1996 Ford Taurus Electrical Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. IT CRANKS, BUT THE IGNITION DOES NOT TURN OVER UNTIL SHE DEPRESSES THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AT LEAST TEN TO TWELVE TIMES BEFORE IT WOULD START. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS AND BRAKE SWITCH INTERLOCK WERE THE CAUSES OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS ALSO STUCK IN PARK AND WILL NOT MOVE. IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE, SHE HAS TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF AND SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 05/05/09. *LJ

NHTSA ID

10256081

Incident

Jan 18, 2008

Mileage

120,000 mi

96' FORD TAURUS HAS A LEAK IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THIS LEAK CAUSES EITHER A SHORT IN THE BLOWER MOTOR OR THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR. BLOWER MOTOR WORKS SOMETIMES OR DOESN'T, USUALLY AFTER IT RAINS AND THE CORRESPONDING LEAK CAUSES A SHORT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS UP NORTH WHEN THE DEFROSTING OF THE WINDSHIELD IS A NECESSITY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10248871

Incident

Nov 10, 2008

1996 FORD TAURUS PROBLEMS WITH BACK GATE REPLACEMENT PANELS. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE CANNOT LOCK THE DOOR WITH A KEY IT MUST BE LOCKED BY HAND SHE BELIEVES THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR AJAR/RELAY. *KB THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE GROUND MOTOR AND THE SUSPECTED PROBLEM WAS MORE WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE REAR TAILGATE WOULD NOT OPEN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10231733

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

WHEN IN GEAR MY 1996 TAURUS'S POWER WINDOWS AND RADIO WILL NOT OPERATE. THEY WILL OPERATE IN NEUTRAL OR PARK. WHEN IN GEAR THE SEAT BELT LIGHT FLASHES ON. THE STEERING BECOMES TIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENS, ALMOST AS IF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. WHEN THE IGNITION MODULE DIED, THE OTHER PROBLEMS STOPPED FOR THE MOST PART. I NOTICE OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS.

NHTSA ID

10185401

Incident

May 15, 2005

MY 96 FORD TAURUS GL HAS THE FOLLOWING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, RADIO GOES OUT, SEAT BELT LIGHT FLASHES AND CLICKS, INTERMITTENT WIPERS FAIL, POWER WINDOWS FAIL, FINALLY POWER STEERING LOCKS UP,AND WHEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP, CAUSING SAFETY CONCERNS. IF PUT IN PARK EVERYTHING GOES BACK WORKING AS NORMAL. TOOK TO SHOP AND THEY SAY IT'S THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR AND THAT SEVERAL 96 TAURUS' THEY HAVE WORKED ON HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM....I AM WONDERING WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL PART IF THAT IS THE CASE...SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY WRONG! *NM

NHTSA ID

10183922

Incident

Feb 15, 2007

Mileage

155,752 mi

WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CAR IT HAD A SPARE TIRE ON IT, WHICH HAD A HOLE IN IT THAT I WAS NOT INFORMED OF. THE ELECTRICAL THINGS INSIDE THE CAR DO NOT WORK, SUCH AS THE WINDOWS, A/C AND RADIO BUTTONS. THE A/C AND RADIO CUT ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES. THE WINDSHEID WIPERS ARE SOMEHOW CONNECTED TO THE STARTER SO EVERYTIME I START THE CAR THW WIPERS COME ON AND STAY ON FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS. ALSO, I HAD THE CAR DIAGNOSED BY A MECHANIC AND HE SAYS THAT THIS CAR HAS BEEN SITTING UNDER WATER.

NHTSA ID

10126699

Incident

Jun 26, 2005

PROGRESSIVE SYSTEM FAILURES; INITALLY RAIDO GOES OUT, SEAT BELT LIGHT FLASHES AND CLICKS, INTERMITTENT WIPERS FAIL. FINALLY POWER STEERING LOCKS UP, CAUSING SAFETY CONCERNS. IF PUT IN PARK ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS RESUME OPERATION. TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR REPLACED, AUTOMOTIVE SHOP HAS SEEN 3 OTHER '96 TAURUS' WITH SAME ISSUE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10113957

Incident

Mar 1, 2005

RECENTLY I'VE NOTICED NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. FIRST I NOTICED MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND STAY ON. I HAD THE CAR SERVICED BUT THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND IT WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM WITH AN OXYGEN SENSOR (BANK 1). IT WAS RESET, BUT THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT AGAIN, AND THIS TIME THE CODES SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH TWO(2) OXYGEN SENSORS(BANK 1 & BANK 2), BUT THE EGR CHECK CAME UP INCOMPLETE. THEN THE PANEL LIGHT INSTRUCTING ME THAT A DOOR WAS AJAR STARTED COMING ON, BUT ALL DOORS WERE SHUT. THEN IT WOULD GO OFF ALL OF A SUDDEN. NOW THE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, AND ALL OF THE DOORS ARE SHUT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10106292

Incident

Nov 23, 2004

Mileage

85,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND FUSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10091819

