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Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Sedans Pre-2008

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Comments

  • indytabindytab Member Posts: 32
    I bought a 2000 Taurus SE about 4 weeks ago and I have not had even the remotest sense of vibration in the steering column from breaking or anything else for that matter. I also test drove several Taurus models with different options and did not feel any vibrations during breaking. All were smooth in driving and breaking. Either the particular car you drove was a defect off the assembly line or perhaps it had been driven over curbs ruining the alignment.

    The Taurus may "feel" the road more than some sedans, but I don't like "boats" that float over the road leaving you to wonder if the tires are even touching pavement. As for other aspects of workmanship, look at Edmund's reviews of family sedans; they didn't seem to find the flaws you did on your test drive.

    (I also looked at the Focus, but didn't test drive it, because it felt awfully cramped for room in comparison).

    Try going to another (hopefully more knowledgable) dealer and test drive a different Taurus.
  • slunarslunar Member Posts: 479
    Taurus_2000SEL: I'd guess that those spots are overspray from the paint booth. They probably painted a black or dark blue car just after yours and for some reason droplets sprayed on your car. I bought a Maroon Ford years ago that had a fuzzy yellow stripe on the right front fender. The yellow was recognizable as one of the other colors for that car. Fortunately this was the days before clearcoat so I easily polished the yellow paint off of my car.
  • tractiontraction Member Posts: 141
    I travel a lot for business and rent a lot of cars including new Camrys, Accord and Taurus'. I have driven a LOT of 2000 Taurus' and have never felt any vibrations that you described. In fact the Taurus' have performed better than the Camry's I have rented. The Camry has terrible handling, lots of tire squeal around corners. The Taurus' have always been solid without any rattles.

    I think the base engine in the Taurus (Vulcan V6) is MUCH better than the base engine in the Camry (4 cylinder).

    To each his own.
  • sable93sable93 Member Posts: 107
    traction,

    I agree with you. While I do realize that there are more exciting engines around, the base engine in the Taurus is better than a lot of the competition, and it manages to get great gas mileage.
  • taurus_sel2000taurus_sel2000 Member Posts: 9
    drove on a twisty narrow road up in the coastal mountain here in montecito and was surprised how well the 2000 sel took the tight turns with unnoticeable lean or any complaint. the turning radius had seemed unfortunately larger than i desired, not the small car 180 degree w/o sweat, but the road switchbacks were no problem. Does the taurus have a significantly longer wheelbase than other small or midsize cars?

    the tiny dark paint spots on the silver frost, very hard to see, but "slunar" comments above about overspray at factory could be correct. I wonder what the sequence of events for painting is at the factory...how soon is clear coat applied after the layer of paint? Should I dig out the points myself and touch up or go to the hassle of dealer, ford (purchased via broker carsdirect, which taking a lot of political heat from jealous dealer salesfolk and manufacturers who want to go direct also. Talk about lack of a free market! So much for republican/libertarian principles in the real world of politics. Maybe the courts (judges appointed by pols) will be pro consumer...not!?
  • matramatra Member Posts: 5
    Last week at 4:00AM on both accounts I hit a deer on Wed. and a raccoon on Thurs. total damage to my 2000 SEL/gold/loaded, one month old.....is replace left fender/hood/headlight/fascia...all will be aftermarket paint...BASF....I wll keep you posted...but this car may be history for me...
    I was very happy with aspects of the car, so I may at least consider another...
  • johng13johng13 Member Posts: 1
    I have read many of the comments regarding the Taurus ('95 - '00), as well as the Chevy Malibu. Most of the Taurus comments have been favorable, but I can hardly agree. I previously owned an '89 Taurus wagon and had very few problems with it. In Oct., '99, I purchased a used '98 "Program" vehicle, supposedly checked out by Ford with a fine toothed comb. I have had brake problems (squeaking, vibration). The dealer says "I don't notice anything unusual". A brake shop says that when the pads need changing, the rear rotors need to be turned and this should fix the problem - hopefully.

    More recently, I have had more troubling problems - electrical in nature. On five separate occasions, the car has nearly stalled, with the "Check Engine" and Low Fuel lights flashing on and off. The radio and clock reset themselves. The dealer cannot see any errors on the computer, and says there is nothing he can do and no TSB's on this problem. It makes me nervous to drive this car any distance.

