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Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Sedans Pre-2008
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Will this service be help to extand tranny's life or just wasting money and time???
My family owns two T-birds ('93 and '95), a '90 Towncar, and a 83' Dodge Ram Van. The tranny fluids are changed every 30,000 miles on these cars, and we've had no transmission problems with any of these cars. Hope that helps.
I found something very interesting while washing my car the other day, the door molding on the drivers side and passenger side are different. I have the SEL, the passenger side has the chrome in-lay in the molding and the driver side has just the plain. I went to the dealer on Monday, they said it must have come through like that, they ordered new moldings for me. I decided that I like the plain molding better than the chrome in-lay. I just hope this is not a sign of things to come. I had a friend look at the car very close to make sure it was not involved in an accident, he is an auto body guy, he did not find anything wrong. He said it was probably an assembly line mix up, the car is silver and would not stand out to much and it doesn't. Other then that the car is great.
not being able to discuss the car with fellow
owners. Very few Sable owners write there.
The Taurus is a sibling of the Sable so wouldn't
be idea to join these two threads?
I'm on my third set in our 99 Taurus SE with 52,000. This last set came from Pep Boys. Bendix rotors and pads for 89.98. Screw the Ford rotors.
Thanks danielj6!
Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board
Can someone please explain what "warped rotors" are?
This comes at a time when I'm full of pride to own a true blue American car which I drive here in NY with a big US flag. I hope I'm not going to be sorry of my purchase at a time like this.
Regards
From your description you have warped rotors.
This is not a new problem because I have experienced this on cars for years. Its not like its a problem with Taurus/Sable brakes only but I think an industry problem.
The weight and or cost savings associated with thinner rotors and the use of impact wrenches on tires seems to be the basis for the problems. If you never take the tires off your car I don't think you'll have this problem.
It only got worse from there. Replaced the rotors with new ones under warranty at 25K after the wobble came back, and sure enough the problem re-occured at 38k. This time the wheel bearings had to be replaced ($400.00 out of my pocket ) as per the tech, the wobbling could have contributed to the problem. So, after cutting that set, they gave out at 49K and I headed to Pep Boys.
Hey, I love the Sable, and I'll live with the Taurus, for now, but Ford has to come up with something better than this!!!
problem of steering wheel vibration. It's slight
but noticeable.
If this is a defect that Ford cars had for years
and didn't correct it my next vehicle will not be a Ford.
Originally I wanted a Saturn L300 station wagon but my wife didn't find it comfortable. So I bought a Sable S.W. and had to put up with the grief this particular dealer gave me. Although, I really got
a considerably better deal getting the Merc than the Saturn. Insurance
premiums were lower on the Sable than on the L300.
Thanks in advance
P.S. - you obviously didn't get the filter from Ford - they soak you about $36-$38 for a new one! I have gotten mine for as low as $12 (PEP Boys).
HP increase? Why some with dualies, some not?
Matt
USN
Oh yea, watch out for warped rotors. When the steering wheel starts vibrating during braking, they're warped. Just buy a good set of aftermarket rotors and warped rotors will be a thing of the past. That is, as long as the tire gorillas use a torque wrench when rotating your tires!
Guess I'll just have to cough up $$ for new aftermarket rotors, too.
Question, though - I asked both mechanics about using a torque wrench as opposed to the other thing, and they said that would be even MORE uneven - and that although the lugs do go through the rotors there is no way that could cause warping. I am so confused and disappointed with Ford over this - otherwise I love the car.
This and turning new rotors (after they had taken a set) has stopped (at least for a while) the problem on a Topaz.
any one having similar problem?
My question is for the people having problems with their rotors, what kind of driving do you do and how many miles do you have on the vehicle when you started having this problem?
There has been a recall on fuel delivery with that engine (data from AllData):
#00E10 AUG 00 Recall - Fuel Delivery Module Replacement
And a Technical Service Bulletin that applies to both the Flex Fuel 3.0 and the regular Vulcan 3.0 but not the Duratech 24 valve 3.0 (data from AllData):
#00-25-5 DEC 00 Engine - Spark Knock During Heavy Acceleration
Tell your dealer to show you these if they apply.
That's why I think alot of the problem is the brake caliper assembly not releasing because of a piston on one side only. That and cheap-[non-permissible content removed] rotors.
I have been to two Ford dealers with this issue and the first dealer retarded the timing of the engine by 3 degrees and blamed the gas that is used in the southern US states. There was no improvement to the clatter and the only thing that gives an improvement is higher octane fuel.
