1989 Ford Taurus L review from North America

Seven alternators in three years.

Transmission at 74,000 miles.

Water pump at 68,000 miles.

Both rear brake cylinders.

Blower fan.

Thermostat froze closed, had to be replaced.

Parking brake release handle.

Both front axles at 96,000 miles.

Water leaked into trunk.

Car rattled like crazy if you ran over so much as a piece of gravel, and I'm not joking.

Paint completely disappeared from hood, roof and trunk.

HVAC system recirculating feature never worked.

PCV valve melted for no apparent reason.

Car got 13 miles per gallon, nobody could figure out why.

Speedometer did not read correctly, and the needle stopped at 40 mph. The dealer lied to me for six months about the availability of the part needed to repair it. The part in question mysteriously appeared the day after I brought my attorney father into the service department.

This 1989 Ford Taurus was my first car, and my last Ford. I bought it for $3250, and spent over $6000 in repairs during the three years I owned it.

I am not the only one who experienced the transmission problem, where Ford used a weak aluminum piston prone to cracking. This issue put me in danger at least 3 times that I can recall.

You can see from above that almost everything that could have broke did, and I don't need to repeat that here.

I will NEVER buy another Taurus, or any front drive Ford.