    I've been thinking about dumping the Ford in favor of a '98 Chevy Malibu. I've read some pretty scary user comments about this vehicle also. Makes me think twice about making that move. Bad brakes, leaking headlights, strange clunking noises, tire problems. ...

    I have always supported American cars. May be time for a Toyota, Honda or Nissan.
  • tractiontraction Member Posts: 141
    johng13 - if you want to see scary, check out the "Accord Problems" board here on Edmunds. The 2000 Accord has quite a few problems with the transmissions, engines, rattles, stalling, engines not starting because of a "fuel boilover" problem, etc. Several people with brand new 2000 Accords have had to have their transmissions replaced after only a few thousand miles. I don't think buying a domestic or import guarantees you anything.

    Buying a used car is always a gamble, the dealer can go over the car with a fine tooth comb but that won't reveal everything.

    good luck!
  • heavenboundheavenbound Member Posts: 39
    If you want to get away from the Taurus and get a newer used car the Chevy Lumina has a good tract record for reliability and safety. Good Luck!
  • danielj3danielj3 Member Posts: 19
    I would recommend that you look at the 00 Taurus/
    Sable duo. They come with deals waiting to be had,
    offer a great value for the money and lower insurance premiums than that the Japanese cars.
    I recently bought a Merc. Sable 00 Premium SW and
    I got what I believe is a good deal. This is my
    third new car. Had a 91 Toyota Camry, 98 Mazda MPV van before. The MPV was totally Japanese and
    very unreliable. The Camry lasted almost 8 years
    without a mechanical problem. The body did not fare as well. Insurance was high on it.
  • danni454danni454 Member Posts: 4
    I have replaced 3 transmissions at great expense
    in my Taurus wagon. Every one at a different transmission shop just as they go out of warrenty.
    The shops say that these Fords have defective
    transmissions and that is where most of their
    transmission work comes from. The car has 105,000 easy miles. If it's not the transmission it's some other problem. The seats are very comfortable which is great while waiting for the wreaker driver. This car is so terribly unreliable. It has left us on the side of the road so many times! We are scared to drive it across town. I would never ever buy a Ford again. For what we have spent in parts and labor we could have had a Mercedes or other high end car. I wouldn't wish one of these cars on my worst enemie
  • tractiontraction Member Posts: 141
    for comparisons sake I've been following several different boards, you should see the problems with the Accord to see some real tranny nightmares. Here is a recent post by a new 2000 Accord owner, he has had two trannys in only 6200 miles....this is about a brand new 2000 Accord not a 10 year old used car with zillion miles....This is a post about a 2000 Accord==>>> "Was waiting to see how the "new" remanufactured tranny was going to work out in my 2000 accord V6. It was replaced at 5200 miles. I now have 6200 miles and it needs work again. It has been skipping and slipping since I got the car back from the dealer (they had it for 27+ days). ....."<<<===2000 Accord

    Have any of you 2000 Taurus owners had their
    transmissions replaced twice already like the above 2000 Accord owner?
  • danni454danni454 Member Posts: 4
    the difference is that Honda, a company with a well deserved reputation for reliablity and quality, will admit that they have a problem and take care of it. Rather then continue to build and sell obviously inferior and defective designs.
  • toddperntoddpern Member Posts: 2
    I am currently in the process of determining the right car for me and have limited my choices to three vehicles. 1. 2000 Ford Taurus SEL, 2. 2000 Subaru Outback Wagon or 3. 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix.

    I have driven the Taurus and liked the feel, cost and safety feature. Although, I am thinking it's may be too big, and there may be too many of them on the market and will have poor resale value down the line when I want to sell or trade it. Any thoughts on this?

    The Outback looks nice, has good room for hauling cargo and bikes, and has All-time All Wheel Drive. The negative about it is it's quite a bit more expensive than the Taurus and it may not handle as nicely. I also am wondering if I'll like not having a trunk. I'm used to storing a lot of stuff in the trunk and may be discouraged by the station wagon's exposed area.

    Lastly, the Pontiac Grand Prix. It's a sharp and powerful car. But I've hear nothing but bad things about the noises the vehicle makes (especially the dash when it is either really hot outside or really cold). I don't know much about it's performance aside from the fact that last year's model (1999) was ranked very low, but they don't say much about this year.

    I guess the main thing I'm having trouble with in my decision is that it seems that all car reports or evaluations say things differently. Consumer Reports may say one thing and then another publication or website will say something else.

