1993 FORD TAURUS Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

1993 HEAD GASKET WENT BAD WITH ONLY 70,000 MILES

HEAD GASKET FAILED ON 1993 FORD TAURUS GL, 3.8L. THIS DEFECT IS PREVALENT IN THE MAJORITY OF AUTOMOBILES MANUFACTURED WITH THIS ENGINE. *JB

NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS CONCERNING LEAKING HEAD GASKETS. *BF THE VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE WHICH INCLUDE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, COOLING FAN, IGNITION WIRING, COIL SPRING FAILURE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, ALTERNATOR, HEAD GASKET AND MUFFLER. WHILE RESEARCHING THE VEHICLE ON NHTSA SITE THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED SEVERAL RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE RELATED THE FAILURES HIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED. *NM

HEAD GASKET HAS BLOWN. 2 LOCAL DEALERS REFUSE TO COVER THE REPAIR.

THE GASKETS BLEW ONE YEAR AFTER I BOUGHT IT AND THE FORD DEALER REFUSES TO FIX IT EVEN THOUGH THEY RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM WITH FORD HEAD GASKETS. I PAID $4000 AND HAVE NO MONEY TO PAY FOR REPAIRS.

SUSPENSION FEELS SHAKY AS WELL AS TRANSMISSION. KEY LOCK IS FAULTY. I HAVE HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS AS YOU CAN SEE WITH HEAD GASKET AND TIMING COVER GASKET. ALSO I HAD TO REPLACE CIR CONDITIONER CONDENSER BUT AIR CONDITIONER NEVER WORKED.

HEAD GASKET FAILURE RIGHT AFTER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE

OUR 1993 TAURUS WITH A 3.8L HEAD GASKETS BLEW. FIXED TWICE AND WASN'T COVERED BY RECALLS. (1994-95 TAURUS) A/C WENT OUT FOR UNKNOWN REASON. TOO EXPENSIVE TO FIX. STILL NOT WORKING. WINDOW DIED IN WINTER. TOO EXPENSIVE AND POWER CUT FROM SWITCH

HEAD GASKET FAILURE FRONT RIGHT SPRING FRACTURE

MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED. STEERING PINS REPLACED 4 DAYS AFTER MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED, THE CAR CATCHES ON FILE FROM AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. I DROVE THE CAR 1 TIME AFTER IT WAS OUT OF THE SHOP. 11 HOURS AFTER I DROVE IT, THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE FROM AN ELECTRICAL SHORT

CAR WILL DRIVE WHEN TRANSMISSION FLUID GETS HOT & JUMP OUT OF DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL.

I HAVE A 1993 FORD TAURUS 3.0 V6. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE 3.8 V6'S WITH HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. AT JUST 71000 MILES I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM MY PARENTS, WHO BOUGHT IT NEW. MY FATHER IS A RETIRED NYC TRANSIT AUTHORITY MECHANIC, AND HE WAS METICULOUS ABOUT THE UPKEEP OF HIS VEHICLES. NOW I AM FACE WITH AN AUTOMOBILE THAT IS NOTHING MORE THAN A HUGE PAPERWEIGHT.OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IT SEEMS THAT I WAS JUST THROWING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD. A COUPLE OF HUNDRED HERE, $700 FOR A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE A/C SYSTEM, ETC. I DO NOT HAVE THE CASH TO SPEND APPROXIMATELY $1300 ON REPAIRS. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I WENT TO YOUR WEBSITE AND BROUGHT UP THE INFORMATION ON MY '93 TAURUS. THE AMOUNT OF TSB'S THAT AFFECT MY CAR ASOUNDED ME. I HAVE PAID FOR REPAIRS TO SOME,...

ENGINE STOPPED WORKING DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT, WHICH CAUSED THE COOLANT TO LEAK.*JB

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

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT I AM EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED WITH MY 1993 FORD TAURUS. IT WAS PURCHASED ON JULY 8, 2000 FROM BRIARWOOD FORD IN ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN. IT HAD 37,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER OWNING IT FOR ONLY 40 DAYS, THE ENGINE BLEW ON MY WAY TO TENNESSEE. THE REPAIR SHOP CHECKED IT IN WITH ONLY 39,488 MILES ON IT. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE LONGBLOCK FOR A TOTAL OF $5532.27. LET ME GIVE YOU A BRIEF PICTURE OF MY SITUATION. I AM A WIDOW LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND A SMALL PENSION FROM MY FORMER HUSBAND??S EMPLOYER. I LIVE IN AN APARTMENT THAT IS BASED ON INCOME. I WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE THE CAR FOR $6957.00 WITH THE MONEY I RECEIVED WHEN MY MOTHER-IN-LAW PASSED AWAY. AFTER PAYING FOR THE REPAIRS, THE COST OF THE CAR BECAME $12,492.27. THIS AMOUNT WOULD HAVE PAID FOR A MUCH NEWER CAR,...

