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Question: 1999 Taurus, mileage: 80,000.  My Taurus has what I would describe as a twitch in the tachometer.  I first noticed it at freeway speeds (65-70 mph) when going down hill.  Presumably, letting off on the gas a bit.  Now it happens while in park or in neutral, with the a/c on or off, and at any speed I am driving.  The tachometer needle always bounces up never down in rpm.  At idle it will move up 100 rpm or so.  At 70 mph, it has jumped up as much as 500 rpm.  When the tachometer needle jumps up it is only for a second, then it returns to where it was.  However, it will continue jumping up and then back, like a twitch, for several seconds.  The car has recently had new distributor cap and rotor, PCV, fuel filter, and air filter.  What could cause this?

Answer: If the spark plugs and coil wires have not been recently changed, this could be the source of your problem.

Question: 1991 Ford Taurus, mileage: 140,000.  My car has a pressure feedback electronic (PFE) EGR system. The code 332 (insufficient EGR flow) will set after the engine warms up, and the EGR valve is supposed to open. Emissions manual recommends replacing the PFE transducer (9J460), but it seems to be working correctly, there seems to be no flow in the EGR system. I ran a functional test on the EGR valve 9D475, by applying a vacuum to the valve while monitoring idle RPM on a hot engine. With ten inches of vacuum applied, idle speed did not change, so I thought the EGR valve was bad. I removed the valve and inspected it. It was clean, and opened fully with only four inches of vacuum applied. It stayed open with no vacuum leak. I blew backwards into the exhaust system through the EGR inlet tube. It was also wide open. I blew into the controlled pressure inlet to the PFE valve, and that was open. I also pushed a wire through it. Then I tried to blow into the intake manifold, and that seemed to be blocked. I forced a heater hose into the EGR opening in the intake manifold, and tried to blow into it again, without success. I connected the hose to an air compressor, and tried to force compressed air into the intake manifold, but was again unsuccessful. Then I tried to push a wire into the intake manifold, but could only push it a short distance, where it was always stopped by some obstruction. I removed the intake air hose, and opened the throttle plate, and looked into the intake manifold. It seems to be carboned-up. But is it possible that there could be so much carbon in the manifold, that the EGR is completely blocked? Or am I looking in the wrong place, and for some other reason, the intake manifold is not open at this point? I would appreciate any help that I can get from somebody here, before I remove the intake manifold.

Answer: Sounds like the EGR port in the intake manifold is plugged.

Response: Yes, it was plugged. It was blocked with rather hard carbon. I used a coat hanger wire with a hook on the end to drag the carbon out of the port. Now the light is out. Thanks for your response.

Question:  2000 Ford Taurus, mileage: 34,000. When I apply the brakes from about 40 mph or above I get a severe tire shake transmitted up through the steering wheel. This is only felt while braking. The car handles well otherwise. Could the rotors be unbalanced?

Answer:  We doubt seriously that the rotors are out of balance.  More than likely, they are warped.  This may have been caused by heat generated during braking or over-tightening the wheel lug nuts. Replacing the rotors and pads with high quality parts should solve your problem.

Question: 2002 Ford Taurus Wagon, mileage: 40,000.  I noticed the car always ran hot, the needle hovered between the "M" and "A" of NORMAL. The dealer told me not to worry about it. This vehicle has had regular 3,000 mile oil and filter changes. Two weeks ago, the engine developed a very loud clackety-clack sound, so off to the dealership I went. To diagnose the problem, they removed the oil pan and discovered that numbers 2 and 3 rods were "thrown" and that I needed a new block. Disassembly revealed that it was a "broken" wrist pin that caused this problem. Is it possible that the history I have had with head gasket repairs and overheating caused the wrist-pin failure? Can wrist-pin failure be determined without pulling the heads? And, most of all, is it worth it to have the engine block replaced.

Answer: Based on the information you have given us, we do not see a connection between the previous work and the present engine failure. Wrist pin failure can be determined without pulling the heads. As far as replacing the engine, that is a personal decision based on the overall condition of your car.

Question:  2003 Ford Taurus, mileage: 27,000.  I could not start my car after just driving in it for five minutes. The car was making a humming noise but yet would want to turn over.  A vibration and humming noise was coming from an electrical box that is located above the radiator above the firewall.  This part was disabled and replaced immediately.  The car started with no problem.  I then shut off the car to restart it and it wouldn't start.  The same noise and humming was coming from the same area after just replacing it with a new part. Something is burning out or shorting out this part and it has to do with the drive train control module.  If you have any assistance or know of what may be doing this, I would greatly appreciate your help and the money you will save me by putting this in the shop without a clue. 

Answer: Check ground wires for poor connections and check for damaged wiring looms.

Question: 2001 Ford Taurus, mileage: 65,000.  I have taken the car twice to the local Ford dealer (I am in Germany) for no overdrive. The transmission does not slip in any of the other gears and shifts with no problem. They said it was low on fluid which I checked before I took it in and they replaced the speed sensor with no luck. It's now in the shop and I'm hoping it will be repaired soon. Any help would be great appreciated. Thanks for your time.