    Does anyone have any good recommendations that will help sway my decision?

    Thanks.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    Avoid the Pontiac. Not because it isn't a good car, but because its just kinda tacky. Of course this is a personal taste issue but hey, they are somewhat too flamboyant. The Taurus looks tasteful for a y2k car.

    The Subaru is too spendy unless you get a good lease deal. Also, no v6 yet I'm aware of. Stick with the v6. the all wheel drive is nice but hey, u got by without it before.

    Go with the Taurus. Resale is not an issue because you get the car for a reasonable price to begin with. Plus it looks good and with the Duratec is a good runner.
  • sable93sable93 Member Posts: 107
    danni454,

    I don't think any of the Taurus transmission problems happened with under 10K miles. Most people have problems after the warranty expires (3 years.) These Accords are having problems within the first few months. There is a big difference between replacing a transmission with 70K miles on it, and one with 5200 miles on it. I'd bet if the Taurus' transmission had failed so quickly, instead of many years down the road, Ford would have replaced them as well, and admitted they had a problem.
  • danni454danni454 Member Posts: 4
    sable93
    I agree, there is alot of difference between a transmission failing at 70k or 5K. At 5k it's under warranty at 70k it's not and comes out of your pocket. That's what makes the Fords disposible cars. They just aren't made to last very long. It is best to sell a Ford before it goes out of warrant as my experience with my Taurus has proven.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    I'll be the first admit a Ford is a 70-75 thousand mile car before it may need some work. But by then you should expect to put some $$ into a car. I also think that by 75k miles I've gotten bored with what I'm driving and want to get a new one anyway.
  • barjonbarjon Member Posts: 27
    Exactly 8 weeks from the day I placed the order, my new SEL was finally delivered to me on Saturday, and it's everything I expected. The car handles very well, the 24V engine has plenty of get-up-and-go, the transmission is very smooth, and the Mach audio system sounds great. The car seems solidly built without a single squeek, rattle or strange vibration.

    It's still early at only 300 miles, so we'll see if I'm still as happy at 50,000 and 100,000 miles. Since this is a car I'd like to hang on to for a while, I opted for the Premium Care extended warranty for 5 years/75,000 miles.
  • indytabindytab Member Posts: 32
    I got into our Taurus SE because of the $4K incentive for 95 WS blown headgaskets, but I enjoy the car more the longer I drive it. I just hope it has better reliability than the Windstars. I know that past Tauruses had similar headgasket and transmission woes, but the engine is different.

    Does anyone know if the transmission used in the 2000 models have a track record? It is amazing how many Tauruses I see on the road these days. Almost as many as the Chevy Malibu. I test drove the Malibu and generally liked it, but I think the Taurus has more features for the money.
  • toddperntoddpern Member Posts: 2
    Well, I did drive the Taurus SEL last night and can say I was impressed by the get up and go. But, I was disappointed in a couple things. The support post on the driver side behind the seat is kind of intrusive when you're trying to check your blind spot. Also, the rear window is pretty small and difficult to see out of. And, the stearing wheel seems too large and when you're trying to switch gears and go in reverse, if your wheels aren't straight your view gets blocked.

    Have you Taurus owners gotten used to all these factors? What are your thoughts on ease of driving.

    Also, the fact that you see so many out on the road, does that bother any of you as far as planning down the line when everyone else is trying to sell their Taurus? I know that they will be saturated and will have pretty low resale value. Don't get me wrong, in general I like the car, but just have some reservations.

    Any feedback?
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    buy it in a nice color with options that people will want to have like power seats, sunroof, leather. these items will set yours apart from the garden variety one and make them more attractive in the used market.
  • slunarslunar Member Posts: 479
    toddpern: A good percentage of Taurus' are fleet cars and rentals. While some of the rentals have the DOHC Duratec most of these fleet cars have the pushrod Vulcan engine. I agree with regfootball's comments and suggest to differentiate your Taurus from the vast #'s of fleet cars get the following options: Duratec 24V engine, 5 passenger seating, Mach Audio, Traction Control, Adjustable Pedals, ABS.
    If you are getting a wagon I can tell you from having sold a couple of Taurus wagons the first thing every prospective used wagon buyer asks about is the 3rd seat.
  • indytabindytab Member Posts: 32
    toddpern: yes, I noticed the support post getting in the way also. With other cars I can readily back up by turning my head left or right, but with the Taurus, I turn my head only to the right, because the side to the left is essentially blocked... but I've gotten used to it.