After reading the posts in this forum today and since my car is currently in for service with the clatter being an issue that is to be resolved, I called the manager of my local Ford service department and the following is a summary of the discussion.....
-As regards ford recall, #00E10 AUG 00 Recall - Fuel Delivery Module Replacement. A: This is simply the replacement of the fuel pump which was done on my car in April this year. (This had no effect on the clatter).
-So what are they doing to resolve the clatter this time? A: They are reprogramming the engine processor and also decarbonating the engine.
-Will this problem be a recurring issue with my car? A: Yes it likely will as the clatter is mainly due to the composition of the fuels in the local states (Texas in my case).
-Who has to take responsibility for this issue once the guarantee period is out? A: You (the customer) do. You will need to have the engine decarbonated periodically (every 25k to 30k miles) and this will cost 60 to 70$ each time.
-So, if Ford do not consider this issue their responsibility then why are you reprogramming the processor and decarbonating the engine now? A: Well, Sir, this is because we are trying to help you out and since your car is only one year old.
-I forgot to ask why did they make the recall
#00E10 then?
-They also added that this issue of valve clatter has not only been seen with the Ford Taurus FFV, but with other Ford vehicles, e.g. Explorer and Mustang and they insist that this is an issue with the fuel compositions in the loacal area.
Anyway, take their answers as you will, but I certainly didn't expect to hear anything else. Ford is hurting as it is with the Firestone tyre situation.
The "Decarbonating" will NOT last 25-30K. Mine helped for one week. Running 94 Octane seems to help for awhile also. Not sure why, unless it has some cylinder "decarbonizing" effect since I have been told the higher rating fuels use more ethanol. I heard ethanol causes damage to fuel injection parts after long term use though.
I have asked for a letter stating that Ford agree to fix any ring/piston problem that may occur for as long as I own the car since this is "normal". They have not responded yet.
The first dealer who retarted the timing by 3 degrees to counteract the pinging said, as you have been told, that some pinging is normal. I have owned a wide range of cars and know when there is an abnormal degree of pinging and that would apply to my Taurus at the present time.
One issue in my favour is that it is at least pretty flat here in Texas. When I took the car for a drive in a hilly part of Oklahoma I thought that the engine was going to burn out!
I am not sure why, but I also get a significant improvement if I use 89 octane instead of 87. I My explanation for this is that it enrichens the fuel/air mixture so that it combusts less explosively with the side effect being less complete combustion so that an increase in carbon deposits will occur...but, not completely sure. I have not been prepared to go as far as 94 octane gas because of the price premium and fear of risking damage to the engine, although I have no knowledge indicating that that may occur. I can also say that Chevron regular causes less pinging than Exxon regular, so fuel types do come into it.
I think that you shouldn't hold your breath waiting for that letter. Look at the wrangle that occured in the Firestone affair and the pinging certainly isn't life threatening. The only thing that will get the giant to budge is if there is a sufficiently good marketing case in initiating a recall or better said that there is sufficient reason to believe that not intitiating a recall would lead to a significant and negative marketing impact.
From our mail exchange in this forum it has become apparent that we (two Ford customers) are not being told the same story by Ford regarding this particular issue. Well, the issue hasn't perhaps become significant enough for a company directive to be issued that ensures that all dealerships are on the same page as to how to BS the clientelle in this matter.
"DRIVEABILITY MISC. VALVE CLATTER.... PERFORM WDS EEC TEST, DATA LOGGER DIPSLAY TEST. ALL SENSORS NORMAL, RECONFIGURE PCM TIMING AND OCTANE RATING. DECARBON ENGINE"
According to the service engineer Ford periodically release and install new 'firmware' if you will for the PCM. Interestingly they appear to have performed the octane rating adjustment that you mention when they reprogrammed the PCM.
Well, the car is now very smooth and clatter free, but let's see how long it will remain so. Ford themselves did warn me that this will likely be a recurring issue and I will need to get the engine decarbonised regularly. If that becomes the case then I consider it unacceptable to load the customer with that responsibility and that Ford should definately address the issue in a more serious and responsive manner.
I'll let the forum know how it goes.
And only higher octane gas helps.
So, don't expect Ford to engineer this problem out of their motors.
The octane I use is 87, I am located in the Boston Ma area.
thx
times when starting the engine. When the car is
started it is like the engine is flooded and then
will start. Is anyone else experiencing this problem. I am taking my car to the dealer tomorrow to see if they can figure it out. Please
let me know if ya'll have had this problem either
with the Sable or the Taurus. Thanks