Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1989 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 48 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 48, in the owner's own words
WE HAVE A 1989 TAURUS W/OD TRANSMISSION THAT SHIFTS HARD AND ROUGH, ALSO THE FRONT AND REAR RATTLES AND SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO FALL OFF. WE WERE NOT AWARE OF THE RECALLS FOR THIS ON OUR VEHICLE. THE PAINT IS BLISTERING WITH ORANGE RUST COMING THROUGH, AND THE STEARING (POWER W/TILT) HAS A JERK IN IT. CAN YOU OR WILL YOU HELP ME WITH THESE DEFECTS?*AK
JIM DANDY TRANSMISSION REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. NOW I HAVE MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEARING LEAKING WHERE THERE WAS NO LEAKS AND THE POWER STEARING WORKED FINE BEFORE THEY WORKED ON MY TAURUS THEY ARE LOCATED ON CALLEN STREET IN VACAVILLE CA. PHONE 449-8282. I FEEL THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONDITIION THAT THE POWER STEARING IS IN NOW. TO REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION THEY DROP THE FRONT A FRAME MOTER AND ALL SO THEY HAD TO DEAL WITH THE POWER STEERING TO DO THIS TYPE OF REPAIR. IT WAS NOT LEAKING BEFORE WHY DO THEY THINK THEY SHOULD GIVE BACK TO ME LEAKING AND THEY HAVE BEEN PAYED 1,850 CASH FOR THE REPAIR. I DO WISH TO FILL A COMPLANT AGAINST JIM DANDY TRANSMISSION TO HAVE MY CAR REPAIRED CORRECTLLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HELP IN THI MATTER OR BE ABLE TO DIRECT ME TO THE PROPER PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP ME. *AK
THE VEHICLE HAD OIL-LIKE ODOR CAUSED BY THE OVERHEATED TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE VEHICLE ALSO LURCHS WHEN IN GEAR AND WHEN STOPPED. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE. FINALLY,THE OVERDRIVE MODE FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION COULD NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE TRANSMISSION DEFECT,AND THE CONSUMER SAYS IT SHOULD BE REPLACED AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. *YH
THE VEHICLE HAS HAD TWO FAULTY TRANSMISSION REPLACED (NOV 17, 1999 AT 45154 AND AUG 7, 2000 AT 52402). NLM
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE JUMPS OUT OF GEAR. MANUIFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
FORD NEEDS TO FIX THESE TRANSMISSIONS--WE'RE ON OUR FOURTH--THIS IS RIDICULOUS!
VEHICLES INTERLOCK SYSTEM FAILED MAKING CONSUMER ABLE TO TAKE KEY OUT OF IGNITION WHEN THE TRUCK IS IN GEAR. NLM
WORK DONE AT RACETTE FORD IN OSHKOSH, MAINTAINENCE CHARGED FOR SAME WORK 2 AND 3 TIMES. DROVE CAR ONLY 303 MILES AFTER WORK COMPLETED CAR FAILED SAFETY INSPECTION. TRANSMISSION BLEW UP AFTER SERVICE PERFORMED BY DEALER. CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER AND DEALER RECIEVED NO SATISFACTION. SMALL CLAIMS COURT FILED CLAIM PENDING ACTION. DEALER MANAGER TODD INFORMED AND STATED THAT " FRONT ROTORS ON CAR ARE NOT A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE STATE OF WI." STATED THAT "WI. ONLY HAS LAW TO SAFETY ON BRAKE PADS NOT ROTORS." TRYING TO CLARIFY IF WI LAW HAS SAFETY ISSUE ON ROTORS. PLEASE RESPOND VIA E MAIL OR US POSTAL. H BOHLMAN ALSO CAR WAS SERVICED BY RACETTE AS PREVIOUSLY STATED AND WORK WAS NOT DONE AS WAS CHARGED FOR. AWAITING HEARING IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT.
POWER STEERING PERFORMS POORLY/STICKING. NM
WHENEVER VEHICLE ACCELERATES, TRANSMISSION WOULD GRAB. THIS CAUSES AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEARS TO NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED, WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEARS AT ALL. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO TRANSMISSION SHOP & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT & NEEDED REPLACING IT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION DID NOT KICK INTO GEAR. DEALER NOTIFIED AND EXPLAINED IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW, FORWARD CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, WHEN TRANSMISSION IS IN UPPER GEAR, A PISTON IS FRACTURED DUE TO POOR DESIGN. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
PISTON INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION BROKE, PREVENTING VEHICLE FROM GOING FORWARD. CONSUMER HAS TO PUT VEHICLE INTO REVERSE THEN IN DRIVE TO GO FORWARD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, SAID THAT IT WAS POSSIBLY CAUSED BY A PARTIALLY BROKEN RING AROUND THE PISTON. *AK *ML
ON A REGULAR BASIS, WHEN FIRST SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT. ALSO, AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, OR SLOWING DOWN ENOUGH TO FORCE THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT DOWN TO FIRST GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES OR "STICKS" WHEN CHANGING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR.
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE MOTOR WAS BOUNCING UP AND TRANMISSION WASN'T PROPERLY MOUNTED AND THE MOTOR WAS PULLING THE TRANMISSION AND MAKING A CLICKING SOUND WITHOUD ANY PRIOR WARNING. *AK
THE WIRING IS OVERHEATING AND IS CREATING A FOUL SMELL IN MY CAR AND THE PLUG FOR THE WIRE IS MELTING. WORRIED THAT THIS FAILURE WILL CAUSE A FIRE IN THE DRIVERS COMPARTMENT. PROBLEM STARTS WHEN THE HEATER BLOWER IS BEING USED. SAFEGUARD NEEDS TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO ASSURE DRIVERS THAT THEY WILL NOT GO UP IN FLAMES. I ALSO OWN A 87 FORD TAURUS AND IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED ASAP. MY TRANSMISSION HAS GONE BAD ON BOTH MY CARS COSTING ME A FEE OF $2600.00. THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT BECAUSE YOU GUYS DID NOT PUT A DAM IN THEM THEY OVERHEAT AND AND THINGS START TO BREAK.
TFI MODULE AND AXOD TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR. IF THERE WASN'T A 2ND GEAR, IT WOULD SHIFT INTO 3RD INSTEAD. TOOK TO DEALER & SERVICE MANAGER NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. INFORMED OWNER THAT THE LEAK NEEDED REPAIRING & THAT IT WOULD FIXED THE PROBLEM. *AK
UNDERHOOD FIRE STARTED DUE TO LEAKING POWER STEERING WHICH POURED ON THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD.
TIE ROD UNSCREWED ON LEFT FRONT WHEEL, CAUSING WHEEL TO BE UNCONTROLLABLE.
LEFT LATCH ON THE CONVERTIBLE TOP HAD SNAPPED LOOSE.
DOORS OPEN WHILE DRIVING.
AXOD TRANSMISSION FAILURE; ALSO, AXOD-E TRANSAXLE FAILED. *AK
TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR, RESULTING IN A RAPID DECREASE IN SPEED/STALLING. *AK
THE SEAT CUSHION FRAME ON THE POWER SEATS SHEARS FROM THE BRACKET ATTACHING THE SEAT TO THE FLOOR. SHEARING OCCURS ON THE SEAT WHERE THE BOLT ATTACHES TO THE BRACKET. THIS IS THE SECOND INSTANCE OF THE METAL BREAKING AWAY FROM THE BOLT.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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