1996 Ford Taurus Steering Problems

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

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

WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY CONDITIONS BATTERY INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHED ON, AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN PLACE. CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO APPLY BRAKES TO COME TO A STOP, AND SIT FOR A FEW SECONDS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION THAT STEERING WHEEL WOULD UNLOCK. *AK THIS PROBLEM OCCURS MOST TIMES WHEN IT RAINS AND THE VEHICLE GOES THROUGH WATER. *NM

NHTSA ID

10081989

Incident

Jul 14, 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

VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING AFTER DRIVING THROUGH STANDING WATER. SERPENTINE BELT SQUEALS FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS AND WHEN THE NOISE STOPS THE STEERING POWER IS RESTORED. *LA

NHTSA ID

10049370

Incident

Dec 7, 2003

Mileage

30,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING LEFT ADJUSTING BAR PULL OUT OF THE TIE ROD. *AK

NHTSA ID

10048245

Incident

Nov 19, 2003

Mileage

114,000 mi

THE SEAT BELT LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD BLINKS ON INTERMITTENTLY, AND WHEN IT DOES THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP. WHEN THIS OCCURS CONSUMER LOSES CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10041931

Incident

Sep 17, 2003

Mileage

73,000 mi

THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SELECTOR (ALSO CALLED PARK/NEUTRAL START SWITCH) SHORTS INTERNALLY AND CAUSES THE VARIABLY ASSISTED STEERING TO MALFUNCTION (STOP ASSISTING ENTIRELY). DATE OF INCIDENT MAY NOT BE EXACT. WHILE TURNING RIGHT AT LOW SPEED INTO AN ALLEY POWER STEERING FAILED MOMENTARILY CAUSING FRONT WHEEL TO JUMP THE OPPOSITE CURB ONTO THE SIDEWALK AND DAMAGE WHEEL COVER. TSB # 96255 MAY DESCRIBE PROBLEM, BUT I'M NOT SURE. FORD DEALERSHIP PULLED UP A REPORT ON THIS FOR ME. REPORT STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SELECTOR MAY SHORT INTERNALLY AND CAUSE THE POWER STEERING ASSIST TO BE REDUCED (ELIMINATED), POWER WINDOWS TO FAIL, AND STEREO TO TEMPORARILY FAIL. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND SPORADIC, BUT SINCE THE STEERING IS ADVERSELY AFFECTED THIS PROBLEM CONSTITUTES A CLEAR SAFETY HAZARD. I FEEL THAT I WAS LUCKY AS THERE WAS NOBODY/NOTHING TO HIT AND THAT ALL I HAD DAMAGED WAS A WHEEL COVER.

NHTSA ID

10003022

Incident

Dec 10, 2002

Mileage

98,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE POWER STEERING WILL NOT TURN ON OR OFF AND CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO STEER OR TURN. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

NHTSA ID

8021900

Incident

Mar 10, 2002

THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE VIBRATED WHEN DRIVING AND WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS, PADS AND THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE ALUMINUM SPINDLE AT THE BALL JOINT BROKE AND CAUSED THE AXLE TO COME OFF. *MR *NLM

NHTSA ID

8020972

Mileage

160,000 mi

MY CAR HAS BEEN AT THE FORD PLACE IN MONROEVILLE,AL AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED AS FAR AS THE TRANSMISSION AND THE POWER STEERING. *AK

NHTSA ID

762366

Incident

Mar 4, 2002

THIS FAILURE IS A SAFETY HAZARD. WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING AT RANDOM, THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS QUIT WORKING, AND THE SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON! THEY ALL APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO THIS MLP/TR SWITCH. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND 4 OTHER OCCURRENCES THAT WERE REPORTED. WHEN I CALL THE LOCAL FORD SERVICE GARAGE, THE SERVICE MANAGER KNEW EXACTLY WHAT MY PROBLEM WAS AND SOLD ME THE SENSOR SWITCH. HE WAS AWARE THAT THE POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING WHEN THESE SYMPTOMS OCCUR. I EXPERIENCED THE POWER STEERING FAILING ON A TURN AND HAD MUCH TROUBLE CONTROLLING THE CAR. I'M WORRIED THAT MY DAUGHTER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

762249

Incident

May 1, 2002

POWER STEERING TURNS OFF IN RAIN, AND FORD TELLS US THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO.*AK

NHTSA ID

760115

Incident

Jun 15, 2000

VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING IF RIGHT WHEEL SPLASHES WATER ONTO SERPINTINE BELT. IT ONLY HAPPENS IF RIGHT WHEEL GOES THROUGH A WATER PUDDLE AND SPLASHES WATER ONTO THE SERPINTINE BELT. CONSUMER HAS HAD THE PROBLEM HAPPEN 3TIMES BEFORE. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED CURRENTLY. CONSUMER PLEASE ADD VIN# AND MILEAGE TO FORM. *AK

NHTSA ID

893268

Incident

Jan 11, 2001

FREEZE PLUGS BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE HWY; TEMP GAUGE WITHIN NORMAL RANGE AND "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT DID NOT COME ON UNTIL ENGINE DIED. REQUIRED HEAD GASKET JOB AS WELL AS REPAIR OF FREEZE PLUGS. TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING CORNERS ON WET STREETS. WINDSHIELD FOGS OVER COMPLETELY WHEN DEFROST/DEFOG IS TURNED ON BEFORE IT CLEARS. TEMPORARY LOSS OF VISION THROUGH WINDSHIELD RESULTING IN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS...

NHTSA ID

743794

RACK & PINION STTERING HAD TO BE REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASION WITHIN A YEAR. DEALER DID THE REPAIRS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

882348

Incident

Jan 15, 2000

WHILE PULLING UP TO PARK TRIED TO TURN CAR OFF AND IT WOULD NOT TURN. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE.*AK

NHTSA ID

878821

Incident

Jan 14, 2001

POWER STEERING MAKES A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN TURNING RIGHT AND LEFT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND NOTIFIED CONSUMER THAT POWER STEERING PUMP WAS GOING BAD. *AK

NHTSA ID

877997

CONSUMER STATES BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *YD

NHTSA ID

563958

ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN ABS LIGHT IS OFF, BRAKES WORK NORMALLY. WHEN MALFUNCTION OCCURS, THE BRAKES BUZZ ON APPLICATION AND STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASES DRAMATICALLY THEN THE ABS LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE. I CALLED FORD AND THEY WILL NOT OFFER ANY DEALER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.ALSO THE STEERING GEARBOX MAKES A LOUD GROAN AND VIBRATION WHEN RECOVERING FROM A RIGHT TURN. SOME RESISTANCE IS FELT ATTEMPTION TO TURN THE WHEEL BACK TO THE LEFT. THE VIBRATION IS FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. AGAIN FORD REFUSES TO ASSIST EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MULTIPLE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON BOTH OF MY COMPLAINTS IN YOUR LISTINGS.

NHTSA ID

730018

Incident

Aug 20, 2000

BOTH TURNING RIGHT AND RETURNING FROM RIGHT TURN PRODUCES A RUBBING GROANING SOUND

NHTSA ID

728443

TWICE THE POWER STEERING PULLEY HAS CRACKED NO ACCIDENT. POSSIBLE RESULT NO STEERING, ELECTRICAL COOLING & THEN ENGINE SHUTDOWN WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

9001651

WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN POWER STEERING WILL QUIT WORKING ON RAINY DAYS WHEN I GO THROUGH PUDDLES OF RAIN ON RIGHT WHEEL. THEN, START WORKING AGAIN AFTER A FEW MINUTES. *AK

NHTSA ID

866077

Incident

Jul 24, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

725381

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

723567