Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Sedans Pre-2008

ssartori · April 2004

Steve,

I did try to find another dealer. As the story goes, I called my Ford Dealer where we bought our Windstar, and ask if they work on Sables and that I had ESP coverage.... They said sure bring it in... Well I brought it in and told them I had an oil leak. They took my VIN # ran it through the computer, and they saw that I had a new engine put in it about 5K miles ago. They said they wouldn't work on it for the oil leak, as they don't want to get involved with Ford and the Mercury Dealer who I bought the car from and who I have dealt with since I bought it. I sat there and said but this is a new leak! It has nothing to do with the oil pump ect. They said they have been in between to many of these situations and would not work on it. At that point I brought it back to my Mercury Dealer and told the Service Manager No one wants to work on my car. It's black listed. He laughed. He and I are on good terms. They did stand behind me during the original pissing wars with the dealer & Ford ESP. They supplied me with a loaner for almost a month, during the engine reinstall. That is when they did the dye test, couldn't pin point the leak, and called Ford for help. I guess they asked Ford if they should pull the engine. When I picked it up they said Ford said some leaking is "normal". Hmmmm Wonder if the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) considers some oil leaking is normal. BTW the engine has a 3 year 36K new warrantee on it.

Steve

badgerfan · April 2004

I would keep pushing for a solution. If you have a Ford backed warranty on the engine, I would think they would fix it under warranty.

Some leakage is not normal, especially since you apparently have a warranty, unless there is some fine print that excludes oil leaks!

Some leakage at 80-100k might be considered acceptable, but not as young as this replacement engine is.

snowman · April 2004

I am sorry to hear all that BS you have been tru. The only suggestion I could give or I would do if I were you is to hire a lawyer and take their #$#@ to court. You have a under warranty product and they have to fix it. Also you have very legit point about oil leak. Good luck

PS: Don't even think about installing 180 t-stat. You engine has problems and you should get those things fixed first and settle. Tehn later you can isntall it. If you do it now they may blame you and you may loose your edge on the case.

ssartori · April 2004

Snowman,

Nope not planning on doing the 180 degree fix for the ping until the oil leak is fixed. God I wish this was a lease vehicle.. I would of dropped it on their doorstep 2 years ago and laughed all the way home. As it is this is going to be gruelling and I'm not going to let up. My ESP plan is good till August 2005. Wish I had a friend who was a lawyer, bet one letter with a attorneys letterhead would do wonders. May have to call the local Bar Assoc. and ask for names.

Just think, this car will be all mine in 4 more payments. The more I think about it, the less likely I will buy that Freestar / Montaray. Only problem is I need to tow a pop-up trailer less then 1500lbs. Will the Toyota or Honda tow that? I may have to go back to the GMC Safari. Rear wheel drive, 4.3 engine, damn dog house and only 3 doors, or maybe a DC T&C.

We will see what Ford does..

Steve

ssartori · April 2004

One interesting observation I did see this afternoon was when I was reading Freestar / Monetary list there weren't that many complaints so far. Pretty new vehicles though. Bigest complaints were the leg room of rear seats, comfort of 2nd & 3rd row seats and body paint issues. Seat issues were interesting as when our family was at the local auto show a couple months back, the first thing out of our children's mouths when they sat in the 3rd row seat was it wasn't as comfortable as our Windstar. In order for that 3rd row seat to fold down, designers had to shrink the padding, and make the seat smaller. They did love the DVD. I told them I would buy them a portable DVD for their red wagon and save myself about 32K dollars. :-)

ssartori · April 2004

Just talked to Ford Customer Relations Center and after explaining what was going on, they checked my file and they stated in fact Ford has marked it as "Normal" oil leak.. I just contacted NYS Attorney Generals, explained the situation. That person asked how many mile I had on the car, I told her 33,800. She laughed. They will be sending me out a consumer complaint form.

Ah the saga continues. You know my secretary asked what I want out of this, I said just want my oil leak fixed, she then asked if they can't do that then what, I told her I just want a reliable car just like the one I own that doesn't leak oil, & runs with out knocking on 87 octane. Don't want my money back don't want them to buy it back. I just want a car that I can drive for the next 5 years with out major problems. I expect to change tires, shocks breaks, ball joints etc, real normal items, but not engines and transmissions and continue to have oil leaks.

