1999 Ford TAURUS: complaints, problems and recalls

INTIALLY DIAGNOSED AS POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK - TURNS OUT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A LEAK IN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING.

Owner-reported narrative. 57,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000013 at NHTSA ↗

THE INTERIOR LIGHT CONTINUES TO REMAIN ON AND THE DASH READOUT INDICATES THAT THERE IS A DOOR OPEN WHEN THERE ACTUALLY ISN'T. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK AS LONG AS THE CAR BELIEVES THERE IS AN UNLOCKED DOOR.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000087 at NHTSA ↗

AT 30,000 MILES I HAD TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION ON MY NEW CAR DUE TO THE PLASTIC PARTS THAT THEY ARE MADE OUT OF. I HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY SO THEY CHARGED ME $100.00.... I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN DUE TO THE CAR NOT ME CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I PAID $100.00 THEN ALSO. I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE PAID A PENNY EITHER TIME. THESE ARE THE CAR'S PROBLEM'S AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THEY NEVER TOLD ME OF A RECALL. NOT EVEN THE FORD I BOUGHT IT FROM WOULD TELL ME OF ANY RECALL'S. BY LAW THEY SHOULD NOTIFY ME, AND TELL ME IF …

Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000588 at NHTSA ↗

ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27TH, 2002, MY SON ZACHARY, AGE 17, WAS DRIVING OUR 1999 FORD TAURUS. (VIN # [VIN removed]) ON A TWO WAY STREET, SPEED LIMIT 35 MPH, WHEN HE NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AREA. HE MAINTAINED CONTROL AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE TIRE WAS SHREDDED - HE CALLED ME AND I ARRANGED FOR A TOW TO A LOCAL GARAGE. THEY (MURRAY'S) FOUND THAT THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING HAD BROKEN, PUNCTURING THE TIRE AND WRECKING THE SHOCK TOWER UPPER BEARING. MY SON DID N…

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000752 at NHTSA ↗

I LOST THE POWER STEERING ON MY 1999 FORD TAURUS STATION WAGON. WHEN IT STOPPED WORKING, I HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME TURNING AROUND CORNERS. I HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO MY DRIVEWAY. I THEN BECAME AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AS I DID NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO MAKE A TURN. I HAD TO HAVE A MALE FRIEND WHO IS FAR STRONGER THAN ME, DRIVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. MY CAR ONLY HAS 41,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS NOT A PART THAT SHOULD WEAR OUT. I WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE RACK AND PINION SEALS HAD LEAKED AND THAT THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 41,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000773 at NHTSA ↗

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TURNED OFF, ALSO STOP WHEN IN USE. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001537 at NHTSA ↗

BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. HAD THE SAME PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE. HAD TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP EACH TIME FOR ACCELERATING AND NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG WITH TRANSMISSION. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 13,899 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001575 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER NOTICE ONCE PLACING KEY IN IGNITION SWITCH, IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT TURN OR STEERING WHEEL. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002130 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-07-15 (July 15, 2004)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS COULD FRACTURE DUE TO CORROSION ASSOCIATED WITH SALT USED ON THE ROADWAYS DURING THE WINTER. A FRACTURED SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRONT TIRE.

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE TIRE MAY RUPTURE RESULTING IN A RAPID AIR LOSS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL PROTECTIVE SPRING SHIELDS. IN ADDITION, FORD IS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY COVERAGE OF THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS IN ALL OTHER STATES, FOR FRACTURE ONLY, UP TO 10 YEARS OF SERVICE OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. IF THE VEHICLE HAS ALREADY ACCUMULATED MORE THAN 150,000 MILES, THIS COVERAGE WILL LAST UNTIL JULY 31, 2005. IF EITHER FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURES, DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT SPRINGS AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER. AN INTERIM NOTICE WAS SENT TO OWNERS ON AUGUST 2, 2004. PARTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE 2000-2001 MY VEHICLES AND OWNERS WERE SENT A LETTER ON JANUARY 10, 2005, ADVISING THEM TO BRING IN THEIR VEHICLES FOR REPAIR PARTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE 1999 MY VEHICLES BY THE END OF FEBRUARY 2005 AND OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES WILL BE NOTIFIED THEN. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

Reported: 1998-08-25 (August 25, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL SEAT TRACKS. THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ATTACHING STUD MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED. THIS HEAT TREATMENT MAY HAVE RESULTED IN CRACKS DEVELOPING IN THE STUD.

Consequence: IF THE STUD IS CRACKED, IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE MOUNTING BRACKET AND STUD ASSEMBLY.

Reported: 1998-09-01 (September 1, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A DASH INSULATOR RETAINER CLIP WAS NOT FULLY ASSEMBLED TO THE ACCELERATOR CABLE DASH FITTING. THE CLIP CAN DISENGAGE FROM THE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND FALL INTO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM PIVOT AREA.

Consequence: IF THIS CONDITION OCCURS, THE ENGINE MAY NOT FULLY RETURN TO IDLE. ALSO, THE INSULATOR MAY NOT STAY IN THE INTENDED LOCATION AND COULD INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR CABLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES TO ENSURE PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE ACCELERATOR CABLE CLIP, AND RE-INSTALL IF NEEDED.

Reported: 1998-11-09 (November 9, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUPPED WITH THE "CALIFORNIA" EMISSIONS PACKAGE. AN INCORRECT TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE WAS INSTALLED. THE LINE CONTACTS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM MODULE SUPPORT BRACKET AND OVER TIME, CAN WEAR AND DEVELOP A LEAK.

Consequence: TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKAGE ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD OR CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE APPROPRIATE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE.

Reported: 1999-09-20 (September 20, 1999)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR MAY HAVE A PIN SHAFT IN THE SWITCHABLE ELR/ALR MECHANISM THAT IS INCORRECTLY FORMED. IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SWITCHING MECHANISM COULD BECOME NONFUNCTIONAL, PREVENTING THE SEAT BELT WEBBING FROM BEING EXTRACTED FROM THE RETRACTOR. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT MALFUNCTION OF THE MECHANISM COULD PREVENT THE BELT FROM BEING SWITCHED INTO THE ALR MODE. THE ELR MECHANISM IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS CONDITION.

Consequence: IF THE MECHANISM MALFUNCTIONS AND DOES NOT ALLOW THE WEBBING TO BE EXTRACTED, THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT COULD NOT BE WORN BY A VEHICLE OCCUPANT. IN THE EVENT THAT THE MECHANISM DOES NOT ALLOW THE ALR MODE TO BE ENGAGED, THE OPERATOR MAY BE UNABLE TO PROPERLY INSTALL A CHILD SEAT IN THAT SEATING POSITION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT ASSEMBLIES. ASSEMBLIES WITH JULIAN DATE CODES OF 200 THROUGH 223 ARE SUSPECT AND WILL BE REPLACED.