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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
9,890 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1997 Ford Taurus transmission problems

transmission problem

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1997 Ford Taurus Owner Comments (Page 6 of 9)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #71

Apr 011997

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When starting up vehicle and put it in gear, reach about 25mph and does not shift properly. Then, engine revs up to 4,000 rpms and when reach 30mph it shifts. Contacted dealer.

- Woodmere, NY, USA

problem #70

Jun 152000

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Experienced transmission hesitation while slowing down into a turn and rough transition ( banging) when reapplying acceleration coming out of the turn. Ford dealer reports after diagnostic and tear down that problem was in transmission forward clutches and torque convertor and needed replacement. Transmission only has 48500 miles and only 3 years old. Problem started about 46000 miles with only subtle rough transient shifting at first. Problem grew worse with banging and whole car vibration at times. Ford customer service center has been contacted and will contact service manager for a detailed explanation of what could have caused problem so that a decision can be reached for an out of warranty component financial assistance situation.

- Kennesaw, GA, USA

problem #69

Feb 012000

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
When I stop at a stop light or stop sign the transmission drops in to neutral and does not want to go into gear, you have to rev the engine to get it to move and then the trans. Jerks real hard, the dealer said it was the cervo's at first and now the are saying a sensor is causing the problem but that we would have to pay for it since the warranty is out!

- Mesquite, TX, USA

problem #68

Jun 132000

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving engine check light will come on and stay for about a month. Dealer could not find what was causing this problem. Transmission slips unexpectedly, dealer says it's faulty.

- Wellington, OH, USA

problem #67

May 222000

(reported on)

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Transmission has whining sound when letting off the gas.

- Flemington, WV, USA

problem #66

Oct 151999

Taurus

  • miles
Just the tranmission problems.

- Holt, MI, USA

problem #65

May 092000

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

No summary listed for above vehiicle.

- Sterling Hghts, MI, USA

problem #64

May 052000

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Transmission failed to get out of first gear causing problems in traffic. Transmission had been serviced regularly at riverview Ford-Mercury in columbia, il.

- Columbia, IL, USA

problem #63

Nov 121999

Taurus

  • miles
Transmission started to fail by not going into gear in the morning, it then would not go above 20 mph and had to be taken back to where I purchased it after I contacted Ford and they did not want to help and basically did not want any part of my problem. When I asked Ford if alot of Taurus' have this problem they refused to release that information. I think I have a roght to know since I am an owner of a Taurus and I still owe a very large sum of money on this car. I then checked in to it myself and found mind-boggling stories of how Ford will not make good on these Taurus'. there are so many people who are stuck with this type if car with a bad transmission it is horrible, a multi-million dollar co. Will not make good on these cars they know are bad.

- South Kingstown, RI, USA

problem #62

Apr 112000

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
When consumer has vehicle in park gear shift will not move in drive. Gear shift is stuck.

- Huntington Beach, CA, USA

problem #61

Apr 132000

Taurus

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Complete trans failure

- Washington, NJ, USA

problem #60

Apr 132000

(reported on)

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Whenever windshield wipers are in use they would work erractically. Sometimes not at all. This causes poor visibility for the driver. The switch can turn wipers on & then wipers would stop. Also, transmission failed to shift into gear properly, and power steering failed to work properly when turning steering wheel. Taking vehicle dealer to check out problems.

- Mt Vernon, IL, USA

problem #59

Sep 051999

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
No summary listed for above vehicle.

- Red Hook, NY, USA

problem #58

Dec 011999

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I was sold a 5 star lemon. The carfax wesite has 6 lemon history reports. Also my car has a recall on ax4S auto-trans. I have the reports. Please check all reports, I feel me and my family is in grave danger, please I don't want to die. Please deal with this situation as soon as possible. My life is in your hands. Thank you

- Boynton Beach, FL, USA

problem #57

Dec 221998

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Vehicle experiencing ongoing problem with transmission failure. Transmission was replaced three times: Once at 31,000 miles of wear; second time at 53,000 miles of wear, and at present with 58,000 miles of wear. All repairs were done by dealer, and once at consumer expense with an extended warranty.

- Enumclaw, WA, USA

problem #56

Mar 092000

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Was proceding across intersection, starting up slight grade when I lost forward motion of vehicle. I accelerated engine and the engine revoluntions increased. I put transmission in park, then back into drive and same thing happened. The car would not move forward. I then place transmission in reverse and the car moved backward as it is supposed to. No problem in reverse. Again, I attemped to place transmission in drive, then 2nd, then low range and could not get any forward. Movement. Took vehicle to transmission specialist (after dicsussing issue with dealer). The transmission specialist said he got into the car the next morning and car ran fine. He took for test drive and car ran fine. He inspected the transmission and could find nothing wrong. He replaced fluid and changed filter. The car ran okey for several days, then on 3/16/00, my wife was driving the car and reported the transmission slipping. Especially when stopped at traffic light. When she would procede forward, the transmission would slip, then jerk then ultimately continue in a somewhat normal fashion. I called dealer, took vehicle to dealer for inspection. The stated the fluid was burned and the transmission would have to be replaced. The dealer indicated he wmay go $1,000 of the estimated $2,100 repair for a rebuild transmission. I reported transmission problems to Ford moor co. Customer assistance center. Likewise, they indicated that Ford may pay a portion for the repair. The Ford representative indicate he would forward a report to his regional and district office and that a report would be sent to the dealer. It was indicated that the dealer should receive a formal report from Ford Motor Co. Within two working days and that I would then be notified as to what the final status of the repair cost would be.

- Morgantown, WV, USA

problem #55

Jan 132000

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
We bought this 97 Taurus with 56,816 miles on 3/17/99. A week later the engine check light came on. The dealer advised us to go to his mechanic and have it checked. The mechanic read a P1744 code, cleared the code, road-tested the car, and advised us to continue to drive, and see if it would reset or not. In the ongoing months engine check light came on three more times. There were no problems and the car was operating normally. These three times it was taken to the Ford dealership, the code cleared and we were sent on our way. The last time, however, we said that this problem has got to be solved! the Ford dealer said it could be many things, and would cost $63 to investigate. After investigation, the dealer said it was in the transmission valve body, approximately $750 to overhaul. The dealer was given the okay, and the end result was a $1,245 bill to replace the entire valve body and pump shaft. The needle bearing had failed and the pump shaft scored the bore in valve body. The car at the time of this repair 1/19/00 had 61,808 miles. This is a definite case of premature failure, caused probably by a manufacturing defect.

- Fairport, NY, USA

problem #54

Mar 012000

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Transmission quit. If we were on interstate, would have caused major problem.

- Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

problem #53

Mar 022000

(reported on)

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
When applying the gas and going down hill, transmission makes a jerk forward and a loud clunking noise. The clunking and jerking has become progressively worse. Dealer has seen the vehicle, but does not know how to correct it.

- Carson City, NV, USA

problem #52

Oct 201998

Taurus

  • miles
When I first bought the car the door ajar light would intermittintly come on. I took the vehicle I took it back to them twice and they were unable to fix it. Now the problem is esculating. The car now shuts off the power to the radio speakers, power windows, power assist and probably other components when the gear shift is taken out of park. All components work fine when car is in park shift position. Of course I'm required to pay to have this fixed even though it could probably been fixed right in the first place. The decision to stop going back to the dealer is based on the work they did do (shabby) and their not being able to fix the main problem I took the car back into them. Is the car suppose to had a high wind noise - I was told that was part of the design and they could do nothing about that when I first bought the car.

- Albany, GA, USA

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