Taurus/Sable Maintenance & Repair

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Comments

  • jake696jake696 Member Posts: 111
    YOU are missing the point. I could say that my '70 Dodge Dart was faster than both of them...so what? It was a big V-8, bulging with HP in a tiny (relative to the era) car. The car sucked for most everything else. It rusted out, was unsafe, handled poorly, etc...At least by todays standards.

    If you fairly want to compare engines or acceleration you should NOT compare a 4 to a 6, an 8 to a 6 etc...

    Now, in all other areas the Accord was a better more reliable vehicle than the '93 Taurus. That's based on owner surveys done by Consumer Reports. This is the comparison you should be making if your talking about which is the "better car". If it's just who could win in a drag race or what the cars cost, etc...these are all different topics that are not related to reliability.

    Now back to the Tortoise. The 3.0L V-6 is a dog for speed. It's a more reliable engine that the 3.8L but not as quick. The Tortoise I have is SLOW because with that big of an engine it can't get out of it's own way. In fact some toddler "little Tykes" cars are faster.

    I repeat, it was a FoMoCo exec. that first told ME about the nickname his division had given the Tortoise because of this very issue.

    You like your car and think it's great and fast? Wonderful, keep it forever, sleep with it, tell Ford how wonderful they are, whatever. I think they are garbage, I've had lots of trouble and feel shafted by the dealers I've dealt with and FoMoCo too. It's my opinion, it shared by MANY others and your entitled to it. The early Tortoises had poor overall reliability records and had some definate problem areas. I understand that this has been somewhat corrected in the newer versions. Too little too late for me, I'm gone. The sticker on my '90 tortoise was 16K+. Hard to believe that you can still buy them for that 9 years later. I guess that's the supply and demand curve from Econ 101, at work for you.
    I love my Toyota! And does it go!
  • zacharylauriezacharylaurie Member Posts: 51
    Some would call it a good deal, and cost cutting measures were used. Personally, I don't want to pay too much for a car just because it is popular, and has that little H on it.
  • hohohoho Member Posts: 64
    Is the tensioner and idler also replaced at the same time the belt and pump are replaced?
  • jake696jake696 Member Posts: 111
    I have no idea what your talking about...cost cutting measures or little H's...whatever...?

    I know I want and need a reliable car that goes the distance. My Toyota Camry has already proved that and my hopeless Tortoise, (which I think I have sold to some poor man...) never did. I'm on the road a lot...in the "boonies".

    I'm not the only one who's had problems with Tortoises, but we've been over that already. I have not yet paid any more for service on my Toyota. The 30 minute oil and lube service through the dealer is only 18.95! 8 dollars cheaper than "Jiffy Lube"...My service mgr at Toyota is an ex-Ford man! He got out! I take my Tortoise to him (way too often) and let him work on it-at Toyota! I wouldn't dream of letting the clowns at FoMoCo do any more damage than they've already done. They cost me an extra tranny cause they botched the install on tranny #2 @ 58K...

    Blah, blah, blah...All I had to do was look at the Consumer Reports that year and I would've known, (mostly black dots!) I went for the "deal" instead. The Tortoise was definatly cheaper to buy, but it cost later...boy did it cost later!
  • gusgus Member Posts: 254
    #54> Depends. If there's play in the bearing, or if it seems like the bearing has lost a lot of its grease (spins excessively with a lot of noise), then we replace it. Many tensioner/idler bearings seem fine to go until 120K or whenever the 2nd timing belt is done. The bearing will usually give some sign that it's going out before it does, so its failure is not as dramatic as a water pump failure or a broken t-belt.
  • zacharylauriezacharylaurie Member Posts: 51
    Jake696,

    You were talking about the price of the Taurus not increasing. That is why I was talking about cost cutting measures, and not having the little Honda "H" on it. Even if Hondas are good cars, don't you think they are at least a little overpriced (esp. the Civic?)
  • jake696jake696 Member Posts: 111
    I couldn't agree with you less. The last group of "domestic" courier cars we purchased were Neons at 12K a pop. They too are rubish and self destructed at 45K and 60K respectively. We put head gaskets and trannys in them at that point and that alone made up the differences in costs. The Civics were 14K, a much nicer car to drive (bigger too) and still have no maintenance other than oil changes at 60 and 76K.

