Car owner: Jeremy Heilman (author of FTTF) | Model year: 1995 Taurus 3.0L |
Location: Cleveland, OH | Date/Mileage of failure: March 27, 2002 at 76,500 miles |
Contact: jeremynd01@yahoo.com | Cost of repair: $2225.00 |
  | Failed system: Final drive assembly/rear planetary gearset |
I bought this car in August '01 with 72,000 miles on it, and at 76,500 it's being towed to the transmission mechanic's. The failure occurred after a routine trip to the grocery store. When I went to move the car it would resist at low throttle and jerk violently at high throttle (sort of like the parking brake was stuck on). I later found out that this was because every fourth or fifth tooth on the rear "sun" gear was broken off!
My mechanic told me that you could make a parade out of the number of Tauruses that experience transmission failure. He also mentioned that there was a sticker saying "Do not service," on the transmission pan. That's when I took to the WWW and found a depressingly large number of Taurus owners (perhaps as high as 15%, which is some 200,000 people!) had the same problem. I accused Ford of peddling defective transmissions, and demanded that they cover the cost of repair for mine.
Ford wouldn't give me a dime to have it repaired, so I sued them in small claims court. Ford had a friend in Cleveland Heights that day, and Magistrate Dale Lefferts wouldn't let me argue my case. As of now (9/19/02), I'm appealing to have the case heard before a real Judge. In the mean time, I've created the FTTF to get the word out about these lousy transmissions.
Car owner: Sandy Richters | Model year: 1999 Windstar |
Location: Aurora, NB |
Date/Mileage of failure: First 55,000 mi. (est.) Second: 57,000 mi. (est.) |
Contact: srichters@hamilton.net | Cost of repair: unknown |
  | Failed system: Transmission |
My name is Sandy Richters and I live in Aurora, Nebraska. Two years ago [May 2000] I purchased a 1999 Ford Windstar with 53,000 miles on it. I also purchased an extended warranty to go with it. In July I took a trip with my children to play in the Cornhusker State Games. On Sunday afternoon, 27th and O streets (very busy), 101 degrees, at a stop light, and the van wouldn't go when it turned green. There were no warning signs or anything - just no reverse, no forward. The transmission went to crap.
After towing it back to home (75 miles)- I had to take it to a small garage because there was a clause in the waranty that I couldn't take it to a dealership and expect full coverage because they charge too much. The tranny was fixed and paid for (thank goodness). [Author's note: I'm assuming that Sandy purchased the warranty from someone other than Ford, such as the bank, which is why it would cover the cost of repair at a non-dealer shop.]
In August we had to take it in for a blown head gasket, and at the end of the month we had to take it in for rack and pinion (which wasn't covered by the policy). Then in September my tranny went out again. (The insurance policy sent me a rebuilt one from another Windstar). After that we had to also replace the heater core, and (bear with me!) then the air conditioner would only blow in the defrost and we had to replace some "thingy" that made some door stick open.
The following next January, my warranty ran out. I tried to do the "lemon law" thing with the dealership- but no go there. I paid $13,000 for the van and was afraid of turning my loan "upside down", but was also afraid that I wasn't going to be able to afford to keep it running. We stopped making any kind of trips anywhere in fear of breaking down. after alot of mind-beating decifering, I traded the van off to some poor soul at another lot, and purchased a Pontiac Montana. I have taken it to Colorado and Montana wihtout problems - the only thing we've had to replace are the tires.
My suggestion to people who purchase one of these Windstars (besides don't do it) is get the extended warranty and eveything else it offers, because guaranteed you'll use it. -- Sandy Ricters, submitted 10/8/02
I'd like to point out that "lemon laws" are just about the most useless law in the books, put there to boost consumer confidence. The idea is simple enough - if you buy a car and it turns out to be a real dud, the law states the dealer has to take it back with a full refund, and then brand the car as a lemon. What is less simple are the hoops the consumer has to jump through - Ohio's lemon law requires that the same part has to fail three times within the first year of purchase to be considered a lemon. Now I'm a physicist, and I can tell you that the law of big numbers says the probability of this happening is very small!
Car owner: Robert Edelman | Model year: 1997 Taurus SHO |
Location: Oakland, CA |
Date/Mileage of failure: First - 30,000 miles (approx.) Second - 100 miles later (approx.) Third - 1100 miles later (approx.) |
Contact: dredelman@sbcglobal.net | Cost of repair: Unknown (Under third party warranty) |
  | Failed system: Transmission |
My name is Robert Edelman, and I live in Oakland, California. I own a 1997 Ford Taurus SHO which was manufactured in November 1996. I purchased the car used from Burlingame Ford in June 1997. The car had been purchased by Burlingame Ford from a Ford factory auction in southern California. When I purchased the car it had 7000 miles on it and was in perfect condition.