Incident

Jul 4, 2004

THIS CAR CONTINUALLY STALLS OUT , THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON, THE ENGINE REPAIR LIGHT COMES ON, THE UNDERNEATH SUSPENSION SQUEEKS AND GROANS, THE BRAKES SQUEAK, THE WHEEL DOESN'T TURN WHEN THE CAR STALLS OUT. IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES WHEN I AM TURNING A CORNER, THE CAR STALLS OUT AND THE WHEEL WILL NOT TURN. NOW THE COMPUTOR SYSTEMS ARE NOT WORKING THE AIR CONDITIONING. I HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR TO GET THE RADIO AND THE AIR CONDITIONING TO START UP. THESE THINGS HAPPEN BUT NO ONE CAN FIND A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10070128

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

ENG SIZE 3.0 TRANSMISSION TYPE AX4S OR AXODE , TRANSMISSION JUST STOP PULLING FORWARD, HAD CAR SINCE OCT. 1998 BOUGHT USED ALWAY HAD PROBLEM WITH JERKING WHEN CHANGING TO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR FROM DAY ONE WHEN I BOUGHT CAR . TOLD THE DEALER ABOUT THE JERKING WHEN CHANGING GEAR HE SAID THE THE WAY THE CAR WAS MADE. CAR IS IN SHOP NOW FOR TRANSMISSION WORK. THEY SAID IT MUST BE THE COMPUTER , COULDNT FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I THINK A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE ON 1996 TAURUS . I AM TIRED OF SPENDING MONEY ON THIS CAR. I KNOW FORD KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10069491

Incident

Oct 15, 2001

Mileage

120,000 mi

ENGINE WILL NOT SHUT OFF WHEN TAKING THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. CONSUMER DISCONNECTED THE COIL WIRE AND SOME FUSES TO GET THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF. DEALER DETERMINED THAT IGNITION ACTUATOR SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10051935

Mileage

58,360 mi

FROST PLUG EXPERIENCED PREMATURE WEAR PER DEALERSHIP.*AK

NHTSA ID

10032232

Mileage

84,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING HIT A PUDDLE OF WATER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE SPLASHED WATER ON SERPENTINE BELT WHICH STARTED TO SLIP, PULLING VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. LOST POWER STEERING. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK THE ALTERNATOR WAS ALSO AFFECTED BY THE SPLASHING WATER CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL. *YH

NHTSA ID

8005886

REAR TAIL LIGHTS AND BACK UP LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. ELECTRICAL DEFECT DID NOT AFFECT HEADLIGHTS OR DASHBOARD LIGHTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

882888

Incident

Mar 12, 2001

MY BATTERY HAS RUN DOWN DUE TO THE INTERIOR LIGHT PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

740545

Incident

Nov 1, 2000

CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH PASSENGER'S SIDE. WITHIN MINUTES LATER, VEHICLE WAS UP IN FLAMES. INSURANCE COMPANY CLAIMED FIRE STARTED DUE TO ELECTRICAL WIRING. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK

NHTSA ID

879309

IN RAINY WEATHER VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED. *AK THE VEHICLE STALLS ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING IN PUDDLES. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *YH

NHTSA ID

879012

Incident

Nov 1, 2000

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND SPARK PLUGS POPPED OUT OF ENGINE. WOULD MAKE A LOT OF NOISE. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP TWICE & MECHANIC DID NOT KNOW CAUSE OF SPARK PLUGS POPPING OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID

877468

CABLE APPEARS TO BE APPOXIMATELY TOO LONG UNDER DASH CAUSING SHARP BEND AS IT GOES THROUGH FIREWALL AND EXCESSIVE BINDING, AND EVENTUAL FAILURE OF CABLE WHICH CAUSES CAR TO JUMP OUT OF GEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

738069

Incident

Dec 18, 2000

A WIRE CONNECTED TO THE STARTER WAS RUBBING AGAINST SOME PART OF THE CAR CAUSING A SHORT, A FEW DAYS LATER THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AGAIN SO A FUSE WAS REPLACED, THIS HAPPENED A FEW MORE TIMES AND FINALLY THE DEALER FOUND A BREAK IN THE LINE WHICH HAD BEEN WORN BY RUBBING ON A BREAK CABLE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

558269

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

874558

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH ENGINE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING STALLED/ JUST STOPPED WORKING.CONSUMER STEERED OFF THE ROAD, AND DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSE THE PROBLEM.*AK THE DAY BEFORE THIS FAILURE, THE HEATING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE VEHICLE STALL. THE DEALER SAYS THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS THE CAUSE, AND THAT THE ENGINE NEED TO BE REPLACED. *YH

NHTSA ID

874101

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

N O SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

735445

WHEN THE WEATHER GETS HOT, AND VEHICLE SLOWES DOWN A LITTLE IT WILL SHUT DOWN. ALSO, DASH LIGHTS COME ON, AND CAR IS DEAD. CONSUMER WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

872968

Incident

Jun 13, 1998