TRANNY AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AT 96,000 MILES

ENGINE LEAKING COOLANT AND WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM TAIL PIPE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE TEMPERATURE RISED TO HOT AND VEHICLE STALLED AFTER MAKING NOISE. THERE WAS WATER LEAKING OUT OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. *YH

VEHICLE STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER, HAD HEAD GASKET REPLACED. HOWEVER, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. HAD HEAD GASKET REPLACED AGAIN. *AK CONSUMER HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, THE PAN PLUG LEFT UNDONE CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE OIL, THE RADIATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO OVER TORQUE BOLTS WHICH BURSTED AROUND THE CORE, THE ENGINE IS KNOCKING AND THE OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED DUE TO LACK OF OIL. CONSUMER HAS LOST TRUST IN THE DEALERSHIP. HEAD LIGHTS FAILED, LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE WIPERS WERE NOISY, DEALER REPLACED THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH AND WIPER MOTOR. THERE IS A POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING, THERE IS A RUBBING NOISE IN THE RIGHT FRONT ON TURNS AND WHEN BACKING UP. THE AIR CONDITIONER IS NOT BLOWING COLD AIR, SHRATER VALVE AND A/C REFRIGERANT WAS REPLACED. THE KEY SWITCH FAILED. THE FAULTY ANTENNA MOTOR FAILED. THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD TO BE...

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY, MOSTLY BELOW 50 MPH. DEALER CANNOT FIND A CAUSE. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT AFTER 12 MILES DRIVE, THE ENGINE BLEW AND A WHITE WHIPPED CRAM LIKE SUBSTANCE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS ALSO AT IDLE AND IT WAS HARD TO START DUE TO INTEGRATED CONTROL MODULE RELAY FAILURE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BECAUSE O2 SENSOR WAS DAMAGED FROM COOLANT CONTAMINATION. THE VEHICLE SMELLS OF COOLANT DUE TO RADIATOR LEAK. *YH

CONSUMER STATED THE HEAD GASKETS ARE GOING BAD AGAIN, VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING PROPERLY AND COOLANT FLUID WAS IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS, HAD GASKETS REPLACED TWO YEARS AGO, CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK. CONSUMER STATED AFTER DEALER REPLACED GASKETS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, RADIATOR FAILED, IDLE AIR CONTROL MOTOR, PCV FAILED, FUEL INJECTOR SEAL, IGNITION MODULE, STARTER MOTOR, AND EXHAUST GAS RECALCULATION (EGR) FAILED. *YD

ENGINE TEMPERATURE LEVER VACILLATES BETWEEN THE HOT AND COLD INDICATORS AND ALSO CONERNS OF WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HOT AND COLD AIR BLOWING FROM THE HEATING/COOLING VENTS, CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT THERMOSTAT WAS STUCK,THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER DID NOT ALLEVIATE PROBLEM OF THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE FROM VACILLATING,WAS ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT THERMOSTAT WOULD PROBABLY STICK AGAIN,CONSUMER WAS ALSO ADVISED THAT GASKETS WERE AT THE BEGINNING STAGES OF FAILING, AS WELL AS HAVING BROKEN ENGINE MOUNTS,AND A LEAKING RADIATOR, NONE OF THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, UPON STARTING VEHICLE NOTICED RIDING ROUGH AND ALSO NOTICED WHITE SMOKE EMITTING FROM TAIL PIPE, CONSUMER WAS GOING TO RETURN VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT START UP AGAIN.

BLOWN HEAD GASKETS; 1993 3.8 V6 ENGINE, 97,123 MILES, $1,200.00 FIX - ENGINE TEMPERATURE GUAGE OPERATED ERRATICALLY. DEALER (SOERENS FORD, BROOKFIELD, WI) ATTEMPTED DIAGNOSIS AND RETURNED CAR TO OWNER WITH WHITE SMOKE BILLOWING FROM TAIL PIPE; DEALER INFORMED CUSTOMER THAT HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN *AK

VEHICLE WAS COLD AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS HIGH. COOLANT IN RESERVOIR WAS VERY LOW. IT WAS TOWED TO DEALER, AND FOUND THAT TIMING COVER WAS DAMAGED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND TEMPURATURE GAUGE GO UP AND DOWN INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

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

IN JANUARY 1998 I NOTICED WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS STAYING IN THE RED ZONE NEAR THE H. I TOOK IT INTO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THE NEXT MORNING AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR WAS AROUND $1100. ON SATURDAY 05/27/2000 WHEN DRIVING AWAY FROM A PARKING LOT I NOTICED THE CAR WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS PEGGED AT THE H, AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT THE TAILPIPE. I PARKED THE CAR AND HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP NEAR MY HOME. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AGAIN. THE REPAIR BILL IS POSSIBLY GOING TO BE BETWEEN $1100 - $1500. BOTH INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 1993 TAURUS 3.8 V6 ENGINE. I HAVE ALSO BROWSED YOUR COMPLAINTS SECTION OF YOUR WEBSITE...

