1993 Ford Taurus Visibility Problems

I HAVE A 1993 FORD TAURUS 3.0 V6. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE 3.8 V6'S WITH HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. AT JUST 71000 MILES I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM MY PARENTS, WHO BOUGHT IT NEW. MY FATHER IS A RETIRED NYC TRANSIT AUTHORITY MECHANIC, AND HE WAS METICULOUS ABOUT THE UPKEEP OF HIS VEHICLES. NOW I AM FACE WITH AN AUTOMOBILE THAT IS NOTHING MORE THAN A HUGE PAPERWEIGHT.OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IT SEEMS THAT I WAS JUST THROWING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD. A COUPLE OF HUNDRED HERE, $700 FOR A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE A/C SYSTEM, ETC. I DO NOT HAVE THE CASH TO SPEND APPROXIMATELY $1300 ON REPAIRS. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I WENT TO YOUR WEBSITE AND BROUGHT UP THE INFORMATION ON MY '93 TAURUS. THE AMOUNT OF TSB'S THAT AFFECT MY CAR ASOUNDED ME. I HAVE PAID FOR REPAIRS TO SOME, AND THOUGHT OTHERS WERE JUST AGE ISSUES. THESE TSB'S THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT MY AUTOMOBILE INCLUDED; 93-23-6,94-19-4,94-16-3,96-7-5,96-15-3,95-3-4,96-22-1,93-3-9,&95-19-1. AS I STATED, THIS CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN MY FAMILY. WHY HASN'T FORD TRIED TO CONTACT US ON ANY OF THESE ISSUES? ON ONE OF THESE TSB'S, WE DEVELOPED A LEAK IN A COOLING LINE. THE DEALERSHIP CHAGED US $360 FOR REPAIRS, WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COVERED BY FORD, WE WERE ONLY REIMBUSED $60. FORD SAID THE DEALER SHOULD REIMBURSE US THE BALANCE, AND THE DEALER SAID THAT FORD SHOULD REIMBURSE US. GUESS WHAT, EXCEPT FOR THE $60, WE NEVER GOT REIMBUSED THE ADDITIONAL $300. I AM AT WITS END. MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM MY MOTHER A 5 YEARS AGO, WHEN OUR FAMILY STARTED TO GROW. OBVIOUSLY WITH JUST 71,000 MILES SHE DOES NOT DO A LOT OF DRIVING. SHOPPING AND WORK FOR HER ARE ALL WITHIN A 15 MILE RADIUS. BUT WITH THE LOSS OF A VEHICLE SHE HAS HAD TO REDUCE THE AMONT OF WORK SHE WOULD NORMALLY PUT IN BY 50%. IS THERE ANY HELP OUT THERE?

NHTSA ID

10070825

Incident

Aug 15, 2001

Mileage

63,000 mi

OUR 1993 TAURUS WITH A 3.8L HEAD GASKETS BLEW. FIXED TWICE AND WASN'T COVERED BY RECALLS. (1994-95 TAURUS) A/C WENT OUT FOR UNKNOWN REASON. TOO EXPENSIVE TO FIX. STILL NOT WORKING. WINDOW DIED IN WINTER. TOO EXPENSIVE AND POWER CUT FROM SWITCH

NHTSA ID

10069485

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

Mileage

75,000 mi

VEHICLE STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER, HAD HEAD GASKET REPLACED. HOWEVER, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. HAD HEAD GASKET REPLACED AGAIN. *AK CONSUMER HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, THE PAN PLUG LEFT UNDONE CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE OIL, THE RADIATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO OVER TORQUE BOLTS WHICH BURSTED AROUND THE CORE, THE ENGINE IS KNOCKING AND THE OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED DUE TO LACK OF OIL. CONSUMER HAS LOST TRUST IN THE DEALERSHIP. HEAD LIGHTS FAILED, LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE WIPERS WERE NOISY, DEALER REPLACED THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH AND WIPER MOTOR. THERE IS A POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING, THERE IS A RUBBING NOISE IN THE RIGHT FRONT ON TURNS AND WHEN BACKING UP. THE AIR CONDITIONER IS NOT BLOWING COLD AIR, SHRATER VALVE AND A/C REFRIGERANT WAS REPLACED. THE KEY SWITCH FAILED. THE FAULTY ANTENNA MOTOR FAILED. THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED. TIE ROD WAS REPLACED. *TT

