183 of the 2,206 complaints about the 1993 Ford Taurus are about the transmission — 8% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 85,000 miles.
183
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THERE ARE ALOT OF RECALLS ON MY CAR AND NO ONE WILL HELP ME.
NHTSA complaint #10229979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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.
NHTSA complaint #10108265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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.
NHTSA complaint #10009742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10095446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
CAR WILL DRIVE WHEN TRANSMISSION FLUID GETS HOT & JUMP OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL.
NHTSA complaint #10070761 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE WAS PULLED INTO THE CARPORT FROM CONSUMER'S HOME. THE GEAR WAS PUT IN PARK AND VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED THREE TIMES. DEALER CLAIMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10063128 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT A PISTON FAILED WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. *AK *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10026261 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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
NHTSA complaint #10002434 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANNY AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AT 96,000 MILES
NHTSA complaint #10000080 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION., VEHICLE WON'T DOWNSHIFT OR ACCELERATE PAST 2ND GEAR.
NHTSA complaint #8013528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL WHENEVER I LET UP ON THE ACCELERATOR, THEN SHIFTS BACK INTO GEAR HARD WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS APPLIED AGAIN. THE ONLY THING THAT SLOWS THE CAR IS TO USE THE BRAKES, IT DOES'NT DECCELERATE AT ALL JUST BY LETTING OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL (UNLESS GOING UPHILL). THIS IS ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC WHEN DRIVING DOWN STEEP HILLS, BECAUSE THE ENGINE WILL NOT HOLD THE CAR NO MATTER WHAT POSITION THE GEAR SELECTOR IS IN, IN FACT IT WILL ACTUALLY INCREASE IN SPEED. THE OPERATORS MANUAL RECOMENDS SHIFTING TO A LOWER GEAR WHEN TRAVELING DOWN A PARTICULARLY LONG OR STEEP INCLINE, BUT IN THIS CAR THAT PARTICULAR STRATEGY IS TOTALLY USELESS BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL IF THE ENGINE IS NOT PULLING. EVEN WHEN USING THE CRUISE CONTROL, IF THE CAR GOES DOWNHILL, THE CAR WILL JUST PICK UP SPEED BY GRAVITY AND THE TRANSMISSION THEN SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL.
NHTSA complaint #762048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND SLIPPAGE MAKE DRIVING THE CAR ON A HIGHWAY UNPREDICTABLE AND DANGEROUS, WHILE SPEEDING UP ON AN ON-RAMP TO A HIGHWAY, I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A TRACTOR TRAILOR BECAUSE MY CAR COULD NOT SHIFT GEARS CORRECTLY.
NHTSA complaint #760176 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE HAD HARD JERKING, AND SHUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #898693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES IN THIS CAR. I AM 57 AND DO NOT "HOTROD" IT.
NHTSA complaint #751845 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE RACK & PINION PULLS APART AND CAUSES THE FRONT END TO BECOME OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND ALSO CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STEER TERRIBLY. THE RIGHT FRONT MOTOR MOUNT BURST BECAUSE IT IS HYDRAULIC THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN THE RACK AND PINION GOES OUT. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO HAS A DEFECT IN THE FOURTH GEAR RATIO AND SHOWS ON THE DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER WHEN SERVICED.
NHTSA complaint #750898 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FORABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #750279 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK AND DOWNSHIFT. VEHICLE STARTED STALLING AS CONSUMER WAS ATTEMPTING TO PULL OVER. ALSO, POWER STEERING FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #887637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
TRANSMISSION INTER LOCK SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. PLASTIC CASE THAT HOLDS WIRE CRACKED .CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER SAID NO CAMPAIN ON COMPLAINT.
