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Ford Taurus Car Repair Questions and Answers

Question:  2003 Ford Taurus 3.0 V6_mileage: 48,000.  Several months ago our Taurus city gas mileage dropped from about 23 mpg to 16 mpg.  The highway miles are still close to 27 mpg.  I have had it at two dealers who say no codes show.  They replaced the IAC and fuel pump, with same results.  When started even in warm weather the car jumps to over 2,000 rpm and remains for up to one minute.  Seems to idle rough at about 800 rpm bouncing + or - 100 rpms.  At stop lights it wants to idle high sometimes.  Is this some type of vacuum leak?  Thanks.

Answer:   Test the fuel pressure regulator to see if it is leaking raw fuel into the engine.  If that checks out okay, your problem is probably caused by a faulty MAS (mass airflow sensor). 

Question:  1999 Ford Taurus mileage: 74,000. This last time it had an intermittent very high-pitched sound when driving anywhere from 10 to 50 miles per hour.  It is more like a squeaking than a belt squeal.  (It is VERY high-pitched and very irritating.)  It seems to happen with the air-conditioner on or off and is not isolated to during acceleration.  It occurs 10 - 20% of the time. The oil is reasonably clean, up to or above the full mark; no foaming. I know this is a limited amount of information.  Have you encountered this before?  Any ideas?  I am 3000 miles from the car.  However, my son and I plan to fly there and drive the car home this July.  I'll get the 75,000 mile service before we leave.   

Answer:    An educated guess would be that you have a faulty idle speed control valve.    

Question:  2002 Ford Taurus mileage: 60,000. The check engine light on my Taurus came on recently and when scanned the codes indicated a bad heated O2 sensor circuit. Assuming the O2 sensors needed replaced, I purchased the 4 sensors from a local chain auto parts dealership. Upon replacing the O2 Sensors, I cleared the codes and drove a short distance. The check engine light came back on, when I checked the codes; they were identical to the codes before replacing the O2 sensors. Is it possible I received 4 bad sensors from the parts supplier? I'm assuming at this point, this is unlikely and am wondering what else may cause the O2 sensors to fail to send data? 

Answer:  A mass air flow sensor is probably the culprit.  A faulty air-flow sensor affects the fuel mixture which is read by the O² (oxygen) sensors.    

Question: 2001 Ford Taurus mileage: 70,000. There is a problem with water collecting in an area of the engine, which I'm told by the dealer/mechanic, is water build up from the air-conditioning. They removed it once but the cost was outrageous. Many of the independent mechanics in the area cannot remove it so I am at the mercy of the Ford dealer to have the water removed since it is apparently some "big secret" to keep me coming back and putting their kids through college via my repair bills. In the meantime, the water keeps sloshing around in the engine. I can probably remove it myself or advise an independent mechanic if I knew where the water was collected and/or coming from. Any ideas, other than staying away from Fords all together?

Answer: The problem you described is caused by a plugged condensate drain for the air conditioning duct. It should be no great mystery finding the drain under the car for anyone familiar with the mechanics of vehicles. Cleaning out the drain can be accomplished by either blowing air up inside the drain to dislodge what ever is plugging the drain or a small hooked wire can be used to hook the object and pull it out.

Question: 1998 Ford Taurus  mileage 110,000. I am a fellow licensed mechanic, up here in Alberta. This car was given to me with blown head gaskets. I replaced them and new head bolts, all plugs, wires, serpentine belt, put in new Synthetic oil like previous owner had since new. It does not use a drop of oil and runs like a charm. It had the engine service light on when I first restarted it, probably from antifreeze on the O2 sensor. Replaced them and light went out. The previous owner claimed it only got 20 MPG since new. I have driven it through 3 tanks of gas now, and he is right. The last tank had a new air filter in it but no difference. It has lots of power. I believe this car would beat my 68 Mustang with a 302 auto in a race. What do I look for to fix this mileage problem? It has no Codes at all and I changed everything except the fuel filter as the previous owner changed it a month ago.

Answer: Depending upon the type of driving that you do, twenty miles per gallon (MPG) may not be too bad. Check with other owners of similar cars and see what kind of mileage they are getting. If the twenty MPG is low, check the fuel pressure regulator.

Question: 1999 Ford Taurus mileage: 95,000. When I put the air-conditioner on it works fine until the condenser heats up at which time the clutch slips. The problem is that the fan under the hood does not come on when the air is turned on. What activates this fan to come on when the air is turned on?

Answer: First, check for 12-volts to the fan motor when the air-conditioning is on. Also, check the wiring for damage and poor ground connections. The fan is controlled by an integrated controller.

