1996 Ford Taurus GL review from North America

My check engine light always stays on. I have had it checked out, but I was told that it was just a faulty sensor. I was told that this was common on the 96 Taurus, but that it was not something to worry about as long as I checked my fluid levels regularly.

The trunk leaks, so I can't leave anything in there unless I have it wrapped up. Otherwise it will get damaged.

The car shakes when I get up to speeds of 70 mph or more. I have also gotten this checked and was told that it has nothing to do with the alignment or my tires.

The cup holder/cassette storage that folds out of the middle of the front seat is inconvenient. When I want to plug my cell phone into the cigarette lighter, I have to fold it back down, leaving me nowhere to put a drink.

The car handles very well. The ride is smooth and you can hardly hear the engine.

The turning radius is very wide, however.

The radio is of average quality for this type of car and is easy to program, but it is a very inconvenient shape when it comes to installing a CD player. I had to buy a special installation kit that cost me almost $50 in order to make it compatible with most car audio components that are out there.

The heating and cooling system is great, but it takes awhile for the car to heat up/cool down.

The heated side mirrors are nice.

It has a great feature which prevents you from locking your keys in the car. I have almost done this on several occasions, and the car will automatically unlock if the keys are in the ignition when you hit the lock button.

Overall, this has been a great car. I'm a college student, and it has been very reliable both in town and on the highway. I haven't had any major problems with it; only a few minor things that would be expected on a high-mileage car. It looks nice and gets decent gas mileage. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a great-looking, dependable car at an affordable price.