Is that to much to ask.

snowman · April 2004

I don't think that AG will get your car fixed. You need to get an attorney or take your car to independent mechanic and pay for the repair.

THe ping will be there no matter what you do, use 93 octane meanwhile, b/c it is very harmful to engine.

What is the nature of your oil leak, where it is leaking?

jasmith52 · April 2004

ssartori:

I know how disgusted you probably are at Ford for not getting your oil leak fixed. You paid good money for your car and want it to work right - as it should.

On the other hand, I assume that the car runs fine and that other than the oil leak it's a great car. Keep that in mind.

Say it out loud - it's just an oil leak ! Nothing major.

My 19 year old Corvette also leaks a drop of oil every time I park it but I think of it as a great car. Maybe you should just accept the fact that your car leaks oil or pay a mechanic to change some of the seals.

Life is too short to get all worked up over an oil leak.

It's not the end of the world !

edmund2460 · April 2004

don't get bent out of shape about it.I mean you want your car to feel at home when it drives into an oil stained parking lot don't you? BTW the Freestar is basically a renamed Windstar, an attempt to get over the negative history of the W.

upsetter1 · May 2004

It is follow-up to discussion started by msg #2614. Msg says:

"I did experience one peculiarity for which I took it back to the dealer: a prominent tapping noise from the engine when it's warmed up. The service writer told me that there is a technical service bulletin on that for 03s with the Duratec and mine was the third he had seen like that. According to the bulletin, the cause is camshaft bolts that were not torqued properly. They re torqued the bolts on mine and it's been fine since. If you notice tapping, get it back to the dealer while it's still under warranty, ASAP!"

My car is Sable 2002 with Duratec. I also noticed tapping noice when engine was at idle, the period of tapping is equal to rpm. At 20,000 service I asked dealer to fix the noice. They couldn't figure out the origin of noice. Yesterday I had a 30,000 miles service (pretty expensive one) at the same dealership and asked them again to fix the problem. This time they discovered before mentioned technical service bulletin (using hot line with Ford) and retorqued the camshaft. They told me that there was no damage to the engine. But who knows. Anyway, I have extended warranty up to 100,000 miles.

As a loaner they gave me '03 Ford Taurus with Duratec, rear spoiler and sunroof. It had a firmer suspention than my Sable LS Premium and behaved better on turns. Sirius sattelite radio sucks, so I turned off it after a while and turned on AM/FM. Interior looks and feels pretty cheap after my Sable. Esp leather substitute and dashboard plastic.

chicagosky · May 2004

I've occasionally wondered about the exact differences between the Sable and the Taurus, specifically in the '00-'03 model years. I know, of course, that the outsides are styled differently, and I believe that the engines are the same/similar.....but what are the specific differences inside? I asked once at a Mercury dealership, and the salesman told me that the only differences were soundproofing against road noise and such (more in the Sable), and that the Sable trunk had an "organizer" of sorts in it. Does anybody know if this is really all there is?

jasmith52 · May 2004

My 2003 Sable GS doesn't have any organizer in the trunk. Unless you mean the two trays on either side. I wouldn't really call them an organizer.

You might have to do some research here on what is included for each Taurus/Sable model. Check out the standard equipment here on Edmunds for each of the models. The cars are pretty similar. My GS plus included some extra options - power drivers seat, alloys, heated mirrors, CD, and a light-dimming rear-view mirror with a digital compass.

By the way, I love my car - looks great and it's very comfortable.

upsetter1 · May 2004

Interior is exactly the same except of badge on the steering wheel and all Sables have fake wood applique on dashboard and on gearshift tunnel, that makes it more cheerful. In LS Premium there is an organaizer in the trunk, cargo net. Typical Sable trim may have more features. Shocks may be tuned differently than Taurus for more comfortable ride. And there is nothing like Taurus SES with firmer ride.

ssartori · May 2004

I think the oil leak seems to be coming from the (lower) main bearing seal. When I crawl under the car, between the Transmission and engine there is some kind of black plastic cover, seal that I guess keeps road dirt out of the area of the transmission and engine, When I move / flip the plastic cover to the side about 1/4 inch I can run my finger in the rear of the engine and feel oil there. Then from there as you drive I have a feeling that the wind moves it along the back of the oil pan and on to the two bolts that hold the oil pan to the engine. They did tighten down the oil pan bolts but still have the small leak...

Yupper been running 93 octane...

I got the form from AG office but decided to wait a few months, before I head down that road.

