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 1991 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 241 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 241, in the owner's own words
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED MOVING FORWARD AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 69,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE RADIATOR, BATTERY, MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 98V323000 (STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS) AND 91V134000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: FOUNDATION COMPONENTS: DISC: ROTOR) YET DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS A SECOND TIME AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED TO REPORT THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000.
WHILE DRIVING GEARS JUMP. THERE IS RECALL 96V166000. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINS. *AK RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD OF OTHER FORD VEHICLES WITH DESIGN DEFECTS. *TC
MY FORD TAURUS 1991 STATION WAGON LUNGED FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY AFTER BACKING UP, BRAKING, THEN STARTING TO GO FORWARD. IT WENT AGAINST A WALL, THE BRAKE DIDN'T WORK, THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS CRASHED, I HAD TO PUT IT INTO PARK TO STOP IT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANY OTHER CAR SAME MAKE AND MODEL HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. MY MECHANIC TESTED IT AND IT DID THIS ANOTHER 3 TIMES.*AK
TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO NEUTRAL WHILE GOING UP HILLS. ONCE WHILE GOING UP A HILL, TRANSMISSION WENT INTO REVERSE, AND VEHICLE WENT BACKWARDS, NEARLY HITTING ANOTHER CAR. *AK *JB
OEM AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, REQUIRING INSTALLATION OF RE-MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION AT COST OF $2,862.51. *JB
MY 1991 FORD TAURUS WAGON HAS ALWAYS HAD MAJOR TRANSAXLE PROBLEMS! ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE TRANSMISSION PAN BOLTS LOOSSENED ON THEIR OWN. THIS HAS CAUSED PREMATURE TRANSMISSION DAMAGE, AND NOW THE WAGON RUNS MISSERABLY! THOUGH WE TIGHTENED UP THE BOLTS (FOR THE THIRD TIME) ENOUGH DAMAGE OCCURED TO THE TRANSMISSION AND NOW THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT. I PUT A NEW ONE IN WHEN I BOUGHT IT. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD AGAIN, AND SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO I AM AQUAINTED WITH WILL KNOW MY LITTLE FORD ORDEAL AS WELL (I'LL MAKE IT A POINT THAT THEY KNOW). HOW COULD A COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN MAKING CARS FOR SO LONG GO SO DAMM ASTRAY? SOME ONE TOLD ME THAT FORD SPELLED IN REVERSE STANDS FOR: "DRIVER RETURNS ON FOOT."...DROF *LA
VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY SHIFTS WHILE DRIVING.*MR THE VEHICLE SHIFTED ERRATICALLY. ON OCCASIONS IT WOULD SLAM INTO SECOND GEAR OR NOT AT ALL. THE VEHICLE HESITATED FROM A STOP AND WOULD JUMP INTO NEUTRAL. WHILE DRIVING WHILE DRIVING UPHILL THE VEHICLE JUMPED INTO NEUTRAL WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARDS ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE FORD SERVICEMAN WAS AWARE OF THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TS *NLM
THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED AND THEN SHUT OFF. *JB THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT SHIFT. *CB *JB
MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT EVEN AFTER DRIVING MY CAR WITH THE UP MOST CARE...AND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS COMPLAINED OF THIS...THE TAURUS IS INFAMOUS FOR THERE TRANSMISSION FAILURES. *JB
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 50MPH THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT CAUSING A NEAR ACCIDENT.
WHILE DRIVING 50MPH THE TRANSMISSION FAILED NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *SCC
TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT 4 TIMES, IT KEPT SLIPPING AT ANY SPEED. *AKCONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER STARTING THE TRANSMISSION, THE VEHICLE WOULD OVER HEAT AND CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXPRESSWAY. *JG
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TEST DRIVEN AND CONCLUDED THERE SHOULD BE NO PROBLEMS. THERE IS STILL AN OCCASIONAL GLITCH WHICH WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM IS WORSE AND WHEN YOU STOP IN TRAFFIC THEN GIVE IT GAS, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE, THEN SUDDENLY THE TRANSMISSION WILL ENGAGE WITH A JOLT. *JG
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSON FAILED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. VEHICLE WOULD RESTART, BUT WOULDN'T MOVE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
THE TRANSMISSION THAT FAILED IS A REPALCEMENT TRANSMISSION, INSTALLED BY A FORD DEALERSHIP, 3 YEARS AND LESS THAN 12,000 MILES AGO. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST. FORD REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING FOR US SINCE THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. IT HAS BECOME OBVIOUS TO US THAT FORD IS WELL AWARE THAT THESE TRANSMISSIONS ARE JUNK.
