1997 Ford Taurus

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE COMING TO A STOP, THE A FRAME SHEARED OFF AND LANDED ON TOP OF THE STEERING BOX, CAUSING STEERING LOSS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE A FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 135,000.

I PURCHASED MY 1997 FORD TAURUS IN FEBRUARY 2010, AND SHORTLY AFTER EXPERIENCED MY ODOMETER STOPPING AND MY POWER STEERING STOPPING AT THE SAME TIME. IT USUALLY HAPPENS IF I DRIVE THE CAR LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES, OR IF I SIT AT A STOP LIGHT TO LONG. IT ALSO SEEMS TO HAPPEN AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH OR HIGHER. I ALSO NOTICED THAT MY TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP, AND I WILL FIND MY CAR MOVING FORWARD AFTER STOPPING. I HAVE GOTTEN USED TO STAYING A GOOD DISTANCE FROM CARS SO I HAVE ROOM TO STOP. *TR

POWER STEERING INTERMITTENT FAILURE; FIRST BEGAN WHEN PLACING SHIFT LEVER INTO REVERSE GEAR, THEN LATER OCCURRED ALSO IN FORWARD DRIVE GEARS. SUSPECT ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC PROBLEM SINCE RADIO SPEAKERS ALSO GO SILENT AND POWER WINDOWS DO NOT OPERATE WHEN THIS OCCURS. ALL OTHER FUSES WORKING PROPERLY. DEALER IS NOT YET CONTACTED. *TR

I HAVE EXPERIENCE THE SAME LOST OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES,I HAVE ALSO NOTICE THAT WHEN I TURN MY WHEEL IT MAKES A SQUEAKING SOUND.HAD THE CAR CHECKED WAS TOLD IT NEEDED TO BE LUBED.HAD IT LUBED CAR IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING.A COWORKER HAS A 1997 FORD TAURUS LIKE MY CAR AND THEY ARE EXPERENCING THE SAME NOISES. PLEASE ADVISE IF THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON. *AK

1. STEERING AND POWER COMPLETELY FAILED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING AFTER ONLY TWO WEEKS AFTER BUYING CAR 2. HAD REPAIRED AT DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT IT,SOMETHING ABOUT MODULE, 3. AFTER ABOUT 4 MO. STARTED SAME PROBLEM AGAIN, NO RESPONSE FROM DEALER OR FORD ABOUT MY CONCERNS,CAUSED MY DAUGHTER TO HIT A TREE DAMAGING CAR HEAVILY AND CAUSING MY DAUGHTER TO HIT HER HEAD RESULTING IN HEADACHES 4. HAD CAR REPAIRED FROM ACCIDENT AND LET IT GO BACK BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT 5. NOW WE'RE BEING CONSTANTLY HARASSED BY FORD MOTORS LAWERS WELTMAN,WEINBERG & REIS 323 LAKESIDE AVE. CLEVELAND 44113-1099, PHONE216.739.5081 WITH GARNESHMENTS NOW THEY TRYING TO GET OUR SOCIAL SECURITY. *NM

VEHICLE MOVING DOWN A HILL. POWER BRAKES AND STEERING LOST POWER,ENGINE STILL RUNNING, BUT NO POWER TO BRAKES OR STEERING. FINALLY STOPPED VEHICLE WITH NO INCIDENT. TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND RESTARTED, POWER TO BRAKES AND STEERING RESTORED.*AK TOOK TO SERVICE.REPLACEMENT WAS MADE TO CAMSHAFT SENSOR. PROBLEM SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN CORRECTED, BUT RETURNED ABOUT 6 MOS. LATER...SAME CIRCUMSTANCES,ONLY IN FIRST INCIDENT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD BEEN APPEARING INTERMITTENTLY.

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

F YOU CAN REFERENCE THE "CAR TALK" ARTICLE FROM JULY 2002 IT EXPLAINS MY PROBLEMS TO A "T". NUMEROUS MECHANICS REPLIED TO THE ARTICLE AND "CAR TALK" RELAYED THAT INFO TO ME. MY TAURUS WAS 5 YEARS OLD WHEN THE PROBLEMS STARTED. MY DRIVER'S SIDE BACK WINDOW STARTED CUTTING OUT AT TIMES. THEN MY RADIO STARTED CUTTING OUT ONLY WHEN TURNING RIGHT. THEN WHEN IN REVERSE AND SO ON TILL IT DIDN'T WORK. MY WIPERS ALSO HAD PROBLEMS AT TIMES. ALL THESE WERE MINER TILL MY POWER STEERING STARTED CUTTING OUT. THAT IS THE TIME I SAW THIS ARTICLE AND GOT THE INFO THAT THE TRANSMISSION SENSOR WAS THE PROBLEM. FORD REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING OR ADMIT THAT THERE WAS A TREND. I GOT THE SENSOR REPLACED BY ONE MECHANIC WHO STATED HE HAD MANY FORD CARS ON WHICH HE REPLACED THE SENSORS, ALL THE SAME YEARS- 97-98S. UNFORTUNATELY, HE DID NOT REPLACE THE CONNECTOR PIECE AND THE PROBLEMS RETURNED. I THEN PAID THE BIG BUCKS AND HAD A DEALER REPLACE THE PIECE. THEY, OF COURSE, SAID THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM AND WANTED TO DO ALL THIS TESTING. I SHOWED THEM ALL THE DOCUMENTATION ON WHAT I FOUND AND WHAT "CAR TALK" SENT ME. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS SINCE GETTING IT REPLACED. I AM INCENSED THAT FORD WOULD NOT RECALL A PIECE THAT ALLOWS YOUR POWER STEERING TO GO OUT. IF A RECALL OCCURS, I WOULD LOVE TO BE PART OF IT. I AM OUT 300$.