Taurus/Sable Maintenance & Repair

phatbuns · January 2003

I haven't seen periodic maintenance recommendations list brake fluid or power steering changes, generally. I do my own brakes and I like to flush fresh fluid through the bleeders when I change the pads, and I have occasionally sucked out as much steering fluid as I can get out and replaced it. 65K and 5 years is not a lot on those fluids, but if you plan on keeping it I'd change 'em out around 100K. 'Course, it wouldn't hurt if you did them tomorrow, but I think you'll find that most people never change them.

danielj6 · January 2003

I had the same thing happened to my Merc. Sable.
All doors appeared shut but the alarm would not engage and the instrument panel showed door opened.

I looked really carefully and noticed that the lift gate did not close properly even though I tried on numerous occasions. It looked a little bit out of alignment. I went to dealer's service dept. and they re aligned and greased the lift gate. It took me several minutes to notice the problem. I don't know why this happened. Perhaps I hit a pothole or something and the knock misaligned the door.

phatbuns · January 2003

I haven't seen periodic maintenance recommendations list brake fluid or power steering changes, generally. I do my own brakes and I like to flush fresh fluid through the bleeders when I change the pads, and I have occasionally sucked out as much steering fluid as I can get out and replaced it. 65K and 5 years is not a lot on those fluids, but if you plan on keeping it I'd change 'em out around 100K. 'Course, it wouldn't hurt if you did them tomorrow, but I think you'll find that most people never change them.

alcan · January 2003

It's about 2 1/2 years overdue for a brake fluid change:

http://www.batauto.com/articles/brkfld.shtml

phatbuns · January 2003

Alcan:
I completely agree with you, great link.

But for danielj6 I stand by my point that except for DIY'ers most people never change 'em, and getting them out at 65K - 100K is a marked improvement over that. The few times I've been in brake shops I haven't heard them advise, "gee, you have high mileage, you should get the fluid flushed".

ehenness · January 2003

This is apparently a common problem in the '96-up Taurus/Sable. I have had mine stick in my '98. You can blast the door latch with WD40, brake cleaner or similar stuff to clean it out. Then keep it lubricated, and you should be OK. The switch is inside the latch, at the bottom, so spray at the bottom of the latch. Or just saturate it...

You can replace the switch if need be. The switches are supposed to be pretty cheap, but the door panel has to come off to get at the inside of the door in order to remove the switch. I haven't needed to do mine, but I understand that if spray and lubrication don't do it, the switch is bad.

alcan · January 2003

Yep, you're right about that. There's no question that it's a valid service which can ultimately save the customer money, but as you point out almost nobody pushes it. I've been told that some European manufacturers do call for fluid replacement intervals, but it's not universal yet.

P.S. Glad you liked the site.

danielj6 · January 2003

But for danielj6 I stand by my point that except for DIY'ers most people never change 'em, and getting them out at 65K - 100K is a marked improvement over that. The few times I've been in brake shops I haven't heard them advise, "gee, you have high mileage, you should get the fluid flushed".

I'm not participating in the discussion regarding brake fluid changes. You're obviously using my name by error.

strokeoluck · January 2003

Hi all, I have a 2000 Taurus SE with 98,000 miles. It's been relatively good to me and I'd like to hang on to it for another 3 years (another ~100,000 miles) if possible. Currently the only problem I have is that there's a "slight" noise when I turn the steering wheel hard either left or right. The sound is like a cross between a pig's grunt and a true groan/rubbing sound. In my 15 years of driving I've never had to fill up the power steering fuild reservoir...could the fix be as simple as that? Anyone have any experience with this issue?

Thanks,
Rob

phatbuns · January 2003

Yes I meant #706 Felixc.

