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 1997 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 191 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 191, in the owner's own words
THE GEAR WON'T GO INTO PARK. WHEN ITS PLACED IN PARK THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO MOVE. I HAD TO CALL ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. NO INJURIES WERE CAUSE OR THE POLICE WEREN'T CALLED. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND ITS A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE. *TR
YESTERDAY EVENING ME AND MY FAMILY STOPPED AT A GAS STATION AND MY GIRLFRIEND WENT INTO THE BIG APPLE IN CANTON, MAINE. SHE WAS IN THERE FOR AWHILE AND I HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE CAR WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. I WENT IN THE STORE TO SEE WHAT WAS TAKING SO LONG AND WHILE I WAS IN THERE I HEARD THE CHILDREN SCREAMING. ALL THREE OF THEM WERE IN THE BACK SEAT AND THE CAR BACKED UP BY ITSELF AND I RAN OUT OF THE STORE AFTER IT. IT RAN INTO A TELEPHONE POLE AND I IMMEDIATELY DEMANDED TO KNOW WHO TOUCHED THE CAR. NOBODY HAD, THE CAR WAS STILL IN PARK. IT MUST OF BACKED UP ABOUT 10 TO 15 MPH BEFORE HITTING THE POLE. IF THE POLE HAD NOT OF BEEN THERE THE CAR WOULD OF CROSSED RT. 108 AND COULD OF BEEN HIT BY TRAFFIC. MY CHILDREN WERE SO SCARED THEY WOULDN'T GET BACK IN THE CAR. *TR
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GOING OUT TORQUE CONVERTER SEAL IS LEAKING SMOKES BECAUSE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING. *TR
I PURCHASED MY TAURUS IN DEC. 2004 NEEDING NEW HEADS FOR THE ENGINE. BEFORE I COULD DRIVE IT IN THE COLD WEATHER I HAD TO LET IT IDLE FOR ABOUT 20 MINS OR IT WOULD SLIP AND I WOULD ONLY BE ABLE TO GO 15MPH. MECHANIC TOOK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP BUT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I DIDN'T DRIVE THE CAR FOR SIX MONTHS AT A TIME (2XS) AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING EVEN MORE NOW. MOTOR MOUNTS ALSO NEED REPAIRED SINCE MY ENGINE IS JERKING BACK AND FORTH WHEN I PRESS ON THE PEDAL. THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE FEELS LIKE IT WANTS TO FALL OFF WHEN DRIVING 70MPH ON THE FREEWAY. MY DAUGHTER AND I ARE MOVING FROM PHX.,AZ TO FT. HOOD,TEXAS TO BE WITH MY BROTHERS WIFE WHILE HE IS IN AFGHANISTAN. DO YOU THINK I CAN AT LEAST MAKE IT TO TEXAS WITHOUT IT STRANDING US. BECAUSE WITH ALL THINGS ASIDE THAT CAR HAS BEEN THROUGH A LOT WITH ME. I LOVE MY FORD! PLUS I CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER ONE SO HOPEFULLY THIS ONE IS GOING TO HANG IN THERE. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THEN TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 97V097000, REGARDING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
97 FORD TAURUS WHEN IN PARK THE CAR WILL STILL ROLL FORWARD UNTIL YOU APPLY THE BRAKE,THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS #96S50 LOCAL FORD DEALER WAS HELPFUL BUT SAID MY [XXX] COULD NOT BE FOUND UNDER THIS RECALL BUT THE CAR IS DOING THE SAME THING AS RECALL STATES. THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T REALLY NO WHAT TO DO SO THAT'S WHEN I CALLED YOUR NUMBER AND THEY SAID I COULD FILE A COMPLAINT ON LINE .NO ONE HAS BEEN INJURED BY THIS YET,BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET THIS TOOK CARE OF,ANY HELP YOU COULD OFFER WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU. *JB UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I HAVE A 1997 FORD TAURUS LX. I WAS ON MY WAY TO LAS VEGAS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP AND SOMETIMES NOT WORK AT ALL. I HAD TO TURN AROUND AND HEAD HOME(IN ORDER TO NOT GET STRANDED IN VEGAS) AND ON THE WAY THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO NOT WORK AT ALL. I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE ABOUT 45 MPH THE WHOLE 3 HOURS BACK TO MY HOME ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS. I HAVE MADE NUMEROUS CALLS AND EVERYONE I HAVE TALKED TO HAVE SAID THAT YEAR TAURUS HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS...WHY DOES FORD NOT RECALL THE TRANSMISSION?*JB
I OWN A 97 FORD TAURUS WAGON, I PURCHASED IT USED FROM A NON FORD DEALER IN 2000 WITH 43,900 MILES ON IT. IN MAY 2001 I HAD TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION PUT IN AT 54,000. MILES. NOW IN AUGUST 2005 AT 112,000 MILES ANOTHER TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE PUT IN. I DEFINITELY THINK THERE IS SOME TYPE OF PROBLEM OR DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS IF THE CAR IS NOT EVEN 10 YRS OLD & IS GOING ON IT'S 3RD TRANSMISSION. FORD DID REPLACEMENT OF THE PREVIOUS TRANSMISSION, TOLD ME IT WAS A NEW ONE. *JB
