Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 59 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 59, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1999 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.
I OWN A 99 FORD TAURUS. IT IS LEAKING WATER INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THIS LEAK HAS CAUSED THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR AND RESISTER TO SHORT OUT AS A RESULT I HAVE NO HEAT AND IT IS WINTER IN MINNESOTA. I CANNOT AFFORD THE OVER $200 REPAIR AND WITH THE LEAK STILL PRESENT IT WILL SHORT OUT AGAIN. THERE IS AT LEAST ONE SIMILAR COMPLAINT THAT I KNOW OF, IT IS 10184014. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE MY WINDOWS WILL NOT DEFROST AND IT IMPAIRS MY VISION. THE BLOWER MOTOR WOULD NOT HAVE FAILED IF THE LEAK DID NOT EXIST. *TR
I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM A CAR DEALER. SINCE I PURCHASE MY BOLTS TO THE BACK BRAKES CAME OUT. FRONT END IS MAKING NOISES ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. BACK WINDOW IS READY TO BREAK OFF MISSING PASSENGER SIDE HINGE TO HOLD THE WINDOW IN PLACE. BRAKES SQUEAL. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY FOR EXAMPLE THE POWER DOORS DO NOT UNLOCK, THE POWER SEAT DOES NOT ADJUST WHEN YOU PUSH THE BUTTON, THE TRUNK CAN NOT BE OPENED WITH THE KEY, THE DOORS HAVE TO BE UNLOCK MANUALLY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD TAURUS. THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER MOTOR HAS A SHORTAGE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR WAS ALWAYS WET DUE TO A LEAK. THE DEALER HAS NOT DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 199,000.
WIPERS COME ON AND SPRAY WIPER FLUID WHILE THE SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION. THIS OCCURS WHILE THE BLINKERS ARE SWITCHED ON. THEY WILL EVENTUALLY TURN OFF BY GIGGLING THE LEVER. NOT ONCE WAS THE WIPER SWITCH EVER FOUND IN THE ON POSITION. THIS HAS BEEN A TROUBLESOME EXPERIENCE FOR YEARS. *TR
I AM EXPERIENCING A LEAK (TWICE) IN MY 1999 FORD TAURUS LX THAT LEAVES MY PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR SOAKED AND HAS CAUSED ME TO REPLACE MY BLOWER MOTOR/RESISTOR(ONCE THUS FAR). I DO NOT SEE A SPECIFIC RECALL RELATED TO MY MAKE AND MODEL LISTED ON ANY FORD SITE BUT I HAVE BECOME AWARE THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON EXPERIENCE FOR TAURUS OWNERS. THIS DEFECT IS BEING PASSED ON TO THE CONSUMER UNFAIRLY, A RECALL SHOULD BE ORDERED. I PAID LESS THAN US$200 FOR MY REPLACEMENT PARTS AND LABOR, BUT I HEAR THAT FORD CHARGES UPWARDS OF $500 TO FIX THE LEAK COMPLETELY. IF I DON'T HAVE THIS DONE, I WILL LIKELY BE REPLACING PARTS AGAIN AND/OR WILL BE EXPOSED TO MOLD. PLEASE ACT. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ONLINE SUCH AS A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT : 10184014 FILED CONCERNING RECALL 03V087000. *TR
FORD COOLANT CORROSION IS COSTING US TOOOOO MUCH. ENGINE WAS RUNNING HOT. STARTED WITH THERMOSTAT, THEN DEGAS BOTTLE CAP (FULL OF RUST), THEN WATER PUMP (FINS CORRODED AND GONE), THEN RADIATOR FLUSHED-FULL OF RUST, NOW HEAD GASKET IS GONE. FLUSHING SYSTEM DIDN'T HELP. HEATER CORE HAS PROBLEMS TOO--NO HEAT TO DEFROST WINDOWS WHICH IS HAZARDOUS TO DRIVING CAR. *TR
CAR: 1999 FORD TAURUS SE SEDAN A PROBLEM HAS STARTED OCCURING WITH MY FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS SINCE OCT 2004. THE WIPERS ARE MALFUNCTIONING, WHEREBY THEY COME ON INTERMITTENTLY EVEN WHEN THE WIPER-SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY DEALER ( DILLON FORD, 30 TOLLAND TURNPIKE, MANCHESTER,CT ) TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM EXAMINED AND FIXED. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME $75.00 TO EXAMINE THE PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIANS REPORTED THAT THEY WERE NTO ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM AND FELT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE A FAILED GEM MODULE. I ORDERED A NEW GEM MODULE THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD MY GEM MODULE REPLACED. THIS COST ME ABOUT $400.00. THE REPLACEMENT DID NOT FIX MY PROBLEM AT ALL. I STILL HAVE IN MY POSSESSION MY OLD GEM MODULE; THE CAR HAS THE NEW GEM MODULE. I TOOK THE CAR AGIAN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 05/20/2005 TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED, HOWEVER THE TECHNICIANS AGAIN REPORTED THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. MEANWHILE I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM WITH THE MALFUNCTIONING WIPERS, AND I FEEL THIS IS NOT ONLY A HUGE IRRITANT, BUT ALSO A SAFETY HAZARD.