It seems odd that people change their oil religiously but expect the rest of the fluids to last indefinitely.

vince4 · January 2003

I had a 89 F250 truck (I bought it used) and had total brake loss due to old fluid. I carried a big camper and after heavy brake use going down hill the brakes went out 100%. This was due to boiling in the calipers because the water content of the fluid was too high. Changing the fluid every 2-5 years not only helps to prevent rust in the system but is a safety issue too.

mebcaux · January 2003

Late-model Ford Tauruses and and Mercury Sables contain defectively designed and/or manufactured front strut assemblies that make them impossible to align properly and cause premature tire wear. This is a dangerous defect, but Ford refuses to acknowledge the problem and make it right for the millions of Taurus and Sable owners who may be affected. Anyone suffering this problem should file a complaint with the NHTSA and FTC, and pursue the matter through the Ford Warranty Adjustment Board procedures specified in your warranty. I am considering filling a class action under the Magnuson-Moss Act.

Recently, I found it necessary to replace the tires on our 2000 Taurus Wagon at 29,000 miles due to excessive wear on the inside of the front tires.

After performing a four-wheel alignment, the Goodyear technician informed me that he could not bring the camber on the left front wheel to within the specified range, and that the right front wheel was barely within the specified range.

He explained he often encounters this problem with Tauruses, Sables and Windstars, due to a defect in the design of their front strut assemblies. Particularly, they are welded into place. If they have not been welded precisely during manufacture, they cause the vehicle to be permanently misaligned. The only remedy is to drill out the welds and reposition the strut assembly. This is expensive, and requires realignment.

Upon learning this, I drove to the Ford dealer where I bought the car and where I have had my three Ford vehicles serviced over the last nine years, and requested that they repair the problem under warranty. They feigned astonishment that I was experincing this problem, and suggested that the front suspension had somehow become bent. I dismissed this obvious dodge immediately, related what the Goodyear technician had told me about this defect in Tauruses, and insisted they repair it under the warranty.

After the service writer conferred with their alignment specialist, he returned and explained that the problem could indeed be corrected by drilling out the welds and repositioning the strut assemblies, but that this would not be covered by the warranty. I would have to pay 150 per wheel, and $79 for yet another realignment.

Dissatisfied with this response, I filed a complaint with the NHTSA, as this is obviously a safety defect, as well as with the Marketing Practices division of the Federal Trade Commission. I then contacted Ford "Customer" Service. To my surprise, the calltaker was very sympathetic, explained that this was a common problm with late-model Tauruses and Sables, and told me that Ford's engineering department is examining the problem and will soon be coming out with a program to fix the problem once they have identified the best means of doing so. He told me that he could not yet have it covered under warranty, but that, were I to have the work completed before the warranty expires, he is sure they would reimburse me once the recall program is approved. He indicated he would do more checking, and call me back.

When he called me back, he very apologetically explained that he had been misinformed, and that Ford has already decided they will take no action to correct this problem. He explained he was informed he should tell me this is really just routine maintenance!

If anyone else has suffered this problem, complain to the NHSTA and FTC, and pursue the matter through your state consumer protection or "lemon" law statutes. If your car is still in warranty, file an Adjustment Board complaint, which is a prerequisite to a complaint under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. If there are enough of us with rights under Magnuson-Moss, we can file a class action against Ford.

Also, please let me know if you have also suffered this problem. The more people complain about this, the more likely the government will confront Ford about it and, in turn, the more likely Ford will finally do the right thing.

cinderflea · January 2003

My husband has had a problem lately with being able to shift the car out of park when he starts the car. He can move it into neutral before he starts the car, then shift just fine. For awhile there, he was able to do it again, but it would make a spark under the driver side dash. Now it's stuck again, AND our rear lights don't work at all anymore. It's a 94' Taurus, automatic, 3.0L, V6. That's basicly all the info I know. Now, can anyone tell me if this is something that is easy to fix? If we take it in, how much is it going to cost, any ideas? Any input is greatly appreciated.

strokeoluck · January 2003

Interesting info to say the least! My .02 worth is that I've not had any major problems w/alignment or tires on my 2000 Taurus. I put my second set of tires on at about 60,000 miles. Currently I have 98,000 miles on the car. They still look brand new after having rotated them every other oil change.

