1995 Ford Taurus LX from North America - Comments

Front disk rotors warped and replaced a few weeks after purchase, but covered under warranty. Trans axle had to be replaced approximately 1,500 miles later, but covered under warranty. Radiator coolant reservoir tanks (cheap crimped on plastic) developed a leak around 40,000 miles and entire radiator had to be replaced only partially covered under warranty. Cylinder head gasket recall required both cylinder head gaskets be replaced. The engine has had numerous coolant leaks and seeps ever since. Air conditioner compressor started to short cycle due to freon leak which required 4 attempts by the dealer to repair at a cost of over $600. I recently had to pay over $400 to replace a broken motor mount and replace more coolant hoses and clamps that should have been properly replaced during the cylinder head gasket recall. Last week the windshield washer stopped working. The starter has an intermittent solenoid wire connection which causes the engine starter to go dead at the worst possible times. Changing the oil filter during oil changes is impossible to do without spilling oil all over the frame and making a huge mess. Changing spark plugs is nearly impossible short of lifting the engine or removing them from under the car which requires a lift.

This car has been the worst automobile I have ever purchased due to its poor reliability and frequent tendency to break and leave you stranded. The car looks nice and that interior is relatively comfortable, but looks can be deceiving.

I understand how ya feel. Last year I bought a 95 SE Taurus and the next week I needed shocks on it. then it ran a good 4 months and it needed new tires and then the transmission went out. I was so mad.

I purchased a '95 LX from a salvage auction last fall simply to get the tires and rims off it for my sons 99 SE. Grand price was 872 dollars CAN. It had damage too the sheet metal on the passenger fender and the hood. Needed another bumper. Car had 140 thousand KM's on it. Leather interior, power moon roof, old guy driven. Clean car. Started easily and no oil consumption to speak of yet. In 13,000 kms it has run fine as a highway car. No problems changing the spark plugs in my driveway at -20 degrees. Replaced the original exhaust for $250 and the rear struts for another $400 once again in my driveway. One thing puzzles me though is where the antifreeze is coming from when it is cold out and the car is warming up. Seem to be loosing about 4 oz off the driver side until it warms up and then the leak stops.

The radiators leak in the Taurus because they are made of plastic and metal which expand/contract differently. When cold, there is a small gap allowing coolant to ooze out. This gap seals shut once the rad has heated up. I had this problem with an 1990 Plymouth minivan which I eventually solved by replacing with an all metal radiator.Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get an all metal rad for my 1995 Taurus. I just replaced it with the same OEM rad which I expect to leak again after a couple of years.

Oh my I seemed to have the same exact problem as the original comment! I bought it for 3,500 and on 2 separate occasions I have put $600 in one trip to the mechanic. My heater core blew so I had to get it by passed, then I moved to Michigan and had to get a new heater core. I have easily put an additional $3,500 into the thing between motor mounts, struts, radiators, heater pipes, hoses, starters, belts, axles, alternators... For the $ I was putting in it each month, I was better off financing a new car.

Folks, when you buy a 10-year-old car, you have to make sure that you're caught up on maintenance. Immediately change the oil, the spark plugs, the transmission fluid and filter, flush the cooling system, change the air and fuel filter, check the brakes. Yeah, a car with 100,000 miles is most likely going to need a brake job. The brakes didn't just go bad in the 1 week since you owned it.

The transmission fluid and filter are suppose to be changed at least every 60,000 miles, but you can bet the original owner never bothered. Nor did they bother to flush the sludge and scale out of the cooling system for the last hundred thousand miles. Gotta take care of stuff.