1993 Ford TAURUS: complaints, problems and recalls

TRANNY AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AT 96,000 MILES

Owner-reported narrative. 96,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000080 at NHTSA ↗

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT I AM EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED WITH MY 1993 FORD TAURUS. IT WAS PURCHASED ON JULY 8, 2000 FROM BRIARWOOD FORD IN ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN. IT HAD 37,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER OWNING IT FOR ONLY 40 DAYS, THE ENGINE BLEW ON MY WAY TO TENNESSEE. THE REPAIR SHOP CHECKED IT IN WITH ONLY 39,488 MILES ON IT. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE LONGBLOCK FOR A TOTAL OF $5532.27. LET ME GIVE YOU A BRIEF PICTURE OF MY SITUATION. I AM A WIDOW LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND A SMALL PENSION FROM MY FORMER HUSBAND??S EMPLOYER. I LIVE IN AN APARTMENT …

Owner-reported narrative. 39,488 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000508 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

RT FROUNT LOWER CONTROLL ARM ASSEMBLY- FROM MILEAGE OF APPROX. 63000 TO PRESENT, 112,000, THE LOWER CONTROLL ARM ASSEMBLY HAS HAD TO BE REPALCED 3 TIMES AND RETORKED 1. I ALSO HAD TO PAY FOR REALIGNMENT AT EACH REPAIR. NOW AFTER THE 3RD REPLACEMENT THE CAR SHIMMIES AND PULLES TO THE LEFT, WHICH IT DID NOT DO BEFORE REPAIR. THE DEALER MORE OR LESS TOLD ME TOO BAD. ONE OF THE REPAIRS WAS NOT DONE BY FORD THERE FOR NOT RELIABLE. THIS CAR HAS A FILE 2 INCHES THICK FROM MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS. THERE STILL ISN'T ANY EXPAINATION OF WHAT IS CAUSING …

Owner-reported narrative. 112,424 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003150 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, WHICH CAUSED THE COOLANT TO LEAK.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003615 at NHTSA ↗

ENGINE STOPPED WORKING DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006124 at NHTSA ↗

THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED, DUE TO A COOLANT LEAK.*SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 105,664 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006187 at NHTSA ↗

* OHIO TRAFFIC SAFETY REPORT* THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*JG *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006848 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 1993-01-04 (January 4, 1993)

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM CONTROLLERS DESIGNED FOR REAR WHEEL DRIVE CARS MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THESE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CARS..

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKING ABILITY AND POSSIBLEVEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: REPLACE THE REAR WHEEL DRIVE ABS CONTROLLER WITH A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE ABS CONTROLLER.

Reported: 1997-02-25 (February 25, 1997)

THESE VEHICLES ARE ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, IOWA, MINNESOTA, NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA, AND SOUTH DAKOTA. THE VEHICLES INVOLVED ARE 1992-1994 TEMPO/TOPAZ VEHICLES WITH 3.0L ENGINES; 1994 TEMPO/TOPAZ WITH 2.3L ENGINES; 1992-1995 TAURUS/SABLE WITH 3.8L ENGINES; 1994-1995 TAURUS/SABLE WITH 3.0L ENGINES AND 1992-1994 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL VEHICLES WITH 3.8L ENGINES. DURING HIGH WINDS, HEAVY, BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW, AND LOW TEMPERATURES, THE ENGINE COOLING FAN CAN BECOME BLOCKED OR FROZEN WITH SNOW. THE FAN MOTOR MAY NOT ROTATE AND COULD OVERHEAT.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE SMOKE OR FLAMES FROM THE FAN AND/OR SHROUD, THE FAN ELECTRICAL WIRING, OR THE FAN MOTOR RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ELECTRICAL JUMPER HARNESS CONTAINING AN AUTOMATIC RESETTING CIRCUIT BREAKER TO PROTECT THE FAN MOTOR LOW SPEED CIRCUITRY FROM OVERHEATING.

Reported: 1997-02-26 (February 26, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L ENGINES AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, IOWA, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KANSAS, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NORTH DAKOTA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. WATER CAN ACCUMULATE WITHIN THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE CONDUIT. IF ENOUGH WATER ACCUMULATES, IT COULD FREEZE WITHIN A LOW AREA OF THE CABLE ROUTING WHEN EXPOSED TO A LONG TERM COLD SOAK AT TEMPERATURES AT LEAST SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW FREEZING.

Consequence: DRIVER CONTROL OF VEHICLE SPEED USING THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM OR THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEM WOULD BE DIMINISHED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL ADD A BOOT TO THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE.

Reported: 1998-01-21 (January 21, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHTS CAN FLASH INTERMITTENTLY AS A RESULT OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER OPENING. THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS CAN GO OUT FOR BRIEF INTERVALS.

Consequence: LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION CAN AFFECT A DRIVER'S ABILITY TO NAVIGATE THE ROADWAY AND REDUCE THE VISIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLIGHT SWITCH THAT INCORPORATES A CRICUIT BREAKER OF REVISED DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF A WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR AND WIRING, IF NEEDED.

Reported: 1998-05-06 (May 6, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF NEW YORK, MICHIGAN, OHIO, ILLINOIS, WISCONSIN, PENNSYLVANIA, MASSACHUSETTS, INDIANA, NEW JERSEY, MAINE, CONNECTICUT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, MINNESOTA, IOWA, MISSOURI, KENTUCKY, MARYLAND, DELAWARE, AND WEST VIRGINIA. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS CAN FRACTURE AS A RESULT OF CORROSION IN COMBINATION WITH SMALL CRACKS IN THE SPRINGS.

Consequence: THE FRONT TIRE COULD DEFLATE DUE TO A BROKEN FRONT COIL SPRING CONTACTING THE TIRE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING CATCHER BRACKET WHICH WILL PREVENT A FRACTURED SPRING FROM CONTACTING A TIRE.

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.