1989 Ford Taurus GL review from North America
"A comfortable, costly, rusty sled"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Transmission, completely dead at 69K.
Power steering.
Both rear brake cylinders.
Front left calliper.
Emergency brake.
Dashboard light.
Blower motor.
Windshield washer motor.
Directional signal.
Rust in all the usual Ford Taurus places.
Leaky trunk.
Leaky radiator, etc., etc. (these are just off the top of my head).
General comments?
What Ford did with the transmission on the Ford Taurus was criminal negligence. They knew that the design had some major flaws, yet they stood by and did nothing. I also have heard that the head gaskets on these cars (with the 3.8L engine) like to blow at about 70K miles. I have been lucky so far. I am going to sell this piece of junk (or donate it to charity) and buy something reliable.
Recommended reviews
![]() ![]() | Worst car ever built |
![]() ![]() | Like a professional boxer on wheels |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2000 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.8 Litre Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 2/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 47000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 72000 miles |
| Previous car | Mercury Sable |
| Date of Entry | 27th September, 2000 |