    Furthermore, it should be noted that the Civics were built in E. Liberty, OH (near Columbus) by non-UAW labor. They are put together with QUALITY by AMERICANS! Which no longer true of all so-called "domestics"

    Check closely were YOUR car was built...it may be Canada or Mexico. My (personal) Dodge Ram 1500 was built in Mexico! ???????????
  • jake696jake696 Member Posts: 111
    IT SHOULD BE NOTED...

    The Civics are 4drs too...and are WAY faster than the Neons...

    The costs of fixing the Neons, combined with the downtime are very high. Downtime is VERY important when you run a courier operation!

    I was once like you...defending a US made car to the last. That went out the window with the Democratic party...for me!

    Who says people can't change! I even quit smoking after 24 years, so don't talk to me about habits!
  • unionsoonerunionsooner Member Posts: 4
    OK, everybody has scared the crap out of me, because I have a 95' Taurus 3.8 Ltr. I have not had any problems with it, but it sounds like my problems may be just around the corner. The car has about 61k miles. I've been looking at Camry's to replace my 92 Prizm (80K miles), but it sounds like I should replace my Taurus before it's too late.

    I have to side with Jake 696 on the "America First" rhetoric. My dad has worked in a Ford plant for 25 yrs and that's all I heard growing up. As a matter of fact he was looking at an F-150 the other day and I pointed out that the transmission is from Japan. No response.

    I will be the first in the family to break rank from buying American (even though the Prizm is essentially a Toyota), but I don't have a lot of money to blow on just any car. I need proven reliability and will probably go with a Camry. I'll need the potential savings to offset getting removed from his Will. Just kidding...Maybe.
  • jake696jake696 Member Posts: 111
    Here's a surprize from the MSN news page:

    "IntelliChoice rated the 1996-1998 Honda Civic Best Car Value as well as Best Passenger Car."
  • zacharylauriezacharylaurie Member Posts: 51
    I don't think the Neon is a good car to compare to the Civic. If I was comparing the Civic to something, I'd compare it to the Contour, maybe the Stratus, the Altima, and the Corolla. The difference in the prices of the Neon and the Civic is $2000. In this case, the extra $2K buys a lot more car. If you compare the Contour to the Civic, you'll find a more powerful, pretty well equipped car for the same amount of money.

    BTW - You can get a 4 door Neon.
  • zacharylauriezacharylaurie Member Posts: 51
    Also, my Sable was built in Atlanta, Georgia.
  • gusgus Member Posts: 254
    I got the impression that the neon was more in the Tercel range, if you're making the Toyota comparison. Does this seem right, or is it supposed to compete with the corolla and accord?
  • zacharylauriezacharylaurie Member Posts: 51
    I agree. The Neon competes with the Escort, Tercel, and maybe the Sentra. It does not compete with the Civic, etc. The Civic costs several thousand more, and should be compared with the Cavalier (maybe), the Contour, and other small midsized cars.

    If the Civic is compared against the Neon, it should be for similar priced models. Compare the Civic hatchback to the Neon (both cost about the same), and you'll have a more fair comparison.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    I thought this was supposed to be a Taurus repair and maintenance conference?
    BTW, you can argue all you want about where cars are made/assembled/whatever. The profit goes to the nation where the manufacturer is located. Some subsystems are manufactured by subcontractors, and that profit stays there. The overall income goes to the home of the parent corporation, whether it's the USA, England, Germany, Japan, etc.
  • jake696jake696 Member Posts: 111
    The Neon and Civic are comparable models and are treated as such by the car mags...

    The cheaper Civic also compares to the Neon $$$

    It's not hard to outclass the Neon as it is garbage!