DT: CONSUMER HAS 40000 MILES ON VEHICLE AND VEHICLE HAD TO 3 TRANSMISSIONS. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING TO FLORIDA ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT PULL. THIS WAS AT 27, 000 MILES. AT 40000 MILES THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE GARAGE. VEHICLE IS IN GARAGE TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING RACK REPLACED, WHEN CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE LEAK WAS TRANSMISSION FLUID HE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER OFTEN FOR DIFFERENT REPAIRS. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY. CONSUMER HAS HAD ALL RECALLS REPAIRED ON VEHICLE. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THERE MAY BE SOMETHING ELSE IN CAR CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. VEHICLE IS DRIVEN LESS THAN 4000 MILES A YEAR. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED WITH ABOUT 20,000 MILES. CONSUMER OWNED VEHICLE FOR 6 YEARS. SAME DEALER HAS DONE ALL REPAIRS ON VEHICLE, EXCEPT ONE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN IN LIMA, OHIO. THIS WAS DONE BY FORD DEALERSHIP.*AK
1997 FORD TAURUS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING. *MR THE POWER STEERING HAD GONE OUT DUE TO THE WRONG AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID BEING PLACED IN THE VEHICLE. *SC *JB
WHEN DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE CONSUMER LOST POWER. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB *ER *JB
THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS. IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION WAS NO LONGER OPERABLE. *JB
VEHICLE STALLS MOMENTARILY AND THEN SUDDENLY JUMPS INTO GEAR WHILE DRIVING. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 14 MONTHS AGO AT A COST TO ME OF $2684 AND NOW I'M TOLD IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STOPPED. FIRST, HAD IT TOWED TO HIS HOME. CONSUMER WILL HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER LATER. TRANSMISSION FAILED. AFTER VEHICLE STOPPED CONSUMER TURNED IT OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON. WHEN HE TURNED IT BACK ON AND TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR, IT WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT GEARS/STEER THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO WORK. *AK THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS INTERMITTENT, THE RADIO WOULD GO OFF WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE. THE PROBLEM WOULD START WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, REVERSE, OR NEUTRAL. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT FLICKERED ON AND OFF WITHOUT CAUSE. *SC *JB
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH 1997 TAURUS WAGON.*MR ONE OF THE BEARINGS IN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND DAMAGED THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. *NM
L997 FORD TAURUS WAGON. 60K MILES. TREATED WITH KID GLOVES AND HAD THE FLUID CHANGED AT 60K IN THE TRANSMISSION. WITHIN 200 MILES THE TRANS WENT OUT. IF I HADN'T NOTICED LEAKAGE IT LIKELY WOULD HAVE STOPPED WITH A DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCE HAPPENING AS A RESULT...I.E. HEAVY TRAFFIC, PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC, ETC. *JB
(1) INTERMITTENTLY, RADIO TURNED OFF WHEN BACKING UP OR DURING FORWARD TURN. (2) WHILE DRIVING, SEATBELT LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING WITH SEAT BELT FASTENED, THEN POWER STEERING FAILED AND RADIO TURNED OFF SIMULTANEOUSLY (3) VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC WHO ONE MONTH PREVIOUSLY FIXED SAME PROBLEM ON 1997 TAURUS BY CHANGING THE PARK-NEUTRAL SWITCH. *AK
IN JUNE OF 2003 I BOUGHT MY 1997 FORD TAURUS WITH ONLY 97,000 MILES, FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP. IN SEPT. OF 2003 IT BEGAN TO LEAK TRANSMISSION FLUID AND SO I GOT THAT FIXED AND THEN IN OCTOBER I WENT TO BACK OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AND MY CAR WOULDN'T GO. I WAS ABLE TO PUSH IT OUT AND FOUND OUT THATIT WOULD STILL GO FOWARD. I DROVE IT TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE DOWN THE ROAD TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING TIGHTENED AND I COULDN'T TURN. NOW MY CAR DOESN'T RUN AT ALL. IT IS THE FIRST AND ONLY CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING, JERKED BACKWARD, THEN FORWARD. THIS WAS CAUSED BY INTERNAL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE, PER THE DEALERSHIP. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. *AK *SC
