My 2001 Ford Taurus Sucks!
August 2, 2007
I have a 2001 Ford Taurus. It now has 108,000 miles on it. I have had this thing in the shop more than any other car I have owned. My wife has a 1996 Honda Accord with 120,000 miles on it and it is in the shop less. I make my last payment on this car in 2 weeks. I have absolutely had it with American car companies. I will not be buying another vehicle from GM, Ford, or Chrysler. My next car will be a Honda, Toyota, or Nissan.
I cannot even begin to go over what I have had to have replaced on the car. It’s too much for me to remember. Off the top of my head so far in 5 years I have had to replace the following items.
-Gas Tank
-Water Pump
-Battery
-Windshield wiper lines to the hood
-Fuel Pump
-Fuel Injectors
-EGR Valve
-Fuel Sending Unit
…..and on….and on…..and on…..
About a month ago I noticed my A/C would work for about 20 minutes and then start getting warm. If I turned off the A/C and then turned it back on 5 minutes later it would work for another 20-30 minutes. I can live with this. About 2 weeks ago I noticed that my outside electric mirrors no longer work. Tonight on the way home I noticed that my power steering pump is making noise. I pop the hood when I get home and check the fluid, and it’s fine. I check it again after it cools down, and it’s still fine. Now however the hood will not close. I clean the lock and lube it all up and low and behold I find a broken spring lying on top of the frontal crash sensor. Great. So now I get to drive to work tomorrow with my hood latched with the safety latch but not locked. I’m going to wire it shut later tonight probably for safe measure. My drive is 45 minutes and is 65MPH most of the way.
I realize I have it better off than most people and even way better than people in other countries. That’s not the point. The point is that this is the last straw. I will not keep putting money in the pockets of the American car companies and the UAW. Those union fools make too much money anyway.
I’m about —–> <—— this close to just saying “screw it” and trading the shit heap in and buying a new car. Before winter I would have to put 4 new tires on the car and I don’t want to waste any more money on this thing.
Oh well, lesson learned.
Unfortunately for Ford, GM, and Chrysler millions of people have learned the same lesson as I and will no longer buy from them.
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1. Melissa | April 2, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Oh thats nothing…My 2003 Taurus has been in the shop over 30 times…
Transmission let go at 40,000 miles $3,000
Torque converter broke
Starter went bad
HORRIBLE GAS MILEage….fuel filters
Spark plugs and cords
new COIL
it shakes so bad on the highway and my tires are 5 months old and the threads are already showing!
battery
air filter
SO MANY electrical problems and one of them prevents me from even putting my car into drive or reverse TO MOVE!
sensors
the list goes on…
In fact…its being worked on right now!
I just love my ford taurus!
I had a 1989 honda prelude back in the day…bought it brand new and its STILL RUNNING!
I recommend honda all the way
2. Bill | July 21, 2008 at 10:21 am
Let’s all cry a little about having to do maintenance on our vehicles. My Taurus has 130,000 miles on it and I’m having to put in a power steering pump and altenator. People this is REGULAR MAINTENANCE. You will also hlave to do these things with foreign heaps as well. Get over it.
3. Dave | July 21, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Bill,
Actually, you’re wrong. I know what regular maintenance is. However I have a 2003 Accord with 92,000 miles on it and we have not had to do anything to it but tires, oil change, and belts. I’ve not had to replace hoses, a fuel tank, and the assload of other shit that I had to with my Taurus.
Both of My Honda’s are made in the USA right here in OHIO. Most Fords and GM’s are made in Canada and Mexico and some Pontiac’s are made in Austrailia and imported to the USA.
You might want to do some research before spouting off the typical (buy american bullshit) and then saying that all the extra stuff I had to do to my Taurus is “regular maintenance”. Come on man. Did you actually read my post? So you think a fuel tank and a fuel pump and water pump are regular maintenance? Well if they are then that’s why Ford, GM and Chrysler are about to go out of business. Those things don’t start going bad on Honda’s and Toyota’s and Nissan’s until well after 100,000 miles.
Heck I had a 1979 Malibu with 140,000 miles on it and it had a V6 and I didn’t have to replace as much shit as I did on my Taurus. Todays “so called” American made cars suck ass. The ones that are made in America (like Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai) are actually quite good.
So, go bend the ear of someone who is a fucking moron and not an educated person like myself.
4. Ryan | August 25, 2008 at 9:43 am
I too have a 2001 Ford Taurus SES station wagon, and let me tell you how it’s the biggest piece of crap in the world. You can plug the car into any computer monitering system to observe it’s problems…but good luck fixing it. I just had everything replaced on it and now it’s even worse. SCREW AMERICAN CARS!