I had the transmission fluid drained and the transmission filter replaced at 17,000 miles, because the fluid was becoming burnt. At thirty thousand miles Hayward Ford did a complete transmission flush and replaced the transmission filter. I had the car serviced almost exclusively at Hayward Ford until the transmission began to shudder when downshifting from top gear on partial-throttle acceleration at 35 miles per hour. This time I brought the car to Walnut Creek Ford, who diagnosed a faulty transmission.
I had an extended warranty from Warranty Gold, who I now plan to take to court. They sent a "new take-out transmission" which they swore was a new transmission that had never been associated with a VIN. I instructed Walnut Creek Ford not to install the transmission unless it was new. The transmission that was sent was junk, but the dealer installed it anyway, and told me that the car was ready to be picked up despite the fact that the transmission sounded as if it was grinding itself apart. I immediately returned the car, and upon my instructions the dealer ordered a Ford factory rebuilt transmission. They also replaced the radiator as the transmission cooler had been clogged up by the junk transmission. Warranty Gold has refused to pay the $600 difference for the Ford factory rebuilt transmission, hence my earlier comment that I plan to take them to court.
After the Ford factory rebuilt transmission was installed, I picked up the car and drove one block to discover that the transmission was slamming into gear on approximately one shift out of every three. I brought the car right back to the dealer, and I was told that I should drive the car for at least 250 miles so the computer could learn my driving habits. I knew that this was crap, but I followed this recommendation. When I returned the car 250 miles later, I was told the car probably had a bad second-third gear actuator, and that another transmission would be ordered from Ford.
The second transmission was later installed. Driving the car home, I noticed that the torque convertor became noisy whenever I drove up hills. I drove the car for 100 miles, and returned to the dealer for another test drive. I drove around with the transmission technician for twenty minutes, who told me that he also could hear the noise, didin't know what it was, but assurred me that it was definitely not the transmission. I dropped the technician off at the dealership, put gas in the car, and started to drive home. Two miles later the transmission took itself out of fourth gear, never to shift into fourth again, and setting off the "Service Engine Soon" light. The computer had five transmission fault codes in memory, and the dealer agreed that a third transmission would be needed.
I had the third Ford factory rebuilt transmission installed, and drove the car for 1000 miles. It seemed to be running well, so I took my family to Lake Tahoe. The car didn't make it. One hundred miles from home, the transmission began to overheat. We parked the car and rented a Toyota Camry for the remainder of the trip. After two days of rest, the car was able to make it back home without overheating. There was a transmission overheat fault code stored in the computer. The dealer could not find a reason why the transmission overheated, and told me to bring it back if it did it again. Well, I'm not about to take my family out on the road to get stranded again. The next time, I'll take our other car.
So I have a Ford Taurus SHO that has a transmission that is unreliable and an engine that can break its camshaft sprockets. In addition, the car's starter failed at 19,000 miles, the front struts failed (leaked) at 40,000 miles, and three of the four OEM Goodyear tires had either belt separation or were somehow ruined by the car's suspension by 40,000 miles. Ford makes unreliable and unsafe vehicles. I will never, ever buy a Ford Motor Company product. That includes Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Jaguar, Volvo, Land Rover, and Aston Martin. -- Robert Edelman, submitted 10/13/02
Car owner: Terry and Jamie G. | Model year: 1999 Taurus |
Location: unknown | Date/Mileage of failure: 56,000 miles |
Contact: tjlr@alltel.net | Cost of repair: $1000-$1500 |
  | Failed system: Transmission |
I am currently leasing a 99 ford Taurus. At a mere 56000 miles, the transmission started slipping out of gear between first and second gear, but only when warmed up. I took it to a local repair shop and it is currently being looked at. It appears that it will cost me between $1000-$1500 to get it fixed. I e-mailed the Ford website with a pretty nasty complaint stating my frustration. I even went as far to point out that I have leased/owned 6 ford vehicles since 1993, and both of my current vehicles are fords. Both of which are due have their leases end within the next year. I clearly stated that they would definitely not be replaced by Fords.
To my surprise, I received a message on my answering machine from ford with a phone number requesting a reply by phone. I was hopeful, expecting good news from ford. WRONG!!!!! I got the "I'm so sorry, but your out of luck", nice response.
