1997 FORD TAURUS Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

TRANSMISSION OVERDRIVE FAILED TO LOCK AND FAILURES CODE STARTED APPEARING AT 60,000 MILES. FORD DEALER INDICATED "MULTIPLE FAILURES" IN THAT SERIES. ENTIRE TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 70,000 MILES WHILE ON VACATION IN FLORIDA. COST TO REPAIR WAS IN EXCESS OF $2,000. *AK

THE TAURUS WAS PARKED AT DZ MIDDLE SCHOOL ON A SLIGHTLY SLOPED PART OF THE DRIVEWAY WITH THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER INDICATING PARK AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE LINKAGE CONNECTION ON THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND ALLOWED THE SELECTOR LEVER TO INDICATE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN PARK WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS ACTUALLY IN NEUTRAL. THE DRIVER THEN WENT INTO THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND UPON RETURNING A FEW MINUTES LATER FOUND THAT THE CAR HAD ROLLED APPROX 150 YARDS DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, ACROSS A STREET, THROUGH A BUS TURN-AROUND, DOWN A 15 FOOT EMBANKMENT, AND INTO A DITCH. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR AND IT WAS AT NIGHT SO THERE WERE NO KIDS ALONG THE DRIVEWAY OR ON THE STREET.

BOUGHT THE CAR USED WITH ABOUT 20,000 MILES ON IT. HAD SEVERAL SENSORS REPLACED FAIRLY SOON AFTER THAT. AROUND 30K, REPORTED SEVERAL PROBLEMS I WAS HAVING WHILE AT A STOP/STARTING FROM A STOP. DEALER COULD NEVER REPLICATE. EVENTUALLY DISCOVERED THAT THESE PROBLEMS WERE ONLY OCURRING WHEN THE CAR WAS WARM...WHICH IT NEVER WAS WHEN THE DEALER TESTED IT AFTER IT SITTING ON THEIR LOT FOR SEVERAL HOURS. PROBLEMS STARTED GETTING WORSE. WOULD SLIP INTO NEUTRAL AT STOPS. COULD SHIFT CAR INTO NEUTRAL, GUN IT ENOUGH TO GET THE RPM'S OVER 2000, AND THEN PUT INTO DRIVE AND IT WOULD CATCH. AFTER THE WEATHER TURNED WARM AGAIN, AND IT STARTED DOING IT MORE, THEN THE DEALER COULD FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. SAID I NEEDED A REBUILD OR REPLACEMENT. DROVE IT UNTIL MY HUSBAND NAGGED ME ENOUGH, AND IT WAS DOING IT CONSTANTLY. TOTAL COST NOW, THROUGH A TRANSMISSION SHOP, NOT...

GEAR SHIFT WILL GO INTO DRIVE. HOWEVER, CAR DOES NOT ENGAGE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WHICH IS CAUSING VEHICLE TO HESITATE WHEN DRIVING UP ON AN INCLINE, DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER ALSO STATED THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING ON A LEVELED SURFACE.*SLC

VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO OVERDRIVE. SERVO COVER COULD HAVE BEEN THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A RECALL, 97V097000, DEALING WITH TRANSMISSION SERVO COVER. ALSO, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND VEHICLE WAS NOT SHIFTING. HAD NOT CONTACTED DEALER. *AK CONSMER STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A RECALL HIS CLAIM WAS DENIED BY MANUFACTURER STATING THEY NEEDED A RECEIPT FOR EVERY 30,000 MILES SAYING THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED, CONSUMER HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, HOWEVER THE NEXT DAY VEHICLE BEGAN EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEMS, AFTER THREE ATTEMPS TO FIX PROBLEM IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CLIP FOR 3-4 SHUTTLE VALVE BREAKS, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE CLIP.*JB

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION SEIZING UP.

