1998 Ford Taurus Transmission Problems

MY SON IS AWAY AT COLLEGE AND WAS DRIVING OUR 1998 FORD TAURUS SE WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING THE CAR JUST STOPPED AND WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. FROM READING OTHER COMPLAINTS THIS SEEMS TO BE A TRANSMISSION DEFECT IN THE FORD TAURUS. WE HAVE BEEN THE OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE SINCE BEING PURCHASED NEW OFF THE DEALER LOT. COST TO FIX THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS PROHIBITIVE AND MAKES NO FINANCIAL SENSE GIVEN THE CURRENT KBB VALUE. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND CORRECT THE DEFECT. NOW WE HAVE OUR CHILD STUCK AT COLLEGE 3 HOURS AWAY WITH A JUNK VEHICLE ALSO STUCK 3 HOURS AWAY WHILE STILL PAYING COSTLY INSURANCE ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10356700

Incident

Sep 1, 2010

Mileage

87,000 mi

JERKING, DOESN'T WANT TO GO, FELT LIKE FUEL FILTER, BUT THINK ITS TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10191295

Incident

May 7, 2007

Mileage

116,000 mi

MY 1998 FORD TAURUS HAS 134,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN A GOOD CAR. WE HAVE HAD IT FOR 6 MONTHS. IT IS THE ONLY VEHICLE I HAVE. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT KICKS ITSELF OUT OF DRIVE WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING. SO FAR WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS--I QUIT DRIVING IT BUT I CAME VERY, VERY CLOSE TO BEING HIT BY A SEMI-TRUCK WHEN IT JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I WAS VERY LUCKY!! I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS THINGS DONE TO IT BUT IT STILL CONTINUES TO DO THIS. I AM VERY ANGRY AS I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE!!! *NM

NHTSA ID

10158902

Incident

Jun 1, 2006

Mileage

134,000 mi

THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. 2 CODE READ INTERNAL PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION - FOURTH GEAR AND SOLENOID. CODE WAS CLEARED BUT CAME BACK A WEEK LATER. HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT TO THE AMOUNT OF OVER $3200. BOUGHT 1998 FORD TAURUS USED IN 2001 WITH 52000 MILES - NOW 91400. JUST WANTED TO MAKE OTHER CONSUMERS AWARE OF THIS COSTLY PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD NO OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE 4 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. *NM

NHTSA ID

10142832

Incident

Oct 18, 2005

Mileage

40 mi

DT: 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONSUMER STATES THE SPEED SENSOR GOES OUT. THE VEHICLE WILL DOWN SHIFT WHILE GOING 70 MPH. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INSIST IT IS AN OWNER'S PROBLEM, NOT A VEHICLE PROBLEM. THEY INDICATE THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. HE HAS HAD ALL OF THE SENSORS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE STILL BEHAVES POORLY. THIS PROBLEM STARTED TWO WEEKS AGO ON AUGUST 1, 2005. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A LOCAL MECHANIC. FORD REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OR GIVE THE CONSUMER $500 FOR THE VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10132915

Incident

Aug 1, 2005

Mileage

187,000 mi

THE TRANSMISSION STALLED AND STARTED LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND ON THE ROAD WHICH CAUSED SMOKING.

NHTSA ID

10123810

Incident

May 18, 2005

Mileage

174,699 mi

1998 FORD TAURUS STATION WAGON BEGAN LOW POWER ACELERATING AT STOP TIMES 2. A THIRD INCIDENT OCCURED FROM A COMPLETE STOP WITH FOOT ON BRAKES AN THIS TIME IT COULD NOT BE STOPPED WITH BOTH FEET ON BREAKS. IT RAN FOR ABOUT 75 FEET AND THEN QUIT ON ITS OWN. TOOK TO LOCAL FORD DELEARS SHIP AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. I ASKED IF THIS WERE COMMON AND WAS TOLD THEY NEVER HEARD OF SUCH THING. KEEP CAR TWO DAYS I CONTACTED THE TAURUS CLUB OF AMERICAL AT THEIR WEB LINE AND IT SEEMS THERE HAVE BEEN MANY INCIDENTS SUCH AS THIS AND THEY CALLED IT SURGING. *AK

NHTSA ID

10114289

Incident

Mar 5, 2005

Mileage

58,598 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED. THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A FAULTY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10075563

Incident

Jun 2, 2004

VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW, 2000 MILES TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING WAS REBUILT UNDER WARRANTY BY FORD. TRANSMISSION IS OUT AGAIN CAR WILL NOT MOVE WITHOUT INCREASING RPMS TO 2,500, TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE. MAKES LOUD KNOCKING SOUND. ESTIMATED $2,500 REBUILD NEEDED. HEAD GASKETS WENT OUT AT 80,000 MILES AND WERE REPLACED FOR $600, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH TAURUS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10068133