Ironically I know of two people that had alignment/premature tire wear problems with another four door sedan...but it was the Toyota Avalon! Yes, the Avalon, that bastion of Asian quality. A good friend of mine owned a '98 and his tires wore out at about 20,000 miles on his first two sets of tires. My father recently purchased a 2001 Avalon and he could actually see the metal radial belts on his tires at 16,000 miles (he'd rotated them once in those 16,000 miles). He was shocked and expressed his displeasure w/the appropriate Toyota people but they wouldn't do a thing for him. Told him that he must have "hit" something with the car and also reminded him that he hadn't rotated his tires at the appropriate intervals (apparently that justifies the appearance of metal).

I live in the Ann Arbor/Detroit area and have a number of friends that work at Ford and some tier one auto suppliers. They all assure me that for the last several years Ford has been doing everything they can to reduce costs (not a surprise), and sometimes that comes at the expense of quality. Another point they make is that Ford will be doing away with the Taurus in a year or so (apparently the majority of their sales are to "fleets" so the Taurus doesn't command as much attention as it should in the typical consumer segment), so it's kind of like the ugly stepchild right now. Yes quality is still very good - and much better than it was 5-10 years ago - but I don't think it's as good as it "could" be. However I'm relatively happy with my Taurus and am pleased as punch that it's holding up so well at approx. 100,000 miles...knock on wood.

- R

mebcaux · January 2003

Dear R:

Thanks for your thoughtful response. Ironically, I almost bought an Avalon instead of the Taurus wagon, after many years of resisting buying Japanese in favor of Fords (1990 SHO, 1986 F-150)! In the end, I calculated that the Taurus would be a good enough value for the money to warrant taking a chance on its presumably inferior quality, that it would be a better family car, and that I owed it to my Midwestern, UAW country roots to buy a Midwestern, UAW-produced vehicle.

Thanks for the reassurance that, despite this alignment hassle, I won't likely regret my choice in the long run!

M

wijoco · January 2003

Mebcaux, you might want to consider going ahead and having the work performed out of your own pocket, at least initially. Class action suits can take years, not just months, sometimes. And seeing that a set of quality new tires isn't far below $400, it would be a shame for your Taurus to shred another set while waiting for the verdict. Just save the receipts, and Ford will most likely reimburse you. Most things like these are retroactive, as long as your product falls within the defective time-of-manufacture range. Good luck!

mebcaux · January 2003

Dear "Wijoco":

Thanks for your response, with which I couldn't agree more. I'm certainly not going to risk another set of tires while I await outcome of legal proceedings. That would indeed be foolish.

Neither am I going to write this off to experience. Ford is in the wrong, and, like almost any large, publicly-held, MBA-ridden, cynically-managed American company, will only do the right thing for those in my predicament once they sense the cost of inaction will far exceed the cost of correcting the problem, e.g., Pinto fuel tank, truck primer coat "hidden recall", transmissions slipping out of Park, TFI failures, and so on, and on, and on.

Again, thanks!
Mebcaux

behhpp · January 2003

I know this is a simple question, but I cannot locate the radiator drain plug on my 1997 Mercury sable. Can anyone let me know where to look for this? I can't believe I can't find this. Thanks.

jaybo4 · January 2003

Boy it's cold here in Salem, Mass.
The heat is not work on my daughters
'96 Taurus. Station Wants $550 to fix.
Took it to the local service station..left it for the day. He told me the heater core was blocked heblew air through the core and it was totally cloggng. He would have to remove the whole dash to get at the heater core. nearby Volvo tech who does repairs for me from time to time told me they do not blow air...but run hot water from a hose through the two ends of the core sticking out of the fire wall. He showed them to me. I did it in my drive way yesterday. It is 10 degrees out
,,I got soaked...I was frozen...But I FIXED IT !!! The car heats up !!!!! The garden hose blew brown yeech out...flushed it out both ways on the core in and out. Feels Good....

alcan · January 2003

Lets you know what the rest of your cooling system's like, too. Time for a flush.

alcan · January 2003

The side of the left (driver's side) tank, facing out toward the fender.

