2008 Ford Taurus X

LEFT REAR PASSENGER SEAT BACK(2/3RDS BENCH) WILL NOT RELEASE. THE RESULT OF THIS IS LOSS OF ABILITY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE FROM 3RD ROW SEATING. CAN ONLY EXIT FROM THE SMALLER 1/3RD BENCH SEAT ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE OF REDUCED ABILITY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE OR TO BE RESCUED FROM 3RD ROW SEATING AREA.

FOR THE PAST 2-3 YEAR, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT, VEHICLE LOOSES POWER STEERING. TOOK THE CAR INTO FORD DEALERSHIP, WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, AND WAS REPEATEDLY TOLD BY SERVICE TECH, MECHANIC DID NOT NOTICE A PROBLEM. VEHICLE SHUDDERS WHEN BACKING UP AND STRUGGLES TO SHIFT GEARS WHEN ACCELERATING ON HIGHWAY. ABS BRAKE SYSTEM KICKS IN FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHEN DRIVING. GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM REAR WHEEL ON DRIVERS SIDE WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. TOOK CAR TO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD NO POWER STEERING, NEED BALL BEARING REPLACEMENT AND NEED NEW/ REBUILT TRANSMISSION. COMPLETELY DISGUSTED AS THE CAR IS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD. WHY CANT SIMILARLY SITUATED OWNERS OF THE FORD TAURUS-X SEEM TO GET THE NHTSA TO TAKE ANY REAL ACTION ON OUR BEHALF? I'M CONFUSED. PLEASE HELP!!!

WHEN TURNING FROM EITHER A PARKED OR STOPPED POSITION THE STEERING FEELS AS THOUGH IT IS STUCK IN WHATEVER DIRECTION I AM STEERING AND I HAVE TO HELP THE STEERING GO BACK INTO A STRAIGHT POSITION THIS I FEEL IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I NOT ONLY DRIVE THIS VEHICLE BACK AND FORTH TO WORK I ALSO HAVE CHILDREN THAT RIDE IN IT AS WELL. NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED AT THE MANUFACTURERS EXPENSE IF NOT AND THERE IS AN ACCIDENT THAT RESULTS IN A FATALITY THERE IS A HUGE LAWSUIT COMING YOUR WAY FORD

WE ARE ORIGINAL OWNERS ON A 2008 FORD TAURUS X WITH 143000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SHUTTERING AND SHIFTING ROUGHLY FOR THE PAST 30000 MILES OR SO. RECENTLY MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEED WHEN SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH WENT OFF, THE MILES UNTIL EMPTY READING DROPPED TO 0 (3/4 TANK OF GAS REMAINED), AND THE VEHICLE WOULD REV BUT ONLY GO 2-3 MPH. I ENTERED SOME OF THESE SYMPTOMS INTO GOOGLE AND FOUND MANY MESSAGE BOARD ENTERIES REFERENCING THIS ISSUE. WHAT CONCERNS ME IS FORD DOES NOT TO APPEAR TO FIX THE ISSUE SHORT OF REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION ($4000).

EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT "SHUDDER" IN STEERING SYSTEM WHEN CORNERING AND/OR MANEUVERING INTO PARKING SPACES; THIS CONDITION PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE AND FINALLY, THERE WAS A SUDDEN TOTAL LOSS OF POWER ASSIST TO THE STEERING SYSTEM ALMOST RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. NOTICED LARGE PUDDLE OF ATF/POWER STEERING FLUID UNDER VEHICLE WHEN PARKED. UPON INSPECTION, DISCOVERED THAT POWER STEERING RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY AND THE STEERING RACK HOUSING HAD LEAKING SEAL WHERE MAIN STEERING SHAFT ENTERED HOUSING LEADING TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE STEERING RACK CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED ON THIS VEHICLE (SEE: NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10468922; DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 08/02/2012; DATE OF INCIDENT: 07/30/2012; COMPONENT(S): STEERING). BROUGHT VEHICLE IN TO FORD DEALER (BRONDES FORD, MAUMEE, OH) FOR SERVICE. ENTIRE STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED AGAIN AT A COST EXCEEDING $1,000. FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL THIS VEHICLE FOR STEERING RACK DUE TO THE NUMBERS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA SITE ALONE DUE TO THE VERY NATURE OF THIS FAILURE - ANYTHING STEERING/SUSPENSION/BRAKE-RELATED SHOULD BE SUBJECT FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION FOR RECALL. FT