NHTSA complaint #885305 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO JERK SEVERELY AND WOULD NOT SHIFT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #785268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
BOUGHT THE CAR FROM ESTATE OF DECEASED UNCLE WHO BOUGHT THE CAR NEW FROM TRAGRESSER, CAR HAD 30,000 MILES. IN JANUARY, 2001 GAVE THE CAR TO MY DAUGHTER JESSICA HOPKINS, TRANS WENT OUT IN FEBRUARY. CAR IS SITTING IN MY DRIVE.NO SAFETY DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #742027 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE STALLING INTERMITTENTLY, AT ANY SPEED/ANY TIME. DEALER STATED THIS WAS DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION DEVICE. *AK VEHICLE WILL NOT START WHETHER IT IS IN PARK OR NEUTRAL. STARTER, SPARKPLUGS, AND BATTERY HAVE BEEN REPLACED, DOOR CHIME WOULD SOUND WHEN KEYS WERE NOT IN IGNITION. TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND EXPERIENCES ERRATIC SHIFTING. FAULTY FRONT STRUTS CAUSE VEHICLE TO OVERSTEER, TIRES WERE ROTATED AND FRONT WAS ALIGNED TO HELP PROBLEM, HOWEVER DID NOT REMEDY. DASHBOARD RATTLES, HOWEVER DEALER CAN NOT REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. DRIVER SIDE DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY AND THERE IS WIND NOISE WHEN DRIVEN OVER 20 MPH, LEFT DOOR WAS NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY. KEYLESS ENTRY FAILED, PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR LOCK INOPERABLE. EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NEVER INSTALLED. THERE IS A CONSISENT WIND SOUND IN VEHICLE. FRONT END EXPERIENCED SHAKING. EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION. DIFFICULT AND NOISY STEERING OCCURRED, DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING LINE. FRONT BRAKE PADS REPLACED. EXHAUST REPLACED. FUEL PUMP REPLACED. WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH WAS REPLACED. VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS ONLY 47114 MILES ON. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #882786 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #741109 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION PAN GASKET LEAKING. NLM
NHTSA complaint #739815 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
CONSUMER SMELLED ANTIFREEZE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET, TIMING COVER GASKET, OXYGEN SENSOR AND AXLE SEALS. NLM
NHTSA complaint #739815 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
WHILE DRIVING ABOVE 40-50 MPH AND HITTING ANY KIND OF BUMPS SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE WILL JUMP TO A HIGHER SPEED, AND THEN DRIVER WON'T KNOW AT WHAT SPEED HE WAS DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER SAID THEY ARE WILLING TO FIX IT BUT AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK THE SPEEDOMETER HAS FAILED TWICE AND IS DEFECTIVE EVEN THOUGH THE MANUFACTRURER OF THE VEHICLE HAS NOT ISSUED RECALL NOTICE YET.
NHTSA complaint #878804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM CO TO IL, HOT LITE CAME ON. ENGINE TURNED OFF AND PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD (INT76).2YR OLD, 10YR OLD, 2 ADULTS ON SIDE OF HIWAY - CARS PASSING @70MPH & ABOVE. FORTUNATELY HAD A CELL PHONE - STILL SAT ON SIDE FOR 2+HOURS. NEW ENGINE, TRANS, WATER PUMP INSTALLED 9/99. HEAD GASKET LEAK DETECTED 12/2000 AFTER BLOWING RADIATOR. RADIATOR REPLACED BY A NON-FORD GARAGE. DEALER SAID IT WAS A BAD RADIATOR (NEW RADIATOR HAD BEEN INSTALLED 2 WEEKS PRIOR-SEAMS BURST NOT RUSTED). PACKEY WEBB NOW REPAIRING HEAD GASKET & WATER PUMP (FAILURE PROBABLY CAUSED BY GASKET LEAK SAME AS THE RADIATOR). FORD WILL COVER THE PARTS BUT NOT THE LABOR AND WILL NOT COVER THE RADIATOR. VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN TO A DIFFERENT DEALER (JOE MADDEN - DOWNERS GROVE, IL) SEVERAL TIMES FOR "ROUGH RUNNING" PROBLEMS DURING THE FULL WARRANTY PERIOD (OF THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE) AND CHARGED $115 EACH TIME FOR "DIAGNOSIS". "COULDN'T DUPLICATE CUSTOMER'S CONCERN" FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGED A PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE IN '94 AND '95 TAURUS' BUT REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE '93. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO NOT BE ON THE HIGHWAY IN DANGEROUSLY COLD WEATHER WITH THE CURRENT HEAD GASKET PROBLEM
NHTSA complaint #738713 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
1ST REPAIR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, NEW PART LASTED UNDER 2 YEARS, NEXT REPLACEMENT WAS JUST UNDER $ 400 AND IT WAS WOBBLY, BUT COULDN'T BE ADJUSTED ANY BETTER. NEW CABLES WERE PUT IN, THE 2ND TIME, THE THIRD TIME, A USED CABLE WORKED BETTER THAN A NEW ONE. ALSO WE HAD OUR MECH. INSTALL A USED SPEEDOMETER, AS THE COST WAS PROHIBITIVE, AND THE DEALER WASN'T ABLE TO FULLY CORRECT THE PROBLEM ANYWAY. HOW CAN A CAR EAT SPEEDOMETERS ANYWAY? THE TICKING SOUND WAS SO IRRITATING, AND THE NEEDLE WAVERD SO MUCH YOU COULDN'T TELL YOUR SPEED. THAT IS UNSAFE, AND UNREASONABLE.
NHTSA complaint #738204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
3.8 LT. ENGINES W/ AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ARE VERY FAILURE PRONE, FORD HAS A REAL PROBLEM AND SHOULD MAKE IT RIGHT WITH ALL THE PEOPLE THAT GOT SCREWED BY THESE CARS.
NHTSA complaint #738486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED OR MOVED FROM DRIVE OR REVERSE IT MAKES A VERY LOUD NOISE ALSO, STEERING ALIGNMENT GOES OUT ALOT. NO OTHER SIGNS OF PROBLEM. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES HAVE OCCURRED.
NHTSA complaint #876633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL HESITATE LIKE IT WANTS TO SWITCH GEARS. ALSO, SURGES FORWARD. TOOK TO VEHICLE PERSONAL MECHANIC. HE CLEANED CONNECTIONS, AND VEHICLE RAN FINE FOR YEAR. CURRENTLY, PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #875459 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.