Answer: Your car has a lock-up torque converter in the transmission. It locks-up only in high gear. It is supposed to engage at high speeds. Yours is probably not engaging. There could be a valve in the transmission “hanging up”.  Having the transmission serviced with new fluid may help the problem. Next step, the valve body will have to be removed and cleaned paying special attention to the TCC solenoid.  The TCC solenoid may have to be replaced.

Question:  1997 Ford Taurus, mileage: 150,000.  The transmission will not shift into any gear, it was operating just fine driving all over town. Stopped again put in park shut off, started shifted into rev, neutral, 1st, 2nd low nothing. No fluid leak. {Note ATX Model Trans.) Checked the shift lever to trans cable free and moving through the transaxle housing and free and moving the throttle valve control linkage, linkage moved freely through all the gears but no response except when in park it held vehicle could not push, when shifted into any other gear could push car freely. The shift lever cable is not engaging the gear inside the transmission to shift the unit. Or could the transaxle control lever-attaching nut slipped out of adjustment causing a no shift problem?  Also, I removed the pan, new filter and looked inside, noted a lever inside at the cable entrance hanging, you could move it freely with a long screwdriver (thin), spring loaded, could not see very well but moved through the gears and it felt like a shift but then when I went back to park and tried again nothing.  I pushed the lever inside up when in low and it clicked though the gears, then as I said above noting again. I will top off the uid when I get it down and level but I don’t think its lack of fluid now? 

Answer: From what you have told us, it sounds like you need a transmission overhaul.

Question:  2003 Ford Taurus.  My radio and wipers only work when the key is on accessories. They do not work when the car is on and the battery keeps going dead. Why is this happening?

Answer: A faulty ignition switch may be causing the trouble.  Replacing it should fix your problem.

Question:  2001 Ford Tauru,s mileage: 85,000.  The engine seems to lose power when it gets hot (stop & go traffic). The cooling fan seems to turn on only when the engine is too hot. The engine hesitates as if it is not getting any fuel. It will very slowly pick up and move the car.  I already changed the fuel filter, cleaned the throttle body, the automatic throttle controller (it is linked to the throttle) and sensor on the throttle body. (I think it is it a temp sensor) I don’t know if  the EGR is working or if it is related to the hesitation. The vacuum hose leading to the EGR does not have vacuum present when the car is first started.  I have not checked to see if vacuum is present when the engine is hot.  How do I test this one?  Thanks for any help you can give me.  This has been happening for last two weeks. My mechanic replaced the fuel tank with pump about five weeks ago with a recycled tank The old pump had failed. How many sensors are there in this engine and what can do to check them? 

Answer: Check the catalytic converter to make sure it is not “plugged” or restricted.  Your car is equipped with a computer controlled engine management system.  An independent auto service center can scan your computer for fault or error codes. The information should pinpoint the malfunctioning components.

Question:  2001 Ford Taurus mileage: 71,000.  Approximately four weeks ago I noticed that it sounded as if it was struggling slightly when I was going less than 45 mph.  A Friend assured me it was my imagination. Three weeks ago the speedometer begins sputtering 5 mph over or under my speed.  Last week I noticed that the car is definitely struggling. The repairman charged me $180.90 for fuel filter, new plugs and wires, and a new cap and rotor.  Now, speedometer works when it wants and engine sounds like it is going faster than the car is, but once I get the car going over 50, it acts normal, but when under 50 (most noticeable when I first start driving) it struggles.  I have noticed a strange 'card shuffling' noise while driving behind the dash and occasionally smell gas inside the car.  The transmission fluid full and red, no smell of burning.

Answer: It sounds like you are having some type of transmission trouble. Your transmission is controlled by the computer. Scanning it will tell you what the problem is.

Question:  2000 Ford Taurus 4D Wagon  mileage: 75,000.  Do blown head gaskets, causing some coolant to leak into the oil, always result in the need to replace the crankshaft bearings?  My gaskets blew suddenly and there is a very thin film on the oil filler cap and oil at the bottom of the dipstick shows no sign of water (oil is dark and not foamy). Thanks.

Answer:  Blown head gaskets usually do not result in coolant getting in the oil.  Because no coolant is showing up on the oil dipstick and the oil fill cap, you probably do not have coolant in the oil.  Replacing the head gasket should fix your problem. With the head off, check to make sure the gasket surface of the head is flat, it may need resurfacing.

Question:  2004 Ford Taurus wagon mileage: 16,000.  Is there a bleeder valve to remove air from the cooling system?  If so, where is it located?

Answer: The radiator cap, if functioning properly, will bleed the air out of the cooling system.

Question:  2002 Ford Taurus mileage: 59,000.  After parking my daughters car in a lot while shopping, I went to leave and it felt like the brakes were locked up; it stayed like that until I drove about twenty five feet then I felt a release.  Now my daughter called from work (two days later) and she says that the passenger rear wheel won’t turn and that it feels like the brakes are on.  I have to go down to the parking lot in the morning and try to get it home. (P.S. the parking brake has not been used in either instance, but I did try to apply it and release it again and I could barely push the pedal down at all to apply it)

Answer: It appears that you have problems with the rear brakes.  Remove the drums and inspect for broken springs or other parts.

Question:  1999 Ford Taurus mileage: 120,000.  Is replacing the power steering hoses very difficult?

Answer:  No it is not difficult to do on your car. All you will need to have is basic tools, power steering fluid and quality power steering hoses.

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