5. will | September 21, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Yeah Honda is build in Ohio with american parts, taurus is built in US with all kinds of foreign parts. If we would use US parts in US cars then we would be a lot better off(Big 3).Thats why your 79 Malibu lasted, it was a true American! You’ll find most reliable foreign cars are made with american parts. Do your research,just because it’s Big 3 doesn’t mean it’s american…
6. Tony | October 11, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Ford management needs to reveiw this forum to see why there sale are declining. I own a 2001 taurus in lest than 6 months i dump 4000.00 in a car with at that time had 88,0000 miles. my next vehicle will be a honda.
7. Brian | November 1, 2008 at 9:03 pm
I have a 2001 Taurus SES sedan with almost 110K miles. The only problem I’ve had is the driver’s side rear window doesn’t roll down. I’ve never had a need to roll it down, so I don’t care. Other than that, it’s been a great car. I know problems happen to every vehicle, but this one has been good to me. I had a Lexus a few years ago that was one very expensive problem after another. Same with my Camry that I loved so much. Bottom line, not every single “American” car is shit, and not every “Japanese” car is gold. As they say, YMMV. (Your mileage may vary.)
8. Dave | November 2, 2008 at 3:50 am
@Brian,
That’s great. Now, just wait until your Taurus has 120,000 or 125,000 miles on it and then tell me how it’s doing. Seriously.
Thanks for the comment.
9. jennifer | November 12, 2008 at 4:18 am
welll i have a 2001 ses and no matter what the transmission guy does the damn thing still leaks. it vibrates something fierce on the road — even with new shock, brakes, and everything else. i too have the same problem with my mirrors and my AC. now they are telling me that the number 1 cylinder is going bad thus causing the terrible performance of the car. and that doesnt include the egr valve that i have put in just because that is what the codes were throwing. spent 85 bucks on that crap. and the latest is they are telling is to replace the coil pack. and then to put the cherry on top — i cant get the damn key out of the ignition. it is stuck like chuck. ahh well lesson learned from buying a ford
@bill — even though i am a girl i know my why around a car. and this is not regular maintenance trust me. unless you have a fully equiped garage and face it most of us dont — then this is certainly not regular maintenance.
cheers and good luck with that ford — f&*ked over rebuilt dodge
10. Dean Fujita | January 1, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Dave, The 2001 SES Ford Taurus is shit. With only a few hundred miles it blew a coolant hose which was not covered under warranty and cost over four hundred dollars to repair. Next came the power steering pump,coolant sending unit and the A/C compressor. It has leaked oil like a sieve since it was new. I personally change the oil with Valvoline every three thousand mile. It now has 102,000 miles and the engine is dead. My real pain is that we are bailing these assholes out.
11. Jason | January 9, 2009 at 6:44 pm
I’ve got a 2003 Ford Taurus with 182,000 miles on it (yes, that’s accurate mileage) that I bought off lease in 2005 with 19,000 miles. I’m not sure what you guys are doing to your cars, but I’ve had no issues whatsoever with the car until last week, when my heater blower stopped working on all settings but high. That led me to do a search, where I’ve found this site.
Granted, the majority of my driving is highway, but it’s been a great car, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another. The one problem I’ve had seems to be a blower motor resistor, which from what I can tell is a ten minute DIY repair, and costs under $30 for the part from the dealer. Not bad for a car as “bad” as the Taurus.
Incidentally, the Taurus replaced my previous 2000 Toyota Camry, which blew its engine spontaneously, and at “only” 108,000 miles. Despite my meticulous service records, Toyota’s response amounted to “what do you expect, it’s got over 100K miles, and I didn’t even expect them to cover it under warranty, I just asked if they’d comp me a loaner car for a week while they fixed it.
