1995 FORD TAURUS Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

NO SUMMARY

TO DATE, FORD MAINTAINS THIS ENGINE IS NOT COVERED BY "SECRET WARRANTY" ALTHOUGH IT IS THE SAME DEFECT AS THE 3.8L. PERSISTENT PROBLEM OF LEAKING COOLANT. TRANSMISSION IS UNRELIABLE AND UNSAFE. A/C CLUTCH, COMPRESSOR AND WATER PUMP FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. REPLACED HEATER HOSE FOLLOWING A/C REPAIR DUE TO CONTINUED LEAK.

NO SUMMARY

TRANSMISSION EXHIBITED A 'CLUNKING' NOISE WHILE CRUISING ON INTERSTATE, THEN WHITE SMOKE SEEN COMING FROM BACK AND UNDERSIDE OF CAR AS ENGINE STARTS TO WHINE. PULLED OVER TO CHECK PROBLEM AS SOON AS NOTED SINCE NO WARNING LAMPS LIGHTED INSIDE VEHICLE. ONCE PULLED ONTO SHOULDER, BURNT TRANSMISSION FLUID BURST UNDER CAR. ALL OTHER FLUID LEVELS WERE CHECKED AND FOUND ACCEPTABLE. WHEN COOLED DOWN, CAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE ANY GEAR. NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO NEAREST FORD GARAGE AND TOLD TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO INTERNAL FAILURE. NO EXTERNAL TRAUMA NOTED. TRANSMISSION COST OVER $2000 AND FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE WOULD NOT OFFER ANY REIMBURSEMENT. ROUTINE TRANSMISSION MAINTENANCE PERFORMED AT 42300 MILES. PERSONALLY, I FEEL THAT A WELL-MAINTAINED TRANSMISSION SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 49000 MILES.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR DUE TO DEFECTIVE PART(S) IN THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, MOST LIKELY THE CLUTCH PISTON. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WON'T COVER BY ANY WARRANTY.......A 95 WITH ONLY 58K. *AK

TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING ND BUZZING. IT HAS FAILED

AFTER WARM-UP TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT IN/OUT OF NEUTRAL WHEN REQUIRED. WHEN COMING TO STOP THE DOWN SHIFT IS ABSENT/DELAYED. WHEN STARTING FROM STOP UPSHIFT IS DELAYED AND SUDDEN. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY ALARMING AND DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC. *AK

WITH MY 1 FAMILY CAR IN FOR REPAIR. FORD SHOULD LOAN ME A CAR WIFE&CHIDS&NO CAR. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE ON THE DASH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION NOT DISENGAGING OUT OF PARK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

TTHERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION... WE DRIVE VERY CAREFULLY AND FOLLOW ALL MFG MAINTANCE..THE TRAN. JUST GETS STUCK AND GEARS DOWN OR ALL OF A SUDDEN IT ACCCERATES MY HUSBAND HAS HAS BEEN DRIVING IN D2 TO SEE IF THAT HELPS.....TRANSMISSION WORK IS VERY EXPENXIVE....I CALLED FORDS TO SEE IF TTHEY HAD A REACALL AND WAS TOLD NO....THIS CONDITION IS VERY SCARY........... THANK YOUO WA IT DGETS STU..... *AK

TRANSMISSION PAN GASKET FAILED. YH

CAR DIED IN PARKING LOT. AFTER ABOUT 7 ATTEMPTS, CAR STARTED ON ITS OWN. CAR IDLED ROUGH AND WAS EMITTING WHITE EXHAUST AND ON WAY HOME. PUT CAR INTO PARK AT EACH STOP LIGHT TO KEEP IT FROM DYING. NOTICED A SMELL WHEN GOT HOME. THOUGHT AT FIRST A BATTERY OR ALTERNATOR PROBLEM. DROVE TO DEALER NEXT DAY AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A FAULTY HEADGASKET WHICH BLEW THE ENTIRE ENGINE. DOING RESEARCH ON YOUR WEBSITE NOTICED QUITE A FEW OF SAME COMPLAINTS. A CAR THIS YOUNG WITH UNDER 80,000 MILES SHOULD NOT NEED ENTIRE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. WOULD APPRECIATE SO MUCH IF AN INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED. WE BOUGHT CAR 1 1/2 YEAR AGO FOR 10,000 AND CAN'T AFFORD THIS HEFTY OF A REPAIR, AND IT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. BUT OTHERS HAVE HAD IT TOO SO I THINK IT IS INVESTIGATION WORTHY. ON A FEW OF THE...