In case anybody is lucky enough to read this before you buy. DO NOT BUY A FORD TAURUS!! A cab is more reliable! -- Terry and Jamie G., submitted 10/24/02
Car owner: Duncan D. Aker | Model year: 1997 Windstar GL |
Location: Lexington, TN |
Date/Mileage of failure: Symptoms Jan. 1998, 27,000 miles Sold at 44,000 for unreasonable perf. |
Contact: duncanakerjr@yahoo.com | Cost of repair: sold before total failure |
  | Failed system: Transmission, seats |
In January 1998 I purchased this 1997 Windstar GL van with 27000 miles on it. After a few weeks driving it, I realized the transmission was not right in my opinion. I took it back to Ford dealer where it was purchased and I described my concern and the symptoms. At that time, it was shifting sloppy, and as if things were worn out and having difficulty in shifting.The mechanic said "That is the way they shift and act," and to not worry about it. So with fear and trepidation I took his advice.
Being a mechanic myself I have a fairly good idea of a sick transmission and to me, ours was sick. By the time 44000 had rolled around the transmission was really shifting poorly and had exhibited a definite deterioration in quality and ability. I took it to another Ford dealer (Steve Marsh Ford, Milan Tennessee), this time with defective seats in the front as well.
The Ford dealer service manager From Steve Marsh Ford told my wife and I in a conversation that "Ford Windstar vans were defective in general," "they had all sorts of problems with them," and "there was nothing they could do." By October of that year, knowing the transmission was going democrat on us soon, we elected to allow the van to be repossessed. We could not afford the $390.00 monthly payment and an additional $2000 - $3000 repair bill on a nearly brand new vehicle. We ruined our credit, we lost 5000.00 dollar downpayment on it, my wife had an injured lower spine requiring rehab due to the defective seats.
Needless to say I am afraid of Ford products, and will never again purchase anything associated with Ford. They manufacture defective trash for vehicles with full knowledge and for the life of me I don't understand why this country doesn't make some one like that accountable for what they do. --Duncan D. Aker, submitted 10/8/02
Duncan, if you see this, tell me more about your seat problems. If this is really a widespread defect, (or even if it is unique to a few vehicles), there is definate legal premise for products that cause injury to humans, as these seats did to your wife. --Jeremy
Car owner: Tim Wright | Failed system: Transmission |
Author of www.v8sho.com | Contact: twright@one-eleven.net |
Tim is the author of www.v8sho.com, which has been fighting the battle against defect cams in Ford's V8's. I e-mailed him as a courtesy to ask if he minded me linking to his page, and he sent me this rather humorous response:
"...we have so many expensive cam problems I forget I am on my3rd ATX [automatic transaxle]. ;-)" -- Tim Wright, submitted 10/8/02
Car owner: Neil Robles | Model year: 1999 Windstar |
Location: unknown | Date/Mileage of failure: 49,000 miles |
Contact: myoldvette@aol.com | Cost of repair: $2100.00 |
  | Failed system: Final drive assembly/rear planetary gearset |
First I'd like to say that I loved the way my 1999 windstar ran when I leased it, until it got to 42k miles on the odometer. While my wife was driving it, for no apparent reason and without warning the transmission failed in traffic. I was informed by Ford that we were 6k miles past warranty and there was nothing they could do for us. That included towing the vehicle to Ford.(That is when my happy experience with Ford ended) I took the windstar to Lee Myles for repairs and was informed by the owner and a transmission tech (who had 37 years experience in repairing transmissions) that the failure was due to the forward sungear (planetary gear) and that it was a machining defect. Both owner and tech stated "they had never have seen such a failure". The welds on the forward had sheared off cleanly. I was also informed that U should go to Ford to get compensated for the rebuilding of the transmission, which cost $2,100.
What happened next turned me into a HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FRAUD LATELY believer. I went to Ford to show them that I had a defective transmission and should be compensated, and while I did not expect Ford to pay for the full bill on the transmission I did expect to walk out with something. What I got was "I've seen those failure before" and "your 6 thousand miles past warranty there is nothing I can do for you. I was agast. I then demanded to have the factory rep examine the defective forward sungear. What I got from the factory rep was " it (the sungear) should not have failed in that matter but you're six thousand miles over warranty there is nothing we can do for you. I then contacted customer service at Ford and got "Did you talk to the factory rep? And what did he say? Well then there is nothing we can do for you."
I will never buy another Ford product for the rest of my life and I will keep as many of my friends from falling into the Ford trap. When I leased my Ford I was going to buy it when the 3 years were up, I beleived in FORD QUALITY IS JOB ONE. The only job Ford is doing is a STROKE JOB on its customers and its stock holders. Neil Robles, submitted 11/6/02
Car owner: Alan Mathews | Model year: 1993 Taurus Wagon |
Location: unknown | Date/Mileage of failure: None to date |
Contact: ADS1PHOTO@aol.com | Cost of repair: See text |
  | Failed system: N/A |
Alan is the first person to email me some positive comments on the Taurus. I was hesitant at first to include his story, but after a few messages back and forth decided that his comments and suggestions were very applicable, so here it is. While much of the work he does is not part of the general maintenance suggested by Ford, you may find that a few hundred dollars of preventative maintenance will save you thousands in repairs after-the-fact.