12. huntman58 | January 18, 2009 at 3:33 am
I also have a 2001 Taurus and we love it. it has over 90,000 mile so far and the only two problems we have had with it is one the fuel gage dose not work right ( reads 1/4 when empty ) and two the front brake rotors warped from aggressive driving with hard stopping . this was done not just a few times but from one drivers whole aggressive way of driving to the point they are not allowed to drive any more but that is it.; this is Taurus number two for us as our son now drives the 1996 one and has over 130,000 on it with only the cat having to be replaced at a 100,000 miles. this also go’s along with my 1993 ford explorer that has now over 200,000 miles with no motor work at all and yes on tyranny replacement in it . All three have not been maintained like they should have. Now I can say they have all out lasted and given less trouble then the Toyotas we have owned or the Hondas that my family has owned. any one saying they do not replace hoses every two years or a timing belt every 60,000 miles on there Honda’s or Toyotas are doing nothing but asking for trouble as they are normal maintenance items and as for the time belt not cheap to do. I for one after owning a Mazda and some other imports will not even buy any thing but American badge again and by the way you’re made in America import is not made with American parts it is only assembled here for the most part. Also for the most part any car will last if taken care of right and serviced under the owners manuals sever service time frames as that is how most normally drive as any thing short of one hour none stop 55 MPH diving is under the sever service and if you do your maintenance at the normal times again your not taking car of your car that’s like thinking you can let your oil change go for over 7,000 miles and then still only change the filter every other time. So get off the big three bashing the make a good car also and they make bad ones to just like any of the imports every worked on a KIA? Talk about an expensive car to maintenance or how about some imports that you have to take to the dealer only for a simple oil change because they have to lift the motor to do it. For all some talk of why the big three are having trouble now days well do not forget the same is also going on with the imports also only we do not hear about it as much because out government will not help them out like they are our own company’s and if you do not believe me just ask some of the workers that have been layed off because there not selling there cars also and there plants are not shutting down or closing down shifts I would love any one to show me a import that can match an American truck for power or towing . how about a import that will match the comfort and later parts availability to keep it on the road with out the high cost of imported parts or as some import makers do and make there parts dealer items only so yup no imports for me I like having my ability to tow and seat 6 people when needed in comfort! So may anti American liberals here and it is unreal how they will bash any thing red white and blue!
13. mike | February 3, 2009 at 9:44 am
i have a 2002 tarus se and it sucks. the trannie keeps redlining and it shifts really hard and now it wont shift into fifth gear. im going with honda . u.s cars suck. later ford.
14. b16 | February 16, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Every car has a problem check out these nightmares at Honda Toyota and Nissan. Engine exploding, fires, ect….
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/honda.html
15. Dave | February 16, 2009 at 12:26 pm
b16,
Very good link and good points.
Yeah I’m not so amped up about my Honda anymore. I ended up buying a 2007 Accord SE V6 with 14,000 miles and it’s been good but it drives like crap in the winter due to the 17″ wheels and 50 series tires.
16. Jen | February 16, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Personally, I think that everyone has a bitch about a car, doesn’t matter what car it is. Everyone I know loves their hondas, even the idiots I know. People that are so dumb they can’t hardboil an egg……
I followed that link….that guy who said he did all the maintenance himself, then at 100K miles the transmission was shot- well boo freakin hoo. Same goes for the guy who needed a new trans. at 80K miles. For all I know, they could be those whacko drivers who shift gears all the time in an automatic and tailgate the paramedics.
I may someday defect to Toyota or Nissan (only if they have some incredibly beautiful car that no one else has), but unless things change drastically, i.e. if hell does in fact freeze over, I’d rather drive a horse and carriage than any chevy, ford or dodge. I’ve driven a VW, chevy, mercury and a dodge, and none of them came close to the reliability of the three hondas I’ve driven. Actually, the VW was close…..
17. Marty | February 16, 2009 at 3:05 pm
There is not a car maker out there that dose not have problems with some of there cars same for have a good ones. Most people think that the normal schedule of maintenance is the one to fallow in there owner books but to be honest almost all drivers should use the sever service one as that is what we drive, stop and go and such. As for tranny troubles how many really do fallow the full out line of maintenance for them same for the radiators and have them fully drained and flushed then refilled. I do not mean the fast oil change way but the real way pull the pan and drain it change the filter and such. That is the only way to do it right and that alone can save lots of problems down the line. As I said I have two Taurus’s both with high miles and no problems to speak of and an explorer with over 200,000 miles. My brother had a ford with over 600,000 miles and only a few minor problems and only change out for a doge after some one hit and totaled his truck. But my Mazda I was lucky to get 20,000 before it needed a motor and after two of them I gave the thing away .my other brother had a Honda that at 45,000 blew a motor because of a timing belt. So the fact is it is how you care for them and a bit of luck no mater who made it.
18. DJ | February 21, 2009 at 10:08 pm
The majority of the Taurus comments and street comments are that the Taurus is a piece of shoddy shit. I have had many cars in the 43 years I have driven. The fords have been the shittiest, small interior components are very poorly constructed and the fit and finish is pathetic (i.e. door panels, dash, seats, components under hood, headlight buckets etc etc. Next vehich is a Honda…maybe the new Ford 500 is better but this 2001 LX Taurus is truly fuc### up ……true and sad deal, spen your money elsewhere.
