291 of the 1,284 complaints about the 1994 Ford Taurus are about the transmission — 23% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 85,000 miles.
291
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
THE CAR WHEN LEAVING A STOP ACTS LIKE ITS IN NEUTRAL THEN CATCHES AND LEAPS FORWARD. FORD USED A CHEAP FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON.
NHTSA complaint #10551451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE AND APPROACHES A STOP, IT "DE-CLUTCHES" AND EITHER FAILS TO SHIFT INTO GEAR, WHEN PUSHING GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE OR IT THEN SHIFTS HARD DURING TAKE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE IS 85,000. MANUFACTURE HAS SUPPOSEDLY SENT OUT TSB FOR REVISED FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON #9837. FORD HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM THROUGH TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN'S 91-5-7, 92-1-4,92-26A-6, 93-9-11 AND 94-24-7 WHICH EVEN TELLS THE DEALERS TO USE A STEEL PISTON AND NOT TO USE THE ALUMINUM PISTON AND IF THEY HAVE ANY IN STOCK TO RETURN THEM TO THE PARTS DEPOT FOR CREDIT.
NHTSA complaint #10513153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND BOTH THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION COLLAPSED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 93V106000 (STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS) AND CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY FILED A COMPLAINT ON THE CONTACT'S BEHALF. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.
NHTSA complaint #10475820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD TAURUS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AND THE CONTACT OBSERVED WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ACTIVATED WATER LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A TRANMISSION DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
NHTSA complaint #10325096 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE SUBFRAME ON THE VEHICLE DROPPED. THE CONTACT LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT AN AUTO SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME DROPPED. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST WAS $1,000. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V323000 (STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS) WAS REFERENCED. THE ENGINE COOLING FAN FAILED TWO MONTHS AGO, AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THE REPAIR COST WAS $400. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V019000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) WAS REFERENCED. THE CONTACT ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE STRUTS ON HIS VEHICLE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 943036000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT: SHOCK ABSORBER) WAS REFERENCED. THE REPAIR COST WAS $300. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT, AND THE COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS $1,500. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 103,000.
NHTSA complaint #10221438 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD TAURUS. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE AND APPROACHES A STOP, IT "DE-CLUTCHES" AND EITHER FAILS TO SHIFT INTO GEAR OR SHIFTS HARD DURING TAKE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 96,000.
NHTSA complaint #10201851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DT: 1994 FORD TAURUS. THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH SOMEONE HAD REAR ENDED IT. THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE IT KICKED INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, AND WAS DETERMINED IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMATIC CLUTCH PISTON. THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PROBLEM. WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED FORD, THEY STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE PROBLEM STARTED AROUND THE MIDDLE OF JULY. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE SINCE THEN. IT OCCURRED AT LEAST 12 TIMES. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10131135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE SHIFTING AND WHILE DRIVING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10096967 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE SHIFTING,THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE GEAR WOULD SHIFT ERRATIC WHILE ENGAGING. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10096998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION HAD BEGIN TO FAIL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALL OF THE SUDDEN ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING WITH MY WIFE AND SON AND CAR BEGAN TO LUNGE BACK AND FORTH. AND AS I HAD GOTTEN THIS LOOKED AT I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING FROM A PROFESSIONAL IN HAWAII. I THEN PAID OVER 1 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO GET THE TRANSMISSION FIXED. NOT EVEN A YEAR LATER AND LESS THAN 30,OOO MILES THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO AT UP AGAIN. CAME BACK TO THE STATES HAD SOMEONE LOOK AT IT AND AGAIN I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS FAILING. THIS IS NOT SUPPOSE TO BE HAPPENING. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO GET THIS FIXED. MY WIFE WON'T EVEN DRIVE THE CAR IN FEAR OF LEAVING HER STRANDED. I KNOW THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE PROBLEM ON THIS PARTICULAR CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10092978 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ HOT, THEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. THE DRIVER PROCEEDED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC. DIAGNOSTIC TEST INDICATED A FRONT LEAK SLID ALONG SHIFT AND SLIP. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT.
NHTSA complaint #10082170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY TAURUS WAS RUNNING GREAT, NO PROBLEMS AT ALL UNTIL TODAY 7-9-2004. I WENT IN STARTED MY CAR, IT MADE A NOISE, THEN STOPPED THE NOISE. MY TRANSMISSION ENGAGED IN PARK ONLY. ALL OTHER GEARS THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I PUT IT IN REVERSE, NOTHING, NEUTRAL, FIRST, NOTHING, SECOND, NOTHING DRIVE, NOTHING AND STILL NOTHING. MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. MY FLUID LEVEL WAS FINE. NO EVENTS LED UP TO THIS MISHAP AND I AM WONDERING WWHAT TO DO.
