1997 Ford Taurus

I HEARD RATTLING IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE TOWARDS THE WHEELS OF THE CAR. I ASSUMED THAT IT WAS MY BRAKES NEEDING REPLACED. I TOOK IT IN FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPLACED AT WHICH TIME THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE BRAKES, THEY WERE STILL GOOD AND FOUND THAT MY AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM HAD FAILED (HYDRAULICS THAT ACTUALLY PUSH THE BRAKE PADS DOWN), THANKFULLY I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 55MPH LIKE I USUALLY DO WHEN THIS HAPPENED. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM OF THE FORD TAURUS GL STATION WAGON ACCORDING TO ALL THE COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE SEEN ALSO KEEPING IN MIND MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS WERE OVER 100,000 MILES. SOMEONE WILL BE KILLED DUE TO THIS FAILURE. GOD FORBID THERE MIGHT BE CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE WHEN IT HAPPENS. FORD STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND FIX THIS PROBLEM NOW!! IT IS GOING TO COST ME $2100.00 TO HAVE THE PUMP AND HYDRAULIC SYSTEM REPLACED AND THIS IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION. I DEPEND ON THIS VEHICLE AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO BE WITH OUT IT. :( AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED ONE COMPLAINT SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL. LIVES ARE AT STAKE. *KB

1997 FORD TAURUS (1996-2005+) BRAKE LINE FAILURE. THE BRAKE LINES TO THE REAR OF THE CAR HAVE A CORROSION PROBLEM UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT, UNDER THE CAR. THE LINES CORRODE SEVERELY AND THEN BURST UNDER PRESSURE. ALL BRAKING IS LOST AFTER THE FLUID LEAKS OUT. STEEL LINES WERE NOT PROTECTED FROM MOISTURE AND HAVE PLASTIC SHIELD THAT TRAPS WATER. *TR

COMPLETE AND SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE. PLACED FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL TO REVERSE CAR OUT OF PARKING SPOT. (WOULD HAVE CAUSED SEVERE INJURY/DAMAGE HAD I BEEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED OR CITY MANEUVERING). PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AND BRAKE FLUID PUDDLED UNDER THE CAR. HAD CAR TOWED TO REPAIR FACILITY AND BRAKE LINES WERE REPAIRED. MECHANIC SAID FORD'S PLASTIC BRACKET ALLOWED WATER/DIRT/SALT TO ACCUMULATE AND RUST THROUGH LINES. *TR

WHILE DRIVING FOR A FUEL FILL-UP ON A HEAVILY-TRAVELED ALLEGHENY CO (PA) FOUR-LANE ROAD (SPEED APPROX. 30-35 MPH), TRAFFIC HEAVY, I EXPERIENCED, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, A SUDDEN TOTAL LOSS OF ALL BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. I FOLLOWED A FORD F-250 PICKUP INTO THE GAS STATION LOT AND BROUGHT MY CAR (1997 FORD TAURUS SDN, 90,000 MILES ON ODOMETER) TO A STOP BY SMASHING INTO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF MY CAR; INCONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HEAVY-DUTY STEEL REAR BUMPER OF THE TRUCK. A SIZABLE PUDDLE OF BRAKE FLUID WAS OBSERVED FORMING UNDER DRIVER'S SIDE FR DOOR OF MY CAR, CAUSED BY SUDDEN CATASTROPHIC RUPTURE OF ONE OR MORE HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES ON MY CAR, RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF ALL BRAKING POWER. MY CAR IS NOW UNDER REPAIR TO REPLACE ALL RUSTED-OUT OR CORROSION-COMPROMISED BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS. WHAT IF, INSTEAD OF 5:15 PM ON A SATURDAY, THIS CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF BRAKES HAD OCCURRED AT 3:15 PM ON A SCHOOL DAY, WITH A SCHOOL BUS IN FRONT OF ME DISGORGING HALF A BUS LOAD OF SCHOOL KIDS CROSSING THE STREET IN FRONT OF ME? BELIEVE ME, THE FLASHING RED LIGHTS OF THE SCHOOL BUS WOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED MY CAR TO STOP. IN OVER 50 YRS OF DRIVING, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I EVER EXPERIENCED A BRAKE LINE FAILURE, AND I ROUTINELY DRIVE A CAR FOR 10+ YRS. HAVE THE AUTO MFGRS BEEN PERMITTED TO SQUEEZE A FEW MORE PENNIES OF PROFIT BY ADOPTING A CHEAPER, LESS CORROSION-RESISTANT GRADE OF STEEL FOR THE VEHICLE BRAKE LINES? IS NOT THE BRAKING SYSTEM OF MY '97 SUPPOSED TO HAVE A REDUNDANCY FEATURE TO RETAIN SOME BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS IN THE EVENT OF LOSS OF ONE OF THE LINES? THE MANAGER OF THE REPAIR SHOP WHERE I TOOK THE CAR TELLS ME THAT BRAKE LINE REPLACEMENT HAS BECOME AN INCREASINGLY COMMON REPAIR IN THIS PART OF THE SNOW-AND-SALT WINTER DRIVING BELT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL AND NOTICED GASOLINE ON THE GROUND UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THREE FAILURES WERE PRESENT: THE FUEL TANK, A COOLANT LEAK, AND BRAKE LINE CORROSION. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE FORD TO REIMBURSE HIM FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIRS, BUT THEY REFUSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,100 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,900. UPDATED 04/02/08. *LJ

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE AT 65 MPH THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR. WHEN HITTING A BUMP THE BRAKES BOUNCE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES AND THE ENGINE LIGHT SENSOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1997 TAURUS. APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK AGO, THE BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE I WAS EXITING OFF A HIGHWAY; THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. SINCE I WAS RELATIVELY CLOSE TO HOME, I DROVE CAUTIOUSLY BACK TO MY HOUSE, AFTER WHICH I CALLED A TOW TRUCK THE TAKE THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC. A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SHOP INFORMING ME THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE SYSTEM WAS RUSTED & ROTTED AWAY AND THAT THE FLUID HAD COMPLETELY LEAKED OUT. THE MECHANIC SAID IN HIS 20 YEARS HE HAD NEVER SEEN A BRAKE LINE SYSTEM RUST SO COMPLETELY IN SUCH A YOUNG CAR. IN FACT, HE SAID, IT SHOULD BASICALLY LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR, NEVER NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. AFTER ALL WAS SAID AND DONE, THE JOB COST ALMOST $800. I ASKED TO SEE THE OLD LINES AND COULDN?T BELIEVE HOW RUSTED AND ROTTED THEY HAD BECOME. THERE WAS NO PROTECTIVE SHEATHING ON THE LINES. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THESE REPAIRS SINCE IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE MECHANIC DID MENTION THAT HE HAD RECENTLY BEEN SEEING A LOT OF YOUNG FORD MODELS COMING IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM OR RUSTING AND FAILING BRAKE LINE SYSTEMS. ALSO, WHILE SEARCHING THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION WEBSITE FOR SIMILAR DEFECTS, I FOUND COMPLAINTS LODGED ABOUT THE ROTTING OF THE HARD TUBING, CAUSING THE BRAKE LINES TO BURST. IN THESE CASES, THE CARS WERE 1997 TAURUS?. MY MECHANIC FIXED THE ENTIRE LINE SYSTEM, COMPLETELY REPLACING ANY OLD PARTS WITH NEW, CUSTOM MADE TUBES. I KEPT THE OLD TUBING JUST SO I CAN SHOW FORD WHAT THEIR CARS ARE RELYING ON FOR STOPPING. THE ENTIRE JOB CAME TO ALMOST $800.*AK