1996 FORD TAURUS SHO Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK APRIL 17,2003 ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH AND MY 1996 FORD TAURUS SHO JUST QUIT RUNNING . I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN SLIPPED AND BENT ALL THE VALVES (32) IN THE ENGINE. WHEN I ASKED WHAT IT WOULD COST TO FIX THEY GAVE ME A FIGURE THAT I COULD NOT BELIEVE. WITH LABOR AND PARTS APPROXIMATELY $9000.00. I ONLY HAVE 61,000 MILES ON THE CAR. *JB

THE FAILURE OF THE CAMSHAFTS IN A DUAL OVER HEAD CAMSHAFT ENGINES CAN CAUSE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CAMSHAFTS (PER DEALER) ARE FAILING AND I FEAR THAT THEY WILL CAUSE DAMAGE TO MY PASSENGERS OR MYSELF. THE DETROIT FREE PRESS HAS PUBLISHED A SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THE FAILURE OF CAMSHAFTS IN TAURUS SHO ENGINES SINCE 1996. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE VEHICLE REFUSES TO ADMIT THEY HAVE A RECALL ISSUE EVEN THOUGH THEY BEGAN REPLACING CAMSHAFTS ON VEHICLES WITH AS LITTLE AS 30,000 MILES FOR THE FAILURE OF THE WELDS THAT ATTACH THE CAMSHAFT SPROCKETS TO THE CAMSHAFTS. AFTER SPENDING NEARLY THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS ON REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE IT CAME BACK WITH A NOISE WHICH THE DEALER HAS IDENTIFIED AS CAMSHAFT FAILURE. THE COSTS OF REPAIR WERE ESTIMATED AT BETWEEN TWO AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NO PLANS FOR A RECALL AND THE DEALER'S...

MY AUTOMOTIVE IS MAKING A NOISE FROM MY VALVETRAIN AREA THAT MY MECHANIC INDICATES IS A POTENTIAL CAMSHAFT (AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE FAILURE) PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE FIXED BEFORE CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE.

CAM FAILURE 1996 TAURUS SHO AT 99K MILES

THE CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND AFTER AVOIDING TRAFFIC AND COASTING OFF OF THE HIGHWAY WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEIR DIAGNOSIS IS THAT THE SPLINES ON THE CAMSHAFT GEAR OF THE INTAKE CAMSHAFT ON THE REAR CYLINDER HEAD ARE STRIPPED AND THE SPLINES ON THE EXHAUST CAMSHAFT ARE IN POOR CONDITION. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR $4500 - $5000. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 68K MILES ON IT.*AK

CAMSHAFT SPROCKET FAILURE. *AK

CAM SHAFT FAILURE ON 3.4L V8 SHO ENGINE. VEHICLE HAD TICKING NOISE, THEN VEHICLE LOST POWER AND MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE. UPON INSPECTION, CAM IS STRIPPED AND WILL NEED REPLACEMENT. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST OVER $4,000 USD OR REPLACEMENT ENGINE. I HAVE 47 DOCUMENTED CASES OF CAM SHAFT FAILURE IN 1996-1998 TAURUS SHO'S WILL MILEAGE BETWEEN 40,000 TO 100,000. MEDIAN MILEAGE IS 85,000. FORD MECHANICS SEEM TO THINK PROBLEM IS POOR DESIGN OF THE PART, AND THEY ARE DESTINED TO FAIL. FORD DOES NOT WANT TO RECALL DUE TO VEHICLE IS NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION. THIS FAILURE CAN BE DANGEROUS AS MOST FAILURES ARE COMING WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVING, AND VEHICLE JUST SHUTS DOWN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH HEARD A TICKING SOUND. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND VEHICLE STALLED. DEALER REPLACED A BROKEN CAMSHAFT.*AK