Taurus overheats, what's wrong?

KAURELIO

My son-in-law has a 1995 Taurus that overheats.
While driving (with coolant) the car is fine. When
he comes to a stop the radiator boils over. When
this happens, we notice that the radiator cap is
loose. We have tightened it up, but it seems to
loosen on its own (it has a screw on type, not the
old fashioned type). The car will continue to boil
over until it is out of coolant (not all at the
same time). What am I missing? Any and all help
will be appreciated.

Oh yeah, he has brought it into the dealer and
they can't find anything wrong (surprised?)...

quadrunner500

Dealer can't find anything wrong? Doesn't sound like mine.

Bad thermostat or radiator cap?
Does it have a temp gauge or indicator light coming on? Is this happening after a hard freeway run? Check your oil. Is there anti-freeze mixed in giving it a white/milky texture? Need more info.

In general, a pressure test, and test of the thermostat and radiator cap are called for. Does the heater work properly? Where are you adding the coolant, the overflow tank or the radiator? Cannot rule out water pump at this time.

gus

#1 seems to ask the pertinent questions, and suggests the best things to do. I'd think that the dealer would have performed these tests to start out!

milenka

I had a 1991 Dodge Monaco with what sounds like the same problem, while driving it didn't overheat but at a stop or drive-thru it would overheat. But if we turned on the heat it would be OK. We needed a new thermostat.

KAURELIO

I'll get more info, I don't remember what it looks like under the hood. I believe the dealer did all the tests mentioned. It does have a temp gauge though.

quadrunner500

My 16 year old nephew told me his Honda Civic was overheating. After I fussed at him (little bit) for driving it that way, he said "We had to. Every time we tried to add coolant, the coolant tank was already full!" Well, when the coolant boils out for whatever reason, you have to replace it in the radiator itself. Can't do it by just pouring into the overflow tank. Block was dry.

odycee

I had the same overheating problem when I get stuck in the traffic. You may need a new radiator if you haven't change your coolant every two years. The antifreeze corrodes the aluminum radiator core and the flow of the coolant is not effective anymore. The reason your car do not overheat when you drive because the cold air flow thru the radiator vent,in turn, cools the engine. If you have a electric fan, it should turn on when the engine is too hot(when car is on but not moving). The old cars used to have the fan running all the time w/ a belt. Today's cars use electric fan to turn on only when needed (overheat).
My car is old, so I replace the fan clutch(belt driven, not electric) and replaced a new radiator, NO MORE overheating problem in traffic.

fordman

The first thing I would do is correct the problem with the radiator cap loosening on its own, also make sure the fan motor behind the radiator is kicking on when it should.

sd99

Check the cooling fan, is it coming on when the engine is overheating? If not, the problem lies with the cooling fan motor or relay.

gus

Or, if there's a temperature sensor plugged right into the radiator, it could be that the sensor is not working. I'm not familiar with the Taurus, but this happens on Toyotas sometimes.

alumiu

Not for sure on your problem. I also have a Cooling Problem with a 93 Taurus. Recovery tank is always empty. Radiator does not leak and is always full (I check everytime I have to add to recovery tank). There doesn't seem to be any coolant mixed with the oil and spark plugs do not indicate coolant is leaking into the engine block. No leaks on garage floor. Could recovery hose be leaking while driving only? I believe there is a TSB on this. Any Taurus owners have a solution to this problem?

tonewheel

Interesting to hear your remarks on your '93 Taurus overheating. We noticed that my wife's '94 Taurus was making a gurgling sound from the firewall when she started the car. Turned out to be air in the cooling system...the recovery tank was empty, and the radiator was really low on coolant as well. No leaks on garage floor whatsoever. Took the car to Ford, who said the 2 heater hoses needed replacing. Cheap fix, I was pleased, and the car didn't gurgle or lose coolant...for about 2 months. Same problem came back last week. Car is in dealer as I write this, and they called to say that a pressure check revealed a leak in the radiator...only under pressure, which might explain why it didn't leak when sitting in the garage. So, we're getting the radiator replaced. My personal experience has me questioning any major diagnosis/repairs with car dealers. I let you know how long this "fix" lasts.