For the past 3 - 4 weeks I decided ok lets see, I'll try to call it "normal also. During lunch today I stopped by a Ford Dealer and looked at vans. I mentioned I just got done looking at Toyota Sienna's as I was very disappointed with Ford MC service The sales person said we'll take care of you.. Our service department is top notch. He directed me to the service department... I told the service rep about my situation / new engine/ and other Ford Dealer who wouldn't even look at it after he printed out the report. This service manager said no problem, we'll take the car in like there is no replacement engine, and I'll give it to a mechanic and he'll check for a leak. The original Mercury dealer I bought the car from was small 3 mechanics and a couple body shop guys. This is a large Ford Dealer.

Well I have an appointment for Wednesday morning, we'll see what happens.

Its true, jasmith52, if it was a 19 year old Corvette, I wouldnt [non-permissible content removed] either. My fave car would be a 75-76 vette. I think a lot of it is this car is still our newest car. Yes, I have 3 months left on the loan. Our other car is the 96 Windstar, which is the one well be getting rid of in the next few months. If the Sable was 8 years old and 80,000 miles I wouldnt [non-permissible content removed] either, but when you pay $700 for extended warrantee (it paid for it self with the new engine) and about 5 years old with 33K miles, that small oil leak will be a large oil leak about 3-6 months after all the warrantees have expired. We live in the North East and by the time the rust starts to show (about 7-8 years) thats when the car can have a small normal oil leak.

Ill keep you all informed

dashcraft · May 2004

History: Went to a service station to have my car checked because the service engine light was on.

Diagnosis: Replace oxygen sensors and EGR valve.

Since I try to do most of my own repairs, I replaced the upstream oxygen sensor, both downstream oxygen sensors and the EGR valve. Disconnected the battery to reset the service engine light-- light went out. 26 miles later that nasty engine light came back on.

Stopped at Auto Zone and they put the tester on for free, said it had an error code of P0401 and P1131. After a little discussion with the parts desk attendant I bought an EGR switch and bought something to put in the fuel.

Poured the gas additive in before I left, came home happy because I had more ammunition to fight that nasty engine light with-- and proceeded to replace the EGR switch. Disconnected battery terminal-- light went out. Drove car several times-- engine light came on-- screamed a few expletives-- came to edmunds.com.

Looking for suggestions and also to find out what the codes P0401 and P1131 might indicate is wrong with my vehichle.

99 Mercury Sable, 3.0 V6 DOHC

snowman · May 2004

I can almost guarantee you that p0401 (Insufficient EGR flow) is caused by your feedback pressure sensor. Up until 01, Ford was using aluminum sensor shell which was prone to corrosion and carbon collection. Due to high failure Ford came with the new generation. It is hard plastic shell. Dealer price is around $90. Installation is piece of cake. I would slow down on O2 sensors. Change your EGR valve first, use new gasket, reset PCM see what happens. To me you should nail this problem once and all. Change EGR and DPFE sensor. Reset PCM and see what happens. You didn't mention your mileage, your EGR might be well blocked by carbon too.
I think Taurus has 4 O2 sensors and each is around $50. Depending your mileage, you may need to replace them too. Their life span is around 90K.

chicagosky · May 2004

Thanks to those who responded to my Taurus/Sable differences question....Jasmith52, yes, the "organizer" was really just trays, but of course the salesman called it an organizer....still looked useful though.

On my 2002 SES, I've recently had trouble with my (front) windshield defogger. My windshield, while driving in rainy-type weather, will develop a flower like pattern of fog, even with the defogger on a high setting. Has anybody else had trouble with theirs or found it inadequate? It's not just insufficient in my opinion, but actually basically not working at all-- and a hazard in driving situations where I need it. I am taking my car in this week for some other warranty work, mainly a defunct CD player, so I was curious how I could convince them to replace it if it is defective, since they probably won't be able to "duplicate the problem." Any thoughts/ideas/similar problems? Also, if you have an '00-'03 and find it working much better than this, it would be helpful to know so that I am able to gauge whether it is a problem or typical of this defogger.

mazcarfan1 · May 2004

I have a few questions about my 1997 Ford Taurus GL with the stock Ford 6-speaker AM/FM Cass/C.D.changer controls(no Changer in trunk) head unit..