CHANGED COOLANT, MECHANIC SAID VERY LITTLE COOLANT OR OIL. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN, ENGINE COULD HAVE FROZEN OR CAUGHT ON FIRE.

COOLANT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED EVER 3-5 DAYS, REBUILT TRANSMISSION, ENGINE SURGING BADLY, DUE TO BLOWN HEAD GASKET, SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS VEHICLE, REPLACE HEAD GASKET AND HEAD BOLTS, REVISED HEAD GASKETS AND BOLTS PROVIDE IMPROVED SEALING AND HIGHER CLAMPING FORCE.

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WENT ON. TEMPERATURE GUAGE WENT TO HOT, BUT NOT IN THE RED ZONE. CHECKED OIL, ADDED HALF A QUART. CHECKED ANTI-FREEZE,ADDED A QUART. PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. SERVICE STATION TESTED ANTI-FREEZE FOR EXHAUST GAS. BLUE DYE TURNED YELLOW (POSITIVE).*AK

AT 55 MPH, HEATER STARTED TO BLOW ONLY COLD AIR, TEMPERATURE GAUGE SHOT UP TO RED (OVERHEAT) ZONE. CAR WAS STOPPED AND ALLOWED TO COOL DOWN, THEN PROCEEDED TO LIMP 10 MILES HOME AT SLOW SPEED. VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO FORD DEALER. DEALER DETERMINED THE HEADGASKET(S) HAS FAILED CAUSING PROBLEM. NOT SURE IF BEARING DAMAGED OCCURRED. NO VISIBLE WATER / MILKY OIL PRESENT. LOTS OF STEAM FROM EXHAUST. DEALER ALSO NOTED TIMING COVER LEAKING. I ASKED DEALER TO CONTACT FORD ABOUT COST ASSISTANCE SINCE THIS FAILURE NEARLY UNEXPECTEDLY LEFT MY WIFE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN A VERY RURAL AREA AND THE FACT THAT THIS TYPE OF ENGINE FAILURE IS NOT NORMAL AT ONLY 60,000 MILES. PER DEALER, FORD REFUSED TO ASSIST ME DUE TO MILEAGE / AGE. I WAS CHARGED $1343.48 FOR THIS REPAIR. I HAVE SINCE LEANED THAT THIS FAILURE MODE IS COMMON FOR THIS...

SMELLED ANTI-FREEZE BURNING. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ENGINE OVERHEATED AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS HOT. PULLED OVER. CONTACTED DEALER, NO WARRANTY. BUT, THEY WERE AWARE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 30-40 MPH HAD A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT, AND DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT WHO SUSTAINED INJURIES BECAUSE OF THE CRASH. MANUFACTURER NOR INSURANCE COMPANY HAVE INSPECTED VEHICLE. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH AIRBAG SYSTEM. *AK VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL ENGINE RELATED PROBLEMS, THE TIMING COVER GASKET WAS REPLACED AND THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED, AFTER THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED THERE WERE STILL CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE, THE HEATER HOSE WAS REPLACED, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STALL, AND THE TENSIONER PULLEY AND BELT WERE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE TURBINE SHAFT SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *SLC

ENGINE COOLANT FAN, STOPPED RUNNING, CAUSING THE CAR TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, FLUID WOULD LEAK OUT, CAUSING THE THERMOSTAT TO FAIL. TEMPERATURE GAUGE ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. TOOK TO A MECHANIC WHO CLAIMED THAT VEHICLE NEEDED AN ENGINE OVERHALL, AND NEW ENGINE HEAD GASKETS. CONSUMER NEED TURNING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID STRUT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER FOR THE NOISE TO STOP. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TEMPERATURE GUAGE STARTED GOING UP. AFTER A WHILE VEHICLE LOST WATER, AND ENGINE OVERHEATED. DEALER REPLACED ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK

TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER DUE TO OVERHEATING. TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD BE INDICATING HOT (OVERHEATING). MECHANIC RULED OUT HEAD GASKETS, BUT DID REPAIR SOMETHING ELSE. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. FINALLY IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A CRACKED HEAD GASKET. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED DURING THIS TIME. DEALER / MANUFACTURER INDICATED OWNER SHOULD PAY. OWNER FELT MANUFACTURER SHOULD PAY SINCE IT HAPPENED WHEN SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ACTIVE. *AK *YC

ENGINE COOLANT LEAK REPAIRED, HOWEVER VEHICLE DEVELOPED OIL LEAK AND IS STILL EXPERIENCING LEAKAGE FROM ENGINE. MJS

WHILE DRVING CONSUMER NOTICED TEMPERATURE GUAGE WAS GOING FROM HOT TO COLD. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT BOTH REAR HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN ON THE ENGINE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

ERRATIC TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATION FOR APPROX. 2-3 WKS. RESULTED IN OVERHEATING OF ENGINE WITH WATER CONTAMINATION OF COMBUSTION SECTION.