    I haven't noticed the steering wheel being too large and I don't feel the rear window is too small; it's the view out the rear passenger windows that seems limited.

    The fact that there are many Tauruses out there doesn't bother me too much. I see many Prizms also, but I've bought two used ones within the last two years because they are economical, reasonably attractive and have a good mechanical track record.

    I don't have leather or a moonroof, but I would highly recommend the bigger engine. Coupled with the handling it makes the car a poor family man's "sports car". I wouldn't have gone for the power seat normally, but since it was in the one I liked for other reasons, I took it. But, the variable adjustment is quite nice.

    For safety reasons, the side air bags, traction control and ABS are good features also.
  • tomcat630tomcat630 Member Posts: 854
    For year 2000, I see more Tauruses with dealer installed licence plate holders or stickers. usually fleet cars come with no dealer tags. So, more cars sold at retail means less mass dumping of fleet cars in a year.
  • rich1mckrich1mck Member Posts: 1
    In May 1998 I purchased a 97 Tauras that was also a "Program Car". I have had problems with the car in wet weather and even very small puddles of water. If the car goes through any water, the check engine light comes on and it feels like the car is losing power. The belts squeel real loud and the steering wheel and brakes befome hard to manage. The dealer has told me that nothing is wrong and that we shouldnt go fast in wet weather or water. I have never had a car do this like this taurus is acting when it goes through such a small amount of water. Also I have had front-end problems...the car shakes and pulls hard to the right when braking...the dealer has aligned it numerous times but it always comes back. If anyone else has had these problems I would like to hear from you....rich1mck@aol.com
  • starfire2starfire2 Member Posts: 9
    I'm considering buying a 98 or 99 Taurus since I'm looking for something larger to replace my 98 Escort. I hear they're fairly reliable so here goes my stupid question: were the 96-99 generation Tauri available with front bucket seats and a floor mounted shifter for the automatic transmission? I know the SHO's had buckets but I haven't seen any regular sedans with front buckets yet. And they all have that silly column shifter.
  • reesejreesej Member Posts: 23
    I haven't noticed the support post on the driver's side -- perhaps my seat position is different than yours or my outside mirror is adjusted differently to minimize my blind spot. The rear window is smaller than my previous car, but I am a licensed CDL bus driver and rely on all of my mirrors for backing maneuvers (busses don't have inside rear view mirrors for backing)-- I don't turn around and look back like a lot of people do. I also have the optional floor shift console so the steering wheel is no problem.
  • sable93sable93 Member Posts: 107
    starfire2,

    All 96 and on Tauruses have bucket seats, with a center console that makes it look like it has a bench seat. In my '97, it flips to reveal great cupholders and some storage space.

    As for the shifter, I've grown used to having it on the steering wheel, so now when I drive other cars, I'm constantly turning on the windshield wipers when trying to change gears in floor shifting cars.
  • isobc1isobc1 Member Posts: 1
    I'm thinking of buying used 99 taurus se. It is a fleet car with 17,126 miles on it. It is 5 pass with colums shift and a little console, it has the 24v engine and is well equipped. I'm also looking at a 99 sable with identical equipment except it has 19,400 miles on it and the standard ohv engine. I can get either one for $11,900. The problem I'm having in making a decision is: would the standard engine more reliable than the 24v and does the sable have a better resale value?I've been a GM person and have never owned a Ford. So any advice would be helpful.
  • slunarslunar Member Posts: 479
    isobcl: Both the OHV Vulcan and 24V Duratec engines have very good reliability records. Given that both cars look in similar condition I'd go with the 24V Taurus. New and used prices on Taurus's and Sables are not significantly different. You can check any of the used car web sites (Kelly etc.) for used car prices.