    Zachy: the tercel is not built anymore! The Corolla is the model that compares in this class. The Neons we have or had were 4 drs!

    ???????????????????????????????????????????????
  • zacharylauriezacharylaurie Member Posts: 51
    Jake696,

    This is the last response I'm going to make to your postings. It is not worth the time to disagree with you anymore.

    Everyone,

    I agree with burdawg that we need to get back on topic.
  • zacharylauriezacharylaurie Member Posts: 51
    BTW- That does not mean that I agree with anything Jake696 has said, because I heavily disagree with just about all of his postings.
  • gkarggkarg Member Posts: 230
    My mom's 3.8 Taurus has been leaving her stranded quite a bit lately. It would just "click" when the ignition was turned to start. We knew it was a connection to the starter, but she refused to get on the ground to "wiggle the wire." At any rate, I removed all of the connections to the starter and used a drill/wire brush bit and cleaned all of it's contacts. I also removed the starter to easily clean all of the contacts on it. Lastly, I put a thin coat of lithium grease on all of the cleaned parts and reassembled.

    The problem seems to be gone! I also did this with my 1981 Lincoln....it needed it too! (So this may be a cheap and easy alternative to replacing the starter....if your mechanic wants to replace it!)
  • jake696jake696 Member Posts: 111
    Don't respond to my postings...I never asked you to! Get a clue!

    Look at the other tales of Ford woes in here!

    Egad! The TOPIC IS REPAIR AND MAINTENENCE OF THE TORTOISE...that alone is an energetic title...a big mouthful!

    What would be on track? The 4 cyl 6 cyl race?

    Have you been to "Women" conferences, check your town hall index, you may enjoy that better.
  • gusgus Member Posts: 254
    Zachary>
    No need to post that you're ignoring someone, just do it. Your actions will speak for you.

    Jake>
    There's no need to start hurling insults. People will either disagree or agree with what you're saying. I'd advise you to do as zachary is doing, and ignore anyone you don't particularly agree with.

    Gus
    Conference Host
  • jake696jake696 Member Posts: 111
    This is supposed top be Maintenance and Repair of the Tortoise...Not "Why I love my Tortoise"

    That should keep us very busy and you're right Gus, no need for insults.

    We've all had enough problems dealing with the mess that is our Tortoise!
  • gusgus Member Posts: 254
    We've all had enough problems dealing with the mess that is our Tortoise!

    Well said!
  • hughesmanhughesman Member Posts: 2
    Looking for a little help. I'm not interested in participating a discussion about who has the better car. I have a 94 Taurus 3.0 with 85K miles that just stops running as I idle up to a parking place or a stop light. Usually it won't start right away but if I let it set for a few minutes, it starts right up and may not have another episode for a day or two. Gas tank can be near empty or full, weather can be dry or wet.I replaced the fuel pump about two years ago. There is no hesitation, spitting or sputtering before it dies or while I'm driving at speed. Any suggestions?

    Thanks, Andy
  • gkarggkarg Member Posts: 230
    Andy,
    The next time you get into your car....turn off anything that makes noise, ie radio, fan, etc. Make sure the driver's door is closed (no bell.) Turn the ignition to the "on" (not start) position and listen for the fuel pump to come on. The next time it dies on you....listen for that fuel pump sound. If the fuel pump doesn't come on, then it is indeed a fuel pump related problem (switches, the pump, etc.)

