2000 Ford Taurus: engine overheating

Filed Mar 16, 2012 · Transmission · 38,007 miles · FL

For no apparent reason, the car was driving fine one moment and then there was no drive in any gear. Total cost for towing and repair was $3086. Transmission shop said reason for failure was failed torque converter. Transmission was rebuilt due to overheating. Transmission cooler was full of torque converter clutch material. I have found 113 incidents of dangerous torque converter failure related complaints in this national highway transportation safety administration (nhsta) database from 1994 through 2005. For a complete discussion see http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/82-maintenance-repair/168651-2000-taurus-wont-shift-into-any-gear.html . These torque converter failures and their related torque converter pump shaft failures create extreme financial hardship on the taurus owners. Additionally the failures occur without any warning whatsoever and thus present a hidden danger to all persons inside the vehicle and other drivers on the road. Based on information found in the daaco transmission parts catelog (daacoinc.com), ford torque converters from the 4f50n, axod, axode, and ax4s transmissions seem to be of similar design. The federal safety agency campaign id number 12v006000 has already forced a recall for the torque converter used in the 4f50n transmission. See http://www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recallresults.cfm?start=1&searchtype=quicksearch&rcl_id=12v006000&summary=true&prod_id=203181&printversion=yes why is nothing being done about this?

Filed Aug 15, 2011 · Engine · 80,000 miles · TX

After getting the car out of the body shop because of an accident, I was driving home and the temp gauge immediately went from normal to past hot. Once cooled, I added coolant and noticed the coolant jug had cracked. As a result, the head/head gasket had cracked due to the overheating from loss of coolant. As a result of the cracked head, exhaust is now entering into the coolant system, and causing coolant to boil out, and pump exhaust fumes into the cabin. I took it back to the shop, and was told that it was not their problem, and that the blown engine was not a result of the accident. I have made it a point to talk to every taurus owner I can, and many have the same exhaust odor in the cabin. The stress of driving, or an accident, causes the coolant jug to crack and leak out coolant. I personally have replaced 5 of these jugs since the purchase of the car because of cracking on the bottom and coolant would leak out. Once this starts, the car overheats without warning because the temperature sensor does not have coolant running across it to get the proper coolant temperature.

Filed Jan 8, 2011 · Electrical · MI · fire

While I was driving with my 13 year old sister in the passenger seat, on the streets,on christmas eve, going about 40 MPH, I started to smell something as if plastic was burning, I turned into a shopping center nearby, but with it being christmas eve, it was so many cars inside the small structured shopping center that when the car began to smoke, I was uncertain if it was my car smoking or someone next to me. I continued to drive to the next open parking space, this guy quickly ran up to my car and told me to and my sister to get out because as I was driving he saw fire balls coming from the under my car. At this point it was clear that it was my car smoking very badly, I turned off the ignition and the front of the car was quickly engulfed in flames with in seconds. We quickly jumped out leaving the keys in the ignition. We called the fire department and they were able to put out the fire but didn't determine a concrete cause besides an electrical problem. While I was driving no kind of warning lights came on. No check engine light, the thermostat did not read "overheat" or anything. I had liability on my car. It was a 2000 ford taurus, but the insurance company wouldn't pay for anything. If it wasn't for that guy that ran up to my car and told me and my sister to get out it could have been a lot worse because we didn't see any flames until I cut the car off.

Filed Mar 2, 2010 · Acceleration · ME

2000 ford taurus with sudden acceleration. *kb the consumer managed to stop the vehicle. Another motorist pulled the consumer out of the vehicle, because the vehicle's brakes were on fire due to them overheating. The fire was put out. The mechanic stated under the circumstances in which the consumer was driving, ice forms in throttle body which would cause the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably.

Filed Sep 11, 2008 · Engine, Suspension · 74,000 miles · NC

I purchased this vehicle used and have had nothing but trouble since. The main issue is that it has had the potential to kill me,my family and passers by on 4 separate occasions . To start with we replaced all of the pulleys on the vehicle last winter, due to a constant squealing noise that replacing the belt did not fix. This cost a small fortune as we broke several tools (and 4 tensioner pulley's) as did 3 mechanics trying to get the pulleys back on. Ford was absolutely no help, they wanted to charge 300 or more dollars to attempt the job, their quote was something like "those things are a pain in the a@# and we never know what we're looking at with labor when we get one in!" after nearly 2 weeks we completed the work and many dollars later only to later discover that when we drive it in the rain the belt comes off! As you can imagine this is not exactly fun when on a country road in the rain with your child at 55 MPH and you suddenly have no control of your car. As was the case with me the first time by the time I pulled into my driveway 2 miles later I had something plastic smoking on the right front side and severe overheating issues!!! This has happened 3 times since, once leaving me stranded at wal-mart,once in a friends driveway and most recently after 2 days of rain I decided to take my kids to the end of the raod to the bus stop(this is only re: 80 feet or so away) and I hadn't been anywhere and hit no puddles out of fear, and yet still lost the belt coming back to my driveway. My child had a seizure at school a week and a half ago, 20 miles from me and I had to drive in the rains from tropical storm gustav to a family members house and get a ride to the hospital to be with my child. I am having to say no to work(substitute teaching) when it's raining again in fear of wrecking and or being stuck somewhere and can't sell it because it has these problems. We also have had major problems with the fan's burning out and the front tires wearing down.

Filed Aug 28, 2008 · Engine · MI · crash

2000 ford taurus serpentine belt broke and lost control then went off the left side of the ramp and into a ditch. *nj the serpentine belt had overheated. The consumer stated the belt was replaced within the last year. The officer noticed a puddle of anti-freeze on the ground under the right side of the engine. The rear bumper was damaged. (ohio traffic crash report # 10-0231-89)*jb updated02/24/10

Filed Sep 9, 2003 · Engine · 99,000 miles · TN · 1 injury

My 200 taurus overheated again, for the 2nds time in 3 months I was stranded alongside the road. I had just got my car out of the shop after paying 868.00 to get it out for cracked heads at southern tire in erwin,tn 1205 jackson loce highway. On 9/4/03 my car jerked and then lost power slowing down causing me to quickly pull over tot he side of the road so the car behind me didn't hit me. My neck has been hurting since then and my family of 8 is missing it's transportation. I should not have cooling problems again this soon after getting it repaired and my family has no financial means of buying a new car at this time.we are making monthly payment on a car that is obviously a lemon and a dud. I have owned cars for 17 years and I have never had this much trouble with a car.this car also broke down on june 4th ,2003.

Filed Jun 20, 2001 · Engine · MN

Low coolant light came on, but car did not overheat, but antifreeze did leak out of heater block. Took car to dealer... Heater block threaded incorrectly to engine. Now told I need a whole new engine! I have only had car for a month!