NHTSA complaint #10080711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION SEALS FAILED CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF FLUID. ALL INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PARTS REPLACED ALONG WITH FAILED TRANSMISSION MOUNTS
NHTSA complaint #10068877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
NO FORWARD OR REVERSE ENGAGEMENT OR DELAYED FORWARD AND-OR REVERSE ENGAGEMENT. SHIFTS OUT OF GEAR WHEN YOU STOP.
NHTSA complaint #10069113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION FEELS LIKE IT'S SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR WHEN COMING TO A STOP FORWARD AND REVERSE ENGAGEMENT DELAY
NHTSA complaint #10069588 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
HAVE FIX SO MANY THINGS ON THIS CAN AND IS STILL NOT TRUSTWORTHY TO MAKE ANY TRIPS EXCEPT TO THE GROCERY STORE. TRANSMISSION IS DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY
NHTSA complaint #10069601 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
WE HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION IN THIS CAR 3 TIMES. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS WITHIN 3 MONTHS AND WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND FAILURE WAS AT 84313 MILES AND WE PUT A NEW FORD MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION IN THE CAR. THAT TRANSMISSION FAILED AT ONLY 16000 ADDITIONAL MILES. OUR TRANSMISSION REPAIR COST US $1345 BECAUSE WE WERE NOT CHARGED LABOR BY OUR INDEPENDENT REPAIR DEALER. THIS TIME WE DIDN'T PUT IN A FORD MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION AND WE'RE STILL GOING AT OVER 120,000 MILES. WE SUED FORD IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT AND LOST.
NHTSA complaint #10070985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
PROBLEM IS THAT 18 MONTHS AND 38000 KILOMETERS LATER THE HEAD GASKET HAS GONE AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #10071273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
MILAGE: 136000KM PROBLEM: BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SUCH AS SLIPPING/GRINDING FROM A STOP OR ACCELLERATING AFTER ROUNDING A CORNER. ESTIMATED COST: $4000.00
NHTSA complaint #10071357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1994 FORD TAURUS REVERSE JUST STOPPED WORKING,(SOUNDED LIKE NEUTRAL ). THE CAR STRUGGLED TO GO OVER 25MPH TO GET HOME. WE MADE IT HOME JUST IN TIME FOR THE CAR TO STOP WORKING ALL TOGETHER! NONE OF THE GEARS WORK AND I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SURFACE. ONLY 36,000 MILES AND ALREADY A NEW TRANSMISSION!
NHTSA complaint #10040880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE THIRD TRANSMISSION HAS NOW FAILED. THE FIRST TIME SHORTLY AFTER OBTAINING THE CAR NEW. THE SECOND TIME AT AROUND 65,000 MILES (AT THIS JUNCTURE I WAS TOLD BY A RELIABLE SOURCE THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM). THE THIRD FAILURE, AUG. 2003, HAS JUST HAPPENED AFTER REPEAT TRIP TO THE DEALER WITH FAILURE OF THE CAR TO MOVE COMPLAINTS, IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. NOW I'M BEING TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT AND THE MILEAGE WARRANTY IS NOT IN FORCE. THE CAR IS JUST A LITTLE OVER THE 12,000 MILE PERIOD BUT IS WAS NOT WHEN I BEGAN TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. THIS PERSON THAT I CONTINUE TO CONNECT WITH, WHILE CALLING FORD, IS NON RESPONSIVE AND REFUSES TO CONNECT ME WITH A SUPERVISOR. ALL SHE SAY'S IS "WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM" AND "I CANNOT SPEAK WITH ANYONE ELSE". I HAVE SPENT OVER $5,000 REPLACING TRANSMISSIONS AND I'M GOING TO GET SOME RESOLUTION. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE IN BRING THIS TO A POSITIVE CONCLUSION. THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS WHEN THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILED, 3 MONTHS AFTER GETTING THIS CAR NEW.