My Ford was a rebuilt salvage title. It runs great. I had a low speed accident that caused sub frame damage. It was repaired for about $2,000 and they had to adjust the shock tower plates.
I have filled my transmision with mobil one synthetic transmission fluid and not over heated the engine/transmission. It shifts well at 80k. The reason I use synthetics is simple - they flow better and do not degrade into sludge.
I changed the fluid in the transmission [from the OEM Mercon fluid] because the heat transfer of synthetics are better and the synthetics will not clog the passages of the transmission. Also, the transmission in the Ford Taurus have an aluminium piston not a steel one. If the piston overheats due to a coolant issue or failure of the fluid to flow in the transmission the aluminium piston warps and jams. This is why the transmission fails, not because of the bands or other parts. Ford is well aware of this but did not care to cover this expensive repair themselves.
As for Ford's recommendations, you have to do as they say [i.e. use the recommonded fluids and other parts] when the car is under the warranty period. But do you really think Ford cares about us? They just want the car to make it out of warranty then it is off their hands. We the consumers get stuck for all of the repairs.
As to the head gasket... I bought my wife the same car I bought myself. We drove it home (about 30 miles from the point of sale) and on the same day the headgasket in the car blew!!! I towed it to the seller's house and demanded my money back. I recieved full payment.
Knowing how severe this problem can be I decided to pull the headgasket myself. It is not an easy job. The first time I did this I had the heads belt sanded...bad mistake ad it did not pass head compression test. I then had the heads milled. This worked great. It cost me about $600.00 by the time I was done.
Also I used the Ford replacement head bolts from the repair kit Ford has but I used the Fel Pro head gasket. The Ford kit was designed for fresh rebuilts or new motors, but not for cars with greater than 50,000 miles. The teflon on the Ford gasket is thinner than Fel Pro's. I was also told this by a rep at Fel Pro who also said this was their best selling headgasket and that they have made millions of dollars on this gasket.
While doing the repair I dropped the fuel rail and dammaged an injector so I replaced it only to find rust in the inner fuel rail. I always use mobil fuel and dry gas or fuel line cleaner. I replaced the fuel rail for about $200.00 and the injector was $100.00. This was my fault for the injector repair as I dropped the rail but the rust is a Ford problem which would cause an injector to fail as the rust plugs the injector filter.
I used anti-sieze coumpound on every bolt as I was putting these into aluminium. If the dealership did this job and did not do this step the bolts will break if any additional work is needed in the future. I use the Ford shop manual from Helm Inc and a torque wrench to the specified torque setting.
Additional things I do... I throw away the radiator on my cars about 5-6 years even though I fulsh them. I feel that $200.00 is worth the protection of my engine and transmission. Heat kills the Ford Taurus. The overheating causes an internal pressure build up as the coolant goes from liguid to gas. If the raidator cap can not vent the gas quickly enough the headgasket takes a hit. The overpressure causes the headgasket to fail and remaining coolant taking the path of leas resistance gets into the oil and to the main bearings. Alan Mathews, submitted Nov. 10, 2002
Car owner: Wuwei Liang | Model year: 1995 Taurus |
Location: Atlanta, Georgia | Date/Mileage of failure: Aug. 2002, 103,000 miles |
Contact: gtg088c@prism.gatech.edu | Cost of repair: >$1000.00 |
  | Failed system: Transmission meltdown |
I bought a used 1995 Ford Taurus (V6 3.0L) in July, 2002. The transmission problem occured at 103k miles. I saw smoke coming out from under the hood. I took the car to the repair shop. The mechanic told me there was breakage in the transmission. The transmission fluid leaked out and the smoke was caused by overheating. In the beginning it leaked slowly and I didn't see any fluid on the ground. The problem would only become visible after running about 5 miles. I was told the repair may cost over $1000. I left it as was on a limited budget. I kept filling up the tranmission fluid every week and only running the car in short distance. It's really painful!
After one month the problem became much more serious.
I found a lot of transmission fluid on the ground one day.
Now it leaks so fast that I can see the fluid dripping down.
I'm really frustrated by this lousy car. It's been sitting
in the parking lot for several weeks, because I really don't
know what to do with it, since I can't afford the high cost of repair.
Wuwei Liang, submitted Jan. 1, 2003