WHEN DRIVING MY CAR,THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON PERIODICALLY WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON.THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING DOWN A ROAD WITH OR WITHOUT HAVING MADE A TURN. IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 40 TIMES WITHIN THE LAST YEAR.MY FORD DEALER SAYS THEY CANNOT FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MAKE THE PROBLEM HAPPEN,THEREFORE,THEY CAN'T FIX IT.THIS SAME PROBLEM IS OCCURRING WITH A 2ND 1999 TAURUS THAT I OWN AND MY SON DRIVES.PRETTY STRANGE COINCIDENCE,WOULDN'T YOU SAY?MY FEAR IS THAT WHEN I NEED THE WIPERS TO WORK SOMEDAY THEY WILL FAIL COMPLETELY AND NOT GO ON AT ALL.
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO DEALER. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE WINDSHIELD MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB LEFT BACK WINDOW MOTOR FELL OUT OF WINDOW. WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN. DEALERSHIP FOUND MOTOR WAS BROKEN. *TT
I HAVE A 1999 FORD TAURUS. WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH IS OFF, SOMETIMES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON FOR NO REASON. SOMETIMES THIS IS JUST ONCE THEN IT WILL STOP. SOMETIMES IT IS SEVERAL TIMES IN A ROW THEN IT WILL STOP. IT IS MOST PREVALENT DURING THE SUMMER, OR ON HOTTER DAYS. ALTHOUGH, IT HAS EVEN HAPPENED IN COLD WEATHER. I NOTICE THAT OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT AS YET IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS APPARENT DEFECT IN THE DESIGN BY FORD. IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT THE SWITCH TOLERANCES DO NOT ADEQUATELY TAKE ACCOUNT OF EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OVER THE OPERATING TEMPERATURE RANGES OF THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEMS I DESCRIBE ABOVE HAVE BEEN OBSERVED IN SACRAMENTO, CA, WHICH IS NOT THE WORST PLACE IN THE U.S. FOR SEVERE TEMPERATURE CHANGES BETWEEN SEASONS. HENCE, IF IT DOESN'T WORK IN CALIFORNIA, IT PROBABLY WILL BE A PROBLEM IN MORE SEVERE CLIMATE CHANGES ALSO. HIS PROBLEM OCCURS SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK DURING THE SUMMER. FORD REALLY SHOULD DO THE RIGHT THING AND DO A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. I AM AN ENGINEER AND THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT. IF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE TO FAIL TO WORK DUE TO THIS PROBLEM DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, THIS DEFECT COULD BE DANGEROUS.*AK
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE WINSHIELD WIPERS FAIL AT TIMES OR COME ON BY THEM SELVES, ESPCIALLY WHEN TURNING NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET TO CORRECT FAILURE
VARIOUS PROBLEMS INVOLVING 1999 FORD TAURUS STATION WAGON.*MR THE POWER STEERING MADE EXCESSIVE NOISE, DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING RACK. THE VEHICLE FRONT END WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER REPLACED SEVERAL COMPONENTS TO CORRECT THIS OCCURRENCE. THE TECHNICIAN REMOVED AND REPLACED #1 COIL, REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS, CLEARED ALL THE CODES AND THEN THE VEHICLE RAN FINE. THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED AND THE ROTORS MACHINED. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE FREEZE OUT PLUG AND THERMOSTAT. WINDSHIELD WASHERS FAILED. THE VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOOSE. THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED FRONT AND REAR STRUTS, SWAY BAR LINKS AND REAR SUBFRAME BUSHING. WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND ON COLD START REVERSE JERKS INTO GEAR, DEALER REPLACED THE TRANS UNIT. THE D/S DOOR RUBBER ON THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR WAS COMING OFF. D/S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT. ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING IN OUT THE REAR BLOCK. *NM
WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON WITHOUT USING THE SWITCH. *AK
THE DOME LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF INTERMITTENTLY, AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *AK THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD GO UP AND DOWN AND WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A LEAKING WINDSHIELD. *SC *JB
WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON FOR INTERMITTENTLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. ESTIMATED COST OF PARTS IS AROUND $150.00. I AM AFRAID THE WHOLE SWITCH SYSTEM WILL GO OUT DUE TO EXCESSIVE USE AND UNNECESSARY USE. THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL HAZARD IF THEY GO OUT DURING INCLIMATE WEATHER. *AK
HEATER CORE HAD TO BE REPLACED. DEALER STATED THAT IT BECAME CLOGGED BECAUSE OF SLUDGE BUILDUP.*AK
COOLANT SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE FLUSHED OUT ON A YEARLY BASIS. IF NOT FLUSHED, WOULD HAVE SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE HEATER CORE. AS A RESULT, HEATER CORE WOULD BECOME PLUGGED AND WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. *AK
1999 FORD TAURUS IS SUFFERING FROM ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *MR THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WITH NO WARNING, THE LOCKS ON BOTH DOORS WERE OFF AND WOULD HAVE TO BE PLAYED WITH TO GET THEM TO OPEN AT TIMES, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, ALSO THE DASH LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE BEHIND THE GAS GAUGE/RADIO/HEATING/AC/CLOCK/AND SPEEDOMETER, THE RPM GAUGE WAS DELAYED AT START, THE PASSENGER DOOR MADE NOISES WHEN OPENED AND CLOSED, THE WIPERS WERE INTERMITTENT, THE TURN SIGNALS WERE INTERMITTENT, THE BRAKE LIGHT HAD COME ON, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START IN THE MORNING BUT WOULD START AT NIGHT, THE VEHICLE WAS SLUGGISH AND HAD POOR GAS MILEAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN DUE TO DEFECTIVE RELAYS WHICH WERE REPLACED. THE VIN# ON THE VEHICLE AND THE VIN# ON THE STICKER WERE DIFFERENT. *SCC *JB
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATE WHILE THE SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION.
RE: 1999 FORD TAURUS: VIN # [XXX] MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 1999 FORD TAURUS FROM NORTH POINT FORD IN NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, ON FEB. 16, 2001. SINCE NOVEMBER 2002, WE HAVE HAD THE CAR AT TWO FORD DEALERSHIPS AND THREE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS TRYING TO GET THE HEATER FIXED. SO FAR IT HAS COST US $1,324.21. DURING THE MOST RECENT REPAIR, NORTH POINT FORD TOOK APART THE ENTIRE COOLANT SYSTEM, FLUSHED EACH COMPONENT AND FOUND RUST IN THE ENGINE BLOCK, WHICH THEY SAID WAS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. AT PRESENT, THE HEATER IS WORKING, BUT WE FEEL WE ARE DUE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY WHEN WE BOUGHT IT WITH 29,891 MILES. (THE CONTRACT STATES 28,890 AS THE DEALER DENIED OUR REQUEST TO LIST THE CORRECT MILEAGE.) WE PURCHASED AN EXTENDED "BUMPER TO BUMPER" WARRANTY AT A COST OF $1,733 AT NORTH POINT FORD. THE BIG SELLING POINT WAS THE WARRANTY WOULD COVER ALL MAJOR REPAIRS SUCH AS THE AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER SYSTEM. THE WARRANTY IS HANDLED THROUGH WARRANTECH AUTOMOTIVE, P.O. BOX 1179, BEDFORD, TX 76095. THE CONTRACT # IS 14747754; THE CONTRACT PLAN CODE IS CV60100UKD; THE SELLING DEALER CODE IS 718688 AND THE LOCAL AGENT CODE IS 183. HOWEVER, THE WARRANTY COMPANY HAS PAID VERY LITTLE TOWARD THE REPAIRS, CLAIMING THEY ARE "MAINTENANCE." I HAVE LOCATED SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE INTERNET. AMONG THEM IS #01-15-6 "HEATER CORE - REPEATED FAILURE" AND #01-11-6 "COOLING SYSTEM - CORROSION/CONTAMINATION/OVERHEATING." WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT ON THE 1999 TAURUSES, FORD SENT THE VEHICLES FROM THE FACTORY WITH A HIGHLY CORROSIVE COOLANT. THIS WOULD EXPLAIN THE SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE HEATER CORE FAILURE AND COOLANT SYSTEM CORROSION. [XXX] FROM THE FORD EXECUTIVE OFFICES CALLED AUG. 5 TO SAY FORD IS UNWILLING TO HELP AND I MUST TAKE UP THE FIGHT WITH THE WARRANTY COMPANY.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THE HEATER CORE LEAKED PREVIOUSLY AND WAS REPLACED IN 08/02. THE HEATER CORE LEAKED AGAIN AND CAUSED FUMES TO ENTER PASSENGER CABIN.*AK PH *JB
HEATER CORE WAS PREVIOUSLY LEAKING AND WAS REPLACED IN 08/02. HEATER CORE IS NOW LEAKING AGAIN CAUSING FUMES TO ENTER PASSENGER CABIN.*AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERATIVE WHILE IN USE AND OBSTRUCTED THE DRIVERS VIEW. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTIONED. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED AND NOW THE WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES. *NLM *NLM
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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