1996 Ford Taurus GL review from North America
"If you are looking for reliability and courteous service, look elsewhere"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Bad air compressor/Air conditioner blower.
Power window motors went on both the front and rear passenger side windows.
Power driver's seat motor went.
Heater core bad - twice.
The unit that controls the ABS (anti-lock brake) system went bad.
Front and rear brakes replaced twice.
Serpentine belt went very early.
Car alarm stopped working properly causing the parking lights to "freeze" in the on position when you set the alarm.
The radio died - a strange message "CALL" appears in the radio window. The message stayed on even when the car was off resulting in a drained battery.
Currently, the car is at the dealership with 51500 miles and a bad transmission.
General comments?
The items listed above are unfortunately just a sampling of all that has gone wrong with this car - I have over 40 pages of repair invoices from all of the times I have had to return it to the dealership.
I have also found the Ford service center folks to be rude, uncooperative and condescending. Once you get through their attitude and they fix your car they act as though they are God for having done such a wonderful job.
5 years ago I thought I made a good choice in purchasing the Ford Taurus - it turns out the only good choice I made on that day was buying the extended warranty. If you plan on getting a Ford, be sure to buy one too!
I will never purchase another Ford and I will do my best to let everyone know the reasons why. When I think of their slogan "Ford, built for the way you live" I can't help but wonder, do they really believe we like to live with our cars in constant need of repair?
Recommended Reviews:
  | For an American car made in 1996, this car is a wonderful car, and is a pleasure to drive. |
| 1996 - Taurus LX Station Wagon 3.0 DOHC Duratec All in all, I'd buy another Taurus, but keep an eye on it around 100K |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.0 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 4/10 |
| Reliability marks | 2/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 2/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 10 miles |
| Most recent distance | 51500 miles |
| Date of Entry | 2nd July, 2001 |