19. Bianca | March 29, 2009 at 7:47 pm
I have 215,000 miles on my Taurus SE and no major problems until recently. I’m going to change the transmission fluid, and hopefully it helps…
20. jim | April 6, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Ford, gm, chrysler…the problem with their cars is that on average, they tend to have more problems than honda and toyota. As they get older, the cars tend to fall apart faster too. This is why honda and toyota cars have so much better resale value.
Why is this? I don’t know for sure, but I suspect because many of the union guys putting them together just don’t care. They think they don’t have to. Unfortunately for them, even though they believe it won’t impact them since they are union, it eventually puts their company out of business along with their union.
What’s the worst that could happen? They can’t go out of business because the feds will bail them out yet again.
21. jim | April 6, 2009 at 5:15 pm
btw, I should probably mention that I currently own a tuarus, and I’m happy with it in that it hasn’t needed nearly as much repair work as many people here have suffered, and that there are only a few flaky things about the car.
22. Jim | April 20, 2009 at 11:14 pm
I have had 3 tauras’s , no problems ,. Only thing on them it is minor if you step on brake 96-99 there is a sensor right above it if you crush it it won’t go in gear. It is a $5 part. They all have issue with gas guage never accurate, so I clock my miles if on “E” you have like 1.5 gallon. And they tend to lunge in gear, but get tranny fluid change like 40,000 miles seems to stop that.
23. larry | June 7, 2009 at 12:10 pm
i have a 2001 for Taurus and it runs great and it has 163.000 miles on it. of course you are gonna have to fix things here and there but that’s with any car and its all about how u take care of it if u don’t maintain it the car its gonna have problems.
24. Dominick | June 12, 2009 at 7:00 pm
I have a 2002 Ford Taurus SEL Premium that has been pretty good to me. My last service visit resulted in me spending over a thousand for a new pcm, ignition coils and throttle body. In 07, I fixed the oil seperator and some replaced some gasket pieces. In 08, I fixed the oil pan and there was a steering problem on the driver side because it would make a sound, which resulted in 1300 dollars worth of repairs. I am not putting no more money like that in this car so I just might sell it this year. My taurus has 139,000 miles and counting, all highway.
25. Josh | July 13, 2009 at 12:53 pm
130,000 on my 01 SE with vulcan motor car is 8 years old has had a battery 1200 in engine work and 600 just recently for brakes, tranny fluid and ac recharge other than that the car is in great shape with just oil changes. Hope it keeps going. The taurus has its reliability issues but the fusion on the other hand is just as reliable if not more so than anything the japanese offer mine has 18k on it 2 years not an issue
Taurus was a rental to and held up this well…
26. mike | August 1, 2009 at 2:56 pm
i have owned 2 geo prizms and on both of them everything mechanical is a toyota part other then body shape and name are identical to the toyota corolla and i have owned a corolls as well 3 most dependable cars i have ever own none of the 3 has ever left me stranded on the side of the road…on the other hand i have owned a chrysler that left me straned on the side of the raod 2 times……..i owned 3 ford all of them left me stranded on the side of the road……one chevy thatthe motor blew in and a pontiac the was reliable even though it was the crappiest looking and smelling of the bunch i dont think i would ever buy american again ….after seeing what everyone has to say about the taurus i had the chance to buy an 01 se with 37k on it for 3 grand…….i dont feel like its worth the hassle now ty for all the junk drivers out there
27. Maria | August 19, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Try having a 2001 Ford Taurus that has a leaking radiator hose that can ONLY be bought at the Ford dealership for $149.00! Replace it and an hour later the water pump is leaking!!!! The motot is a DOHC so that makes the damn parts higher!
28. Jason | September 17, 2009 at 1:47 pm
I have a 2001 taurus SE, bought it used with 140,000 miles, got for an incredible price and I thought i was getting an awesome deal ‘ MISTAKEN. The rack and pinion went bad first, $800 bucks to repair it, I had align this shit like 3 times and It keeps pulling to the left side. Today I left me stranded for the 3rd time, had to take the bus to work, apparently ford had the awesome idea to place the starter below the oil filter, so if your filter leaks a little bit the starter will stop working GREAT!!
Don’t even bother selling it, this cars have horrible resale value, take it to the junk yard!!
