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...
erratic shifting and buck when it goes over 3000rpm.l
This 2002 Ford Taurus is owned by a friend. He had it analyzed by a mechanic using a blue tooth analyzer made by SnapOn. The problem didn't show up as it only would set a code if the vehicle had exceeded 2500rpm. But, what did occur, was the TSB's on this year vehicle were checked and this problem was written up as a bad cam synchronizer. My friend bought and installed the magnetic sensor that goes on the top of the synchronizer. This fixed the problem of the car wanting to buck in and out of gear at 3000 rpm when going up a hill and automatically down shifting since it was on cruise control. I looked at the part he removed and seen there was a brown powdery substance all over the inside of the sensor. I suspect the substance was magnetic in nature and was reducing the magnetic field to the coil that was in it. He bought a new sensor when in my opinion all that was necessary was to clean the powder from the inside of the sensor and the magnetic contact and replace it whereby saving him $35.00. This is no guarantee the cam shaft synchronizer is going to go bad as the powdery substance had only one place to come from. So at best, I believe this to be a short term fix to an inevitable problem.
Trans shifts slow(P-D,D-R). Trans shifts erratic. Lugs down to 1300 rpm in O/D, then drops to 2nd gear, engine screaming. Will shift up from D to O/D at 35 mph while pulling hill & then back to D or 2nd. I checked trans fluid & found it full but burned. Took to dealer. They put machine on & flushed trans. Refilled w/ new fluid & additive.Did not change filter??? Dealer would not cover under warranty!
- Karlton H.,
Friendsville, PA, US
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erratic shifting and buck when it goes over 3000rpm.l
This 2002 Ford Taurus is owned by a friend. He had it analyzed by a mechanic using a blue tooth analyzer made by SnapOn. The problem didn't show up as it only would set a code if the vehicle had exceeded 2500rpm. But, what did occur, was the TSB's on this year vehicle were checked and this problem was written up as a bad cam synchronizer. My friend bought and installed the magnetic sensor that goes on the top of the synchronizer. This fixed the problem of the car wanting to buck in and out of gear at 3000 rpm when going up a hill and automatically down shifting since it was on cruise control. I looked at the part he removed and seen there was a brown powdery substance all over the inside of the sensor. I suspect the substance was magnetic in nature and was reducing the magnetic field to the coil that was in it. He bought a new sensor when in my opinion all that was necessary was to clean the powder from the inside of the sensor and the magnetic contact and replace it whereby saving him $35.00. This is no guarantee the cam shaft synchronizer is going to go bad as the powdery substance had only one place to come from. So at best, I believe this to be a short term fix to an inevitable problem.
- Timothy N., Ridgecrest, CA, US