reported: 1992-05-11 (May 11, 1992)

CHILDREN CAN ACCIDENTALLY LOCK THEMSELVES IN THE FOOTWELL AREA OF THE REAR-FACING THIRD SEAT, OR IN THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT IN STATION WAGONS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN OPTIONAL THIRD SEAT. ONCE THE COMPARTMENT IS CLOSED IT CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE.

Consequence: THERE IS A DANGER OF AIR DEPRIVATION, HYPERTHERMIA,AND/OR PANIC RESPONSE TO A CHILD WHO HAS LOCKED HIMSELF OR HERSELF INTO THECOMPARTMENT, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ASPHYXIATION.

Remedy: REPLACE THE SELF-LATCHING ASSEMBLY CURRENTLY USED IN THE REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENT WITH A LATCH ASSEMBLY THAT CAN ONLY BE CLOSED WITH A KEY.

Reported: 1993-06-23 (June 23, 1993)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TAURUS AND SABLES BUILT FROM 10-14-85 THROUGH 8-19-88, AND LINCOLN CONTINENTALS BUILT FROM 11-4-87 THROUGH 9-30-88 (EXCEPT 1989 - 1991 2.5L TAURUS AND 1989 - 1992 SHO). THE AFFECTED CARS WERE ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, AND WISCONSIN. THE BODY MOUNTS AT THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME, WHICH SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, MAY BECOME DETACHED DUE TO CORROSION OF THE SUBFRAME MOUNT RETAINING PLATE. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME TO DROP.

Consequence: IF ONE OF THE REAR CORNERS DROPS, ONLY MINOR INDICATIONS OF A MALFUNCTION SUCH AS A CLUNKING NOISE OR SLIGHT CHANGE IN STEERING WHEEL ALIGNMENT ARE NOTICEABLE. HOWEVER, IF BOTH REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME DROP, STEERING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT, WHICH COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT VEHICLE CONTROL AND POSSIBLY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: INSTALL A CORROSION-RESISTANT REINFORCING PLATE AND A NEW BOLT ON BOTH REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTS. THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY RECALL 98V-323.

Reported: 1998-12-16 (December 16, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGNIA, AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR LOWER SUBFRAME MOUNT PLATE NUT CAN EXPERIENCE STRESS CORROSION CRACKING IF SUBJECTED TO LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALTS. THIS CAN RESULT IN FRACTURE AND LOSS OF THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SUBFRAME MOUNT ATTACHMENT. DETACHMENT OF THE BODY MOUNTS AT THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME, WHICH SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, ALLOWS THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME TO DROP.

Consequence: IF BOTH REAR CORNERS DROP, STEERING WOULD BECOME SUDDENLY VERY DIFFICULT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL SUBFRAME REAR MOUNT BOLTS, REINFORCEMENT PLATES, AND PLATE NUTS.