29. Keith | October 31, 2009 at 8:40 pm
I am on my 3rd Taurus in 17 years. My current car is a 2002 SEL DOHC wagon with 140,000 km on it. I too have bitched over the years about repairs, but for the most part they have been minor. A transmission blew in my last 1999 model. I have a suspect tanny in my current model. Went in to a Transmission shop for a complete flush and fill. When they saw the bits of metal in the pan they said that a total flush might cause even greater problems and that this could only have been done safely when it had less than 100,000 kms on it. So they just replaced the fluid and filter and cleaned the pan. I am now hoping it will last me for another 100, 000 km.
I am a big believer in regular maintenance, especially oil changes. I also change the fuel filter at least every 2 years and get brakes and exhaust systems checked regularly. First time a “Check Engine” light comes on its right into see my mechanic. Alignment every couple of years or when I feel the wheels “pulling” or see that the tires are scrubing. Most importantly I don’t drive the car hard. I am conscious of every odd sounding noise coming from the car and if it sounds unusual I start asking my mechanic questions and get it looked at if necessary. I may seem a little obsessive to some, but I have been told by mechanics and body shops that my car is in exceptionally good shape for its age. Yes, it has cost me some money to keep it this way, but I’ll probably get to keep driving the car longer than most. Would I buy another Taurus, or Ford… probably not as I’m just a little peeved as some others, that have said that there Tarus just doesn’t retain its value, like most Japanese models do. I’m now deciding, should I “drive it into the ground” or get rid of it before a big expense happens. Yes, Fords aren’t for everyone, but at least I got to know the model , how to do some minor repairs myself and what to watch out for. Sometimes it’s “better the devil you know”.
30. mike | October 31, 2009 at 10:10 pm
i think you’re wrong…. i owned a 1996 ford taurus with 160,000 on it for a year and a half, and that thing ran like a champ. I ENJOYED doing maint. on it because it ran so well… DOHC V6 very sporty…. the duratec engine is bullet proof; the OUTSIDE is the first thing to go and rust cause it last… people don’t realize you need to take care of car and maintain them. not beat up on them. they’re good cars; affordable unlike the eastern models that are so much more $$.. good car….
31. william | November 5, 2009 at 6:14 pm
I have a 2001 Ford Taurus ses with approx 223,000 miles on it and it purrs like a kitten. Then again I also take care of my vehicle i.e. oil changes every 2500 miles, regular schedule tune-ups, use only premium gasoline, vacuum and clean out the interior on a daily basis, etc. I have no idea what some of the previous people are talking about. I have several friends who also drive Taurus and they love theirs as well. If you take care of your vehicle it will take care of you…taking care of your vehicle doesn’t mean waiting until you hear a funny noise and then take it to the shop. Taking care of your vehicle means actually reading the owners manual (the thing in the glove compartment) and following the recommendations set forth by the manufacturer….
32. Doug | November 17, 2009 at 4:25 pm
I have a 2001 Taurus SEL with 120K miles and a 1999 Protege with 259K miles. I buy cars new and do all my own maintenance once out of warranty. My protege is a better designed and built car. The Taurus was deliberately designed so weekend mechanics will have difficulty doing anything other than routine maintenance. They designed the Taurus to run great for about 100K miles, then fall apart. It is obvious Ford wants to make their money off of part sales. They also want to ensure the dealerships are happy by designing things that with too little clearance to service without taking half the car apart. They use special fasteners left and right. I dread every time I have to work on it. The Mazda is easy to work on and designed for serviceability. I haven’t had to make any unexpected repairs on either vehicle because I keep them well maintained and I drive easy.
33. brian | November 19, 2009 at 4:56 pm
i have a 2001taurus ses with 97k. last year did complete front suspension . My cost with help from a friend(certifiedd) cost $1100.00 Local shop wanted $2150.00. This did not incude the struts, they were already done at 50k. This job included everything for the drive axle also which one side nearly feel off. Its oct. 2009 now and just got done replacing front seal and oil pan gasket. I did it for less than $100.00 Shop wanted over$1000.00 Now i working on heat. Already did thermastat now doing heater core/pump/radiator?. Dealing with a gas leak also. Car is vibrating prior to the work i just did. Oh yeah just replaced all wires and plugs last year. The rear quarter panels are rusting heavy behind pass. door. Just replaced sway bars again(got 10k miles on the last new ones.) Hard to get rid of the peice of shit with so much time and money in it. Going to need exhuast asap, when does the money pit stop. Our toyota(1990 supra drove it hard and did nothing but brakes and oil changes and a starter. Ist ford ive owned and last, and ive been driving for 30yrs. Oh yeah we bought the car with 12k on it, original miles? from a dealer. HATE THIS CAR!! E-mail me with any questions, ive been through it all.