    I'm not a mechanic by any stretch, but we have MANY Fords in our family and I've learned to listen for that sound.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    I had a similar problem some time back. It turned out to be dirty/bad fuel injectors, but I had more miles (about 125K). I had poor performance under power also, which sounds somewhat different from your problem. It could be an engine control problem also, such as Mass Airflow Sensor or the Throttle Position Sensor. If a problem is occuring with an engine sensor you won't always get a "check engine" light.
  • nmarkworthnmarkworth Member Posts: 1
    My '97 Taurus just started doing the following trick and the local dealership is pretty well known for hiring the worst mechanics on Earth, so I thought I would ask the group. First thing in the morning the shift out of first gear is delayed to 2700 - 3000 rpm. By the time I make it down the block and ask for the second shift, everything seems normal. Ideas?
  • amarmistryamarmistry Member Posts: 15
    I guess any question regarding Sable should not be irrelavent here.
    I have Mercury Sable 95 with 60500 miles on it. Occassionaly while I am driving at high speeds for long distance, the speedometer guage begins jumping vigorously between 85 mph to 45 mph. This is very annoying since I can never tell what speed I am driving at. It also struggles to go beyond top speed(85 mph) i.e. it goes all the way at the bottom on the right side of the dial and also makes lot of swirling noice. Pl. help me with this. Is this going to be a serious problem and going to cause me lot of money?
  • hughesmanhughesman Member Posts: 2
    Well my intermittent problem became a little more solid. Naturally it happened when I was miles away from home. My 94 3 litre Taurus stopped running at the airport parking lot.I pulled a plug wire and had no spark. I had it towed to a Ford dealer where the Stator Module was diagnosed as bad.

    $461.00 to replace the Stator Module in Sterling, Virgina.

    Andy
  • pedullapedulla Member Posts: 1
    you will need to replace the speedo head; I just did this on my '95 Taurus. The part is about $300 & the labor is 2 hours.
  • olegphilolegphil Member Posts: 30
    I've recently compared repairs+depreciation costs of 4 cars owned by my family an my sister-in-law. They are: Ford Taurus, Mercury Tracer, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry. They where all bought used with 27K-95K mi on them and driven 2-3 years after that. It appears to be between $2000 and $2400 per year for all those cars. Yes, nothing failed yet in Camry. And yes, Taurus depreciated only $300 over two years.

    It looks like moving from Taurus to Camry/Solara you wouldn't be saving a ton of money. At least if you get free towing from AAA;-)
  • topofthedaytopoftheday Member Posts: 2
    I am responding to the erratic and noisy speedometer problem. I am assuming that your speedometer is mechanical and if it is it is likely to be erratic due to the speedometer cable needing to be lubricated. If it is very bad then the speedometer cable can be replaced. I do not believe this is very expensive. I did a similar repair by buying a tube of graphite speedometer lubricant for under $10.00. A ne cable could be a bit more.
  • amarmistryamarmistry Member Posts: 15
    Thank you for advice.
    1. How do I find out if it needs to be lubricated it replaced?
    2. How do I lubricate or replace it?
    Is it something I can do by myself?

    Pl. respond. Thank you.
  • skuramshinskuramshin Member Posts: 1
    I have 97 Taurus with 44,000 mi. No major problems yet. After reading these postings, I'm wondering should I keep it, and for how many years/miles before I will need to spend a lot on repairs ?
    Thanks.
  • zacharylauriezacharylaurie Member Posts: 51
    If you haven't had any problems, why would you even consider trading it in. If I were you, I'd keep it. There are no signs that the car will have any problems.
  • topofthedaytopoftheday Member Posts: 2
    I would try lubricating the speedometer cable first. It can be done yourself, but not without wishing you had small fingers and able to see behind the dashboard. It can be done by disconnecting the speedometer cable from the back of the speedometer and pulling the core of the cable out. Lubricate the cable as you insert it back into the jacket along its length. The lubricant is very messy and cannot be cleaned out of things very easily. The hardest part is locating it at first and attaching it back to the speedometer when you are done. The speedometer has an unusual snap connector that works best if you have two hands. Unfortunately you can't get two hands up there behind the dash.
    To replace the cable you need to remove the speedometer cable from the transmission and the speedometer and fish the new one through the firewall and connect at both ends. A little more difficult and if lengths are not exactly the same and the cable hasn't been trained to bend right it can be a bit tough. Best wishes with yours.
  • ambroseiiambroseii Member Posts: 1
    I've had the car for 6 months and the remote keyless system, for the past 2 months, works sometimes and sometimes it doesn't (not a battery problem in the remote, my wife's won't work it either and she rarely drives the car); it doesn't work first thing in the morning, but during the day it might decide to click, and rainy weather forget. Anybody got any help?
  • butch11butch11 Member Posts: 153
    Many years ago some speedo cables could be lubricated with graphite. However some cables require a petroleum based lube. Graphite can destroy some speedo cables-check with somebody who knows before using graphite.
  • homey4homey4 Member Posts: 1
    I own an 89LX, 3.8L I am concerned about this occasional delayed engagement. I have heard that this can be repaired at moderate expense before all out failure occurs. any comments would be appreciated.
  • gibsonnickgibsonnick Member Posts: 4
    Let me tell you that 1989 was not a good year for ANY Ford transmissions. From the Crown Vic to the Taurus, I've had friends and taxi drivers tell me that between 85k and 110k one can expect a tranny rebuild in their future.
    Ford's new four speed design is good in the Taurus and the Crown Vic. Anything after 1995 is safe to bet on. Transmission service every 25k is a must for this vintage Ford.
  • manderson2manderson2 Member Posts: 1
    Just got a call from the dealer. My 96 (3L V6) with 37K has a bad #1 cyclinder - needs a new engine. No warranty assistance past 36K. Run away from Ford - fast. Spread the word.
  • am14624am14624 Member Posts: 2
    My 97 Sable "service engine soon" light has come on and won't go off. Does anyone know what this means? How much service will cost? How to reset the light?