AS I WAS OUT RUNNING ERRANDS AND BACKING IN TO PARK MY 2008 FORD TAURUS X, IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE STEERING WAS VERY STIFF AND REQUIRED A GOOD BIT OF EFFORT. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO BRING IN THE CAR FOR EVALUATION. FORD DETERMINED THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN (RACK & PINION) AS WELL AS THE POWER STEERING PUMP & RESERVOIR. PRIOR TO THE INITIAL COMPLETE POWER STEERING FAILURE IN DECEMBER OF 2014, I HAD COMPLAINED TO FORD NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT THE STEERING AND HAD HAD THE RACK & PINION UNIT & POWER STEERING PUMPS REPLACED (AT 100268 MILES) IN FEBRUARY OF 2013! IN DECEMBER 2014 THEY QUOTED AN ASTRONOMICAL PRICE TO AGAIN REPAIR MY CAR, AT WHICH POINT, I TOOK IT ELSEWHERE AND ORDERED THE PARTS ON-LINE. FAST FORWARD 6-MONTHS LATER (JUNE 8, 2015) AND MY STEERING HAS AGAIN FAILED WITH THE SAME ISSUE - POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE PARTS ARE STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THE REPAIR SHOP HAS REPLACED THE PUMP - WHICH THEY STATED WAS NOT WORKING AT ALL, BUT MY STEERING IS STILL NOT FUNCTIONING. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'M MAKING THIS REPAIR, CLEARLY IT'S A SYMPTOM AND NOT THE REAL ISSUE. WHEN IS FORD GOING TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM?!

WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A NINETY DEGREE TURN RIGHT OR LEFT INTO A PARKING SPACE OR PULLING OUT WHILE MAKING A TURN, I LOSE POWER STEERING AND ONLY HAVE MANUAL STEERING. I ALMOST HIT A CAR OR THE CORNER OF THE ROAD/BUILDING AS USING ALL MY STRENGTH, I CANNOT MAKE A SHARP TURN. I HAVE TO BACK UP AND MAKE WIDE TURNS. I AM NOT DRIVING THIS CAR MUCH AS AFRAID I WILL LOSE STEERING AT A HIGHER SPEED. IT HAS BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT TO PARK AT SLOW SPEEDS AS I COMPLETELY LOSE THE POWER ASSISTED POWER STEERING AND I HAVE TROUBLE STEERING IN MANUAL MODE--CAN BARELY TURN THE WHEEL USING ALL MY STRENGTH AT 1 MILE PER HOUR. I LEARNED THAT FORD HAS RECALLED THOUSANDS OF CARS FOR THIS RECENTLY AND ONLINE BLOGS SHOW THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE POWER STEERING FOR THIS MODEL.

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES AN HOUR I LOST MY POWER STEERING. MY VEHICLE STEERS VERY HARD AND IS EXTREMELY HARD WHILE TRYING TO PARK CAR. RIGHT TURNS ARE HARDER THAN LEFT TURNS. THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO MANEUVER AROUND SHARP TURNS AND CORNERS. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT AS A BAD RACK AND PINION (STEERING GEAR) AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD CONCERN.

WHILE DRIVING ON A SECONDARY ROAD THE VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. AFTER GETTING THE CAR OFF THE ROAD I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND CHECKED THE POWER STEERING BELTS AND FLUID. BOTH WERE FINE. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE THE STEERING SEEMED TO BE WORKING PROPERLY AGAIN SO I DROVE HOME. THE STEERING WORKED FINE UNTIL ABOUT A BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE WHEN IT FAILED AGAIN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD TAURUS X. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO THE NEIGHBORS HOUSE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES AND NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.