1. What type of stock speakers brand and watts did Ford use front and rear for the 97 GL models?

2. Did Ford offer any hidden Subwoofer or AMP or just 6 speakers in the GL?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

~Allen/16/m/ms

badgerfan · May 2004

The air conditioning is turned on when you switch to defrost mode in order to take moisture out of the air. This also cools the air, so you are likely cooling the patch of windshield that is fogging, and getting condensation, probably on the outside of the glass due to the outside humid air. You need to mix in a bit of warm air using your temperature knob if you have the manual controls. If you have the automatic system, I can't help you, but there must be a way of warming the defrost air.

pinky33 · May 2004

Long ordeal. After many trips to the dealer, two visits by Ford's engineer, one visit by The Dispute Settlement Board's Independent Inspector, one board hearing and later board review,Ford is buying the Taurus back from me. A Ford person call yesterday to say Ford would be sending a check to the dealer within ten days, I could deliver the car there (in good condition less fair wear and tear), sign title etc., and get my check. Full refund of all my cost less mileage deduction (just over $900). Relief at last. pinky33

beancounter · May 2004

Going to follow snowman's advice and replace the t-stat in my '00 Sable w/ a cooler 180. Apptmt is next week. Was due for a system flush and thought this was a good time to do it.

Does the cooler t-stat affect performance in any way? I am enjoying the quiet and improved throttle response of 93 octane, but it's a little expensive.

snowman · May 2004

I lined up myself for memorial day weekend. See what happens.

badgerfan · May 2004

There were some TSB's out on engine knocking (pinging) on 2000 Tauri with Vulcan engine. Check Edmunds Tips & Advice area and you can get a listing of them, though they don't detail the solutions, just a brief summary of the topic for each one, for your particular car. I would seriously investigate other causes before I would put in a cooler thermostat. A cooler than standard thermostat I would think would screw up other things, like mileage, driveability, etc.

ohio7 · June 2004

Got my recall letter about two weeks ago and immediately picked a convenient date which was yesterday. This is my 4th replacement counting the original!!! I sure hope it works this time. I just turned 24,000 on my 2000 SEL on the way to the dealer. Love putting the pedals up as far as they go, but hate the time I have wasted getting replacements. Plus the inconvience of being stuck somewhere in Park and not being able to move without going to a different way of skirting the issue.

The other thing that can happen and DID to me was the brake lights remain on no matter what you do to try to turn them off. I had to learn how to disconnect the brake light device from the top of the brake pedal. Not fun when you're dressed up and have to crawl under the wheel!

Anyone else have theirs done?

badgerfan · June 2004

I had mine done about a week ago, but note that the recall was also extended to non-adjustable pedal Tauri for some model years as well. I don't remember all details of the recall. Mine is a 2000 SES without adjustable pedals and was part of the recall. I had never had a problem with the switch, but why not get it replaced if its free? Might avoid a problem later on.

As usual my dealer had me in and out in fairly quick order, 45 minutes, and I didn't need an appointment, but I called them in advance to make sure they had the parts. Got it done on my way home from work. Their extended hours are great all weekday evenings and most of Saturday.

Otherwise the Taurus is running great. I really enojy that DOHC Duratec. I am getting close to turning 40k on it and it is as tight and solid as when new. No rattles, squeaks or creaks. No issues except two recalls and three fairly minor warranty covered repairs. Plan on keeping it another 6 years, just like my last Taurus.

automan227 · June 2004

I just had my power pedals recall done today when I had my '01 SEL Duratec in for an oil change.

No problems whatsoever...took them a little under 2 hours to get the car finished and back to me.

I have had this car for a little over three months, and its just turned over 34,500 miles (I bought it used). Absolutely awesome car, with enough power to make it fun to drive.

AS

spammers2hell · June 2004

Last payment on my 2001 SEL, yay! Here are my
comments/issues:

- I had the duratec knock problem that started
  about 4 months/2000 miles. The dealer tweaked
  the computer unit and it's much diminished, but
  hasn't gone away entirely. It's bad at 30-40mph
  at ~1200 RPM on a slight upgrade.

- The tilt lever keeps working loose. I'm tempted
  to put some Thread-Lok on it, but it's in at
  such an odd angle, that I'd be afraid to take
  it out all the way.

- Anyone else getting these wierd fuzzballs under
  the hood? They appear to be made up of stray
  fibers from the fire pad.