Question: 1998 Ford Taurus SHO mileage: 40,000. The speedometer will not work and the transmission will not shift. We have been told it is many, many things and nothing so far has worked. They told us it was because of the anti-thief device then because of the fuses and then they said there may be a wire broken in the wiring harness. Do you have any advice that may help?

Answer: You may have a faulty vehicle speed sensor in the transmission. This sensor signals the computer to shift the transmission and also drives the speedometer.

Question: 1998 Ford Taurus mileage: 74,000. I just had a diagnosis done on this car and the Mechanic told me both the Oxygen Sensors were no good...I checked around and it will cost close to $300 to fix it. I talked to another mechanic and he told me you could just take them off, wire brush them and they are as good as new. First, is this true? Second, where are the Oxygen sensors located at on this vehicle?

Answer: If your oxygen sensors are faulty, wire brushing will not make them "good as new." They are located in the exhaust system close to the engine.

Question: 1997 Ford Taurus GL mileage: 121,000. The check engine light came on and a local mechanic told me it was a faulty crank sensor. I bought the part and sure enough, my old sensor was broken inside. After cleaning out the broken pieces, I put in a new sensor. However, the check engine light is still on. I gather from reading your site that I may need to have the computer rescanned and/or cleared. Is this so? Is there a reset button I can push? Or do I need someone with a device to clear the computer?

Answer: There is no reset button that can be pushed. The check engine light must be reset with an OBDII computer scanner.

Question: 1996 Taurus LX mileage: 74,000.  How do you scan the body control module? I have tried to purchase a "code reader" from an independent parts dealer and they said that I would have to bring my car to the dealership. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Answer: Many independent auto service centers have the necessary equipment to read the codes on the body control module.

Question: 1993 Ford Taurus mileage: 35,000. We have replaced the alternator 3 times this week and none of the replacement alternators has been good! Is there a problem other than the alternator that could be causing the replacements to fail as soon as they are installed? I have checked the output voltage with the car at idle and the voltage is 0. (Checked with lead to alternator disconnected.)

Answer: To check the alternator output, all the wires must be hooked to the alternator. You should get 14 to 14.5 volts from the alternator. If you get a rebuilt alternator, be sure you get it from a reputable rebuilder.

Question: 1995 Ford Taurus SHO mileage: 93,000. I changed my plugs and wires the other day and found that an old wire boot had decayed and broken apart in my plug well. I fished most of it out but a good-sized piece (1/2") fell into the cylinder. With the new plugs and wires, I started it up to find a "popping" from the engine and exhaust. I checked and regapped the plugs and the idle was fine. As soon as I put it into gear the "popping" returned. When I open up the throttle, I don't hear it but it returns at stoplights. There is a slight loss in power off the blocks... Is it that stupid rubber boot piece or some misfire that I can't spot? If my wires were crossed from ignition box to plug, would that be a cause also?

Answer: The piece of broken spark plug boot that fell into the cylinder may have been caught under an exhaust or intake valve. This would account for the popping sound you are hearing. There is a chance that some crossed spark plug wires would also cause this problem.

Question: 2000 Ford Taurus mileage: 72,500. I have a starting problem in the car. After the car has been sitting for a while, it has a hard start upon turning the ignition key. Upon turning the key, it either cranks for an unusually long time before it starts, or I need to step on the throttle to make it start. This has been happening in hot weather. Actually the problem started happening intermittently and now I experience it every day. However, if the car is started when it has been sitting for less than 2-3 hours it starts up fine and while driving, I have not noticed any problem. I have taken it to the dealership three times already and they have performed several diagnostic tests without success. They have replaced the IAC, reprogrammed the path, and also replaced the fuel pump and accessories. Unfortunately, it has not solved the problem. Can you provide me with any new ideas? I feel frustrated having to deal with a nagging problem, which Ford seems unable to solve.

Answer: Check the fuel pressure when the no start condition occurs.

Question: 1998 Ford Taurus mileage: 120,000. My transmission makes a thump when moving the shifter from drive to neutral or park. It is similar to a broken motor mount but the mounts are new. I have had it at the dealer five times for this. They replaced the motor mounts, and played with the idle. Now they are telling me this is normal. I can't believe Taurus owners would tolerate this annoying thump and sometimes clunk from the transmission. I was thinking of changing the filter and fluid just to make a visual inspection at the least. Any ideas?

Answer: Check the cradle mounts as they may be causing your problem

Question: 2002 Taurus mileage: 40,000. I am having trouble finding an ignition module for this car. According to Ford, it is on backorder and will not ever be made again by ford. Do you know of an aftermarket source for this module and if so the part#?