Incident

Jan 28, 2003

Mileage

102,000 mi

AS I WAS PULLING AWAY FROM MY DRIVEWAY ABOUT 5 MPH I HEARD A LOUD NOISE BETWEEN HOOD AND FRONT SEATS. I SOON REALISED THAT WHEN I STEPED ON THE ACCELERATION PEDAL THE CAR WON'T GO FOWARD. I PARKED THE CAR IMMIDIATELY AND TURNED OFF WAITED FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES I GOT OFF FROM THE CAR AND I PERSONALLY INPECTED THE CAR FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE MOTOR, AND UNDERNEATH OF IT AND NO OIL WAS SPILLED (MOTOR OR TRANSMISSION). I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON STEPED ON THE BREAK AND SHIFTED TO DRIVE, AND STEPED ON ACCELARATION PEDAL, BUT CAR WONT MOVE. I ALO TRYED REVERSE AND DID NOT MOVE ASWELL. WHEN U PUTTED THE CAR INTO 2ND GEAR IT TOOK A COUPLE OF SECONDS FOR THE CAR TO MOVE. I ALSO TRYED 1ST. GEAR AND IT DID NOT MOVE AS WELL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10051535

Incident

Oct 22, 2003

Mileage

117,350 mi

98 FORD TAURUS, WELL MAINTAINED, HAD CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FALIURE AT 63,000 MILES. FORD HAS STONEWALLED &/OR IGNORED THE SITUATION.

NHTSA ID

10051413

Incident

Dec 17, 2003

Mileage

63,100 mi

WHILE TRAVELLING TO WORK ON FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 5, I HAD JUST ACCESSED INTERSTATE 65 NORTH AND HAD TRAVELLED ON IT FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES. I HAD REACHED MY NORMAL CRUISING SPEED OF 80 MPH WHEN I BEGAN TO CROSS THE BRIDGE OVER THE TENNESSEE RIVER. ON THE DOWNSIDE OF THE BRIDGE, I HAD NO WARNING WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY TRANSMISSION CEASED TO FUNCTION. DUE TO THE SPEED I WAS TRAVELLING, I WAS ABLE TO COAST UNTIL I EXITED THE BRIDGE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1/4 A MILE, I SAFELY PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND CAME TO A STOP. I PROCEEDED TO CHECK ALL THE GEARS TO DETERMINE IF THE TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY FAILED. UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAD. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THERE WAS NO NOISE, NO JERK, NO ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 135,000 MILES ON IT, AND I ENSURE THAT ROUTINE SERVICE IS PERFORMED ON IT. TWELVE MONTHS PRIOR, I HAD THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY SERVICED. THIS COMPLETE FAILURE CAME AS A SURPRISE TO ME AS NO WARNING SIGNS WERE EVIDENT. TODAY, I AM HAVING TO SHELL OUT $1600 FOR A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. THE COMPANY I HAVE PERFORMING THE REPAIRS IS KNOWN TO BE VERY REPUTIBLE AND TOLD ME THAT A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION AT OR JUST PRIOR TO THE ACTUAL FAILURE. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED VERY SIMILAR SITUATIONS. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS INDEED A FLAW IN THE FORD TAURUS TRANSMISSION SYSTEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10049469

Incident

Dec 5, 2003

Mileage

135,000 mi

VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP FIVE TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION WORK. TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED TWICE AND REPLACED THREE TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10047929

Incident

Oct 30, 2003

Mileage

35,441 mi

1998 FORD TAURUS; 78000+ MILES: RECURRING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. OWNERS MANUAL INDICATES THAT THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MAY NOT BE REFERRING TO A MECHANICAL PROBLEM THAT WILL AFFECT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE. OUR LIGHT CAME ON ONE MONTH AFTER WE PURCHASED THE CAR. IT WOULD GO OFF WHEN WE CHANGED FLUIDS OR BRAND OF GASOLINE. ON JUNE 28TH THERE WAS A NOTICABLE CHANGE IN DRIVABILITY AS THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY AND THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT FROM LOW GEAR. THE ENGINE WOULD REV TO 5000 RPMS TRYING TO SHIFT BUT COULD NOT. I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE TRYING TO MANEUVER IN 55 TO 65 MPH TRAFFIC. AAMCO NOW TELLS ME THAT IT WILL COST 1500 T0 2000 DOLLARS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I RAN A 1993 FORD VAN TO 270,000 MILES BUT I DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS MODEL HAD A 12 YEAR HISTORY OF SEVERE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10030294