I HAVE ADVISED FORD MOTOR CO OF A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION IDENTICAL TO CONDITION FOUND IN RECALL # 97V-097NSA-111PAW, FORD # 97S75. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING FROM THE SERVO COVER IS CAUSED BY THE COVER BECOMING PERFORATED BY RUST. THIS ON A 1997 FORD TAURUS WHICH HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF BUT DRIVEN IN VERMONT & NEW HAMPSHIRE WHERE SALT IS USED DURING WINTER SNOWS. FORD MOTOR CO DECLINED ANY PARTICIPATION BECAUSE MY CAR DOESN'T FALL INTO THE PRODUCTION CATEGORY OF THE RECALL. THE SYMPTOMS AND LEAKING OF OIL AGAINST THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR WHEN DRIVING ARE THE SAME AS THOSE DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. TO THIS END, THE FIRST RUST THROUGH PROBLEM OCCURED WITH THE OIL COOLER LINE WHICH RUSTED OUT PREVIOUSLY AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED. JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO THE METAL TUBE FROM THE HEATER TO THE REAR OF THE ENGINE BEGAN LEAKING FROM RUSTOUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I ASSURE YOU THIS CAR IS NO "RUST BUCKET" I AM A FULLY CERTIFIED (IN ALL SUBJECTS) NIASE MECHANIC AND KNOW WHEREFROM I SPEAK. THERE ARE A LOT OF THESE TAURUS MODELS OPERATING IN NEW ENGLAND AND I'M CERTAIN MINE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THESE RUST PROBLEMS. THE VIN # [XXX] TRANSMISSION DATA PLATE: [XXX] OIL PAN READS: AXOD METRIC ENGINE: 3.0L DATE OF MANUFACTURE: 8/97. *JB UPDATED 08/03/2012 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DIDN'T SHIFT PROPERLY. IT WOULD SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND MAKE LOUD NOISE. *AK THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED LEAVING HER IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION. BY JIGGLING THE SHIFT LEVER, SHE WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE THEN INTO DRIVE. THIS HAD BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM FOR 1991-1998 MODELS. FORD WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *SCC *JB
"SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON (2ND TIME) FIRST TIME FORD DEALERSHIP DID FULL TRANSMISSION FLUSH($125) TO SEE IF CORRECTED PROBLEM. TWO MONTHS LATER (ON LONG DRIVE), WARNING CAME ON AGAIN. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND SAID IT WAS A TRANSMISSION CODE THAT NEEDED THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED TO DETERMINE CAUSE ($300). THEY TOLD ME THAT (EVEN THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION WAS WORKING OK) THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS HAVING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE. ALL PARTS AND COMPONENTS WERE EITHER SCORCHED OR FAILED WHEN TESTED AND RECOMMENDED A TOTAL REBUILD ($2862) OR PURCHASE A FORD REBUILT ONE ($2756). I SAID THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A CAR WITH 39,400 MILES ON IT. THEY SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING AND I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THEY SOUNDED INTERESTED BUT WOULD NOT BACK UP THEIR PRODUCT DUE TO BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. (SO MUCH FOR THE QUALITY ONE - CUSTOMER CARE MOTO). READING OTHER COMPLAINTS THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THE FORD TAURUS OVER THE YEARS. WE HAD A 1994 TAURUS THAT HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS TO THE TUNE OF $1,100. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS MY LAST FORD PRODUCT AND THEY WONDER WHY PEOPLE BY FOREIGN VEHICLES!. WHEN I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP TO PUT THE CAR BACK TOGETHER THAT I CAN GET A REBUILT TRANSMISSION FROM 2 OTHER TRANSMISSION SOURCES (USED PARTS FOR $1400) OR NEW REBUILT PARTS FOR $2030), THEY THEN SAID "LET ME SEE IF THERE IS ANY LAST THING MY MANAGEMENT WILL DO" OF COURSE WHEN PUT ON THE SPOT TO LOSE BUSINESS AND RESPECTABILITY THEY LOWERED THEIR PRICE TO $2281 FOR A FORD REBUILT ONE. I AM STILL CONCERNED SINCE A LOT OF OTHERS SAY THEY HAD FAILURES WITH THEIR 2ND ONE TOO! IT COMES WITH A 3/36,000 WARRANTY. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS DAY AND AGE THAT THE CONSUMER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TOTAL REPAIR COSTS WHEN KNOWN DEFECTS OCCUR. A SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO AS SOME TRANSMISSIONS HAVE SEPARATED AND LOCKED UP CAUSING IMMEDIATE STOPPAGE OF VEHICLE LIKE SLAMMING ON BRAKES.*AK
HAVE BEEN LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. HAD THE FITTINGS REPLACED. CORRECTED PROBLEM FOR 1 DAY. MECHANIC STATED THE TRANSMISSION LINES ARE LEAKING AND WILL NEED REPLACED. WE HAVE BEEN HAVING DIFFICULTY LOCATING THE LINES DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE PART HAS BEEN CORRECTED SEVERAL TIMES AND THERE IS STILL A PROBLEM WITH THE LINES. NOW I'M HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND SHIFTING. THE TRANSMISSION IS BANGING INTO GEAR. BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2000. WHEN I CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT THE ORIGINAL. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTUREDIN SEPTEMBER 1996 AND THE TRANSMISSION, ACCORDING TO THE NUMBERS ON IT, WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1998. HAD A 1994 TAURUS AND THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY WENT OUT OF IT AND I TRADED IN FOR THIS 1997. I WILL DEFINITELY NOT BUY ANOTHER TAURUS OR FORD PRODUCT.
1997 FORD TAURUS ONLY 100000 MILES AND IS HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *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.
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