tonewheel

Also, FYI, here's where you can find the recall/TSB info for your car...
http://www.alldata.com/consumer/TSB/9319_mo.html

alumiu

Tonewheel,

Interesting to here your problem. I did not mention the gurgling, but it is there. Right in front of the firewall. Very noticeable during cold weather when first driving. Did not notice during warmer months.
If your dealer is correct on radiator hole then it must not be very big as I am not losing alot of coolant from the radiator just the recovery tank.
Is your dealer cutting you a break on replacement as this is covered under a TSB. Question I have is why did the gurgling go away upon replacement of the hoses and then return two months later if the radiator was the real issue?
Thanks for your help.

alumiu

Tonewheel,

I also believe there is a TSB on the hose that connects the recovery tank to the radiator.

alumiu

grapnel

I had a 93 Taurus that kept overheating last winter. I had the thermostat replaced 2 times, the radiator replaced, the heater core replaced, and a hose replaced and it still over heated. the shop i took it too said they would have to tear the engine apart to find out what was wrong (something about it could be a cracked head or gasket or something that was going to cost way too much money) so i traded it in on a new car. i'll never buy another taurus. thought it was just my bad luck.

pundat

The 3.8 L Taurus engine is a bad engine. The head gasket will crack between 60k-100k miles, because the engine block is iron and the head is aluminum. They expand and contract differently to cause the crack in the head gasket. A good engine would be the GM 3.8L Delta 88 with iron block and head. You(Grapnel) do not have bad luck. Ford just had a bad design, they use the aluminum head to save weight to get better MPG numbers to satisfy the consumer. They try to sell the car first. After you buy it, it's your problem. My 2 cents!

gus

Iron block w/aluminum head is not an unusual design. Manufacturers have been using this design for years. Volvo used this combo on the B21 engine. Many of these engines are capable of going 200K+ miles. Perhaps there is something particular to the Taurus engine that makes it go bad when it does, but I doubt that it's the iron head/aluminum block combo.

piaw

I know you've tried replacing the thermostat twice, but apparently, the Car Talk guys say that Ford's thermostats will go bad at the drop of a dime.

http://cartalk.cars.com/Columns/CC/CC7516TXT.html

spokane

I must agree with Gus that the use of aluminum heads on iron blocks has worked very well on many types of engines. This is a well-proven combination in spite of the fact that there is a significant difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of these two metals.

An aluminum cylinder head which is 17" long will lengthen by 0.045" as its temperature is increased by 200*F. The corresponding 17" iron block will expand by only 0.022" with this change in temperature. The 0.023" difference, generally realized as 0.011+" at each end, must be provided by movement within the head gasket.

I believe this helps explain why the successful gasket makers were touting their achievements a few years ago.

rkpatt

The headgasket problem is the headbolts. Ford now has different headbolt that's not supposed to "stretch".

The AXOD (and successor) transmission is major trouble.

Hopefully the littigation will move forward and Ford will pay everyone back (all years of these ) for all of the trouble they've had and quit making such crappy vehicles.

BTW - I had a Sable AXOD which went out at 25,000 miles and headgaskets were starting to leak. No warranty help from Ford - I sold car as "junk" at big loss.

WARNING - DO NOT BUY A SABLE / TAURUS / WINDSTAR UNLESS YOU YOU LIKE TO BE HUMILIATED BY COSTLY MECHANICAL FAILURES !!!

guinnc1

I too have a 1993 Ford Taurus with a 3.8l engine with just under 80,000 miles. I noticed "white" smoke coming from the exhaust and called all five local Ford dealers. While I knew it was at least a blown head gasket, I just hoped it wasn't more serious. Dealers estimated the cost from a low of $800 to a high of $1,100 (machining included, provided the problem was not more serious. The dealer I chose had estimated cost at $900 and was only a mile away. After diagnosis, the mechanic called and not to my surprise, it was going to be more like $1,200....but what do you do? I advised them to proceed but to advise me if they found any other problems. One week later, the mechanic calls to tell me the "good news that my car was ready....and oh, there was bad news!" The dealer had failed to include the machining cost in the $1,200 they had quoted and the total cost of repair was now at over $1,400. This was my first Ford and will surely be my last. The Ford dealers have repeatedly pulled this trick on me time and again and I wish I had taken it to the repair shop where I now get all my work done. If you don't have a warranty, I would NEVER return my vehicle to a Ford dealer for repairs! Even then, they always find something to charge you for. Ford should have sucked it up and admitted they had a design problem and repaired this problem which even the mechanic agrees is a "flaw". Isn't it odd that the dealers treat customers with cars under warranty so much better than those out of warranty??