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS FAILED, FORD SENT LETTER STATING REPAIR COVERED TO 60000 MILES, WITH NO EXPLANATION OF WARNING SIGNS OF FAILURE. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL WHEN COMING TO STOP AND JERKS INTO GEAR, CAUSING NEAR ACCIDENTS. AGAIN FORD KNOWS ABOUT PROBLEM (PER TSB) REFUSES TO PAY FOR FIXING. *AK

WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND THEN APPLYING THE GAS, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN IT JUMPS FORWARD. DEALER SAID NEW TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE PUT INTO VEHICLE. *AK

UPON LEAVING A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT CAR HESITATES A FEW SECONDS THEN "JERKS" BACK AND ONLY THEN PROCEEDS, THUS CAUSING NEAR ACCIDENTS

2ND TIME FOR TRANSMISSION? *AK

TRANSMISSION CEASES TO FUNCTION WITHOUT ANY WARNING (SOUND, PERFORMANCE CHANGE, ETC.). IN THIS INCIDENT, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT A BUSY JUNCTION OF THE EDENS AND THE KENNEDY EXPRESSWAYS IN CHICAGO CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE POWER UNEXPECTEDLY. FORTUNATELY THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO GET ONTO THE LEFT HAND SHOULDER AND WITH THE HELP OF THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TRUCK (IDOT) TO GET OFF THE EXPRESSWAY WITHOUT INJURY OR OTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE SITUATION WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THIS OCCURRED AT A BEND IN THE ROAD WHERE PASSING TRAFFIC TENDS TO COME ONTO THE SHOULDER. IN ADDITION TRAFFIC WAS BOTH VERY HEAVY AND VERY FAST MOVING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILED IN JUNE 1998 AT 48360 MILES AND WAS REPLACED BY FORD UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. CAR HAS HAD COMPLETE SERVICE SINCE NEW INCLUDING ALL RECOMMENDED OIL CHANGES AND...

WHEN DRIIVNG AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES ARE GOING HALF WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD. ALSO, MOTOR MOUNTS WENT OUT/ AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED, AND WAS BLOWING HOT AIR, AND TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING, CUTTING OFF AND SHIFTING HARD. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO THE SHOP FOR REPAIR SERVICE THREE TIMES AND, THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHENEVER VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP POSTION, A GRINDING SOUND WOULD BE HEARD, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD. VEHICLE BEING INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. SEEKING ANY INFORMATION ON THIS PROBLEM FROM NHTSA. *AK

NO SUMMARY

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHEN COMING UPON A STOP OR HITTING THE BRAKES,VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WAS BEING HIT FROM BEHIND. *AK

MISALIGNED HEAD LAMPS/FRONT&REAR DOOR/TAILGATE DOOR/HOOD. YOU CAN HEAR GAS IN TANK MOVING AROUND

MISALIGNED HEAD LAMPS/FRONT&REAR DOOR/TAILGATE DOOR/HOOD. YOU CAN HEAR GAS IN TANK MOVING AROUND

WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY SOUTH BOUND TO SAN DIEGO AT A SPEED OF 75MPH AND IN THE FAST LANE. WE HAD BEEN DRIVING ABOUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS WHEN SUDDENDLY THE CAR BEGAN DOWN SHIFTING AND THE CAR LURCHED VIOLENTLY BACK AND FORTH. WE THOUGHT THE ENGINE HAD DIED INITALLY, BUT THE CAR BEGAN LURCHING BACK AND FORTH AS IF IT WERE GOING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. WE STRUGGLED TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND LUCKILY WERE NOT HIT OR CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR DEALERSHIP WHICH WAS OVER 150 MILES. THE CAR HAS BEEN THERE FOR A WEEK AND THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I FEEL LIKE I AM PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE WAITING FOR ANOTHER OCCURANCE. I DON'T WANT...

WHEN TRYING TO CHANGE GEARS AND ENTERING ON AND OFF HIGHWAYS, TRANSMISSION DOES NOT RESPOND. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THEY COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML

THE TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING FLUID. HAD THE SEALS CHANGED TWICE. TRANSMISSION STILL LEAKED. TOOK TO MECHANIC & WAS INFORMED TORQUE CONVERTOR NEEDED REPLACING. HAD PROBLEM SHIFTING. NOW INFORMED TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND TRYING TO SWITCH GEARS CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. CAR ONLY HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT .THIS PROBLEM WAS FIXED AT COST TO OWNER. *AK

TRANSMISSION WOULD MAKE NOISES WHEN GEARS ARE SHIFTED. VEHICLE STAYS IN ONE GEAR ONLY. IF VEHICLE IS PARKED, WOULD CHANGE GEARS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACING. INSTALLED A REBUILT TRANSMISSION IN VEHICLE. THE SAME PROBLEM, NOISE IS IN REBUILT TRANSMISSION. *AK

NO SUMMARY

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SHIFTS OUT OF GEAR . THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE FOUR TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK

THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. WOULD STAY IN LOW GEAR. WOULD JERK WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS APPLIED. TOOK TO DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. *AK

I DON'T FEEL A 1995 AUTOMOBILE WITH ONLY 47000 MILES ON IT SHOULD WARRANT A NEW POWER TRAIN . MY MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON QUITE A FEW FORD TAURUS 'S I FEEL CHEATED BUYING AN AMERICAN MADE CAR BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING TO A FOREIGN CAR . THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME PLEASE KEEP ME IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FINDINGS .

