1988 FORD TAURUS Recalls, Complaints & Safety

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SITTING AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE RPMS WOULD INCREASE EXCESSIVELY. THE FAILURE WOULD RESET ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000. UPDATED 10/10/12 *CN UPDATED 1/23/13 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED AT STOPS, WITH BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED A SMALL UNUSUAL ENGINE HUM BEGINS. THEN, IT INCREASES RAPIDLY AND LOUDLY. THE BRAKES SEEM TO SINK TO THE FLOOR. UPDATED 02/11/2013 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK . THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED THAT THE RPMS DID NOT RETURN TO IDLE. THE CONTACT SAW THAT THE CABLE THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THE THROTTLE AND CRUISE CONTROL WAS OUT OF PLACE AND THE CONTACT RE-ATTACHED THE CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 04/06/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A TACHOMETER. UPDATED 04/13/12

CONSUMER'S 1988 FORD TAURUS WAS DELIVERED WITH RUST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR FENDER. *TS THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES, WIPER MOTOR, BODY MOUNTS AND STRUTS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER AT ANY SPEED AND THE ROTORS BECAME CORRODED AS A RESULT OF SODIUM BUILD UP. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONSULTED, AND AGREED TAHT THIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL 98V323000 CONCERNING THE SUB FRAME MEMBERS, AND RECALL 91V134000 CONCERNING THE BRAKE ROTORS. HOWEVER, MANUFACTURER AND DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WITHOUTA CHARGE TO THE CONTACT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT RIGHT HEADLIGHT. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. CONSUMER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE POLICE IN POUND. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK,

Fire

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S FUEL LINE. *MR CONSUMER WAITING FOR SETTLEMENT ON REPAIRS MADE ON FUEL PUMP, ENGINE MOUNTS, POWER BRAKE BOOSTER, MASTER CYLINDER, AIR CONDITIONER, MANIFOLD, TIRES, AND TRANSMISSION. *LA

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A FUEL LINE PROBLEM. *AK THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE IDLE, MILEAGE PER HOUR, THE A/C, THICKNESS IN THE FUEL, AND THE IGNITION. (REFER TO: ODI# 10073942) *SC THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER WERE INOPERATIVE. *JB

1988 FORD TAURUS GL 3.0L V-6. HEATER CORE FAILED DURING WINTER MONTH WITH TEMPS IN THE 30-40 DEGREE F RANGE. WINDSHIELD AND ALL OTHER WINDOWS FOGGED OVER AND ELIMINATED VISIBILITY INSTANTLY. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AT NIGHT AT APPROX 9:30 PM. ATTEMPTS AT USING A PAPER TOWEL WHICH WAS HANDY WAS TO NO AVAIL. AS SOON AS THE INTERIOR WINDOW WAS WIPED, IT INSTANTLY REFOGGED. USE OF DEFOGGER WAS FUTILE AND USE OF THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS OF LITTLE TO NO HELP. THE IMMEDIATE NATURE OF THE INCIDENT, FOR AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER OR A DRIVER UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ROAD IT COULD LEAD TO A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. ANYONE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED WHEN THIS WOULD OCCUR WOULD VERY LIKELY BECOME DISORIENTED, LOSE CONTROL, AND CRASH WITH LIKELY FATAL RESULTS. THERE ARE VERY LIKELY, NUMEROUS "UNEXPLAINED FATALITIES" WHERE THIS VERY INCIDENT WAS THE CAUSE. AFTER THE CRASH, FINDING THE CAUSE WOULD BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND, DUE TO THE FATAL ENDING, NO ONE FROM INSIDE THE AUTO TO RELATE WHAT HAPPENED. THE SAME HEATER CORE AND INSTALLATION ARRANGEMENT HAS EXISTED ON THE FORD TAURUS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. I REPORTED THIS SHORTLY AFTER IT OCCURRED BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE.*AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *PH

THE IGNITION SWITCH DID NOT WORKING PROPERLY. IT WAS HARD TO GET THE VEHICLE TURNED ON, AND WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED, THE DASH LIGHTS DID NOT COME ON. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PLAY WITH THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION TO GET THE DASH LIGHTS TO COME ON. *PH *JB *CB