Answer: Check with www.eautopartstore.com they are an online auto parts store. It should be available. You may want to check the relay for the ECM as that may be causing your problem.

Question: 2000 Ford Taurus mileage: 46000.  Problems started at about 65,000 miles. The car loses power, acts like it is not getting fuel. Replaced O² sensor, fuel pump, and did tune up. Helped but still did not get rid of the problem. Computer says the EGR valve is faulty and the right side O² sensor is running rich. Checked the EGR valve and it seems to be operating correctly. What could the problem be?

Answer: Check the catalytic converter to make sure it is not plugged. In addition, the EGR valve fault the computer reads may be the EGR flow sensor.

Question: 1996 Ford SHO mileage: 70,000. My AC has had intermittent problems lately. I have the automatic controlled system. System will work fine for 30-40 minutes on a hot day and then begin to blow warm/possibly outside air into the cabin. Turning off the AC for a short time (5 minutes or so) sometimes causes the problem to disappear and everything works fine again. Any idea what could be going on? My mechanic has checked for low Freon and said the system was fine. He also had a check of the computer system done with no luck. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer: Your problem is most likely the main controller for the heating and air-conditioning system.

Question: 1998 Ford Taurus mileage: 100,000. Hello, I was wondering if I could get your opinion on a problem I am having with my car. Problem: when ever you accelerate the car especially between 25-35 mph, the car acts likes its out of gas, doesn't die but as you push the accelerator it doesn't respond right away then grabs. As long as you have the accelerator pushed, it runs perfect. When you let off and then push again it kinda bogs then catches. I though maybe a clogged or bad fuel filter, replaced it. Bad fuel pump, replaced that. Still does it.not as bad but its still there. My next guess is bad fuel injectors. I am in the process of borrowing a fuel pressure gauge, but what will this help if one or two injectors are bad? I don't know what other components could be bad. I thought it was the torque converter but on startup and engage in drive it connects perfectly. I am pretty confident that it is the fuel. Rotor, cap, wires are all new (in replacement of what I thought might be a spark problem). Other than taking it to a shop and hooking it up to a machine, which will run some bucks, is there any other diagnostics I can do to narrow it down. Any information would be a great help. UPDATE: replaced: fuel pump, MAPP, Throttle Position Sensor only things left are module on dist. and ECM.... out of ideas.

Answer: Your described symptoms are classic throttle position sensor failure. Try scanning the ECM to see if there is any information there.

Question: 1990 Ford Taurus LX mileage: 72,000. This car has an electronic automatic temperature control (EATC) system. The temperature and the blower controls work fine. But, no matter what flow direction control button I push i.e. floor, panel, automatic, or defroster, the air only comes out from the panel vents. This makes defrosting the windshield nearly impossible. Most dealers I talk to about it treat it as an exchange item, and a very costly one at that. Are these units repairable, and if so what is the most common problem for this circumstance?

Answer: The dealer is right; the control unit is not repairable. Check to see that the doors in the vents are not hanging up.

Question: 1999 Ford-Taurus mileage: 60,000. I own a '99 Taurus, and for the past several weeks, the engine service light has come on and off. I took it to the local mechanic where I bought the car and they said even with the light not on they got a code for the EGR valve. They changed the valve for $90.00 and a $100.00 labor. I have two questions: 1. Can they determine what's wrong even if the service light is out? 2. Would I have noticed any poor performance as a result of a malfunctioning EGR valve?

Answer: To answer your first question, yes, the problem can be determined even if the service light is out. When the engine service light comes on, it is because a fault code is being stored in the computer. This information is held in the computer until it is scanned and cleared. You may or may not have noticed any poor performance as a result of a malfunctioning EGR valve. It would depend on the degree of failure.

Question: 1998 Ford, Taurus mileage: 45,000. At any and all cruising speeds (not when pulling), the car has a missing/hesitation. Computer test showed faulty EGR valve. I installed a new EGR valve but still have the same missing effect. Wire & hose are OK. A friend suggested changing the PFE sensor. Does this make sense? What could be some other possibilities?

Answer: We would suggest trying replacing the oxygen sensor. If problems still persist, rescan the computer.

Question: 1994 Ford Taurus Wagon mileage: 127,000. My 1994 Ford Taurus will not go into 3rd speed from my regular D (drive)(1st then 2nd then stays there) But if I drive it in overdrive it acts all ok (1st then 2nd then 3rd then 4th) Nonetheless I have been driving using my overdrive but I will have to get it fix eventually.

Answer: Scan the drive train control module for fault codes. This should help pinpoint the malfunctioning component.

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