1996 Ford Taurus Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

“THE MOTOR CRADLE IN MY MOTHER-IN-LAW'S 1996 TAURUS RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKE AS SHE WAS MAKING A TURN. THIS CAUSED THE MOTOR TO PARTIALLY DROP MAKING STEERING ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE”

“I CURRENTLY OWN A 1996 FORD TAURUS. BY A FLUKE, I WAS RECENTLY NOTIFIED BY A MECHANIC THAT THE SUB-FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS CORRODED BEYOND REPAIR. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE”

“I NOTICED A CLICKING IN FRONT END WHEN TURNING,STOPPING AND ACCELERATING WICH VERY QUICKLY GRADUATED TO A LOUD POPPING SOUND.AFTER TAKING IT IN TO THE GARAGE THEY FOUND THAT THE HALF SHAFT AND TIE ROD WERE DAMAGED ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE”

“THE CAMSHAFT IN MY CAR FAILED AND CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE. IT WAS A 1996 FORD TAURUS SHO. IT CAUSED A COMPLETE POWER LOSS AROUND A CORNER AND I WAS ALMOST INVOLED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO MANY SHO OWNERS. THE REPAIR COSTS ARE RUNNING ME $5000 DOLLARS”

“I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK APRIL 17,2003 ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH AND MY 1996 FORD TAURUS SHO JUST QUIT RUNNING . I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN SLIPPED AND BENT ALL THE VALVES (32) IN THE ENGINE”

“CAMSHAFT SNAPPED, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SPROCKET ON THE CAMSHAFT CAME LOOSE, CAUSING THE CAM TO QUIT TURNING, THIS CAUSED THE VALVES AND PISTONS TO HIT EACH OTHER, THE ENGINE DIED AND VEHICLE LOST POWER BRAKES”

“DEFECTIVE FREEZE PLUGS IN 1996 FORD 3.0 VULCAN ENGINE IN TAURUS SEDAN. ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS FREEZE PLUGS CORRODED THROUGH LETTING HOT ENGINE COOLANT SPILL ON TO MY HANDS CAUSING BURNS. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED BUT I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AS THE CAR OWNER”

“WE HAD PURCHASED OUR 1996 FORD TAURUS IN JULY OF 1999 WITH 30,000 ON THE ODOMETER [XXX]. NOT LONG AFTER THIS I HAD THE COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHED AND, AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES THE HEATER CORE GOES OUT. AT A COST OF $600 WE HAD IT REPLACED. SINCE THEN THE HEATER CORE HAS BEEN REPLACED”

“PREVIOUSLY TO THIS ON 1/99, RECALL 98B23 WAS COMPLETED DEALING WITH THE RUSTY, CORROSIVE COOLANT CONDITION WHICH DEVELOPS IN THE 1996 TAURUS. NOW THE COOLANT RESERVOIR HAS DEVELOPED NUMEROUS STRESS CRACKS CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO POUR OUT. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT”

“I HAVE A 96 FORD TAURUS THAT HAS A BROKEN FRONT SPRING (AND I OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT) AND IT CAUSED MY TIRE TO BLOW ON THE HIGHWAY. I ALMOST CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT THAT WOULD HAVE INVOLVED A TRACTOR TRAILER, AND ALMOST SURELY MY DEATH. *TR”

“MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME FROM WORK, WHEN HER TIRE EXPLODED. SHE CALLED CRYING AND VERY SHOOK UP. WHEN I ARRIVED THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR WAS ON THE GROUND. APPARENTLY THE COIL SPRING SHOT OFF THE STRUT ASSY AND PUNCTURED THE INNER SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, A CLICKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT END,AND ALSO HAD STEERING DIFFICULTIES. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST AUTO REPAIR SHOP”

“WITH VEHICLE IN PARK, IT ROLLED BACKWARDS. THE CONSUMER WAS FOUND FATALLY CRUSHED BENEATH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE ROCKER PANEL AND TIRE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION INDICATOR WAS IN THE PARK POSITION”

“NHTSA# 96-V-086-000: PARK PAWL SHAFT WAS IMPROPERLY POSITIONED WHEN THE ROLL PIN THAT RETAINS IT WAS INSTALLED DURING TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY. IF THE SHAFT WAS NOT PROPERLY POSITIONED, THE ROLL PIN MAY NOT HAVE LINED UP WITH THE GROOVE IN THE SHAFT AND HAVE BEEN CRUSHED AT ASSEMBLY”

“1996 FORD TAURUS PURCHASED BY MY FAMILY IN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1996 FROM HEWLETT-PACKARD FLEET VEHICLES. WE'VE HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH THE PARKING GEAR (CAR ROLLS WHEN IN PARK) SINCE WE GOT THE CAR”

“I OWN A 1996 FORD TARAUS GL. THE TRANSMISSION IN IT HAS FAILED TWICE. EACH TIME, IT SUDDENLY STOPPED PULLING, WITHOUT ANY WARNING OF A PENDING MALFUNCTION. EACH TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN IN TRAFFIC, BUT, FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS”

“WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. DUE TO A BROKEN TORQUE CONVERTER.*AK”

“TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING AND RIGHT BEFORE THE CAR COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE TRANNY BUCKS. I WAS TOLD BY TWO TRANSMISSION SHOPS THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS A FAULTY FORWARD PISTON AND NEEDS TO BE REBUILT AT A COST OF $1800.00 DOLLARS”

“TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING LEAK. HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP”

“BRAKE LINE FAILURE. LOST BRAKES IN PARKING LOT. BRAKE LINE ROTTED THROUGH. REPAIRED BY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON FORD CARS. IF THIS DOESN'T REQUIRE A RECALL AND REPAIR I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES”

“MY SON WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. BRAKE LINES TO THE REAR OF THE CAR RUPTURED AND DRAINED SYSTEM OF BRAKE FLUID AND CAR HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL. IT ROLLED INTO AN INTERSECTION AND THANKFULLY HE WASN'T HURT”

“TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON 12/19//06 WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 309, AT ABOUT 5O MPH ON A CLEAR NIGHT WITH GOOD ROAD CONDITION. THE AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO ONE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED”

“AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOR 2 DAYS. WENT OUT BEFORE SCHEDULED SERVICE AT DEALER. NO DIAGNOSTIC CODE WAS RETURNED. DEALER ADVISED TO RETURN CAR IMMEDIATELY IF LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN”

“WAS REAR ENDED IN A FIVE CAR ACCIDENT,I HAD THE MIDDLE CAR . I WAS SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER CAR WHICH IN TURN HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, I KNOW THAT I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME HARD ENOUGH TO DEPLOY THE BAGS BECAUSE THE FRONT OF MY CAR”