69ss · January 2003

I just bought a 2000 Taurus 2 weeks ago and experienced the same shifting problem. There is a switch located on the brake pedal that signals the brake lights, cruise control, and shifting solenoid. Mine had already been repaired (poorly) by Ford and one wire was fragile and broken again. I repaired it and it all operates correctly now. The design is very weak and uses thin wire that weakens with use. I also have new front end components/alignment/balancing and the almost new tires act the same as #719.

69ss · January 2003

I bought a 2000 Tore-[non-permissible content removed] 2 weeks ago and had this problem as well. Well fixing the faulty brake switch, I also tracked this down. There is a rubber boot similar to a CV boot near the gas pedal. The steering shaft goes through this boot and a white "puck" like part rubs on the inside of the boot. Push the boot towards the floor, compressing it, use dielectic grease and liberally applied it to this surface eliminating the friction and the noise.

bronsonb · January 2003

Mebcaux -
Thanks for the information and phone call. I sure wish I had gotten your post a few months ago. I sold my Taurus in late October to CarMax. I was tired of constantly getting it aligned and getting two new tires each year. Although it was a minor problem, I was tired of spending so much time at the tire shop getting it aligned only to have Ford tell me it wasn't done properly...etc. etc. etc. I unloaded the car and leased a 2003 VW Passat Wagon, with which I am EXTREMELY happy. Hated the thought of leasing, but it was the easiest way to get out of the Taurus and keep my notes the same. Thanks again for the information. I do hope everything works out in your favor in the end. Take care!

mebcaux · January 2003

Dear "bronsonb":

Happy to help! Ironically, I also took a hard look at the Passat Wagon before deciding upon Taurus! Given all the trouble you had, you might still consider filing complaint with NHTSA and/or FTC, as well as going after Ford under the warranty, which should have covered the losses you experienced.

Update to all on strut tower issue:

I called what I understand to be one of the most reputable suspension, frame and axle shops in the Denver area. Their service manager told me they have done hundreds of these repairs on Tauruses and Sables in order to properly align them. He explained that (if I understood him correctly) the weight of the engine is sufficient to cause the frame, body, and strut tops to bend inward slightly over time, making it impossible to achieve proper camber on realignment. He stated that this is foreseeable, and that welding the strut plates to the body is therefore a very poor design, but one many manufacturers now employ.

He also stated that, whereas many attempt to correct the problem by drilling out the welds and repositioning the assemblies, they find that this often will not enable sufficient correction. They instead normally prefer to use a strut-bending tool, as it usually results in better correction. His estimated cost to repair: $195 for both sides, plus alignment of $48.50.

The Goodyear shop does not use a strut-bending tool, but instead will either drill the welds or realign the subframe. Their charges: $150 for both sides, realignment at no additional charge if I return within 30 days.

I would welcome any thoughts on the relative merits of strut-bending versus weld-drilling, sub-frame realignment.

By the way, I still think this is a design defect, but I won't try to resurrect the debate on that point!

Thanks!

wijoco · January 2003

Sounds to me like a Taurus with the sagging front unibody sheetmetal could benefit from good old fashioned engine bay cross-braces spanning from one strut tower to the other. I guess the engine compartment is too tight to allow for something that bulky, though. I have seen late-model performance cars that manage to shoehorn an old-style cross-brace in. Or maybe the Taurus could benefit from some better engineering next time around! Lord knows mine could have used some...

alcan · January 2003

Strut tower braces are available for Taurus, but the tradeoff is that the hood support gas struts have to be re-located or replaced by a prop rod. They won't clear the brace when the hood's closed.

gkarg · January 2003

Its been a long time since I've posted, but I wanted to let those with the early 90's Taurus know what I've figured out with the front end clunk. It comes from where the Control Arm mounts to the subframe. The bushings go on the front side of the control arm (the back side of the control arm mounts to the middle of the ball joint - the control arm then goes through the side of the subframe and mounts to the front of the subframe.)