- Recently the hood latch has begun to rattle.
  I looked at it, so did the dealer and nothing
  seems wrong. I tightened the rubber bumper
  stalks, but that didn't help.

- Twice in three years when I started the engine,
  the trunk popped open, wierd!

- The seat belt inertial locks are too sensitive.
  If I'm coming out of a cloverleaf and try to
  do a "blind spot stretch", the dang seat belt
  won't let me! This is a safety issue that I've
  never had with any of the 5 other vehicles I've
  owned. Blind spot mirrors help, but still I'd
  like to be able to stretch in order to see.

- The controls are sometimes aggravating. When
  I want to shut off the heat, sometimes I miss
  and hit MaxAC or the useless outside temp
  button. There ought to be a law about certain
  buttons all having a tactile feel to them
  across all models and mfrs.

- Both airbag crash sensors went bad within the
  first six months. Dealer made warranty
  replacements.

- The left rear light assembly leaked and filled
  with water. Dealer replaced under warranty.

  Aside from these relatively minor things I'm
satisfied with the car, it's value, safety
features, etc.
  I'm getting around 22mpg in a mixed local/hwy
commute.

bigdan1 · June 2004

Can you help me and tell me the trick for operating the switch to open and close my moon roof? No problem to open, but when I try to close, I am always afraid I will either not close all the way, or else I will hold the switch too long and the moor roof will go to its next mode which is to tilt upwards slightly. I would think there would be a pause, or you would have to hit the switch twice or something. I am constantly afraid my moon roof is not completely closed. As a result I don't use it as much as I would like to. Thanks.

bigdan1 · June 2004

On my 20002 and my 2000 Taurus, there is a "hole" in the dash directly under the radio and immediately to left of cigarette lighter. Space is about 3 inches wide, 1/2 inch high, and about 3 inches deep. What is this space for?

Also, can you give me a quick lesson on how to change the bulb for the headlamps (and tail lamps). I don't have a manual. There appears to be a little tab near the lamp assembly, and it looks like you pull it (or push it) to release something (the headlamp cover maybe?). Any way, all lights are working OK now, but on my 1993 and 1995 Taurus, it seemed like headlamp and tail lamp bulbs went out every 6 months or so. How have the bulbs lived on your 2000 and 2002 Taurus? Any instructions on how to replace is appreciated. Thanks.

four · June 2004

I have a 96 Taurus with 60,000 miles and a rusted ,leaking, oil pan. Ford is probably aware of this, but are they doing anything about it?
Thanks,
Four

badgerfan · June 2004

It is pretty unusual for an oil pan to rust so much that it rusts through. However your car is now 8 years old, so if it has gone through 8 winters in a road salt environment, I suppose it could happen. Are you sure it is not just leaking at the plug? Maybe your plug is not sealing properly, or someone cross threaded it.

At this stage, I don't think Ford is liable to do anything about it. However you should do something, and that is get it replaced.

badgerfan · June 2004

That hole is just a cubby hole (storage shelf) for whatever you want to use it for. I store my sunglasses and case in there. It has a rubber mat with a lip to keep things in there.

My 2000 Taurus has nearly 40k on it and no bulbs of any kind have burned out, so I have not attempted to replace headlights. Usually in modern cars you have to replace the bulb from the back as the lense and reflector assembly are all sealed up to keep moisture out.

fdthird · June 2004

Regarding my wife's 2001 SEL...

To replace the tail light bulbs, you need to drop the tail light assemblies out of the car - really stupid way to set the car up but my 2000 Mustang does the same thing so it must be the "Ford Way".

On my wife's car, the sun roof will not go into the next mode unless you release the switch. If the roof is open and you hold the button to close, even if you continue after the roof has shut, the roof will stay closed. To go into the ventilation mode you must release the button and then push it again.

jimcandy · June 2004

Hey all!

I have the Vulcan engine with 88k on the clock.

This last week while on the road, I had the cruise on and noticed about every 20 seconds the tach would move up about 700 RPM and lasts about 1-2 seconds (it happens with the cruise on and off). I could feel it a bit as well. Sort of like a gust of a headwind.

I checked the tranny fluid...it is dark red and needs changed. The car shifts normal in all gears. I was far away from home when this developed and traveled back 1000 miles without the symptons becomming worse.

I am taking it to the dealer soon but would like any info anyone would have.