THE TRANSMISSION DROPS OUT OF GEAR AT STOP LIGHTS/SIGNS. YOU DO NOT KNOW THIS HAS HAPPENED UNTIL YOU TRY TO MOVE FORWARD AND THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE. THE TRANSMISSION WILL ENGAGED SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER YOU APPLY THE THROTTLE, RESULTING IN A HARD SHIFT INTO GEAR. FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND ISSUED A TSB 98-3-7. THIS HAS RESULTED IN ONE INCIDENT AT A STOP LIGHT WHERE THE CAR TO THE REAR HIT OF OUR CAR, AT LESS THAN 5MPH, BECAUSE WE COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO MOVE FORWARD. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT CAPITAL FORD, IN RALEIGH NC, AND THEY ARE REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION AT THIS TIME. THE SERVICE MANAGER FEELS THAT THE TSB IS ONLY PART OF THE PROBLEM.

ENGINE FAILURE - TOOK CAR IN ON 12/23/1998 TO HAVE TEST FOR WARRANTY (FORD 98M01). PAID TO HAVE DEALER TEST COOLANT AND ENGINE FOR LEAKS ($146.98), TOLD ME OK, 4 MONTHS LATER I HAVE USED TWICE A MUCH ANTIFREEZE AS BEFORE AND THERE ARE KNOW VISABLE LEAKS. DEALER TOLD ME OUT OF WARRANTY TOUGH LUCK. TRANSMISSON, HAD IN FOR SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES UNDER WARRANY, SAID FIXED BUT NOW PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE,.TELLS ME YOU ARE OUT OF WARRANY, TOUGH LUCK. *AK

WHEN CONSUMER TRIED TO START VEHICLE IN THE MORNING, VEHICLE STARTED. BUT WHEN SHE MOVED THE TRANSMISSION PAWL FROM PARK TO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. WAS TAKEN TO DEALER , WHERE THEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM WAS TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK

AT 66,900 MILES TRANSMISSION HAS MALFUNCTIONED AND WILL NOT SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE, WANTS REIMBURSEMENT. *AK *ML

WHENEVER VEHICLE IS WARM OR HOT IT BUCKS OR JERKS. HAVE TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP & THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. ALSO, FRONT END MADE CLICKING SOUNDS. REAR BRAKES MADE HISSING NOISES & THEN WHENEVER APPLIED, WOULD MAKE CLUNKING NOISES. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER.

TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED. ALSO ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED.

TRANSMISSION SLIPS, AND CONSUMER HAS TO PRESS ON THE GAS VERY HARD TO GET IT TO CATCH, WHILE DOING THAT IT SHOOTS FOWARD VERY FAST AND HARD WITH A JERK. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NO SUMMARY

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER MALFUNCTIONED.

ADVANDED DRIVER TRAINING SCHOOLS TEACH THAT A TRANSMISSION IS TO BE PLACED INTO NEUTRAL (N) TO HELP CONTROL SKIDS. UNLIKE MOST VEHICLES, THE 1995 FORD TAURUS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION REQUIRES THAT THE LOCKOUT BUTTON (LB) BE PRESSED TO MOVE THE LEVER FROM DRIVE (D) TO N. THUS IN AN EMERGENCY, ONE COULD EASILY PUSH THE LEVER THROUGH TO REVERSE (R) OR EVEN PARK (P) WITH DISASTROUS RESULTS. THIS FAULT DOES NOT APPEAR IN OTHER FORD LINES. JUST THE FORD TAURUS SHOP. INVESTIGATION WILL SHOW: R TO N DOES NOT REQUIRE THE LB; N TO D DOES NOT REQUIRE THE LB; 1 TO 2 OR TO D DOES NOT REQUIRE THE LB; D TO N REQUIRES THE LB; N TO R REQUIRES THE LB; R TO P REQUIRES THE LB. THERE APPEARS TO BE NO REASON FOR THIS OTHER THAN JUST A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING ERROR. *AK

FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP WAS NO BRAKE LIGHTS, AND CAN'T SHIFT OUT OF PARK. PROBLEM WAS ELECTRIC COOLING FAN MOTOR. THEN CRUISE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. PROBLEM-BRAKE WIRING HARNESS. LAST MAJOR PROBLEM WAS ROCKER ARM MALFUNCTIONED AT 39,166 MI. REPAIR BILL FOR THAT WAS 879.88. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS AFTER STOPPING IN WARM WEATHER. CAR WILL NOT PROCEED. WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS WITHIN FORD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THERE IS AN UPDATE, BUT FORD SAID IT WON'T COVER THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW IT IS A DEFECT. *AK

THE FAILURE OF THIS PART WILL NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO BE REMOVED FROM "PARK" EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED. MY MECHANIC HAS THE PART ON ORDER WITH FORD FOR 5 WEEKS (NO DEL'Y DATE). WE ALSO HAVE SEARCHED EVERY JUNKYARD WITH NO SUCCESS AND YET FORD SAYS THE PART IS NOT A PROBLEM.

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED,WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS THE VEHICLE ISN'T CATCHING ANY POWER OR GAS RIGHT AWAY, CAUSING THE MOTOR TO SPIN AND JUMP INTO GEAR. *AK

NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER

WHILE BACKING THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE TRANSMISSION WENT COMPLETELY OUT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. OWNER WANTS FORD TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT AND PAY FOR IT. *AK *ML