1997 FORD TAURUS Vehicle Speed Control Problems

OIL LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON WHEN LOW. 2. ENGINE LIGHT ALWAYS ON. 3 WHEN I WAS DRIVING THIS WINTER, THE BRAKES, THEY LOCKED UP ON ME AND I ALMOST HAD A COLLISION WITH TWO OTHER CARS BUT I HIT A CURB AND WAS ABLE TO GET MY CAR MOVING AGAIN. 4.CAR IS LOUD WHILE DRIVING. 5 CAN'T GET GOOD GAS MILAGE.6.CAR HAS DEVELOPED AN OIL LEAK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD STICK WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS BEING UTILIZED. THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE AND DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL IN ORDER TO STOP THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL BUT FOUND NO FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD TAURUS. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH USING THE CRUISE CONTROL, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT PUSHED THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION BUTTON WHICH STOPPED THE ACCELERATION. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 75,469. UPDATED 05/07/10. *LJ UPDATED 07/12/10*JB

I PURCHASED A USED 1997 FORD TAURUS ON NOVEMBER THE 10TH OF 2008 FROM A LOCAL DEALER. ON 11/21/08 AT APPROXIMATELY 2100 HOURS MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE AFOREMENTIONED VEHICLE, WHEN FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BY IT'S SELF. MY DAUGHTER TRIED TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING BOTH FEET TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE, AT THIS TIME SHE DECIDED TO JUMP FROM THE VEHICLE. AFTER DOING SO THE VEHICLE CLIMBED A 6 % GRADE HILL APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET THROUGH A FIELD, BEFORE RAMPING A 6 FOOT PILE OF LIMESTONE. THE VEHICLE TRAVELED 14 FEET THROUGH THE AIR BEFORE IMPATING THE GROUND. AFTER IMPACTING THE GROUND THE VEHICLE MADE A RIGHT TURN AND TRAVELED ANOTHER 1500 FEET BEFORE IMPACTING A DITCH AND A TREE. WITNESSES STATED THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TRAVELING NEARLY 90 MPH AS TRAVELED THROUGH...

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY IT COMMENCED TO ROLL FORWARD AND HIT THE GARAGE DOOR. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL.*AK

WHILE BRAKING AT A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND LURCHED FORWARD INTO THE REAR BUMPER OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AND UPON PRESSING THE BRAKES VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE ONLY WAY CONSUMER COULD STOP THE VEHICLE WAS TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. HOWEVER, THE LAST TIME SHE DID THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT FULL SPEED. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

SPEEDOMETER WOULD STOP OPERATING AND VEHICLE WOULD STALL AFTER DRIVING TWO MILES. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS. EACH MECHANIC COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THEY INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT MIGHT BE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OR THE OXYGEN SENSOR . *AK

WHEN THE CONSUMER RELEASED THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE BOLTED BACKWARDS AND STRUCK A BUILDING. *PH THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THE A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR 1997 TAURUS' FOR THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. *NM

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE SPEEDOMETER HAS FAILED, CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALE NOTIFIED. *AK

THE PUMP THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE TRANSMISSION IS ALUMINUM AND IS CAUSING THE PART TO FAIL AND OVERHEAT. WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE IT WILL NOT MOVE AT ALL AND WILL ACCELERATE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.*AK

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY. *JB WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP LIGHT, ETC., THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES, ESPECIALLY TO THE OVERDRIVE POSITION. THE VEHICLE WON'T MOVE UNLESS THE VEHICLE REVVED. THE PROBLEM CAN IMMEDIATELY BE CORRECTED BY TURNING OFF THE ENGINE IN PARK AND RESTARTING. THIS PROBLEM USUALLY WILL OCCUR 3-4 TIME PER DAY. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE. *SCC

VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FROM A STOPPED POSITION WITHOUT SHAKING VIOLENTLY. 57500 MILES AT THE TIME, $1900 TO FIX IT. *AK ****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*****749177.