Thanks! Jim

duckied · June 2004

The airbag light on my 2000 Taurus SE occasionally turns on and off, but I have not idea why. Last time it turned on it flashed once, then four times, and then stayed on. I think the number of flashes symbolizes something? What could it mean, and why does the light flash occasionally every few months?

yusgab · June 2004

IT seems that my AC compressor is on all the time..no matter what setting I use. For example the manual setting indicating upper airflow finds really cold air from center air vents and warm from other dash vents. Also the engine sounds like it is laboring with the compressor on. when I pop the hood I can hear and see the compressor hissing like it is coming on and off intermittently. Is this normal? Also the temp dial is turned all the way on cold. My 99 taurus when on vent only blew warm outside air even with the temp dial on high cold. my 99 SE on vent setting has a very quiet motor & no compressor running. Any ideas? the SES has only 300 miles on it and because I have a 99SE (70K) I sensed this ventilation issue right away..

ohio7 · June 2004

I have a 2000 SEL and through the years my airbag light has stayed on. Has only done it about 6 times. Sometimes it goes out after a few seconds. If I can, I have pulled over and turned the car off completely and restarted it. It doesn't come on the second time. I drive my car very infrequently, so the chances of my having that happen are less than most people. I've not reported it and just chalked it up to a computer glitch. I'm hoping that the airbags will function if needed.

seltwo · June 2004

02 Taurus SEL w/ auto temp. control, 40,000+ mi. The outside temperature indication was well below actual (actual was 80 and reading was 60). This situation latter self corrected. Shortly thereafter, no A/C, only heat. Tried multiple times to operate it with various temp. settings to no avail.

Dealer diagnosis was "sticking temperature blend door". Anyone experience this problem?

During the diagnosis procedure the dealer was able to get the A/C to work, claiming to have "unstuck" the blend door. They said it may be one or two weeks and it WILL stick again.

The dealer said Ford "redesigned" the blend door on latter models to correct warping which leads to sticking. Is this true? Another "major" dealer said they have never had a car with this problem, and the proposed solution (see below) was not consistent with the make of the car. I don't know who to believe.

The dealer quoted me $435+tax to replace the blend door, which costs $5. They said they have to remove the entire dashboard to access the part.

Is this a bad diagnosis? If so, how might the A/C have been made to work during a "diagnosis" procedure? Are there other possibilities for an A/C system that quit one day and now works okay following a "diagnosis" procedure?

chuck1 · June 2004

Hey, Ohio
You are in an unsafe condition. If your air-bag light is flashing something is wrong with the safety system. The air bag MAY NOT deploy in a crash. Do you want to risk your safety over what could be as little as a $100.00 air bag sensor located in the front of the vehicle?
In addition to that, if you sell and/or trade in the vehicle, and do not disclose this, you are LIABLE for anything that happens to the occupants of that car because of this repair you knew about-but did not act on. IS IT WORTH IT??????

jebinc1 · June 2004

Hello Taurus Forum -

Normally I hang out in the Accord forum since that is what I drive. I just purchased a 2002 SES with 31K miles on it. The couple I purchased it from is leaving the country next week and sold it to me for $6600 (a steal). There aren't any dents, or any other body damage, and the car was fairly clean. The Carfax was totally clean. The car has the Flex Fuel Vulcan Engine. Below are my questions to this experienced group (Yes, I will search the boards for the answers as well but thought one of you could save me some time) -

1. Are there any major concerns (Mechanical problems, etc.) with this engine and vehicle that I should be aware of?
2. I was planning on dumping the tranny fluid, Fuel filter, oil and air cleaner, just to be safe. Any other suggestions?
3. With Honda one can buy genuine honda accessories at HandAaccessories.com for 60% of the Honda dealership price. I'd like to buy a deck lid spoiler for this Spruce Taurus. Where would you recommend I go?
4. How are the Continental tires on this rig? I have Michelins on the 2004 Accord but they are noisy.
5. What else should I know but are not smart enough to ask?

