1994 Ford Taurus GL review from North America
"A huge money pit!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Prior to my purchase, this car supposedly had head problems which were repaired under a recall notice.
I replaced the timing chain gasket, cover and water pump at approximately 70000 km due to leaks.
Tie rod end on the passenger side has to be replaced about every year and a half. The first time was 32 days after I had bought the car. This means three times so far and each time has resulted in ruining the front passenger side tire as well.
The engine gave out with no warning (yes I did regular oil changes with synthetic oil) at 98000 km and was replaced with a rebuilt engine from Ford Canada at a cost of $3500.00.
The air conditioning gave out at approximately 105000 km, but with no fogging up as reported by others.
A new rad was installed around 120000 km. It started leaking a few days past the warranty.
Rear driver's side power window quit working; fortunately it was up at the time.
Tension wheel (or idler wheel, I can't remember) blew apart while I was on a road trip. Fortunate to be near a major center when it happened. Why do they make parts like that out of plastic?
General comments?
The car is comfortable to drive, with lots of passenger and cargo room (mine is a wagon).
The 3.8L engine provides all kinds of power and acceleration, but has been nothing, but problems for me.
I would recommend the 3.8L Taurus to no one, save my worst enemy.
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| My first and last purchase of a Ford product |
| An affordable, reliable performer, quiet, and very comfortable - a delight to drive |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Year of manufacture | 1994 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 5 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 55000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 165000 kilometres |
| Previous car | GMC Jimmy |
| Date of Entry | 4th July, 2004 |