1997 Ford Taurus power train problems

“ON 4/3/2015 MY MOTHER IN LAW PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AFTER A 10 MILE TRIP TO TOWN. UPON PULLING IN THE DRIVEWAY THE CAR STARTED ON FIRE IMMEDIATELY, AT FIRST SHE THOUGHT THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING (WHITE SMOKE) THEN REALIZED THE CAR WAS ACTUALLY ON FIRE (BLACK SMOKE). SHE HAD TO BE HELPED BY AN IDAHO POWER EMPLOYEE WHO WAS DRIVING BY. A TOTAL OF TWO 15LB FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND GARDEN HOSE WERE USED TO KEEP THE FIRE AT BAY UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. THE CAR WAS DESTROYED FROM THE DASH PANEL FORWARD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED AT THE POWER DISTRIBUTION BOX LOCATED BY THE MASTER CYLINDER ON THE FIREWALL. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THE CAUSE AS AN "ELECTRICAL FIRE", UP UNTIL THE FIRE THE CAR HAD NO KNOWN ELECTRICAL OR MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THE CAR HAD NO MODIFICATIONS AND WAS COMPLETELY STOCK. NO INSURANCE CLAIM WAS FILED AS I ONLY CARRIED LIABILITY COVERAGE ON THE CAR. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS JUMPSTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.”

“ACCELERATED AS NORMAL TO 30MPH, RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING UP TO AT LEAST 50MPH. FAILED TO STEER 90 DEGREES LEFT, RESULTING IN THE CAR JUMPING THE CURB. LOST CONTROL IN DAMP GRASS, AND RAN INTO A TREE. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND THE RPMS INCREASED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION HEAD GASKET AND FILTER. THE TRANSMISSION HEAD GASKET AND FILTER WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO SLIP AND THE RPMS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 137,777.”

“THE GEAR WON'T GO INTO PARK. WHEN ITS PLACED IN PARK THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO MOVE. I HAD TO CALL ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. NO INJURIES WERE CAUSE OR THE POLICE WEREN'T CALLED. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND ITS A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE. *TR”

“YESTERDAY EVENING ME AND MY FAMILY STOPPED AT A GAS STATION AND MY GIRLFRIEND WENT INTO THE BIG APPLE IN CANTON, MAINE. SHE WAS IN THERE FOR AWHILE AND I HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE CAR WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. I WENT IN THE STORE TO SEE WHAT WAS TAKING SO LONG AND WHILE I WAS IN THERE I HEARD THE CHILDREN SCREAMING. ALL THREE OF THEM WERE IN THE BACK SEAT AND THE CAR BACKED UP BY ITSELF AND I RAN OUT OF THE STORE AFTER IT. IT RAN INTO A TELEPHONE POLE AND I IMMEDIATELY DEMANDED TO KNOW WHO TOUCHED THE CAR. NOBODY HAD, THE CAR WAS STILL IN PARK. IT MUST OF BACKED UP ABOUT 10 TO 15 MPH BEFORE HITTING THE POLE. IF THE POLE HAD NOT OF BEEN THERE THE CAR WOULD OF CROSSED RT. 108 AND COULD OF BEEN HIT BY TRAFFIC. MY CHILDREN WERE SO SCARED THEY WOULDN'T GET BACK IN THE CAR. *TR”