    Thanks
  • jake696jake696 Member Posts: 111
    Just saw something in the latest Consumer Report about engine and tranny problems with the Tortoise and Sable. Didn't pay much attention though, I admit. A great relief is off my back since I SOLD mine and I didn't pay that much attention to the article.

    You may want to check it out!
  • gv4gv4 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 93 Taurus that intermittently shifts out of overdrive. Sometimes it is abrupt and jerks me forward. I found that if I pull off the road, put it in park, turn off the engine, then start it back up and go the problem disappears. It is very intermittent. I took it back to where I bought it at the time it was acting up and of course it would not do it again.

    Is this a transmission problem or electrical or ??
  • andys22andys22 Member Posts: 13
    newer taurus's are great cars,,, duratec 3.0L is one of the best v6's one could buy these days. the 3.0L v6 12v is also a good, tried and true engine. newer 3.8's are also better, due the fact that ford retorqued the head on tighter and put on a better gasket. we know lots of people with windstars, no problems... funny how all people with problems here, but people who have good luck with their fords don't say anything... oh well just my .02 cents!!
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    Wouldn't be surprised if it were electical - my 92 once had similar symptoms. Dealer exercised the electronics with their analyzer, and eventually fixed it.
  • zacharylauriezacharylaurie Member Posts: 51
    Hi everyone,

    I just had an awful experience today. When I was rounding a corner after a stop light, my engine started to race. I took my foot off the gas, and the engine continued to race for about 2-3 additional seconds. Then, the car finally shifted. At the next corner (stop sign), this problem was not repeated. I drove it for 5 more minutes to see if the problem would repeat, but it never did. It shifted perfectly. This has only happened once, but I'm still somewhat worried. Is this the start of transmission problems? Is there something I can do if it is?

    Thx.
  • zacharylauriezacharylaurie Member Posts: 51
    Sorry, I forgot to mention it is a 1993 Mercury Sable with the 3.8L engine (~76xxx miles.)

    Overall I love the car, but I am definitely worried now.
  • zacharylauriezacharylaurie Member Posts: 51
    Well, I just talked to a friend who is a mechanic. He told me that chances are it is nothing. He said I might need to have my transmission serviced. Now I can sleep tonight.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    My Taurus does this sometimes. Especially when the trans is warmed up and I have just turned a corner after normal driving. I have a rebuilt with a shift kit, which didn't change this quirk at all (made all other things much better, though). I've just learned to live with it, and not to push it under those conditions. It happens maybe once a week. It could be the control module causing it and not trans related at all.
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