I HAVE HAD TO PUT TRANSMMISSION IN MY CAR. THE SECOND ONE WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 469 AT 65 MILES PER HOUR. IT FELT LIKE SOMEONE HIT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. MY CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND I WAS ALMOST T-BONED BY ANOTHER CAR. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT HELP ME, WHICH IS SCHWART FORD OUT OF DECATURE INDIANA. THEY SAID I WAS OVE THE WARRANTY WHICH WAS ONE YEAR OR 12,000 MILES. I HAD THE FIRST TRANSMISSION PUT IN AT 47,000 AND THE SECOND ONE IS GOING IN AT 81,000.00 I WILL NOT BE HAVING IT DONE BY FORD. I AM TAKING IT ELSE WHERE. FIRST OF ALL SCHWARTA FORD CHARGED ME FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. DURING A CONVERSATION WITH THEM THE OWNED MIKE MORRISON STATED THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUT A REBUILT TRANSMISSION IN A CAR. I HAVE A RECEIPT THAT STATES IT...

WHILE VEHICLE WAS AT A LIGHT TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT LET CONSUMER GET OUT OF FIRST GEAR. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK *SLC

TRANSMISION IS GOING OUT.....TORQUE CONVERTOR ALSO FAILING. *AK

TRANSMISSION WOULD JERK WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. FELT LIKE BEING REARENDED. FINALLY TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND INFORMED BY MECHANIC TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO BEING NON REPAIRABLE.*AK *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

97 V 097 000/AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION: TRANSMISSION SLIPPING INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *SLC

CONSUMER HAS HAD 2 INCIDENTS WITH VEHICLE ROLLING BACKWARDS AFTER BEING PUT IN PARK. DURING FIRST INCIDENT CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE IN PARK, VEHICLE TURNED OFF AND GOT OUT. CONSUMER HAD TO RUN BACK TO VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS ROLLING BACKWARDS, AND HIT HER SON'S VEHICLE BEFORE SHE COULD GET TO IT. SECOND INCIDENT WAS ON 11TH OF MAY, AGAIN CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE IN PARK; BUT, THIS TIME WAS STILL INSIDE VEHICLE. ONLY WAY OF STOPPING WAS TO PUSH DOWN OF BRAKES AND PULL UP EMERGENCY BRAKE. POLICE HAD TOWING COMPANY TO COME OUT AND LOOK. THEY STATED EVERYTIME VEHICLE WENT IN REVERSE OR PARK IT LOCKED GEARS UP. TRANSMISSION WAS ALL OVER THE DRIVEWAY, AND THEY ALSO FOUND GEAR CABLE WAS CUT. CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASE. DEALER URGED CONSUMER TO PUT PARKING BRAKE ON FOR EACH NORMAL STOP. CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO GET FORD TO COOPERATE WITH...

CAR CONTINUES WITH THE NEUTRAL CONDITION OF TRANSMISSION AFTER REPAIR TRANSMISSION 7 TIMES. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SLIPPING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS FOR 3 MONTHS, NOW IT JERKS VERY HARD AND RPM'S GET VERY HI BEING STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO WORK AND HAD TO BE REBUILT AT THE COST OF 1926.00. THE TRANSMISSIONS SHOP THAT DID THE WORK STATED THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS UPDATES HE HAD TO DO TO THIS VEHICLE TO CORRECT PROBLEMS THAT HAD COME DEFECTIVE DIRECTLY FROM THE FACTORY WHEN THE VEHCILE WAS NEW. I DONT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS THAT WERE DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY AND HAVE FORD TELL ME , SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS.*AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE ARE NO RECALLS, BUT THERE ARE MANY FAILED TRANSMISSIONS IN THIS VEHICLE.*AK

ENGINE IS KNOCKING AS CONSUMER ACCELERATES WITH SPEED. *AK TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 37OOO MILES. FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED AT 15000 MILES. ROTORS FAILED AT 24000 MILES. *YH

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS, AND LOOKED UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH, AND SHE HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED. TRANSMISSION EXPLODED.*AK

