RoadVitals

1996 Ford Taurus Powertrain (other) Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Powertrain (other) reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
16
Latest Jan 15, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 825 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 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.

Owner reports naming powertrain

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 15, 2004

ON AUG. 4, 2003, I NOTICED MY CAR WAS SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL ON A STOP. ON AUG. 5, 2003, MY CAR WAS SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL ON A STOP, AND HESITATING BEFORE SLAMMING INTO FIRST UPON ACCELERATION. ON AUG. 6, 2003, MY CAR STOPPED SHIFTING BACK INTO FIRST WHEN IT NEUTRALIZED AT A STOP. IT HAD TO BE MANUALLY SHIFTED TO PARK, AND BACK INTO DRIVE. IF I TURNED OFF THE OVERDRIVE, WHICH IS AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGED ON THIS CAR, SHE DROVE LIKE NEW, BUT IF I FORGOT TO MANUALLY DISENGAGE MY OVERDRIVE, MY CAR VERY LOUDLY REMINDED ME TO SHUT IT OFF.

NHTSA ID
10070815
Incident
Aug 15, 2003
Mileage
59,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 15, 2004

REBUILT TRANS. NOV. 2000, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN MAY 2003 DUE TO THE TRANS. NOT GOING INTO OVERDRIVE. REPLACE SOLENOIDS IN TRANS. IN JUNE 2003 AND THAT STILL DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PAID $1600.00 TO REBUILD AND $250.00 TO REPLACE SOLENOIDS.

NHTSA ID
10070389
Incident
Nov 15, 2000
BrakesElectricalEngine+3 more
Filed Jan 15, 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
EngineFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 15, 2004

IN MAY 03 FORD SAID TRANS. WAS JUST WORE OUT. HAD REBUILT BY AAMCO AND THEN AT THE END OF JULY TRANS. HAD NO PARK, WAS JUST LIKE IN NUTRAL. ON THE WAY TO AAMCO TRANS. FELL APART. AAMCO TRYED TO SAY WE DID SOMETHING WRONG, BUT DECIDED THAT WE COULDN'T HAVE SO ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIND A NEW CASE FOR ARE AX4N TRANS. NOW. IT HAS BEEN OVER TWO WEEKS NOW AND STILL CAN NOT FIND A CASE. HOPE THEY FIND SOON SO CAN GET CAR BACK AND GET RID OF IT, NEVER TO OWN ANOTHER FORD. THIS CAR HAS HAD CONTINUAL SMALL BUT STILL PROBLEMS NEVER THE LESS SENCE WE PURCHASED IT. HAVE BEEN A FORD LOVER ALL MY LIFE AND AM KIND OF SAD TO SAY I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER FORD.

NHTSA ID
10069642
Incident
May 15, 2003
Mileage
119,925 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 15, 2004

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
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 15, 2004

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AS YOU DESCRIBED IN YOUR FEBRUARY 2001 ARTICLE ON ANOD E TRANSMISSIONS. THE CAR HAS 97K MILES ON IT AND I BELIEVE THE USED CAR DEALER KNEW IT HAD PROBLEMS WHEN HE SOLD IT TO ME BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING THE CAR UNTIL I VISITED THIS WEBSITE. I BELIEVE I WILL USE THE LEMON AID CAR BOOK IN TRYING TO GET EITHER FORD OR THE DEALER TO DELIVER. THE DEALER WAS CALLED FLEET DEPOT IN BRIDGEVILLE, PA I AM GOING TO THE CLOSEST DEALER KENNY ROSS AND HOPE I MAY GET SOMETHING RESOLVED. SINCERLEY, PAUL K. LITTLE

NHTSA ID
10069366
Incident
May 15, 2003
Mileage
97,000 mi
Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 21, 2003

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. I BOUGHT A FORD TAURUS 1996 FROM VENUNS FORD IN MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR SEVEN MONTHS AND THE GAS PEDAL WAS STICKING AND TAKING OFF VERY FAST AND SHIFTING ITS GEARS. THE MOTOR WAS RUMBLING AND SHAKING. I HAD TO REPAIR THE AXLES OF THE CAR. I HAD TO TAKE IT BACK EVERY MONTH BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE. THE WATER PUMP OVER HEATED AND THE GAS PEDAL IS STILL STICKING AND TAKING OFF VERY FAST TODAY. ALSO THE DEALER IS TRYING TO TAKE AWAY THE WARRANTY SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. I ASKED THE DEALER TO TAKE A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION BUT THEY REFUSED. I ASKED FOR AN EVEN EXCHANGE FOR A DIFFERENT CAR BUT THEY WANTED ME TO PAY FOR THIS CAR AND THE OTHER IF I GOT ONE. URGENTLY RESPOND TO MY COMPLAINT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10016262
Incident
Aug 18, 2002
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 31, 2001

THE COOL SYSTEM HAS BEEN RECALLED AND WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED BUT IT IS I DO NOT WANT TURNPIKE FORD TO DO REPAIRS ON MY CAR I KNOW THERE WORK AND DO NOT TRUST IT THAT IS WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED STILL GIVING US PROBLEMS THE COOLANT IN IT TURN TO A RUST THE HEATER WILL NOT GET HOT NOW THE TEMPERNTURE HAND ON GUAGE STAYS DOWN ON THE C ALL OF THE TIME WE HAVE TRIED TO CALL FORD MOTOR COMPANY ABOUT THIS AND THE WILL NOT GIVE US A ANSWER ON THE PROBLEM WE HAVE BEEN TOLL THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND SOME SAY THAT FORD HAS REPLACED THE ENGINE IN SOME OF THE CARS. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME I DO NOT HAVE THE FINICIAL MEANS TO BUY ANOTHER CAR. *AK

NHTSA ID
740206
Incident
Jul 1, 1998
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Jan 24, 2001

SEAL BLOWOUT AND FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION, REQUIRED COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. AAMCO ADVISED ME THE UNIT FAILED INTERNALLY. I HAD A FORD DEALER REPLACE THE UNIT. UNIT HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THIS IS COMMON FOR FORD TAURUS (NEVER HAD A FAILURE OF A TRANSMISSION IN 32 YRS OF DRIVING, SO THIS ONE SEEMS LIKE A HAZARD TO ME.)*AK

NHTSA ID
739875
Incident
Dec 28, 2000
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 18, 1998

POWER TRAIN TRANSAXLE HAS A HANGING DOWNSHIFT INTO FIRST WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR ROUNDING CORNERS AT LOW SPEEDS. IT'S HARD TO SHIFT INTO SECOND WHEN ACCELERATING.

NHTSA ID
522944
Incident
Nov 18, 1996
Body & structurePowertrain (other)Visibility
Filed Jul 6, 1998

COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION, PUMP SHAFT SPLIT IN HALF.

NHTSA ID
537348
Incident
Feb 1, 1998
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 12, 1997

DIFFICULTY SCHEDULING TRANSAXLE RECALL REPAIR.

NHTSA ID
602720
Incident
Dec 31, 1996
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 10, 1997

CAR SOLD WITHOUT RECALL WORK BEING PERFORMED.

NHTSA ID
514623
Incident
Dec 31, 1996
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 27, 1996

RECALL #96S51, DEALER HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING THE PART.

NHTSA ID
511933
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 6, 1996

DIFFICULTY OBTAINING PROPER TOOLS TO PERFORM TRANSAXLE RECALL REPAIR..

NHTSA ID
507108
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 23, 1996

REAR AXLE BROKE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
987206
Incident
Jul 17, 1996

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .