Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||||
| 982742 | 04/01/1998 | 603595 | Some vehicles may exhibit a steering groan noise. *yc | 02/25/1999 | |
| STEERING - COLUMN LOCKING - ANTI-THEFT DEVICE | |||||
| 98241 | 12/07/1998 | 604053 | Diagnostic service tips on passive anti theft system ( pats ). *yc | 03/16/1999 | |
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||||
| 9941 | 03/08/1999 | 604749 | Experiencing a moaning noise from the power steering during engine idle. *tt | 05/11/1999 | |
| 9851 | 03/16/1998 | 601289 | Exerpeincing a moaning noise heard from the power steering during engine idle. *tt | 07/17/1998 | |
| BC1030697020 | 02/01/1997 | 51763 | Groan or moan noise from the power steering when returning from a right turn. *jd | 07/17/1997 | |
| BC3061970228 | 02/28/1997 | 51670 | Repeat power steering grunt/groan after completion of tsb 97-02-04. *tw | 06/27/1997 | |
| BC3142970220 | 02/20/1997 | 51734 | Groan or moan noise from the power steering when returning from a right turn. *tw | 06/27/1997 | |
| BC9584961001 | 10/01/1996 | 50503 | Information for concerns of grunt or groan during wheel return from full right turn. *tt | 04/24/1997 | |
| STEERING - LINKAGES - TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | |||||
| 12570 | 03/01/1999 | 6091815 | Some vehicles may exhibit front outer tie rods squeak and / or pop noise over bumps and / or turning. *tt | 11/15/2000 | |
| 5897 | 03/01/1999 | 605254 | Experiencing a squeaking and / or popping noise from the front outer tire rods. *tt | 06/04/1999 | |
| STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR | |||||
| 9705019584 | 05/01/1997 | 52930 | Concerns of grunt or groan during wheel return. *yc | 11/13/1997 | |
| 9724 | 01/20/1997 | 51381 | Steering - grunting or groaning noise during steering wheel return from full right turn - vehicles built through 11/8/96. *tw | 06/27/1997 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 08/22/2012 | 135000 | ||
| 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. kmj | |||
| 08/22/2012 | 135000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1997 ford taurus. the contact stated that while coming to a stop the a frame of the vehicle sheared off and landed on top of the steering box causing steering loss. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and was told the a frame was completely rusted out. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 135,000. dt | |||
| 02/02/2010 | 153000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 12/28/2007 | 1 | 10/01/1997 | |
| Vehicle makes popping noise when turning left or right. sounds as though the noise is generated from tie rods or rack n pinion problem, which have already been replaced/repaired on vehicle. *tr | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 50000 | ||
| 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$. | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 0 | ||
| Transmission going out at such a low mileage, serpentine belt failure,cam sensor & false distributor shaft, & multi-functional switch in steering column | |||
| 2 | 07/20/1999 | ||
| When turning the vehicle it makes a popping sound. *et | |||
| 06/10/2000 | 10 | 04/01/1997 | |
| When driving on wet streets or over an puddle i loose all steering and controll of car. especially when i make an right hand turns. belts squeel for 10 to 30 seconds and the battery light comes on. the dealer says it is awware of this problem and there is no solution to this problem. this is a very dangerous situation. i have almost been in an accident. *ak | |||
| 07/01/1999 | 2 | 12/20/1997 | |
| While driving through a water puddle, the vehicle and driver experienced an approximate 4-5 second loss of power steering and the alternator light came on. *ak *ml | |||
| 05/18/2000 | |||
| Electrical short caused power windows to fail. also, steering malfunctioned intermittently. dealer notified, and appointment was received. *ak | |||
| 11/21/1998 | |||
| The consumer has been experiencing problems with power steering and accelerator. while driving power steering went out, and vehicle constantly decelerated and accelerated. the manufacturer has yet to be contacted. *ak | |||
| 03/12/1998 | |||
| While driving the steering locked up and there was no steering in the vehicle. tried to turn the wheel and there was no reaction in the wheel. so the driver tried to apply the brakes and there were no brakes in the vehicle. this problem happened all of a sudden. *ak | |||
| 1 | 05/29/1997 | ||
| Seat belt anchor is installed incorrectly. the only way the restraints can be latched is if twisted the restraint across to the buckle. owner has contacted the manufacturer, and is waiting for a representative to inspect the vehicle. *ak the steering becomes hard when brakes are applied. the consumer states that the vehicle was prepped, inspected and sold to him with defective seat belt in total disregard for his safety. *yh | |||
| 05/12/1997 | 1 | ||
| While driving vehicle and making a right turn there seems to be excess pressure on left, causing clunking and popping noises. owner is very concerned for safety. dealer told owner that problem could not be corrected. *ak | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN | |||
| 6 | |||
| Ltr fm m.l. moody (tx) re defective steering column in a 1997 ford taurus, requests a defect investigation . *mr the red light had come on the dash which had indicated a problem with the battery and the steering column locked on two separate occasions. the owner of the repair shop stated the steering locked up four times. the consumer requested reimbursement for the mechanical error. *scc *jb | |||
| STEERING - GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | |||
| 09/22/1999 | 1 | 05/01/1999 | |
| Was informed by dealership that this was caused by their repair of my transmission, however, i am to pay for the repair for this myself. what is wrong with this picture? they break it, i pay for it to be fixed. this is ford quality is job1 at its best. | |||
| 01/28/1998 | |||
| Vehicle never heats up. the temperature gauge never registers hot on the car. also, engine head gaskets blew out withouty prior indication or warning. incident occurred three times. dealer notified and aware of the problem. car with dealer and no information on diagnosis. right front grinding noise and steering gear was replaced. freeze plug lost. provide further information. *ak | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP | |||
| 08/04/1998 | 12/28/1997 | ||
| Power steering pump failed, caused noise. yh | |||
| 05/01/1997 | |||
| While driving over water puddles the water wets a belt which squeals, and cause no power steering which almost caused an accident. haven't taken to dealer yet. *ak | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 09/30/2007 | 142000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 04/01/2005 | 1 | ||
| 1997 ford taurus experiencing problems with the power steering. *mr the power steering had gone out due to the wrong automatic transmission fluid being placed in the vehicle. *sc *jb | |||
| 02/10/2005 | 2 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 12/27/2003 | 69000 | 6 | 02/28/2003 |
| 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 | |||
| 12/10/2004 | 90000 | 2 | 09/10/2000 |
| 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. | |||
| 04/22/2004 | 13000 | 3 | 01/01/2004 |
| 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 | |||
| 7 | |||
| Defective steering column in a 1997 ford taurus. request a defect investigation. *ph prior to the incident, the red light had come on the dash which indicated a problem with the battery and the steering locked up on two separate occasions. the previous owners of the vehicle experienced four incidents of steering lock up. *scc *jb | |||
| 02/01/2003 | 0 | 03/01/1997 | |
| When gear shift is in reverse or drive,power steering goes off, radio sound goes off and the power windows will not go up or down. what could cause this problem i have contacted ford they would check into the problem, but have not had it repaired yet | |||
| 09/19/2002 | |||
| Consumer states that while driving at any speed on flat surface and no warning the power steering will lock up then disengage and it is causing it to be hard for the consumer to control the vehicle. dealer notified. mr | |||
| 06/01/2002 | 1 | 07/01/2099 | |
| All's well in park and neutral, but when in reverse or drive, the radio quits, intermittent wipers fail, windows won't work, loss of about 75% of power steering. put it in nuetral and all is well. it turned out to be the transmission range sensor. i found 10 other people who have had the same failure in a 96 or 97 ford taurus. | |||
| 05/01/2002 | 20 | 01/01/2099 | |
| When the gear shift is in reverse & drive, radio goes off, power assist goes off at anytime. very dangerous. sounds like a reaccuring problem based on reports i have seen. electrical of some sort. | |||
| Dome light stays uluminated while driving, causing poor visibility. power steering goes in and out, causing it to become difficult to steer. dealer will be notified.*ak | |||
| While driving and without warning lost power steering. only warning that was received by consumer was a short in electrical components. *ak | |||
| 01/29/2002 | |||
| While driving and applying brakes power steering willgo from off to on intermittently. took vehicle to dealer, and dealer indicated sensor was going bad in steering column. please add vin. *ak | |||
| 09/03/2001 | 1 | 06/01/2001 | |
| A/c compressor seized causing drivebelt failure and loss of steering, alternator, and power brakes. *ak | |||
| 06/20/2001 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Erratic loss of power asssited steering after a few minutes of driving, sometimes with seat belt light on and power window control inoperative. chattering noise suggests an eletrical problem. definitely dangerous if loss or regain of power assisted steering happens due to over or under steering. *ak | |||
| 04/02/2001 | 1 | 03/01/1998 | |
| 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. discovered that removal of 15amp fuse controlling backup lights/heater return power steering and radio control. all other fuses working properly. dealer is not yet contacted. | |||
| 01/05/2001 | 0 | ||
| While driving at any normal speed power steering will kick out sometimes. also, seat belt light will come on and off/ door light will come on, and speed control will come on. *ak | |||
| 07/24/2000 | |||
| Power steering goes out intermittently. dealer/manufacturer were not contacted at this time. feel free to provide any further details. *ak | |||
| 5 | |||
| 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. *ak | |||
| 09/21/1998 | |||
| Something happened to the steering while i was driving a ford taurus rental car that made me lose control and tumble over an embankment. before the accident, i noticed irregular steering that resembled sterring consistant with a low tire. however, after stopping to check the tires, i found that all appeared to be properly inflated. approximately 5-10 minutes later, the steering failed causing me to lose control in a curve and tumble over an embankment several times landing on my roof. since this was a rental car, i do not have the specific information such as vin number, mileage, etc. i have provided you with all of the information i can recall, but will attempt | |||
| 12/01/1999 | |||
| Due to a defective sensor power brakes and power steering malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to run up a curb and into a building. there is a tsb bulletin on this safety problem. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 11/03/1999 | 12/01/1996 | ||
| Steering exhibits groan or shudder with some loss of assist when recovering from a right turn. ford has issued over 10 technical service bulletins on this matter. dealer and ford motor contacted. ford motor took information and indicated that no assistance will be offered to fix this problem. repairs estimated at $500. i am concerned about the slight loss of power assist in recovering from a turn which could contribute to loss of control. *ak | |||
| 09/22/1999 | 1 | 05/01/1999 | |
| Was informed by dealership that this was caused by their repair of my transmission, however, i am to pay for the repair for this myself. what is wrong with this picture? they break it, i pay for it to be fixed. this is ford quality is job1 at its best. | |||
| 20 | 10/01/1997 | ||
| Power steering is lost and battery-warning light comes on for about 5 to 10 seconds whenever i drive through a puddle more than about an inch deep. ford seems to be aware that this is a defect (they said the part replacement was mandatory and covered by warranty), but the dealership still wants me to continue to drive the car --at the height of south florida's rainy season-- for another week while a part is on order for the repair. they don't seem to appreciate how dangerous it is to drive with intermittent loss of power steering (if they did, they would use a faster method to ship the replacement part). | |||
| 02/01/1998 | 01/01/1998 | ||
| While driving approximately 10 to 15 mph turning through a water puddle, the vehicle looses power steering with no warning. dealer has been notified. *ak | |||
| 07/14/1998 | |||
| On several occasions, especially during or after a rainfall, when driving through standing water which caused an upward splash under the right front, the engine died , causing loss of power . engine would restart as soon as vehicle cleared the deep water area, but a squealing of the power steering would follow for about 30 seconds. dealer aware of problem, but ha syet to replac eparts. *ak | |||
| While driving over puddles vehicle loses power steering. also alternator malfunctioned. dealers have no remedy for problem. *ak | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES | |||
| 02/10/2001 | 1 | 03/01/1997 | |
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | |||
| 06/01/2000 | 2 | 03/01/1997 | |
| Problem 1: due to significant front end vibration at speeds at or over 40 mph, the dealer replaced both tie-rod ends on a car just over 3 years old with less than 30,000 miles. problem 2: discovered the safety information placard on the door post does not list mandatroy information about tire air pressures. the owner's manual refers to this placard, but also does not provide any tire pressure information.*ak | |||
| 03/01/2000 | 1 | 06/01/1997 | |
| Squeaking in front end, had to have tie rod ends replaced then there is still a popping in the front end when i turn the wheels to make a turn. *ak | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION | |||
| 01/16/2001 | 1 | ||
| Rack and pinion steering makes a grinding sound when making a right turn. dealer says that rack and pinion steering is wearing out, and will go perform badly over a period of time. *ak | |||
| 01/15/1998 | 2 | 01/01/1997 | |
| Bought car 1-97 in october of 97 took in to dealer for noise when steering--said nothing wrong in jan 98 took to our mechanic and was told rack and pinion was making the noise--took back to dealer they said rack and pinion should of been replaced before coming off lot because of safety upgrade but was never replaced!! so they did replace it---then in 1999 took car back for power steering leak--they could not find one--now i have obviously leak with only 15,000 miles on car--and dealer does not want to help fix since my warranty is over!! any other problems like this??? | |||
| 10/01/1999 | 1 | 10/01/1997 | |
| Shimmy in steering column during braking indicated that the braking system needed repair. pads replaced and rotors turned at 55000. steering column would groan intermittently when turned to right and then returned to center. dealer diagnosed problem as rack and pinion assembly needing replacement. would not performa under warranty. car only had 58,000 miles (way too soon!) | |||
| 09/22/1999 | 1 | 05/01/1999 | |
| Was informed by dealership that this was caused by their repair of my transmission, however, i am to pay for the repair for this myself. what is wrong with this picture? they break it, i pay for it to be fixed. this is ford quality is job1 at its best. | |||
| Rack and pinion steering is making loud noise when making right hand turns. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Rack and pinion steering failed resulting in noise. | |||
| 01/08/1998 | 1 | 08/01/1997 | |
| Problems with the rack and pinion. | |||
| STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR | |||
| 4 | 06/01/1996 | ||
| This problem is with taurus, sable & windstar, it can not be repaired...now what? no safety defect listed. *ak tsb 98-9-4 was issued regarding this problem, the corrective action being to replaced the front end accessory drive belt. *slc | |||
| While vehicle is being driven an unusual noise occurs. shortly after, steering wheel locks up, causing loss of control. cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak | |||
| 06/10/1999 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| On the ball joint part, the mechanic told us that our sterring wheel could have locked up and we would have been unable to steer in traffic. | |||
| 06/11/1997 | 2 | 06/10/1997 | |
| Steering wheel shimmies. | |||
| 05/06/1997 | 1 | ||
| While driving steering went out totally, wheels turned freely, bolt came out of steering column, dealer replaced bolt. *ak | |||