THE CAR WILL NOT DRIVE AT 25MPH WITHOUT BREAKING SINCE THE IDLE WILL RUN AT 1500 RPM OR MORE. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO PULL AS IF IT IS ACCELERATING UNTIL YOU BRAKE TO 0 MPH THEN IDLE SEAMS OK. FORD MUST HAVE A PROBLEM SINCE I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF REPORTS LIKE THIS. I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT IF THIS IS WHAT THEIR CARS ARE LIKE.*AK

CAR WAS AT A COMPLKETE STOP IN A PARKING SPACE, WHEN IT SUDDINLY ACCELERATED UNCONTROLABLE FORWARD AND STOPPED WHEN IT HIT A TREE/. *AK

SYMPTOMS OF PROBLEM: WHEN CAR COMES TO A STOP THE CLUTCH CAN DISENGAGE UNEXPECTEDLY. ONCE GAS IS APPLIED, IT VARIES IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THE CAR WILL RE-ENGAGE AND WILL ABRUBTLY LURCH FORWARD. THIS RESULTS IN UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT WHICH CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. I WAS ADVISED BY MY DEALERSHIP THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON COLLAPSES AND REQUIRES THE TRANSMISSION TO BE REBUILT OR SOMETIMES REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ADVISED THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN CORRECTED IN LATER MODELS BUT PREVIOUS MODELS WILL NOT BE FIXED UNLESS REQUESTED BY THE OWNER AT HIS OR HER EXPENSE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND THERE ARE SEVERAL STORIES ON THE INTERNET OF THE SAME FAILURES WITH FORD TAURUS TRANSMISSIONS AT VARYING MILEAGE LEVELS, ONE AS LITTLE AS 40,000. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE LOSS OF...

RANDOMLY VEHICLE RACES AND SURGES FORWARD IF IT IS IN DRIVE. IF IN REVERSE, IT SURGES BACKWARD. CONSUMER STATED HE HAS HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM.*AK THE MANUFACTURER DECLINED TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. *YH

WHENEVER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP OR SLOWING DOWN AND PRESSING ON BRAKES,VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THEY DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE SURGES, RPMS WILL GO UP PASSING 3, AND THEN DOWN WHILE IN PARK/ IDLING AT A STOP. DEALER RECOGNIZED DEFECT CAUSED BY THROTTLE SENSOR UNIT WHICH WAS REPLACED TWICE, BUT DEFECT KEEPS REOCCURRING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY NORMAL SPEED POWER STEERING WILL KICK OUT SOMETIMES. ALSO, SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL COME ON AND OFF/ DOOR LIGHT WILL COME ON, AND SPEED CONTROL WILL COME ON. *AK

BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IS THROTTLE "STICKS" IT IS AN ELECTRONICS CONTROL PROBLEM BUT SIMILAR TO OLDER CARS WHERE AUTO CHOKES STUCK, WHEN COMING TO A STOP ENGINE WILL CONTINUE AT 2500 TO 3000 RPM AND YOU HAVE TO STAND ON THE BRAKES TO STOP. PROBLEM IS ONGOING AND HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS WITH MANY VISITS OVER LAST TWO YEARS WITH NO RESULT. ONE DEALER TOLD ME THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT PROBLEM BUT HAS NO GOOD FIX. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AT TIMES AS CAR WILL CRUISE AT 30 MPH WITH FOOT OFF THROTTLE. IT WILL USUALLY IDLE DOWN AFTER A FEW SECONDS BUT VERY DANGEROUS IN GARAGE AND PARKING SITUATIONS. ALSO IF YOU ACCELERATE (AS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION) AND THAN SUDDENLY LIFT OFF THE THROTTLE, IT CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE. I NEARLY RAN OVER A PEDESTRIAN WHO STEPPED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. I...

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

DRIVING AT 55 MPH I APPLIED THE BRAKES LIGHTLY AND THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT IT WOULD NOT SLOW THE CAR AT ALL AND IT WAS HARD TO STEER , THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMED TO TRY TO PULL TO EITHER SIDE, BACK AND FORTH BUT I KEPT IT GOING AS STRAIGHT AS I COULD,THEN THE ABRUPTLY PIVOTED 180 DEGREES ABOUT THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND THE CAR SLID SIDEWAYS ACCROSS THE RIGHT LANE AND HIT THE GUARDRAIL WITH THE LEFT FRONT CORNER AND LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THROTTLE SYSTEM GOT STUCK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE, AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN, WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT SEEMS CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATES UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO IDLE AND ACCLERATE UNEXPECTEDLY, AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED TWO SENSORS WITH ELECTRONIC TIMING AND IDLER. PROBLEM IS REOCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

SURGE AT STEADY SPEEDS EVEN WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON ALSO WHEN SETTING AT A RED LIGHT

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVER WAS MANUVERING A CURVE RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE JUMPING A DITCH,ROLL OVER AND STOP AGAINST A POWER POLE UPSIDE DOWN. NLM

COMING TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND THE ENGINE RACING AND PULLING.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, IT WOULD HAVE HIGH IDLE & ACCELERATION. WOULD HAVE TO KEEP FOOT ON BRAKES TO MAINTAIN STOP. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR HIGH ACCELERATION & IDLING, BUT PROBLEM IS NEVER FOUND. *AK

WHILE STOPPING VEHICLE WILL LUNGE FORWARD, AND MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, AND CAUSED THE THROTTLE TO REMAIN IN OPEN POSITION, RESULTING IN A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER, BUT THEY COULDN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK.ET.