Thanks a bunch! If you have an Accord, I could answer any questions you all may have!

elevatorguy · June 2004

I am looking for a used Sable/Taurus for my wife. We are looking at 01-03's. If we get an 03, it will probably be a lower level Taurus. If we get an 01, it will be a loaded Sable with the Duratec engine. What should we be looking for, and looking out for? Is the Duratec engine worth the extra cost? Any options or models that I should look for or look to avoid? Are there any known problems with these vehicles? Any info is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Todd

ezaircon4jc · June 2004

Does it happen after you wash it? My '91 and '96 both had the airbag light come on occasionally after washing. It would go off within a couple of on/off ignition cycles.

jebinc1 · June 2004

I've noticed that many of the used Tauri for sale at Ford dealerships were previous rental units (Hertz, National, etc.) I would assume that many of us in the late model used car market end up with nice cars that were formally rentals somewhere. I'm curious how many of you who purchased a used later model know the origin? If you do, and the car was a rental, have you experienced more problems because of that history or not? Thanks for the insight as the one I just purchased was a rental for the first 21K miles of its life. I'm performing the 30k service right away! The car just turned 31K miles this morning. What are the first signs of tranny problems are these (2000 - Present) Tauri?

chuck1 · June 2004

If the airbag light is flashing after you wash your car it means that the sensors located behind the grill are rusted. This is an unsafe condition. Both sensors need to be replaced!

jebinc1 · July 2004

Todd,

I picked up a 2002 SES with Vulcan Engine. I've also driven the Duratec. While the Duratec does pull harder, I've found the Vulcan to do just fine. The Vulcan is an older design (Push rod engine) but is rock solid and reliable (tried and true). Folks say that the Vulcan engine will go on for 200K. I was looking at a 2001 SEL (Duratec) for $9000 but found this 2002 SES Vulcan (in perfect condition) for $6600. I have no regrets purchasing the 2002 SES Vulcan. Runs great!

ohio7 · July 2004

No, there never seemed to be any rhime nor reason to the airbag light staying on. I'm not worried about liability to another buyer because I keep a car for 16 years. Also, if I did sell, it would be hard to prove that I had that problem. I just never thought of it as a permanent problem. We all know how computers get crazy glitches and really don't mean what they say. If I turn it off completely and restart it it has never come back on. Usually it will go out on it's own within seconds.

I'm not overly concerned especially since I drove cars before they even HAD seatbelts and was principal driver of two cars for 32 years that never had airbags. If I think about it someday I'll ask the dealer what he thinks. But thanks for your concern!

chuck1 · July 2004

If the airbag light is on, at anytime, there is a reason. You can be in denial, thinking you won't ever need the airbags, that's up to you. The air bag light only comes on when a signal is sent stating something is wrong in the system. The truth of the matter is that you don't know if anything is wrong...because you won't pay to have it diagnosed. You are still putting yourself and your passengers at risk! No one ever thinks that they can possibly be involved in a serious accident!

danielj6 · July 2004

Air bags with seat belts will save you from serious injury and death. I've recently had an accident whereby the seat belt held me in place and the air bag prevented my head from hitting the steering wheel and even the windshield.

My Sable was declared a total loss but I was able to walk out with a sore neck and same minor burns to my arms.

We don't think about air bags and seat belts until something happens, and things do happen.

badgerfan · July 2004

Sorry to about your accident, but glad to hear you came out of it relatively unharmed and the Sable sacrificed itself to protect you.

What did you replace it with, or haven't you yet?

danielj6 · July 2004

Thank you for you concern and your words Badgerfan!

Let me just say 3 things about these cars (Tauri and Sable. They're damn strong and safe. While reporting the accident to my insurance company, the rep told me right off the bat that the car would probably be totaled as the cost of repairing it would exceed the value of it. I argued with him that my station wagon was a top of line and very well equipped. Well, the adjustor who actually came to check it out say confirmed that it was a total loss. The guy noted that replacing airbags would be $1500 + other components on the steering wheel. Then replacing other parts was going to cost a bundle, he said. He couldn't give me a value right there and then but promised to call me that afternoon.

He did and said that the company that tabulated the value of the car came up with a very surprising figure of $12200. They took into account the equipment and mileage and other issues. So the adjustor told me that, on second thought, they could have the car repaired if I wanted.

The third thing about the Sable/Tauri is value. This experience disproves the notions and stereotypes about not holding their value well.

So I was all of the sudden faced with a dilemma. The number they gave me was what I'd have to pay for the exact same car, 2000 Mercury Sable station wagon Premium LS with low mileage. So after discussing the issue with my wife, we began to see the chance of a brand new Taurus of Sable. We felt that buying a 2004 in the Summer with cash rebates would be easy. I know that in the past I bitched and complained about my station wagon, but I really loved it. So it was very difficult to let it go.

Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Sedans Pre-2008

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