NHTSA complaint #10039626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY. PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
NHTSA complaint #10040421 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
MY CAR STALLS OR JUST STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, IT WILL GO FROM 60MPH TO 0MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER 20 TIMES. I TOOK IT TO PEFFLEY FORD FOR REPAIRS, THEY CHARGED ME $669.36 AND 6 DAYS LATER MY CAR CUT OUT ON ME AGAIN AND THEY TOWED IT TO THEIR SHOP. THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AT MY CAR WITHOUT ME PAYING MORE MONEY FOR REPAIRS AND THE TOW TRUCK. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON REPAIRS FOR MY CAR AND I FEAR FOR MY LIFE EVERY TIME I GET INTO THAT CAR. I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL CUT OUT AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY A NEW CAR. I FOUND OUT THAT 8 PEOPLE OWNED THAT CAR BEFORE ME, WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, THE SALESPERSON SAID THAT IT WOULD BE SAFE FOR MY TWO YOUNG GIRLS TO RIDE IN HE WAS WRONG. I HAVE ALL OF MY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AND WILL SEND COPIES TO YOU. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE ONE OR ALL OF MY FAMILY END UP INJURED OR DEAD. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE, KAREN JUDKINS.
NHTSA complaint #10002723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAR WAS STALLING AT STOP SIGNS AND MAJOR INTERSECTIONS. WHEN TRING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE INITIALLY UNTIL EXTRA GAS WAS APPLIED. THEN IT WOULD LUNGE INTO FIRST GEAR AND THE CAR COULD BE DRIVEN, AT LEAST UNTIL THE NEXT STOP. THE WARMER THE CAR GOT, THE WORSE THE PROBLEM WOULD GET AND MORE IT WOULD STALL. I WAS EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING REAR ENDED AND STARTED CALLING NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION SHOPS. I THEN FOUND OUT THAT TAURUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ARE A COMMON PROBLEM AND TRANSMISSION SHOPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAD BEEN FIXING EARLY AND MID 90'S TAURUS FREQUENTLY OVER THE YEARS. ALSO, FORD NEW OF THE PROBLEM AND WAS THE SOURCE OF THE IMPROVED REPLACEMENT PART. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NAME OF THE FAULTY PART, BUT IT MAY HAVE BEEN CALLED AN ALUMINUM CLUTCH CYLINDER. THE COTTMAN TRANSMISSION SHOP GUY NEW WHAT THE PROBLEM SOURCE WAS JUST BY TALKING TO HIM OVER THE PHONE AND HE SHOWED ME THE HAIR LINE CRACK IN THIS THIN ROUND ALUMINUM PART. HE ALSO SHOWED ME THE STEEL REPLACEMENT PART BOUGHT FROM FORD. I ALSO HAD TO PAY OVER $1400 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FIXED SINCE THE FAULTY PART CAUSED DAMAGE TO OTHE PARTS. I HAD TO GET THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY REBUILT. PRETTY BAD CONSIDERING THIS CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND ONLY HAD ABOUT 60,000 MILE ON IT. DT
NHTSA complaint #769770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY. DT
NHTSA complaint #769583 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION ERRATIC FORWARD SHIFTING AND LATE. DT
NHTSA complaint #768969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE MERGING INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY, VEHICLE CUT OFF, WITHOUT WARNING. ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED, THE TRANSMISSION HAD BLOWN. TS
NHTSA complaint #8021512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
NHTSA complaint #8021229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER STATES HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. CONSUMER IS AWARE OF SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING PROBLEM WITH AN ALUMINUM PISTON WHICH TENDS TO CRACK AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH A STEEL PISTON. VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #567362 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1. 3.8L V6 HEAD GASKETS. GASKET(S) FAILED ON VEHICLE AT 80878 MILES. ENGINE BLOWS HEAVY ?!@#$% SMOKE FROM TAILPIPE, OVERHEATS AND LOSES COOLANT. VEHICLE IS 8 YRS OLD AND OUT OF EXTENDED FORD WARRANTY PROGRAM, (7YRS 100,000MI). CONTACTED BOTH LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, BOTH SAYING THERE IS NO ASSISTANCE THEY COULD PROVIDE, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE HEAD GASKETS. 2. TRANSMISSION FAILED, AT 79,392MI. WHEN VEHICLE WAS WARM, TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE 1ST GEAR, LEAVING YOU STRANDED WHEREVER YOU STOPPED. CONTACTED LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, WHO QUOTED $2500 + LABOR. HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR $1800. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN CAREFULLY MAINTAINED. ALL MAINTENANCE ITEMS PERFORMED AT MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED INTERVALS FOR HEAVY DUTY USE. (EVERY 3000MI) OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000MI, TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED PER MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE, FILTERS, TIRE ROTATION, SPARK PLUGS, EVERYTHING. IF FORD WON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, WHICH HAS A KNOWN DESIGN / MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. THIS WAS THE LAST FORD PRODUCT I WILL EVER BUY. IT MAY BE ANYWAY.
NHTSA complaint #766239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.