TOTAL REPAIRS 3400.00 AT A TIME WHEN MONEY IS VERY SCARCE AS I AM RETIRED AND ON A VERY LIMITED INCOME. I EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN SMALL REPAIRS, BUT WITH TAKING CARE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE LOW MILEAGE, I BELIEVE THE AXELS/ BRAKES AND TRANSMISSION ARE VERY PREMATURE AND MAYBE THE A/C. AT 37168 MILES, THE CAR SHOULD BE RUNNING LIKE NEW.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. PRIVATE MECHANIC STATED THAT TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. APPROXIMATELY 15 MONTHS LATER, REBUILT TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. NO CAUSE FOR THIS DEFECT WAS GIVEN TO THE CONSUMER BY DEALERSHIP OR PRIVATE MECHANIC. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDIITONAL INFORMATION. *AK
TRANSMISSION STARTED JUMPING INTO NEUTRAL, AND THEN STARTED DOWN INTO FIRST GEAR. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED. GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM TRANSMISSION WHEN COASTING. DIAGNOSED AS PLANETARY GEAR FAILURE BY DEALER AFTER INSTALLING NEW OIL DISTRIBUTION TUBES PER FORD TSB (02/08/2001). DEALER UNWILLING TO DISCUSS REPAIR UNDER "OWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAM". DEALER WILL NOT CONTACT ZONE MANAGER. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE VEHICLE HAS HAD SERIOUS DEFECTS WITH THE 3.8 LITER HEAD GASKETS AND THE AXODE TRANSMISSION, CONSUMER HAS FILED A CLAIM IN THE SMALL CLAIMS COURT. *MJS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
IN APRIL 1998, OUR 1991 FORD TAURUS STATION WAGON'S TRANSMISSION FAILED DESPITE HAVING ONLY 61,518 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. WE INCURRED OVER $2,100 IN EXPENSES REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH WAS THEN OUT OF WARRANTY. OUR TRANSMISSION SHOP TOLD US THAT THIS CAR SUFFERED FROM A DESIGN DEFECT, IN THAT THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT HAVE A SUFFICIENT COOLING SYSTEM, AND THAT IF THE TRANSMISSION BECAME HOT IT COULD FAIL UPON HAVING TO SHIFT GEARS AT SLOWER SPEEDS. THIS WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR CAR; MY WIFE HAD COMPLETED A LONG, HIGHWAY TRIP, AND THE TRANSMISSION SIMPLY FAILED AND LOCKED UP AFTER SHE EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND BEGAN STOP AND GO DRIVING. SHE WAS ACTUALLY PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP LIGHT WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. IN AUGUST 1999, I DISCOVERED THAT FORD HAD ACTUALLY SENT OUT A LETTER IN 1995 ADVISING OF AN EXTENSION OF ITS WARRANTY ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS DUE TO REPEATED FAILURES. I SENT A LETTER ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT AT THAT TIME, SINCE OUR CAR HAD BEEN ONLY 1,518 MILES OVER THE 60,000 LIMIT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE, BUT I RECEIVED A REPLY FROM FORD REFUSING TO PROVIDE ANY REIMBURSEMENT WHATSOEVER. I TOOK NO ACTION AT THAT TIME, BUT RECENTLY, THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR FAILED AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH ONLY 79,400 MILES (ABOUT 18,300 MILES SINCE PREVIOUS FAILURE) AND WE HAVE INCURRED ANOTHER $2,300 IN REPAIR EXPENSE, DESPITE OUR HAVING TAKEN MORE THAN ADEQUATE CARE OF THIS CAR. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY RECOURSE FOR THESE EXTRAORDINARY EXPENSES, GIVEN THAT FORD APPARENTLY WAS AWARE OF A DEFECT IN ITS TRANSMISSIONS FOR THIS MODEL OF CAR, YET FAILED TO OFFER A RECALL OR REPLACEMENT AND FAILED TO REIMBURSE US ADEQUATELY IN THE PAST. THIS CAR HAS TOO FEW MILES, AND HAS BEEN CARED FOR TOO WELL, SIMPLY TO JUNK IT, BUT WITH THE ONGOING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS IT HAS BECOME A CAR WE CAN NEITHER USE NOR SELL. *AK
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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