The problem mostly occurs on the right side, below the oil filter on cars with the 3.8L engine. (of course including sable and continental) There is a metal ring welded to the inside of the front subframe. If the weld becomes broken - the ring will move in and out when you first hit the gas or stop abruptly at low speeds. Have a mechanic weld on the ring and put in new bushings.

No more of that noise - of course there are many more...

mebcaux · January 2003

Dear "wijoco" and "alcan":

The strut tower braces sound like a great idea. I wish they'd just installed a prop rod, to start with. The hood support gas struts on my 1990 SHO failed long ago, so I now use a broom stick to hold up its hood! Effective, but a pain to retrieve it from the trunk when I need to check oil, etc., and not too elegant.

Thanks!
Mebcaux

alcan · January 2003

The components you are referring to are tension struts, not control arms. They attach to the subframe at the front and the control arm at the rear. Tension strut bushing failure can result in excessive torque steer and brake pull due to alignment (caster) change. The control arms are the components which have the integral ball joint on the outboard end and pivot bushings on the inboard end.

phatbuns · January 2003

That's good to hear. Make sure you get a thorough flush and fill on that system...
When I mentioned the compressed air in the heater core, that was in the fall as routine maintenance. We didn't have a compressor, so we used to hook up the hose to the hot water tap as you did (as I recall, mom didn't like it too much).
I'm getting great heat from my '96, and the coolant is green and clear, so the previous owner may have dealt with it before I got it. I'm glad to hear that the heater core hoses are accessible, it's been too damn COLD for me to bother checking where they are. I just keep checking the coolant and hoping for the best.

BUT, for some frightening reading on the coolant system, check this out:
www.cartrackers.com/Forums/live/Ford/132.html

alcan · January 2003

These links might interest you:
http://www.shoclub.com/
http://www.shotimes.com/php-bin/index.php

mebcaux · January 2003

Dear Alcan:

Thanks for the tip on web sites. I had seen and consulted SHOTimes before, but not SHOClub. I'm glad to know about it. Looks like I might have finally found a source of rocker panel trim panels I've been seeking for two years in order to get some minor body work accomplished!

mebcaux

alcan · January 2003

Good luck with it. I have a 93 ATX which I used to service for the lady I bought it from. Has a zillion km's on it now but still runs and drives beautifully. For a super cheapo front strut tower brace, check out this part # at your local GM dealer. Bolts right in but requires slight mods to accomodate 2 strut mount studs per side. Still a great deal for $27 Cdn, lots of guys up here in the Frozen North use 'em:

GM p/n 12456148, "bar kit".

P.S. A rear strut tower brace REALLY stiffens up the back of the car and eliminates all kinds of squeaks, creaks, and groans (from the car, not me. I'm getting more creaky by the day). LOL

adjuster2 · January 2003

Need help finding out what is causing a squeak, or chirp noise inside the engine. I first noticed it at idle after driving 5 hrs. It comes an goes. After changing to heaver oil, it made the noise on cold start ups. Changed back to the recommended 5/20 oil it only does it at idle hot, and not very often. It has the rhythm of a lifter or rocker arm. My car is a 2001 Sable with 74,000 miles, at least one other similar vehicle in the company fleet has had the same noise. The noise has no effect on the idle quality or any other performance of the engine.

alcan · January 2003

Are you sure it's internal and not the serpentine belt's idler pulley bearing? They're common for failing, and automatic tensioners are common for seizing up.

danielj6 · January 2003

1) When I turn the lever on P and turn off of the engine the car lurches forward a bit. Dealer told me there's nothing they can do. Just apply emergency brake before shutting off motor.

