NHTSA Complaint #762434 — 1994 FORD TAURUS

TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN STOPPED INCLUDING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHERE THE EVENT COULD POSE A TRAFFIC HAZARD. AFTER BRIEF PERIOD, TRANSMISSIONS POPS BACK INTO GEAR CAUSING VEHICLE TO BOLT FORWARD. DEALER CHARGED $60 TO ADVISE THAT FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON IS "STICKING" AND TRANMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT $2,700 PLUS. FORD ADVISES THAT THEY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. RESEARCH REVEALS THAT THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THAT VINTAGE OF TARUS. FORD USED INFERIOR MATERIALS TO SHAVE A FEW BUCKS AND HAS SINCE CHANGED PRODUCT DUE TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF FAILURES. HOWEVER, THE COMPANY THAT CLAIMED "QUALITY IS NU JOB NUMBER ONE" REFUSES TO ACT IN A RESPONSIBLE FASHION RELATIVE TO THIS DEFECT. GARNET FORD SHOUD HAVE TOLD ME BEFORE CHARGING $60 FOR AN ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSMISSION OR BEFORE REPLACING THE ENGINE MOUNT FOR $400 (APPARENTLY A RELATED PROBLEM) THAT THIS YEAR OF TARUS HAS HAD EXTENSIVE PROBLEMS WITH PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURES. FORD SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF ITS CORPORATE BEHAVIOR RELATIVE TO ITS REFUSAL TO ADDRESS THE MASSIVE NUMBER OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS OF PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THIS MODEL.*AK