2000 Ford Taurus Interior & seats Problems

FRIDAY AFTERNOON I TOOK MY 90 YEAR OLD MOTHER AND DROVE TO CHICK FILET TO BUY A TAKEOUT LUNCH. I DROVE HOME TO MY MOTHER'S HOUSE AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BACKING UP THE CAR INTO HER DRIVEWAY. I STOPPED THE CAR AND LOOKED BEHIND ME TO CHECK FOR ANYONE WALKING AND THEN HEARD MY MOM SCREAM FIRE!, FIRE!. AS I QUICKLY TURNED MY HEAD BACK I SAW FLAMES JUMPING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF MY 2000 FORD TAURUS STATION WAGON. I QUICKLY TURN OFF THE CAR, GRABBING THE KEYS AS I WENT, YELLED AT MY MOM TO GET OUT AND THEN JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR AND RACED BACK TO OPEN THE TRUNK SO THAT I COULD GET MY MOTHER'S WALKER. AS I ARRIVED AT MY MOTHER'S CAR DOOR I HELPED HER OUT AND PULLED OFF HER OXYGEN CANULA AND TOLD HER TO WALK AS FAST AS SHE COULD TOWARDS THE HOUSE. I THEN GRABBED THE OXYGEN TANK, PURSES, AND LUNCH AND RAN TOWARD THE HOUSE SCREAMING FOR SOMEONE TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. A NEIGHBOR SAID THEY WOULD. I UNLOCKED MY MOTHER'S DOOR AND SHE PRESSED HER LIFE ALERT BUTTON AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I WALKED OUT SIDE TO WAIT FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SAW A MAN NEAR THE CAR LOOKING AT IT. I YELLED AT HIM TO GET AWAY IN CASE IT BLEW UP. HE DID AND IN ABOUT 30 SECONDS IT BLEW GLASS, AND OTHER BITS ALL ABOUT AND WAS FULLY ENGULFED WITH FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TOOK ABOUT 7 MINUTES TO GET THERE AND THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED AND BURNING UP FROM FRONT TO BACK. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE SCARY THING IS THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING WHAT SO EVER TO LET US KNOW THAT THIS WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. NO SMOKE, NO SMELLS, NOTHING. MY MOTHER AND I COULD HAVE BEEN BURNED UP IF WE HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT IN TIME. MY CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND I HAD JUST PURCHASED FOUR NEW TIRES FOR IT. WE DROVE OUR CAR VERY CAREFULLY AND WE HAD OWNED IT FOR 13 YEARS AND HAD LOW MILEAGE ONLY 46,000 MILES ON IT. WHY DID THIS CAR CATCH FIRE AND EXPLODE WITHOUT WARNING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10499868

Incident

Jan 11, 2013

Mileage

46,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD TAURUS. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT. AFTER SOME TIME, THE FRONT PASSENGER, REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS ALSO WOULD NOT RETRACT. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE DOOR LOCKS WITH THE KEY FOB THE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10489181

Incident

Dec 18, 2011

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS (BELOW 20 DEGREES). ONCE SHE WAS ABLE TO OPEN IT, SHE WOULD HAVE TO HOLD IT WITH HER LEFT HAND AND DRIVE WITH HER RIGHT BECAUSE IT WOULD TAKE SUCH A LONG TIME TO CLOSE COMPLETELY. MOST RECENTLY, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR ALSO EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED TO-DATE. SHE HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,408. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 99,000. UPDATED 02/13/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HELD THE DOOR WITH HER RIGHT HAND, AND DROVE WITH HER LEFT HAND. UPDATED 02/16/10

NHTSA ID

10302295

Incident

Mar 17, 2007

Mileage

99,000 mi

2000 FORD TAURUS WITH SEVERAL REPAIRS MADE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAD THE HEADS ON THE MOTOR REPLACED TWICE, DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT GO UP OR DOWN. COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS REPLACED. TRANSMISSION HAD WORK DONE TO IT, AND THE BACK LOCK DOES NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY. *KB THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10225096

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

WE HAVE TWO FORD TAURUS' AND BOTH HAVE THE SAME DOOR LATCH PROBLEM. BOTH ARE YEAR MODEL 2000. THE ISSUE IS THAT WHEN OUTDOOR TEMPERATURES DROP TO THE LOW 20 DEGREE AREA AND BELOW, THE DOORS WILL NOT LATCH. WE FOUND THIS OUT THE FIRST TIME BY HAVING THE DOOR FLY OPEN WHILE DRIVING. I'VE DONE SOME INTERNET RESEARCH AND IT APPEARS THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR MANY PEOPLE GOING AT LEAST AS FAR BACK AS 1999, AND FORWARD TO AT LEAST THE 2004 MODEL YEAR. I COULD PUT A TON OF LINKS TO SITES WHERE PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY'RE EASY TO FIND. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT THAT COULD PUT PEOPLE AT RISK OF AN INJURY. IN ORDER TO GET THE DOOR LATCH TO WORK PROPERLY REQUIRES THAT HEAT BE APPLIED AND THEN THIS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY BAND AID. THE DOOR LATCHES WILL NOT FUNCTION AS SOON AS THEY GET COLD AGAIN. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT WILL EITHER CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR CREATE A SITUATION WHERE AN OCCUPANT IS NOT PROTECTED DURING A CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218586