rwright

I have a 1991 Mercury Cougar with the 3.8L V6. Is this the same engine you have been discussing with the 93-94 Tauruses? I have an overheating problem too. When I use the air conditioning the temperature makes a rapid ascent to the "hot zone". The gauge returns back to the "normal" zone after I turn the air off and drive for a few miles. I just had the head gaskets done at 75,000 miles (I now have 80,000 miles). Does anyone have any ideas? Thank you in advance!

burdawg

rwright, make sure the electric fan is operating on the radiator-it should come on and stay on as long as the AC is on, under most conditions. On my Taurus (88 3.8L) the fan operates when the gauge gets about half way up. When the AC is on it runs all the time, unless the engine is running very cool.
I've found the posts about Taurus/Sable interesting. I've had most of the problems other people have, but I usually found it was caused by poor workmanship or quality control. When I replaced the head gaskets, I found the failure was caused by improper installation of the heads when the engine was new. It was apparent by looking at the gasket imprint on the underside of the head.
After talking to trans specialists I found that performance shops recommend valve body work to make AXOD transmissions shift quicker, reducing wear and extending life. Still, I think 125,000 is the most you can expect from a transaxle. By the way, it's easier to buy an aftermarket shift kit for an AXOD than it is the make the Ford valve body mods.
Many of the noises/knocks/rattles have been caused by parts just coming loose. A lot of plastic fasteners are used nowadays, and they just don't last. Also, sheet metal screws are used in abundance, which work loose in time.
I have 150K on my 88LX. I was a mechanic for many years and do most repairs and maintenance myself.
Even though I wouldn't call a Taurus or Sable a very reliable car, I've had worse. Also, the interior and body of these cars (paint excluded!) is very durable if taken care of normally.

frank1956

As far as your overheating with the air conditioning being on, have you had your a/c serviced lately. Or, perhaps you need your cooling system pressure checked; maybe you need a coolant flush; thermostats can be damaged from overheating which also contribute to overheating; bad belts (or just loose belts). I don't see how changing head gaskets could cause a problem unless they were improperly installed or the the wrong application.

tdandld

It is a ford, what do you think!!!

Figure On Repairs Daily
Found On Road Dead
For Only Retarded Drivers
etc......

haser

I DRIVE A TAURUS EVERYDAY AS A POLICE VEHICLE WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH OVER HEATING. WE GOT EVERY ONE OF THE 1996 VEHICLES REPAIRED ON WARRANTY IT WAS THE HEAD GASKETS CALL YOUR DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF YOUR CAR IS ON WARRANTY.

espy2517

ford stands for Fix Or Repair Daily!!

furknee

I too had a problem with overheating after short drives,and noticed that the rad/cooling reservoir cap was the problem,ford looked at it 3 different times at a cost of $500.00 to them then finally replaced the cap after i mentioned it and the problem was solved

klonedmonkey

uhh... because it's a FORD?

paramedic99

I have to agree with klonedmonkey its a Ford. I have a friend whom in 1990 bought a brand new Taurus. With only 1500 miles on it, it self ignited and burned up in his driveway. It had not even been recently driven.

jimpiazza

These posts are eerily familiar to me. I own a 92 Taurus and have sunk more money into it than I care to admit. I replaced a cracked headgasket at 100K and since then it has been nonstop problems - all of which the dealer has happily informed me are not related and are quite expensive.

My problems include:

1. a totally shot electrical system which means that the automatic climate control is perpetually blasting either hot or cold air in my face. I can't turn it off.

2. a blown AC compressor which shoots freon out from under the hood when on. Given problem 1 above, I have to drive with the vent or heat on at all times.

3. chronic overheating when standing in traffic. Coolant shot out of my radiator overflow like a geyser about 2 weeks ago. The coolant level in the overflow has remained constant - after I replaced the coolant that shot out. Of course, the engine runs on the cold side when I am on the highway, but heats up as soon as I stop at a stoplight. I am not mechanically inclined enough to tell if the engine fan is out, or if it is rather a problem with the radiator or radiator hoses / cap.


I've decided to stop being a chump, stop going to the dealer who is getting pretty happy to see me walk in the door, and to get a new car.

