NHTSA Complaint #10028371 — 1997 FORD TAURUS

"SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON (2ND TIME) FIRST TIME FORD DEALERSHIP DID FULL TRANSMISSION FLUSH($125) TO SEE IF CORRECTED PROBLEM. TWO MONTHS LATER (ON LONG DRIVE), WARNING CAME ON AGAIN. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND SAID IT WAS A TRANSMISSION CODE THAT NEEDED THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED TO DETERMINE CAUSE ($300). THEY TOLD ME THAT (EVEN THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION WAS WORKING OK) THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS HAVING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE. ALL PARTS AND COMPONENTS WERE EITHER SCORCHED OR FAILED WHEN TESTED AND RECOMMENDED A TOTAL REBUILD ($2862) OR PURCHASE A FORD REBUILT ONE ($2756). I SAID THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A CAR WITH 39,400 MILES ON IT. THEY SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING AND I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THEY SOUNDED INTERESTED BUT WOULD NOT BACK UP THEIR PRODUCT DUE TO BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. (SO MUCH FOR THE QUALITY ONE - CUSTOMER CARE MOTO). READING OTHER COMPLAINTS THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THE FORD TAURUS OVER THE YEARS. WE HAD A 1994 TAURUS THAT HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS TO THE TUNE OF $1,100. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS MY LAST FORD PRODUCT AND THEY WONDER WHY PEOPLE BY FOREIGN VEHICLES!. WHEN I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP TO PUT THE CAR BACK TOGETHER THAT I CAN GET A REBUILT TRANSMISSION FROM 2 OTHER TRANSMISSION SOURCES (USED PARTS FOR $1400) OR NEW REBUILT PARTS FOR $2030), THEY THEN SAID "LET ME SEE IF THERE IS ANY LAST THING MY MANAGEMENT WILL DO" OF COURSE WHEN PUT ON THE SPOT TO LOSE BUSINESS AND RESPECTABILITY THEY LOWERED THEIR PRICE TO $2281 FOR A FORD REBUILT ONE. I AM STILL CONCERNED SINCE A LOT OF OTHERS SAY THEY HAD FAILURES WITH THEIR 2ND ONE TOO! IT COMES WITH A 3/36,000 WARRANTY. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS DAY AND AGE THAT THE CONSUMER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TOTAL REPAIR COSTS WHEN KNOWN DEFECTS OCCUR. A SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO AS SOME TRANSMISSIONS HAVE SEPARATED AND LOCKED UP CAUSING IMMEDIATE STOPPAGE OF VEHICLE LIKE SLAMMING ON BRAKES.*AK