CarComplaints.com Notes: Most people need a car where the coil springs don't puncture or shred tires while driving. The Taurus fails in that respect.
The 1999-2003 Ford Taurus has a huge problem with coil springs breaking, which can puncture or even shred tires while driving.
The US government spent THREE YEARS (2008-2011) investigating the 2002-2003 Taurus coil springs. Although Taurus/Sable from earlier years were recalled, ultimately the NHTSA did not force a recall. They determined that because there had been no deaths & very few bad crashes & injuries, the broken coil springs defect was no big deal & not a safety defect. Tell that to all the owners who had close calls...
7.8
pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$300
Average Mileage:
97,700 miles
Total Complaints:
10 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
not sure (6 reports)
blend door fixed (1 reports)
blow out heater core (1 reports)
drain, flush and refill cooling system (1 reports)
Overall, car is acceptable. It's just that the heater doesn't works. In winter it's complicated to go out and, at -20 degrees, the car requires AT LEAST a defroster.
Since the car already costs like $1500 (Canada), it's not worth it to buy a new heater core ($800). So we bought a manual heater ($200 from amazon) which pumps lots of heat. Problem is now we have to turn it off because it's too powerful (plus, because it was placed at feet level, it practically kills the second passenger in the first row - remember that this car is 8 passenger, 3-3-2.)
Since I'm not a mechanic I probably can't describe this with the proper terms.... My dad, however, is a mechanic and fixed the problem for me. To loosely paraphrase what he described, a notch in a cog wheel that turns the blend air door (when you turn the thermostat control knob from cool to heat or vice versa) broke. So the main cog that turned the door was slipping and the blend air door would not turn past a certain point to allow for cool air shut off and allow the warmer air to pass into the cabin. When I would turn the temperature control knob into the "heat" setting, I could hear the door behind the dash start making a continuous clunk, clunk, clunk sound. Never could turn the temperature dial more than just a little way into "heat". Really sucked in the winter when you could only set your highest heat level to BARELY luke warm, and it would take forever for the cabin to get warm! And what a pain to fix... my dad had to pull out the whole dashboard, glove compartment, etc....
Very little heat for defrost or heat, again. Feduke Ford drained flushed & refilled cooling system. Also checked blend door and heater hoses for blockage -both OK. Changed thermostat &gasket. Still very little heat from heater. Recommend heater core change ($800 estimate) not done.
I don't mind paying for a repair on my car but I do mind being told that Every winter I will need to have the problem fixed again.Over 300.00 dollars That is a rip off.
- itsmemindy,
Seguin, TX, US
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was suppose to fix my heater,but it car was over heating before I could get heater worked on,Needed a new radiator and thermostat. Mechanic said heater was working when he finished.The heater was not working when I picked it up to go home ,it still blew out cold air.Compared to the cold temperature in the winter it blows luck warm,Have to let my car run for a while to get the windshield clear so I can see the road.
The last 2 years we have had to have the heater coil blown out and luckily that has worked to give me heat otherwise its 600.00 to replace the heater core. Not real comfy driving 30 miles to work in the winter with no heat. Let alone the blower only worked on high.
It started with water on the passenger side floor. I was told by a mechanic that my AC dryer drain was getting plugged up and I should clean it out occasionally. This didn't help.
Then my defrosters stopped working. I was told it was probably my heater core.
Now I have a hose close to my firewall leaking. I think it's all connected.
I'll be pulling out my engine in a few weeks to figure out what's really going on.
I have had the entire radiator flushed, the coolant reservoir replaced and still there is no definite problem according to the two different mechanics (2 different companies). I have been told that it is the heater core, but many people have told me that there would be other signs such as oil on my windshield inside the car. Also, I have heat in my car when I have had my radiator flushed. One time my coolant was low (according to the local mechanic, my reservoir needed to be replaced..."It was leaking") and when it was filled up, there was some heat again in my car. I don't know what the REAL problem is. Does anyone?
This is the second time the heater core has been replaced. The first time the passenger side floor was filled with water, I was so embarrased. I had to keep a plastic bag in the car. We need help with this problem. This is too costly.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Overall, car is acceptable. It's just that the heater doesn't works. In winter it's complicated to go out and, at -20 degrees, the car requires AT LEAST a defroster.
Since the car already costs like $1500 (Canada), it's not worth it to buy a new heater core ($800). So we bought a manual heater ($200 from amazon) which pumps lots of heat. Problem is now we have to turn it off because it's too powerful (plus, because it was placed at feet level, it practically kills the second passenger in the first row - remember that this car is 8 passenger, 3-3-2.)
- Julian L., Montreal, Quebec, canada