    Sable93 & Starfire2: The 5 passenger seating option on 96 - 00 Taurus & Sables replaces the center seat / flip over console with a more conventional fixed console and floor shifter. Most any Taurus or Sable brochures have a photo of the interior with the 5 pass. option.
  • indytabindytab Member Posts: 32
    Are transmissions in the 24V 2000's the same as previous years? If so, do you know the reliability record of these transmissions? It seems that, based on the posts I've read that the AXOD transmission in the Taurus has had problems, but this may be anecdotal evidence, and not the total picture.
  • slunarslunar Member Posts: 479
    indytab: Someone may have to correct me as don't remember the exact details, but here goes. The Taurus transmission was updated around 1994. The majority of the problems you hear about were with the old transaxle. In particular when mated to the 3.8L V6 (was replaced in the Taurus by the 3.0L 24V several years ago) and the 1991 model year has the worst record. That's quite a few years ago now. The newer transaxle shouldn't be a problem as the same unit is used with the Vulcan V6, Duratec 24V and the V8 SHO. I drove a new company Taurus every year from 1986 to 1999 and never had a transmission problem. I'd usually put 25K - 30K on them before roll over time. I bought 4 of the ex company cars for my wife (she still drives a 1997 wagon) and bought 4 more of the ex company cars for other relatives (one of them now has a 99 sedan). No transmission problems in any of those 8 cars. The highest mileage on any of those cars before selling was 136K miles. These 1 yr. old program cars were a great deal if they were in good shape as I could buy them from the company at wholesale prices.
  • sable93sable93 Member Posts: 107
    The transmissions used in the '96 and on Tauruses and Sables are not the same as pre-'96 Tauruses or the Windstar. It is a different design which has shown to be much more durable.
  • renonevadarenonevada Member Posts: 69
    For those of you who are considering a Taurus as a potential vehicle, I recommend it. My wife's is a 93 Taurus that we bought new and it has had slight replacement of parts (battery, light bulbs, tires) but no major repairs at all. It's been a real gem. I know that Ford gets a bad rap for repairs but look at the VOLUME of Fords produced and sold. The repairs consist of less than 0.2% of those sold. Not too shabby for a basic 100-year old car company.

    I have a slight problem that has cropped up. The amber air bag light now flashes intermittently sometimes. Does anyone know what is causing this? Also, has there been a recall on this problem? It is not affecting anything; it's just annoying. If anyone knows the solution (this side of taking it to the dealership), your recommendation is appreciated.
  • jferrara2jferrara2 Member Posts: 2
    I purchased a 97 Taurus for my daughter..
    My first experience with the car was a pool of transmission fluid under the car on the first day I owned it.. Ford said it was just a crimped hydraulic line.. Well the transmission failed at 34,000 miles.. Then I had Suspension problems..that required new bushings. Two Power Windows failed also. The brakes needed work at
    16,000 miles because the rotors were warped.
    And to top it all off, the steering rack went at
    37000 miles.. The 12 Valve engine is way underpowered.. I feel Ok now though.. I traded it in for a Camry V6..
  • jferrara2jferrara2 Member Posts: 2
    After driving for over 32 years now , I have to say that the Dodge Intrepid was the poorest quality automobile I have ever owned..
    The transmission was not suited for the 3.5 liter engine.. It failed at 70K miles.. Get this.. water seeped into the trunk somehow and rusted out the body under the spare.. Water would somehow get into the fender wells also..
    The suspension had a knock when it reached a certain geometry that Dodge service had no clue about.. What a shame. the car has great styling and good engine.. too bad they didnt put in the
    quality
  • tomcat630tomcat630 Member Posts: 854
    ... a Dodge forum.
  • sable93sable93 Member Posts: 107
    I have a question. Why does everyone bring up warped rotors in their list of repairs? It happens, a lot, to all types of cars. What happens is the brakes get very hot (say from going down a hill with your brakes applied), and then are cooled very quickly (from splashing in a puddle or something.) This rapid change in temperature causes the rotors to warp. It isn't the manufacturer's fault. It is caused by conditions the driver causes.
  • gfajurigfajuri Member Posts: 1
    Hello, all. My name is Gabe Fajuri and I am a writer for Automotive News in Detroit. I am working on a story about new car design and would like to speak with the owner of a 2000 Taurus, if anyone would care to help me out. My story needs a consumer perspective in it. You can email me at anint@crain.com and I will be happy to call you back so that you incur no expenses.

    Sincerely,

    Gabe Fajuri
    Automotive News
  • barjonbarjon Member Posts: 27
    Have any other 2000 Taurus owners taken a good look at the fit of the belt moldings on the rear doors? I noticed on mine that the moldings are cut around the fins at the rear of the doors leaving a gap that water could get into. In fact, you can look right down into the inside of the door. By contrast, the belt moldings on my '97 curved up onto the base of the fins, creating a snug fit. Each 2000 Taurus I've seen has the gaps like mine.

