1995 FORD TAURUS Electrical System Problems

ARRIVING HOME, I PARKED THE CAR IN OUR ATTACHED GARAGE. I WENT INTO THE GARAGE AND I NOTICED THE SMELL OF SOMETHING HOT OR SHORTED COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I BACKED THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. THE NEXT DAY, I RECONNECTED THE BATTERY AND NO LONGER NOTICED THE SMELL. I DROVE IT AND THERE WAS NO MORE ODOR. THE SPEED CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE, AND THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID ON THE WIRING HARNESS AND THE 3 AMP FUSE IN THE WIRNG HARNESS WAS BLOWN, BUT ONLY AFTER COMING CLOSE TO STARTING A FIRE. FORD HAS A HISTORY OF SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH LEAKING BRAKE FLUID ON THE WIRING HARNESS AND CAUSING FIRES. THIS CAR WAS RECALLED IN 2007 TO INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS WITH A 3 AMP FUSE BETWEEN THE SWITCH AND THE SPEED...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH, FLAMES EMITTED FROM THE HOOD, COVERING THE WINDSHIELD. THE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED HAT THE RADIATOR AND ELECTRONIC WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 19,000.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH A NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER. A FIRE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED WHO EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE WHETHER THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL OR FUEL IGNITED, NOR WHAT COMPONENT WAS INVOLVED.*AK

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1995 FORD TAURUS WITH AROUND 64000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE DATE OF 11/27/05 WHEN BLACK SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, I WAS ONE LIGHT FROM THE WESTBROOK FIRE DEPARTMENT SO MANAGED TO GET TO THE FIREHOUSE AND OFF THE ROAD TO PREVENT ANY OTHER DAMAGE TO OTHERS AROUND ME. I ENDED UP LOSING MY BRAKES FROM THE FIRE AND EVERY WIRE AND ANYTHING PLASTIC UNDER THE HOOD HAD BEEN DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSE. IT SEEMS THE FIRE HAD BEEN CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND STARTED TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT FORD HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLING FAN CAUSING AN UNDER-HOOD FIRE. I CONTACTED FORD ON 11/28/05 TO VERIFY IF MY VEHICLE WAS AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL AND WAS TOLD...

THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. CONSUMER HAD THE COMPUTER/ COIL, AND DISTRIBUTOR REPLACED. ALSO, ENGINE HEAD GASKETS WERE REPLACED THREE TIMES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE DASH BOARD. *JB

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASION FOR AN INTERMITTENT STALLING CONDITION, THE DEALER REPLACE THE PUMP TWICE BUT THE PROBLEM REOCCURED, UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE TECHNICAN FOUND THAT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE FUEL PUMP WAS CORRODED AND PARTIALLY BURNT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT, THE STARTER FAILED. YH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE: NO CRANK SOMETIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR 3 DAYS. WHEN IT FIRST ARRIVED AT THE DEALER, THEY COULDN'T START IT EITHER. THE NEXT DAY THEY WERE ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT FIND WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS. OBVIOUSLY, THERE WAS NO CHARGE AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME. THIS HAS OCCURED 3 TIMES SINCE I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE (PURCHASED USED ON 7/99). INSTRUMENT PANEL: SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE JUMPS AROUND, TYPICALLY AFTER I REACH SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT. DEALER HAS FIXED AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK FIRST OCCASION, DEALER STATED PROBLEM WAS FIXED AND WHEN CONSUMER CAME TO PICK UP VEHICLE, FOUND A DASHBOARD LIGHT FOR THE HEADLIGHTS WAS NOT LIT, ON THE 3RD DAY OF REPAIR, DEALER STATED A WIRE HAD BROKEN IN THE CONNECTOR TO THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, THIS HAD BEEN REPLACED 2 YEARS PRIOR, OTHER ELECTICAL COMPONENTS HAVE FAILED INCLUDING THE DOOR LOCKS, SEAT BELT BUZZERS, KEY LEFT IN IGNITION BUZZER, COURTESY LIGHT, AND OTHERS, CONSUMER TOLD DEALER THAT ON ONE OCCASION WHILE SHUTTING THE DRIVER'S DOOR SHE COULD HEAR A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING WAS SHORTING OUT. *SLC

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE LEFT TURNS THE STEERING WHEEL, POWER WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS, BREAKS, IGNITION, AND GEAR LEVER LOCKS UP. AFTER MANIPULATING THE KEY IN IGNITION FOR SEVERAL MINUTES IT WILL RELEASE AND VEHICLE CAN BE SHIFTED TO PARK AND ALL OTHER COMPONENTS UNLOCK. IF COLLISION HAD RESULTED IN A FIRE THE OCCUPANTS WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED INSIDE.

ELECTRICAL FAILURE. *AK