2) Frequently is difficult to put transmission on D and R. The
lever becomes hard to engage.

3) Directional signal doesn't stay on sufficiently and at the slighest movement of the steering wheel it goes off. It will refuse to stay on depending on direction of wheel.

Well, back to the service dept. before the basic warranty expires.

strokeoluck · January 2003

Mebcaux, Judging by your posts you're obviously an intelligent man so chances are you've already tried, or considered, this course of action. What about writing to Bill Ford, Jr. and asking for a refund of your expenses?

My wife hates me for it but, when I truly feel I've been wronged by a company, I spare no expense in "communicating" my displeasure in a number of letters. I further go on to inform the offending company that I will take whatever legal means necessary to publicize their misdeeds. In order for this action to work however it has to go beyond "I'm going to tell 10 friends and they're going to tell 10 friends, etc." If the head of the company doesn't respond to me the first go 'round (pretty typical...hey, I understand they're busy), I then write additional letters to them and begin to copy the board of directors, major institutional shareholders, etc. I've sent letters to George Bush and Dan Quayle because were board members of some companies I was p*ssed at. It also helps if you state what major news organizations will begin to hear about the issue if it isn't resolved appropriately. Remember one little 10 minute blurb on 60 Minutes can have a devastating impact on a company like Ford - not that I think it would be EASY to get on 60 Minutes mind you! :-)

Anyway, it's something to consider. I've done this on things as small as a $20 pair of pants. Without fail it always works. But I only do it when I feel I'm 100% right. (Oh yeah, copying your state attorney general always helps too). Now that I've thought hard about this I do recall having a rough spell w/my Taurus alignment and some odd tire wear. But my local tire shop - a great group of guys - mentioned some other problem and fixed it with the new tires (again, which still look practically brand new after ~40-50,000 miles).

Good luck,
Rob

vince4 · January 2003

I had the same question as to the location of the drain for the radiator. The factory service manual was amazingly non-helpful (as usual). After some web searching I found it. It's located on the bottom of the radiator, driver's side. The large plastic shroud under the nose must be removed to see it. They did put a hole in the shroud (on my 2000 anyway) to get a tool through. It's about straight down from the tip of the headlight.

The drain bolt is plastic. It has a center hole which accepts a #50 Torx (hex really) or a normal 19mm socket. Of course the hole in the shroud is too small to fit a 19mm socket but oh well, they can't get everything right. You can loosen the bolt all the way, it won't fall out. Be careful putting it back since it's plastic.

wijoco · January 2003

I hate to admit it, but the dealer is right on this one. I'm guessing you're parking on a slight slope when the lever jams? The best way to park any car with an automatic transmission is: 1.Come to a stop with your foot on the brake and the transmission in drive 2.place the shift lever in NEUTRAL 3.apply the parking brake as far as necessary to "hold" the car in position without the transmission in park 4.place the shifter in park 5.take your foot off the brake peadl and turn off the ignition. The park setting on an automatic is NOT, as many people think, a device that will stabilize a car on a hill. If you trust the parking mechanism to secure the car on a hill, the parking pawl will jam and create that difficult shift movement. Plus, you will eventually damage the transmission. The "surge" you feel when you take the lever out of drive is normal, there is a little residual fluid pressure still in the transmission when you take it out of drive which can thrust the car forward when you release the brake. If you follow the above procedure you'll wont be bothered with the symptoms you complain of.

adjuster2 · January 2003

Using a long screwdriver to listen, I have to put it on the engine block in the valley, on the left (driver side) of the engine and I can hear it thru the screwdriver. There is no noise around the belt or pulleys.

danielj6 · January 2003

wijoco: Many thanks for the technical explanation! The dealer never explained it that way, but instead gave me a far more simplistic justification for my concern. I learned something from your discussion regarding the problem.