NHTSA ID

8010926

Incident

Sep 3, 2001

WHILE USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD DIE. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY DEALER, AND REPLACE WIPER MOTOR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

8007397

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED WHILE DRIVING IN RAINSTORM. APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

758477

Incident

Feb 22, 2002

REARVIEW MIRROR KEEPS FALLING OFF INSIDE WINDSHIELD, HAD MIRROR REPAIRED THREE TIMES. ADHESIVE FAILS TO BIND MIRROR TO VEHICLES WINDSHIELD INDEFINITELY. *AK

NHTSA ID

8001642

Incident

Dec 12, 2001

REARVIEW MIRROR FELL OFF BECAUSE GLUE DRIED UP. CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

894604

Incident

Aug 16, 2001

CONSUMER COMPLAINT IS THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED, AND WAS REPLACED BY PRIVATE GARAGE AT THE CONSUMER'S COST. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE HIS CASE TO BE ADDED TO CURRENT INVESTIGATION FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

890135

Incident

Aug 13, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

745636

Incident

Feb 1, 2001

VEHICLE STALLING INTERMITTENTLY, AT ANY SPEED/ANY TIME. DEALER STATED THIS WAS DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION DEVICE. *AK VEHICLE WILL NOT START WHETHER IT IS IN PARK OR NEUTRAL. STARTER, SPARKPLUGS, AND BATTERY HAVE BEEN REPLACED, DOOR CHIME WOULD SOUND WHEN KEYS WERE NOT IN IGNITION. TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND EXPERIENCES ERRATIC SHIFTING. FAULTY FRONT STRUTS CAUSE VEHICLE TO OVERSTEER, TIRES WERE ROTATED AND FRONT WAS ALIGNED TO HELP PROBLEM, HOWEVER DID NOT REMEDY. DASHBOARD RATTLES, HOWEVER DEALER CAN NOT REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. DRIVER SIDE DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY AND THERE IS WIND NOISE WHEN DRIVEN OVER 20 MPH, LEFT DOOR WAS NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY. KEYLESS ENTRY FAILED, PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR LOCK INOPERABLE. EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NEVER INSTALLED. THERE IS A CONSISENT WIND SOUND IN VEHICLE. FRONT END EXPERIENCED SHAKING. EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION. DIFFICULT AND NOISY STEERING OCCURRED, DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING LINE. FRONT BRAKE PADS REPLACED. EXHAUST REPLACED. FUEL PUMP REPLACED. WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH WAS REPLACED. VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS ONLY 47114 MILES ON. *SLC

NHTSA ID

882786

Incident

Jun 1, 1996

I SUBMITTED INFORMATION TWO DAYS AGO. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WENT THROUGH OR NOT. IN CASE NOT, I STARTED HAVING HEATING PROBLEMS LAST YEAR AND AFTER REPLACING HEATING COMPONENTS,IE, RADIATOR, TWO THERMOSTATS, TWO HEATING SENSING UNITS, WATER PUMPAND HEAT GUAGE. IT KEPT RUNNING HOT TO THE POINT I WAS SCARED IT WOULD RUIN MY MOTOR. I NEVER RAN IT TO THE BOILING POINT. I FINALLY LEFT IT WITH MY MECHANIC AND AFTER MANY CHECK, HE FINALL FOUND FAULTY HEAD GASKETS WITH A GAS ANALIZER. I HAD THE GASKETS AND NECESSARY COMPONENTS REPLACED. IT IS NOW BACK TO NORMAL. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY MORE PROBLEMS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHY MR. [XXX], MANAGER,VEHICLE SERVICE AND PROGRAMS, FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE DIVISION DETERMINED BY LETTER THAT ALL 94 AND 95 TAURUS'S WITH 3.8L ENGINES WOULD BE REPAIRED FREE BY THE FORD MOTOR CO.. IF HE WOULD CHECK THE INTERNET FOR 93 TAURUS ,WITH 3.8L ENGINES HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HE SAID HE HOPED THIS PROGRAM WOULD CONFIRM YOUR CONTINUED SATISFACTION IN YOUR FORD-BUILT VEHICLE. THE LETTER ALSO STATED IF YOU REPAIRED YOUR VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS LETTER, YOU WOULD RECEIVE A REFUND. I HAVE BEEN A FORD PERSON ALL MY LIFE. I HAVE TWO NOW. I WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED FAIR. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE FOR LETTING ME SUBMIT THIS COMPLAING. SINCERELY, [XXX] (PLEASE EXCUSE THE ERRORS).*AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