WHEN I TRY TO TURN ON THE VEHICLE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS HARD TO TURN ON THEN WHEN IT IS TURNED ON THE DASH DOESN'T LIGHT UP, AND THE WHOLE CAR IS DIGITAL. I HAVE TO PLAY WITH THE SWITCH AND TRY AND TURN THE KEY A LITTLE BACKWARDS TO GET THE DASH TO LIGHT UP. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ALMOST A YEAR (SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR). *NLM

INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE ENGINE WOULD ACT AS IF IT WERE RUNNING OUT OF GAS, ENGINE WOULD QUIT. AND THEN CAME BACK WITHOUT WARNING. ENGINE DID NOT NEED TO BE RESTARTED RIGHT AWAY BUT WOULD CUT OUT AS DESCRIBED AND THIS CONDITION WOULD CLEAR ON IT'S OWN. EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE WOULD SKIP AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING AND DID STALL. WOULDN'T START AND RUN WITHOUT INCIDENT. DEALER DIAGNOSIS WAS TO REPLACE THE DISTRIBUTOR AND ELECTRONIC IGNITION MODULE EVEN THOUGH THEY RECOMMENDED NOT REPLACING STATING THAT THEY WERE NOT SURE THAT THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS NOT HAD AND INCIDENT SINCE THE DEALERS REPAIR. *AK *NLM *SCC **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734229

SUBJECT VEHICLE: 1988 FORD TAURUS, VIN NO. [XXX] THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING INSULATION BECOME ABRADED,OR PUNCTURED, AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURRED THAT RESULT IN A FIRE IN THE SEAT CUSHION MATERIAL. AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED IN THE SERVICE DEPT. OF TEXAN FORD, INC., 20777 KATY FREEWAY, KATY, TX 77450, PHONE 281-579-9100. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE SERVICE TECH WORKING ON THE CAR. THE FIRE APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY THE POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING ROUTED OVER RATHER THAN UNDER THE FRONT SEAT SUPPORT BRACE, ALLOWING DAMAGE BY SEAT CUSHION SPRING ENDS WHEN SEAT IS OCCUPIED. THE DEFECTIVE POWER SEAT CONTROL WIRING HARNESS WAS ACQUIRED BY THE OWNER AND IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY ANY INTERESTED PARTIES. THE FORD DEALERSHIP REPORTED NO LIABILITY FOR THE SEAT FIRE AND SAID THAT FORD HAD NOT LIABILITY FOR THE FIRE OR RESULTING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. REFER TO RECALL NUMBER 91V036000 ON THIS VEHICLE. WHEN NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY,THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MACK HAIK FORD, 10333 KATY FREEWAY, HOUSTON, TX 77024, PHONE 713-932-5065 FOR THE RECALL MAINTENANCE WORK. IT APPEARS THE RECALL WORK WAS NOT CARRIED OUT OR WAS CARRIED OUT INCORRECTLY AT THAT TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Fire

SUBJECT VEHICLE: 1988 FORD TAURUS, VIN NO. [XXX] THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING INSULATION BECOME ABRADED,OR PUNCTURED, AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT OCCURRED THAT RESULT IN A FIRE IN THE SEAT CUSHION MATERIAL. AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED IN THE SERVICE DEPT. OF TEXAN FORD, INC., 20777 KATY FREEWAY, KATY, TX 77450, PHONE 281-579-9100. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE SERVICE TECH WORKING ON THE CAR. THE FIRE APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY THE POWER SEAT SWITCH WIRING ROUTED OVER RATHER THAN UNDER THE FRONT SEAT SUPPORT BRACE, ALLOWING DAMAGE BY SEAT CUSHION SPRING ENDS WHEN SEAT IS OCCUPIED. THE DEFECTIVE POWER SEAT CONTROL WIRING HARNESS WAS ACQUIRED BY THE OWNER AND IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY ANY INTERESTED PARTIES. THE FORD DEALERSHIP REPORTED NO LIABILITY FOR THE SEAT FIRE AND SAID THAT FORD HAD NOT LIABILITY FOR THE FIRE OR RESULTING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. REFER TO RECALL NUMBER 91V036000 ON THIS VEHICLE. WHEN NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY,THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MACK HAIK FORD, 10333 KATY FREEWAY, HOUSTON, TX 77024, PHONE 713-932-5065 FOR THE RECALL MAINTENANCE WORK. IT APPEARS THE RECALL WORK WAS NOT CARRIED OUT OR WAS CARRIED OUT INCORRECTLY AT THAT TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Fire