Incident

Jun 28, 2003

TODAY, WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 55 MPH ON RTE 1, MY 1998 FORD TAURUS WAGON SUDDENLY STARTING TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AS LOUD NOISES LIKE BOTTOMING OUT ON SEVERAL BOULDERS EMANATED FROM BENEATH THE CAR. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN SMOOTHLY AND THE A/C PUMPED OUT COOL AIR, BUT WHEN THE CAR CAME TO REST AT A STOP LIGHT IT DID NOT MOVE FORWARD UNTIL THE RPM GOT QUITE HIGH AND ONLY THEN AT A VERY SLOW, HERKY, JERKY PACE. THE CAR SMOOTHED OUT AT AROUND 25-30 MPH, BUT THE PROBLEM GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I NOTICED BLUE-GRAY SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR AND PARKED THE CAR IN A RELATIVELY SAFE PLACE. I NOTICED LIQUID DRIPPING FROM BENEATH THE CAR NEAR THE REAR OF THE OIL PAN. MY HUSBAND CHECKED ON THE CAR ON HIS WAY HOME FROM WORK TO ASCERTAIN THAT THE LIQUID IS TRANSMISSION FLUID. WITHOUT HUMOR I RECALLED A WOMAN TELLING ME JUST TWO WEEKS AGO THAT SHE HAD A CAR JUST LIKE MINE THAT SHE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN RECENTLY, AND I TOLD HER AT THE TIME THAT MY CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ON RTE 1 AND NOT ON I-95, AND IN THE DAY TIME ON A HOT SUNNY DAY AND NOT ON A COLD, WET NIGHT. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10023793

Incident

Jun 25, 2003

NAR 06/05/2003 *MR MECHANICS DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEMS AS A BROKEN TORQUE CONVERTER. *CB

NHTSA ID

10022506

Incident

Apr 27, 2003

Mileage

44,328 mi

1998 FORD TAURUS WOULD OCCASIONALLY NOT MOVE FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES BETWEEN NOVEMBER 2002 AND THE PRESENT. AFTER THE FOURTH TIME (MAY 2, 2003), THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $2800. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION. THEY FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN THE PAN AND BURNT MERCON V. TOTAL COST FOR REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION WAS $1400-$1800. THIS IS A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE SINCE THE SHOP HAS TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT USED FOR TRAILER TOWING OR RACING. ENGINE IS THE DURATEC V6 AND THE TOTAL MILEAGE IS 64077. THIS IS TO ME A SERIOUS CONCERN SINCE A VEHICLE SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 100,000 MILES WITHOUT A MAJOR FAILURE AS WHAT HAS HAPPENED. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FROM A COMPLETE STOP WAS AT A CONGESTED INTERSECTION, AND ONE OF THE TIMES THIS OCCURRED WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHERE THE MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT IS 65 MPH. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10018438

Incident

May 5, 2003

Mileage

64,077 mi

GEAR SHIFTER DOES NOT LINE UP CORRECTLY WHEN IN ANY GEAR. AJAR DOOR LIGHT AND INSIDE DOME LIGHT STAY ON AND THE DRIVERSIDE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK WHEN THIS HAPPENS. ALSO, WHEN GETTING IN OR OUT OF THE CAR EACH PASSANGER GETS SHOCKED IF YOU TOUCH ONE ANOTHER OR THE DOORS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS NOW. THIS HAPPENS ON A REGULAR BASES.

NHTSA ID

10005388

Incident

Dec 1, 2002

Mileage

103,000 mi

CONSUMER STATED THAT THEY WOULD SIMULTANEOUSLY PRESS ON THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL WITHOUT NOTICE CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

NHTSA ID

10003704

Incident

Jan 5, 2003

1998 FORD TAURUS TRANSMISSION FAILURE

NHTSA ID

10000687

Incident

Dec 23, 2002

Mileage

73,000 mi

TRANSMISSION DOWN-SHIFTED AT HIGHWAY SPEED CAUSING SUDDEN DE-ACCELERATION WITHOUT BRAKE LIGHTS ALMOST CAUSING A CHAIN REACTION ACCIDENT BEHIND ME. CARS WERE FORCED OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID SMAHSING INTO ME AND OTHER VEHICLES TRING TO AVOID ME CLOSE CALL. LUCKY FOR ME EVERYONE WAS PAYING ATTENTION AND NO ONE GOT HURT. THIS TRANSMISSION HAS NO FAIL SAFE IN PLACE TO PREVENT SUDDEN DOWNSHIFT WHEN THE SPEED SENSOR FAILS. DANGEROUS! DT

NHTSA ID

770747

Incident

Nov 23, 2002

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION ACCELERATOR AND THE RPM WILL RAISED UP TO MORE THEN 3 RPM WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MOVING BUT YES IT WAS TURN ON. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED TO BRING THE VEHICLE INTO THE SHOP BUT CONSUMER REFUSED TO DO IT BECAUSE HE DID NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE. MR

NHTSA ID

8022616

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE IS CLINKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. AND THERE IS ACCESSIVE SPEED. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR

NHTSA ID

8021450

Incident

Feb 1, 2001

CONSUMER STATES THAT SPEEDOMETER STAYS ON 10 MPH WHEN VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY GOING 40 MPH, CONSUMER STATES ENGINE LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED. RPM'S RAISE HIGHER THAN NORMAL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA ID

8021127

Incident

Oct 4, 2001

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE TO FUEL PUMP. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR

NHTSA ID

8020671

Incident

Sep 28, 2002