BACKING UP & NOTICED POLE, SHIFTED INTO DRIVE & VEHICLE ACCELERATED & HIT STORE FRONT. ACCELERATOR PEDAL COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED AT THE TIME.UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

PROBLEM IS DANGEROUS. WHEN COME TO STOP, ENGINE OCCASSIONALLY RACES TO OVER 2200 RPMS. WHEN CRUSING AND LET OFF GAS, CAR IDLE DOES NOT NATURALLY GO DOWN. WAS FIXED BY DEALER ONCE, NOW RECURRING. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT UNPREDICTABLE IDLE/ACCELERATION CONDITIONS.

I PUT MY CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. I HIT A CONCRETE POLE WHICH WAS LOCATED IN THE PARKING LOT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN I BRAKED TO SHIFT FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. THE CAR TOOK OFF LEAVING BLACK MARKS 9 FEET LONG. I DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO HIT THE ACCELERATOR. THE CAR WAS ACTING ON ITS OWN. I HIT THE FRONT OF THE STORE. THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED MY CAR WAS THE STEEL DOOR FRAME AND THE BRICK BUILDING. MY CAR WAS STILL MOVING AFTER I GOT OUT BECAUSE I HAD NOT PUT IT INTO PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. I HAD JUMPED OUT QUICKLY BECAUSE GLASS WAS COMING THROUGH MY SUNROOF ONTO ME. A WITNESS SAID "OH MY GOD, YOUR CAR IS STILL MOVING." I HAD TO GET BACK INTO THE VEHICLE TO PUT IT INTO PARK AND TURN THE IGNITION...

SPOUSE BACKED OUT FROM A PARKING SPACE AND WHEN SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN "DRIVE" THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, AND BEFORE ANY ACTION COULD BE TAKEN SHE COLLIDED WITH A STORE FRONT. THE "CRUISE CONTROL" HAD BEEN USED THE DAY BEFORE AND THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND CAUSED THE SUDDEN FORWARD MOVEMENT. THE REASON FOR THIS ASSUMPTION IS THAT I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR ON A PREVIOUS RECENT OCCASION, AND NOTICED THE LIGHT INDICATING CRUISE WAS ON ALTHOUGH I HAD JUST STARTED THE CAR. I THOUGHT PERHAPS I MAY HAVE BUMPED IT BUT NOW I AM SURE IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS WAS REENFORCED WHEN I TALKED TO THREE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH FORD PRODUCTS. *AK

RECALLS 97V097000/96V166000; WHILE DRIVING THE RPM'S WENT UP, ZOOMED UP, AND THE CAR DIED, COASTED TO THE SIDE AND PARKED. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED THE VEHICLE DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE RECALLS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN HIGH RPM AND ACCELERATION ON TWO OCCASIONS, ON SECOND INCIDENT BEFORE STOPPING MOTOR THE RIGHT SIDE DRIVE AXLE BROKE AT CV-JOINT.

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE ACCELERATION. WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE FOR UNKNOWN REASON. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS . DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. SUDDEN ACCELERATION HAS CAUSED VEHICLE TO BE IN ONE ACCIDENT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED, BUT CONDITION STILL REMAINS. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION UPON COMING TO A STOP. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, SPEED CONTROL DOES NOT LIGHT UP; CANNOT TELL WHICH BUTTON TO PUSH. HAS TO USE OVERHEAD DOME LIGHT TO SEE. *AK

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE & PUTTING VEHICLE ON CRUISE CONTROL, IT WOULD NOT LIGHT UP; DO NOT KNOW WHICH BUTTON TO PUSH; WOULD HAVE TO TURN ON OVERHEAD DOME LIGHT JUST TO SEE. *AK

VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING ERRATIC OPERATION WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *AK

CAUSE OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION CANNOT BE DETERMINED.