Incident

Feb 18, 2008

DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH WILL NOT KEEP DOOR SHUT IN VERY COLD WEATHER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10214630

Incident

Jan 3, 2008

2000 TAURUS DRIVERS DOOR HANDLES FAILED. *TS SEVERAL TIMES, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL COVERED UNDER IT'S EXTENDED WARRANTY, THE CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE THE DRIVER' S DOOR OPEN ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT MOISTURE GOT INTO THE LOCKS. THE DEALER SPRAYED THE LOCKS. DURING THE WINTER OF 2004 AND 2005 THE CONSUMER HAD TO HOLD THE DOOR WHILE DRIVING UNTIL THE LOCK THAWED ENOUGH TO CLOSE PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR NOT UNLOCKING. NOW ALL FOUR DOOR HANDLES ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10177472

Incident

Dec 1, 2006

CAR DOOR OPEN LIGHT REMAINS ON AND DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT SECURE WHEN CAR IS PLACED INTO GEAR AND MOVED. YOU MAY PRESS LOCK MECHANISM ON THE DOOR, BUT LOCKS WILL UNLOCK AGAIN ALMOST INSTANTLY. I BELIEVE AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR LOCK SWITCH. IT MAY BE ONE OR ALL FOUR DOORS CAUSING THIS LACK OF SECURITY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10157851

Incident

Apr 17, 2006

Mileage

74,000 mi

RIGHT SIDE PASSENGER DOORS (ACTUATORS) FAILED

NHTSA ID

10124436

Incident

Apr 10, 2005

Mileage

44,000 mi

CAR DOORS DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHEN CAR IS PUT INTO DRIVE AND CAR BEGINS TO MOVE. INDICATOR IN DASH SAYS DOOR OPEN (AND NONE ARE). THE DOORS WILL NOT LOCK MANUALLY WHEN DRIVING, THEY WILL UNLOCK IF YOU TRY TO LOCK.*AK

NHTSA ID

10072988

Incident

Dec 18, 2003

Mileage

74,000 mi

WHILE TURNING THE TURN SIGNAL FAILED TO COME ON. THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10074081

Incident

May 21, 2004

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WERE TOO DIM, MAKING IT HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IONS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10073518

Incident

Apr 19, 2004

Mileage

68,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OPENED THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR SAW COUPLE OF SPARKS SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND OCCURRED A FIRE. NLM *JG

NHTSA ID

8007890

Incident

Apr 8, 2002

THE DAY I PICKED UP THE CAR THE HOOD WAS UP AND SALESMAN SAID THEY CHECKED UNDER HOOD AND EVERYTHING WAS OK AND SHUT IT. I DROVE DIRECTLY TO MY INSURANCE ADGENT TO UPDATE MY POLICY AND IT WAS UP AGAIN. I CALLED DEALER AND HE SAID TO BRING CAR IN. HE COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE SEVERAL TIMES WHEN OTHER CARS WAVED ME OVER AS THE HOOD WAS UP AND I HAD TO PULL INTO REST AREAS TO PUT IT DOWN. I HAVE COMPLAINED EACH TIME I HAD SERVICE AND THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE LATCH BUT IT STILL HAPPENS. I AM AFRAID IF THAT LITTLE PLASTIC CATCH GIVES WAY THE HOOD WILL FLY ALL THE WAY UP AND I WILL HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I AM UPSET AS I FEEL THIS IS NOT A SMALL MATTER BUT A SAFETY HAZARD.*AK

NHTSA ID

753369

Incident

Nov 3, 1999

LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER INCLUDING DASHBOARD, HEADLIGHTS,HORN,SIGNALS,RADIO,A/C,WINDSHIELD WIPERS,ETC ON FOUR OCCASIONS. *AK

NHTSA ID

752427

Incident

Jul 30, 2001

DOME LIGHT /TRUNK LIGHT OR INTERIOR LIGHT/ NO DASHBOARD LIGHT. SHE STATED THAT LIGHTS WENT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

885085

Incident

Apr 3, 2001

ALL ELECTRICAL DASH INSTRUMENTS WERE INOPERATIVE - WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NEEDED AND WERE NOT OPERATING FOR A PERIOD OF 20 MIN., THEN SUDDENLY POWER WAS RESTORED FOR NO APPARENT REASON - PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 5 TIMES FOR DIFFERENT PERIODS OF TIME ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *AK

NHTSA ID

739226

Incident

Dec 11, 2000