WHEN DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS VEHICLE GOES FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. THIS HAPPENS 80 % OF TIME. *AK *SLC

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. WITH MANY OTHER CARS AROUND ME THE TRANSMISSION JUST STOPPED THE AUTO ACTED AS IF I HAD SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT WORK IN DRIVE OR LOE GEARS. IF NOT FOR THE DRIVER BEHIND ME SEEING I HAD A PROBLEM AND HELPING BY SLOWING OTHER CARS DOWN I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COAST OFF THE ROAD SAFTLY. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN,NO SLIPPAGE OR OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANNY. THE GARAGE TOLD ME THAT THIS HAPPENS OFTEN WITH THE FORD TAURUS AND IS QUITE COMMIN. I CAN SEE WHERE THIS COULD LEAD TO MANY ACCIDENTS AND THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU SHOULD LOOK INTO. MY TOTAL EXPENCE WAS OVER $2500.00 FOR REPAIRS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

TRANSMISSION GOES INTO A NEUTRAL POSITION WHILE GEAR IS IN DRIVE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, VEHICLE HAS NO POWER, THEN IT DROPS OUT OF NEUTRAL AND ENGAGES. IT ACTS AS THOUGH VEHICLE IS REVVING AND SLAMMING INTO GEAR. FORD MECHANIC SAID THAT PROBLEM IA A CRACKED FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON. *AK

HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM A STOP WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. CHECKED FOR CORRECT GEAR PLACEMENT. DEPRESSED GAS PEDAL, AND TACHOMETER WENT OVER, BUT VEHICLE WAS NOT MOVING.VEHICLE COULD BE REVERSED BUT NOT FORWARDED. TOOK TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, AND TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A USED ONE.*AK

PREMATURE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION AT ONLY 54,300 MILES DUE TO WORN DOWN BEARINGS. *AK

APPEARS TO BE A DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF SAFETY CRITICAL COMPONENT. WHILE ACCELERATING TO 40 MPH HEARD LOUD BANG AND FRONT OF CAR JUMPED. SUDDEN FAILURE/NO PREVIOUS WARNING SIGNS. OWNER (ME) SUSPECTED TRANSMISSION OR ENGINE MOUNT. DROVE HOME (3 MI.) AT SPEED LESS THAN 30--TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO SHIFT OK BUT WOULD JOLT ON UP SHIFT. MADE NOISE / "BUMPED" ON TURNING AT VERY LOW SPEED. DEALER HAD RECENTLY SERVICED TRANSMISSION (35,578 MI.). DEALERS SAID 2/3 HARDENED BOLTS SHEARED AND 1/3 WAS LOOSE IN FRONT? LOWER BLOCK MOUNT LOOSE. DEALER CLAIMS NO OTHER DAMAGE RESULTED / WILL LATER RESULT-WE SHALL SEE. TOOK APPROX 6 HR LABOR TO REPAIR. DEALER SAID IF OWNER HAD NOT HAD EXTENDED WARRANTEE ON DRIVE TRAIN, OWNER WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY ALL OUT OF POCKET. MOUNT BOLTS/BRACKET IS SUCH THAT OWNER CAN NOT EASILY CHECK- HAVE TO REMOVE CATY CONVT & R FRONT ENGINE MOUNT FOR ACCESS....

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

MY BOSS HAS A 1998 TAURUS AND TRANSMISSION FAILED. OUR REGIONAL OFFICE IN MIAMI NO LONGER USES THE TAURUS DUE TO REPEATED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THOSE VEHICLES ARE IN A FLEET OF LEASED AUTO FOR THE COMPANY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE & WOULDN'T STAY RUNNING. WIRES FOR FUEL PUMP HAD RUBBED AGAINST FLEX HOSE, CAUSING IT TO EXPOSE THE WIRES & SHORT OUT. DEALER COLD DO NOTHING BECAUSE NO RECALL. *AK ALSO THE CV JOINTS FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION PAN CRACKED. THE BRAKES VIBRATED CAUSING THE STEERING TO VIBRATE TERREBLY. THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER SAYS, MUST BE DEFECTIVE. *YH