CONSUMER STATES WHEN THE ENGINE IS FIRST STARTED, EITHER HOT OR COLD, THE REVOLUTIONS ARE HIGH AND A WAIT IS REQUIRED TO AVOID HARSH SHIFTS (ALSO WASTES FUEL). SOMETIMES THE REVOLUTIONS NEVER SETTLE DOWN TO AN IDLE SPEED AND BRAKING IS REQUIRED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM GOING OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. WHEN STOPPED THE ENGINE WILL SURGE WITHOUT WARNING AND THE BRAKE MUST BE DEPRESSED AT ALL TIMES AS NOT TO LOSE CONTROL. DEALER HAS DIAGNOSED 3 TIMES. HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *TT

SUB FRAME BOLTS BROKE MOTOR MOUNTS ON ENGINE AND BOOT ON STEERING---BOLTS WERE DEFECT ALL FOUR BOLTS---PUT STRESS/STRAIN ON ENGINE/STEERING

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. ENGINE PULLED AWAY FROM MAIN FRAME DUE TO DEFECTIVE BOLTS. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING BOOT HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SUB FRAME FAILURE, OTHER PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE INCLUDE: TFI MODULE, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, BLOWER MOTOR WAS OVERHEATING, FUEL PUMP FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *SLC

RECALL 98 V 323 000/SUBFRAME CORROSION: WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH SUBFRAME DETACHED FROM BODY MOUNT AND CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *TT

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN. DRIVER PUSHED ON ACCELERATOR, BUT AUTOMOBILE CONTINUED TO SHUT DOWN. REACHING SIDE OF ROAD, AND USING BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR, CONSUMER COULD RESTART VEHICLE BY PLACING IT IN NEUTRAL OR PARK. CONSUMER HAS NOT YET HAD AN ACCIDENT. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER LOST TOTAL ELECTRIC POWER TO SPARK PLUGS WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. MOTOR STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER TO VEHICLE. IGNITION SWITCH HAS MELTED DOWN. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER KEPT PUTTING VEHICLE ON MACHINES, BUT HAS NOT SOLVED PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

CONSUMER CAME TO A START, ENTERED INTO INTERSECTION AND VEHICLE STALLED. ONCE ENGINE COOLS DOWN, IT WILL START BACK UP. CONSUMER IS AWARE OF A CLASS ACTION SUIT. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE AND IT MADE NOISES. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

RUBBER MOUNTS DETERIORATED, CAUSING THEM TO CRACK IN HALF, DEALER REPLACED. *SLC

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING ERRATIC OPERATION OF IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY. VEHICLE WILL EITHER NOT START OR CUTS OFF DURING OPERATION. *AK DEALER FIRST REPLACED STARTER ASSEMBLY AND THEN LATER DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY. *SLC

WHEN THE HEATER CORE FAILS IN COLD TEMPERATURES, LARGE VOLUMES OF STEAM FROM THE SUPERHEATED COOLING FLUID IS RELEASED INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAUSING ALL WINDOWS TO FOG WITHIN 5 TO 10 SECONDS RENDERING THE DRIVER BLIND ON THE HIGHWAY. OPENING THE WINDOWS AND SHUTTING OFF THE HEATER IS NOT A RAPID ENOUGH REMEDY. THE WINDSHIELD REMAINS FOGGED AS DOES THE REAR WINDOW, EVEN WITH THE REAR WINDOW DE-FOG/ICER ON. THIS INCIDENT PRODUCES A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION FOR EVEN AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER AT NORMAL URBAN TRAFFIC SPEEDS. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND AT NIGHT, THIS BECOMES AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE RUPTURE OF THE HEATER CORE IS INSTANTANEOUS AND COMES WITHOUT WARNING.*AK

STRUT ROD LOCATED BETWEEN LOWER CONTROL ARM AND FRONT OF SUBFRAME UNDER RADIATOR ON ONE SIDE, CAUSING ROD TO MOVE A HALF INCH. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK THE MOUNT IN THE FRAME BROKE CAUSING THE STRUT ROD TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH AND WORE OUT THE BUSHINGS. *YH

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TWO ACCIDENTS DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. *AK

Crash

WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE WOULD STALL. DEALER STATED INGNITION MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE USING JACK AS VEHICLE EQUIPMENT SAW A SPLIT ON BODY OF JACK NEAR THE HINGE. THERE ARE CRACKS ON BOTH SIDES OF JACK NEAR THE HINGE. *YH