This discourse is the reason that I keep coming to this board. Consumer Reports doesn't have anything like this.

vince4 · January 2003

I was wrong about the access hole in my last post. I already had the shroud off and assumed a hole was for the drain plug access but it isn't. To get to the radiator drain you have to remove the big plastic shroud completely. So stupid. I recommend drilling an access hole in the shroud instead. You can see the drain bolt through the lower air intake slots below the bumper. It's on the right bottom of the radiator (looking from the front) and is off-white plastic.

badgerfan · January 2003

Just thought I would let fellow Taurus owners know of a warranty extension notice I recently received in the mail from Ford on my 2000 SES Duratec. The warranty extension adds an additional 2 years/24000 miles on a specific part, the "Tube mounted EGR Pressure Sensor" which is a part in the cars emission control system. The warranty is listed as program number 02M01 and the sensor part number is 9J460.

There was nothing in the brochure indicating what the symptoms of a failure of this part was, so out of curiosity, I called the "Ford Customer Relationship Center" number. The Customer Service rep checked the database and read me the service information, which somewhat vaguely stated that the "malfunction indicator light" (I think this is the "Service Engine" or "Check Engine" light), and you may "experience hesitation and stall/restart".

I have not experienced any problems with mine, but if any of you have and did not get this warranty extension notice, you may want to keep this in mind.

sroc · February 2003

Thank God, somebody else has observed the engine squeak but me!! I have had it for a while (2000 taurus Vulcan) but no other associated problem has occurred. Mine started shortly after a rotor turning. But it is obviously from engine area. I have no clue where it comes from, but it has been making me pretty mad.

jpwiseman · February 2003

A friend of mine is moving and wants to give me his '88 Taurus LX. He hasn't driven it in a couple of years because the transmission is messed up. This car has the 3.8L V6.

Is the trans on a 3.8L different from the 3.0L or will I be trying to find a rare (expensive)transmission? Anything special I should know before I swap trannies?

Any other caveats would be welcome.

cwesley · February 2003

I'm new to this board so apologies if this is an old topic...I have a 2002 SEL with the Duratec engine. It was purchased in September and has 5,400 miles on it. After a mild start to winter, the tundra has finally frozen in Green Bay. Since the onset of cold weather (<10 F) the engine has trouble starting. Upon turning the key, the engine revs for a split second, then dies. The only way to start is to feather the gas pedal. Once the engine is warm, the problem disappears. I took the car to a local dealer (Van Boxtel) but they say they can't replicate the problem. Anyone else experience this problem? Any suggestions?
Thanks!

badgerfan · February 2003

Hi, from just a little south of frozen tundraland, Milwaukee, but still Packerland!

I would suggest you take it to the dealer the night before and leave it outside on their lot so they can cold start it in the morning and then they will at least be able to replicate the problem and maybe find the fix.

My '00 Duratec has been fine, though it is stored in an unheated detached garage overnight, so may not see quite as cold temperatures as yours.

Could be you got some bad gas or some with excess water content? Maybe a can of isopropyl alcohol (Heet) would help if it is the gas.

cwesley · February 2003

Thanks for the suggestions. I did leave car overnight but they had no problem starting in the morning. I've had the problem for about three weeks and two tanks of gas. The dealer sent me home today with some diagnostic equipment attached and told me to try to start in the morning. It will be interesting to see if I still have a problem. I'll post the results.

Thanks

ehenness · February 2003

My '98 sits outside and fires right up (it's been around zero several times this winter). There's definitely something weird going on.

Between leaving it overnight and having a box hooked up, I would hope that they can find something.

You might also want to try asking a Ford dealer tech at www.flatratetech.com for some ideas. Click on Ford Owners support (under message forums) and I am sure someone can help you. They've been helpful to me.

Taurus/Sable Maintenance & Repair

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