740241

Incident

Jan 16, 2001

BATTERY FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO START. NLM

NHTSA ID

739815

Incident

Aug 11, 1999

3.8 LITER ENGINE, HEAD GASKET FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 92000 MILES, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE. FORD DOES NOT INCLUDED 1993 MODELS UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK *ALSO HEATER CORE WAS BLOWN OUT. *JB

NHTSA ID

877525

Incident

Dec 30, 2000

WINDSHIELD WIPERS RANDOMLY STOP DURING OPERATION, AND MAY OR MAY NOT RESTART AFTER THAT. THIS PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED WITH THE ORIGINAL PART IN MID-1998. AFTER A FEW UNSUCCESSFUL DIAGNOSES (I.E., THE WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED 2 TIMES IN 1998/99 WITHOUT FIXING THE PROBLEM), THE WIPER "MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH" CONTROL WAS REPLACED BY MORANDE FORD AT MY EXPENSE ON 3/17/99 AND THIS FIXED THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM IS NOW OCCURRING AGAIN. WIPERS GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE FORD WIPER CONTROL UNITS, SINCE THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WITH BOTH THE ORIGINAL PART (1998/1999) AND THE REPLACEMENT PART (2000). I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR (EVEN ONCE THE PART IS REPLACED AGAIN) BECAUSE THE PROBLEM RECURS EVEN WITH THE REPLACEMENT PARTS. *AKY

NHTSA ID

737623

Incident

Dec 5, 2000

WHENEVER WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE TURNED OFF THEY WOULD REMAIN IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THEY DO NOT LAY DOWN IN A NORMAL POSITION. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. HAS BEEN TO DEALER & HAD MECHANIC REPLACE THE MOTOR. WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

875439

THERE WAS ALSO PROBLEM WITH NOTORIOUS "HEAD GASKET FAILURE" I HAD TO HAVE REPAIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

736442

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID

732136

Incident

Apr 1, 1998

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID

731878

WHILE DRIVING DURING A RAIN STORM WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT , AND DID NOT COME BACK ON. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

867544

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT RETRACT AND TENDED TO STICK IN UPRIGHT POSITION. PROBLEM WOULD NOT CORRECT ITSELF EVEN WHEN SWITCHING FROM INTERMITENT TO OFF OR FROM OFF TO LOW OR HIGH SPEED SETTINGS. *AK

NHTSA ID

722166

Incident

Apr 30, 2000

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDOW AND DO NOT RETURN TO NORMAL POSITION. PROBLEM 2 - HEADRESTS DO NOT LOCK IN DESIRED POSITION, CAUSES SEVERE NECK STRAIN. PROBLEM 3-SOMETHING CAUSED BOTH LEFT SIDE TIRES TO BLOW WHILE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/75/R1 )

NHTSA ID

721868

Incident

Apr 23, 2000

ENGINE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF COOLANT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER , AND INFORMED CONSUMER OF A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK WINDSHEILD WIPER BLADES LOCKED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. A/C COMPRESSOR LOCKED UP AND BURNED UP BELT AND IDLES THE VEHICLE STILL LEAKING COOLANT AFTER REPAIR WAS DONE. *YH

NHTSA ID

860323

Incident

Mar 15, 1999

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY MAKING LOUD NOISES, THERMOSTAT WENT FROM NORMAL TO HOT. TURNED THE HEATER ON AND NOTHING HAPPENED. PULLED UP INTO THE DRIVEWAY SMOKING VERY BADLY, NOTICED WATER HAD BEEN LEAKING. POPPED THE HOOD AND THE RADIATOR WAS COLD. HAD THE WATER PUMP AND HEATER REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

859370

Incident

Mar 28, 2000

WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL STICK IS TOUCHED THEY START WORKING AGAIN. THIS COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS ACCIDENT AS THE DRIVER CANNOT SEE AND HAS TO TURN HIS ATTENTION TO PLAYING WITH THE TURN SIGNAL STICK. *AK

NHTSA ID

719392

Incident

Jul 1, 1998

THE WINDSHILD WIPER MOTOR FAILED WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. NLM

NHTSA ID

550935