We are looking at Corollas, Civics and VW Jettas. Any advice?

paramedic99

Go with the Jetta it is much larger than the Corolla or the Civic and judging from your decision to get rid of a Taurus I am assuming you require a mid-sized rather than a compact car.

The VW Jetta performs very well in safety crashes and in performance. Besides its German engineering and one should expect many years of trouble free performance

Your Ford has 100K on it and depdning on your driving mix of city/highway and your record of maintenance maybe some of the problems are expected. I doubt that is the case however.

A few years ago I traded in Saturn SL2 on a Volvo for my wife and found that the Saturn which had 128K (all our miles it was bought new) began having minor troubles with the a/c and the temperature control. Volvo tells me to expect 300K from the vehicle without a problem. We shall see. I doubt it will see over 100K while I still own it.

Personally I am a pickup driver and have a 99 Dodge 4x4 with absolutely no problems whatsoever.

Good luck.

You may want to look at the Chevrolet Lumina if you are thinking domestic. I also recommend the Dodge Intrepid.

iup_no_yti

I would stay clear of any and all GM, DamlerChrysler, and Ford automobiles that are from this country. Check into that Toyota Corolla, and possibly of a used Camry, there are some fine examples of used Camrys out there, and with the v6 is simply superb. Also, get yourself a copy of the Consumer Reports buying guide. This will help you out alot. As far as a VW, or any german car for reliability, beware of electrical glitches in used VW's, although the new VW is rated very well, the overall track record for this car is not on the same level as the Toyota Camry, and the Corolla. Again, check the write up and history in Consumer Reports, for any model you are thinking of. If buying used, get the VIN, vehicle identification number, and run yourself a carfax report for around 15 bucks, at www.carfax.com. this tells you if the car has mileage discrepancy, lemon buy back, or if it has been a total loss.

zacharylaurie

woah. Slow down there. Just because you decided to get a Lexus doesn't mean you should bash all the domestic companies. You were talking about buying a 1987 Taurus because you loved your old Taurus. What changed?

iup_no_yti

nothing in perticular happend. it is just that if someone wants to buy a car, and possibly a used car, with very high reliablity, i think they shuld go with some japan car. now if this same person would want low cost car, and can afford to replace a transaxle or head gasket, go for the taurus, just be sure to have this work done by a certified ase mechanic. my 1987 taurus was a great car, with NO problems. many people have no problems with taurus/sable/continental of the 80's and early 90's. I also support the united auto workers union for the fact that they have withstood many many hardships and etc over the years. I cant recommend a new american car to anyone do to the high depreceation associated with these cars. I would recommend used american cars, but i have found that people who primarily purchase these cars have a higer tendancy to not follow the recommended scheduled mant. and thus, something fails. humm, I do have alot of approval for ford, as they have proven themselves in the past couple of years, by things like Mazda, and Volvo car line purchases. It shows that ford is interested in attaining a higer caliber of automobiles and technology. Would i buy an american vehicle? yes, but i dont feel confident enough in freely telling anyone to go for an american automobile. not because i got burned, but becaues so many have been burned by the american auto industry in a whole. american automobiles have been continuing to regain a higher quality every year it seems. i only have one gripe with any american auto. mfg. and this is the growing introduction of large, primary rear drive, part time 4 wheel drive station wagons, or suv's as they are refered to today. this scares the hell out of me, because who recalls the 70's, with big big v8 cars, that had full frames,and horrid quality? i am affraid that the us car industry has again shown their unwillingness to accept and embrase the need for small high quailty cars. i hope this is not the case. true the public loves its suv's. but anyway, this i hope gives you some reason as to why i wont say jump on into any american car, not yet. However, there are some very fine examples of world cars out there now with the american nameplate, as the new ford focus has shown us. the european community has had wonderful praise about this car, and i would say it is competitive with a civic, or corolla. i would not recommend the purchase of a new focus, but would however say ok to a low mileage trade in. as always steer clear of any american car traded in at a foreign car dealership, and a ford at a chevy dealership. this has always given me the creeps. so long all.... sorry for such a book i have written.. p

mzn

Friends, it seems best to combine the Taurus topics into one so that everyone can benefit from your shared experience and knowledge. Please join us in topic #153, Taurus Repair & Maintenance.

See you there!

carlady/roving host