1995 Ford TAURUS: complaints, problems and recalls

FORD OFFERED A FREE HEADGASKET REPLACEMENT FOR MY 1995 TAURUS IN A JULY18 2000 LETTER( THAT I RECEIVED IN FEB. 2002). WHEN THEY HAD THE HEADGASKET OFF THEY CALLED ME TO THE MY CAR AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE GEAR GASKET OR IT WOULD CAUSE THE HEADH\GASKET TO "GO BAD" AGAIN. WHEN I ASKED THEM WHY THE GEAR GASKET WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FREE REPLACEMENT THEN HAS NO ANSWER. IT COST ME $567.29 TO HAVE THEM REPLACE THE GEAR GASKET. I THINK THAT THIS IS A BATE AND SWITCH. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS RIPOFF?

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000453 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER THE DEALERSHIP PRIDE LINCOLN, MERCURY; LYNN MA; [phone removed], DID THE RECALL FOR THE ENGINE 01 V 390 000, THE FAN MOTOR BROKE. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001196 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE HEAD GASKET BLEW CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO SMELL STRONG CHEMICAL FUMES. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001388 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING LEAKING. ALSO STATED THAT HAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE ENGINE. ENGINE WAS REPLACED AND THAT IS WHEN STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING LEAKING OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER WONT FIXED THE PROBLEM UNLESS THE CONSUMER PAYS FOR THE WORK. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE DIFFERENT ENGINES ON THE VEHICLE. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001413 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE STALLING. ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS STALL WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AND BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD NO WARRANTY THEY WON'T REPLACE IT UNLESS HE PAYS FOR IT. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACE. ALSO STATED THAT HE IS AWARE THAT THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. TS *DT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001557 at NHTSA ↗

THE CONSUMER HAD THE RECALL REPAIR COMPLETED ON 12/01 (RECALL # 01V390000). APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING WHICH RESULTED IN THE HEAD GASKET BLOWING. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE ENGINE FAN WHICH SEIZED. ON 12/02 THE RADIATOR BOILED AND THE DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS A DEFECTIVE FAN MODULE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. *TS *CB *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001812 at NHTSA ↗

IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE, PULLING TO THE RIGHT, THE TIRES HAD BEEN SWITCHED, THE SPEEDOMETER WAS INOPERABLE AND THE BRAKES WERE VERY NOISY. CONSUMER CONTINUED TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE VEHICLE WASN'T ABLE TO GO FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DRIVING CONDITION IS STILL INSUFFICIENT. *JG

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002567 at NHTSA ↗

95 TAURUS WAGON, AFTER HAVING CAR CHECKED NUMEROUS TIMES FOR VARIOUS TEMPERATURE CONTROL ISSUES WITH HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONING OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, HEAD GASKET BLEW...CALLED DEALERSHIP, AFTER FIRST NOTICING VAPOR FROM TAILPIPE ALONG WITH TEMPERATURE PROBLEMS. DEALERS EXPLAINATION WAS THERMOSTAT PROBLEM. ONE WEEK LATER, EXTREME AMOUNT OF BLUE VAPOR POURING OUT OF TAILPIPE ALONG WITH ANTIFREEZE FLUID LOSS THAT HAD CONTINUED TO OCCUR. CONTACTED DEALER, SAID IT WAS A HEAD GASKET AND WE SHOULD FILL WITH ANTIFREEZE AND FIND A NEW CAR, CAR …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003065 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2001-12-21 (December 21, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TAURUS/SABLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.0L AND 3.8L ENGINES AND MUSTANG VEHICLES WITH 3.8L AND 5.0L ENGINES. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE ENGINE COOLING FAN BEARING TO SEIZE.

Consequence: SHOULD THIS OCCUR, EXCESSIVE HEAT COULD BE GENERATED WHICH COULD MELT THE FAN MOTOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR. COMPONENTS INSIDE THE COOLING FAN MOTOR COULD IGNITE POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE ENGINE COOLING FAN ASSEMBLY AND INSTALL A CIRCUIT BREAKER. IF THE COOLING FAN IS INOPERATIVE, THE FAN AND MOTOR ASSEMBLY WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 28, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

Reported: 1994-10-11 (October 11, 1994)

THE RETAINER CLIP WHICH HOLDS THE MASTER CYLINDER PUSH ROD TO THE BRAKE PEDAL ARM IS MISSING OR NOT COMPLETELY INSTALLED. THE PUSH ROD CAN SEPARATE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL ARM.

Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY AND AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, INSTALL THE RETAINER CLIP.

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: 1998-12-16 (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.