    I emailed Ford Customer Service asking if the doors are engineered to allow water to flow through them, or if this is a manufacturing defect. The response I received was the basic form letter thanking me for "taking the time to let us know about your frustration with the situation surrounding the construction of the belt moldings on the rear of the doors." They went on to say there's no recalls or Owner Notification Programs currently open for my vehicle, but never answered my question.

    So does anyone know, are the doors engineered to allow water to run through them?
  • slunarslunar Member Posts: 479
    sable93: It is quite possible to design rotors that will not warp in normal use. I don't remember what year the change was made but somewhere in the mid 90's the front brake rotors were upgraded which greatly reduced the problem. In 1995 and newer Tarurus's I feel the main cause of warped rotors is from improper tightening of the lug nuts by air impact wrenches. I had one Taurus that had perfect brakes until the dealer rotated the tires at 10K. On the drive home from the dealer I could feel the brake thump.
  • reesejreesej Member Posts: 23
    barjon: Took a look at my 2000 Taurus rear doors. There is a rubber seal moulding on the body and another one on the door and both are 100% weathertight all the way around. The seal on the rear of the door follows the "fin" -- if your mouldings actually have a gap, then you have a manufacturing defect.
  • barjonbarjon Member Posts: 27
    Thanks for looking, reesej. Did you happen to notice, though, the rubber strip on the outside of the door that runs along the bottom of the window? Mine's cut around that fin above the door handle, leaving the gap.

    We had heavy rain yesterday, and this morning I opened the back doors to find the latches and the child safety switch on the door all wet.

    I spoke to someone at Ford Motor Company Customer Service today who will pass my concern along to the assembly plant and engineering department.
  • jimkojimko Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased a 2000 Taurus SEL. White with Tan leather, loaded with everything but a moonroof and wood trim. So far no complaints. Very quite, the Auto trans shifts very smoothly. I love it. Any other out there with 2000 Tauruses?
  • reesejreesej Member Posts: 23
    barjon: The rubber strip on the outside of the door that runs along the bottom of the window? Now that I understand what I am looking at ... It looks like it is hand cut around the rear vertical window track and beyond and could be considered a minor gap (size depending on the expertise of the assembler -- mine fit quite close). It is the same design at the rear of the front doors also. The engineering should have been more solid between the stationary window components/pillars and the main door panel. Any definite gaps should be considered a "workmanship" warranty issue to be pursued.
  • zhelderzhelder Member Posts: 42
    Starfire 2,
    My recently acquired '96 Taurus LX has bucket seats and a floor shifter with a full center console. The shifter is very nicely designed and gives the car a sportier feel. I think the floor shifter is available as an option only on the higher end model lines of the 96-99 Taurus (LX for 96-97, SE for 98-99. ) I killed myself financially to get this car, but I'm glad I did. It's absolutely fantastic, and the Duratec engine kicks butt.
  • sable93sable93 Member Posts: 107
    I'm hiding this so I don't get in trouble, but just yesterday I filled up my '97 Taurus with 87 octane in Cincinnati for $1.56 per gallon. Today, I saw at the same gas station that 87 octane was $1.87 per gallon. That is a hugh raise in price. Man, I'm glad I wasn't lazy last night, or I'd have wasted over $3.00. While I'm relieved I didn't have to pay the high price, I know it is only a matter of time. :o(
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    Be glad you're not in an SUV!
  • barjonbarjon Member Posts: 27
    Last night I showed my dealer's service manager how the trim on the back doors below the window is cut around the triangular fin at the rear post, leaving a gap where water is getting into the door. He said that is NOT normal. We looked at the other 2000 Tauruses on the lot and found each one was made exactly like mine. He said he'd contact Ford first thing in the morning.

    I just received a call from the service manager to let me know Ford recently had a similar problem with the Contour, but this is the first time for the Taurus. On the Contours, a sealer was applied which remedied the problem. They're going to do the same to my car. My appointment is for June 19.

    I suggest every 2000 Taurus owner examine the rear doors on their cars, and show your dealer's service manager if you can actually see down inside the door at the area just above the handle. The last thing you want is a rusted-out door and/or parts within!
This discussion has been closed.