GEAR BROKE INSIDE TRANSMISSION AND EXPLODED OUTWARDS, BREAKING THE CASE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THEY TOOK CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *AK DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY HAD EXCESSIVE TEETH DAMAGED AND PROBABLY CAUSED CASE TO BREAK OUTWARD. *YH

COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING AT ONLY 37,204 MILES . PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY

NO SUMMARY

TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY SLIPPED FOR 30SECONDS TO A MINUTES BEFORE ENGAGING

TRANSMISSION SHIFTING ROUGHLY INTO GEARS. *SLC

THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS UP AND DOWN WHEN YOU MAINTAIN A STEADY SPEED OF APPROX. 60 MILES AN HOUR. THE WHOLE CAR JERKS WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IT FEELS LIKE THE POWER TO THE CAR TURNS OFF IT IS SUCH A HARD SHIFT. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM AT 32,000 MILES TO JIM SKINNER FORD. THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, "TAURUS'S DO THAT". IT ALSO JERKS REALLY HARD WHEN I SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE BUT THEY SAID THIS IS NORMAL ALSO. PERIODICALLY, WHEN YOU COME TO A STOP IT SURGES FORWARD. *AK

THE CAR BARELY MOVES, IF AT ALL, WHEN IN ANY GEAR. TRANSMISSION IS MAKING A LOUD BUZZING NOISE. FLUID WAS CHECKED AND IS NOT LOW. *AK

SERVICE BULLETIN 98-3-7: INTERMITTENT NEUTRAL CONDITION - NO WARRANTY COVERAGE EVEN THOUGH FORD HAS UPGRADED THE PART. DEALER QUOTE WAS $2500. TRANSMISSION SHOP UPGRADED FOR $1500. *AK

I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE FORD TAURUS MFR. NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT..

TRANSMISSION REPEATEDLY HAD PROBLEMS SLAMMING/JUMPING, AND HOPPING OUT, THEN FINALLY QUIT FORD DIDN'T CARE.*AK

ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 35,000 MILES REPLACED BY A FACTORY REBUILT DEALER TRANNY. SECOND TRANNY FAILED AT 43000, DEALER STATED THAT NO FACTORY REBUILTS WERE AVAILABLE. REBULT TRANSMISSION INHOUSE. BOTH TRANSMISSIONS FAILED DUE TO SHIFTING FROM 1 TO NEUTRAL. AFTER THE REPAIR OF THE SECOND TRANSMISSION THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE BY ITSELF . STARTING FROM A STOP , PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE CAR SHIFTS FROM 1 TO 2 ND TO 3RD , IF I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDEL THE CAR CONTINUES TO GAIN SPEED AND THE TACH NEEDLE DOES NOT DROP DOWN BUT CONTINUES TO STAY IN THE 2 TO 3 THOUSAND RPM RANGE, IT I PUT THE TRANNY IN NEUTRAL THE TACH NEED JUMPS UP TO 3,000 RPMS. *AK

TRANSMISSION IS LEAKING ONTO THE CATALYIC CONVERTER. VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 97V097000. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING PRIOR TO FAILURE. YH

TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND FAILED WHEN ACCELERATING AND SLAMMED INTO 2ND GEAR THEN REFUSED TO POWER/ WORK AT ALL - 3RD REVERSE PISTON CRACKED DEALER SAID NEEDS REPLACING AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *AK

WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTS THE VEHICLE THE TRANSMISSION RACES IN GEARS (AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL) THE SHIFT HARSHLY INTO GEAR.

WHEN STARTING UP VEHICLE AND PUT IT IN GEAR, REACH ABOUT 25MPH AND DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. THEN, ENGINE REVS UP TO 4,000 RPMS AND WHEN REACH 30MPH IT SHIFTS. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK