Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-53
Can somebody please explain to me how to fix the dome light problem? where is the latch and all that? I have a 97 ford taurus gl with 130k on it. runs great other than dome light problem. I put dual chrome exhaust on mine and got the resignator cut off and car is unbelievably loud! very fast! please help with dome light problem! its on my passenger door.
"The 24-valve (duratec) has better performance, gas mileage, and reliability. Unfortunately they are rare and 99% + 12 of a 1/4 of all Tauruses from 96-99 have the stupid 12-valve Vulcan engines. The models with the Vulcans have the most reported problems, plus they have poor gas-mileage and make too much noise".
Other than better performance and maybe gas mileage its the other way around.
I have been driving my 1997 Tarus since 2001. Currently 232,000 miles only replaced starter, battery and brake pads. Excellent vehicle.
1994 Taurus Gl Where is the best place to get ABS code definitions for free.
I'm about to buy a 97 Ford Taurus GL with 69,000 miles on it. No the mileage is not a mistake. I've been reading everyone's comments on these vehicles and I hope that it turns out to be a good purchase. I've always been a Chevy or Toyota girl myself, so this is kinda of scary, buying a Ford. Wish me the best.
I have a 1997 Ford Taurus, currently at 113k miles, still strong. One issue is the camshaft position sensor which is very inexpensive. I haven't replaced it since it doesn't affect my driving.
So I went ahead and bought the '97 Ford Taurus GL with 69,000 miles on it, and it was a hassle to register. The emissions failed because of the camshaft sensor and drive, ended up having to replace both so the engine light would go off. Finally got the vehicle registered and now my antifreeze leaks like crazy. So far I have yet to find out where it's coming from, as I can't see the radiator. This is very frustrating and I don't want to have to take it back to a mechanic. Does anyone have any suggestions or has anyone had this problem?
Hi. How much did you buy your 1997 Ford Taurus 69,000 miles for? I am thinking of buying one with 109,000 miles ($2,100). Either that or a 1997 Escort with 129,000 (about $1,600). Could anyone please tell me if I should just spend some more money for an older Honda or Toyota, or would Ford be worth it? Thanks.
My parents bought a 1997 Mercury Sable, same as the Taurus, in 2001. At that time it had about 40,000 miles on it. It now has over 170,000 miles on it. The only problem they had was the heater not working, and it was some sort of simple fix. They've also had several routine engine coolant flushes performed over the years. They haven't had any problems, even with my dad mistakenly filling the power steering pump first with water, and then with the incorrect power steering fluid. Based on their experience, I wouldn't be afraid to buy a Ford.
Regarding the leaking anti-freeze, it's hard to know how to help without knowing where the leak is from. Try this:
1) When the car is cold, take off the radiator cap and make sure that the radiator is full to the top. Add coolant if necessary, and then add to the mark in the overflow bottle;
2) when the engine reaches operating temperature, let it idle in park and watch under the hood and under the car for where the leak is coming from. On a 10 year old car, it could be leaking from anywhere, and the problem may or may not be routine maintenance. It could be anything from an old, broken hose, to a stone that put a hole in the radiator, to a drain valve that wasn't closed properly the last time somebody changed the fluid, to needing a new water pump (although that would be odd on such a low-mileage car) ;
3) you don't mention that the car is overheating, which is a good sign. This would suggest that nothing in the cooling system is actually clogged and making the engine boil over, but that you just have a leak somewhere that can be fixed relatively easily.
If it's a leaking hose, it can be replaced for a couple of dollars if you do it yourself--heater hose is about $1.50 per foot; radiator hoses are only about $15 apiece. A water pump would be more involved, possibly about $200. If the radiator is leaking from a pinhole, like a stone chip, you could either have a radiator shop braze it (maybe about $50-100), or you could just pour in some "stop leak" to seal it up. I wouldn't use "stop leak" on a new car, but on a 10-year old car that's just a daily driver, it can be a cheap option.
My friend just gave me a 97 Ford Taurus with 246,000 km. I haven't had a safety yet, but it was running fine for her. The headlights stay on, unless you disconnect the battery. Any comments on why that would happen?
Light switch?
I have had a 1997 Taurus since April of 1997. I had the transmission fixed a few years ago. A somewhat common problem from what I hear. The water pump lasted only to around 90,000 miles before the impeller's fins corroded to almost nothing. This is also somewhat common from what I hear. The radiator fluid should have been changed more often. My Taurus was the older style 97 without a bypass for the radiator fluid around the heater core. If you are having any heating problems get it fixed right away. I was losing some heating a few weeks ago and flushed the heater core with a garden hose and it fixed it. If the heater core gets plugged with the older style like mine it can make the water pump go out more quickly and you can lose engine cooling. I had a head gasket replaced a few weeks ago also. Otherwise it has been a nice car and I have 191,000 miles. I get very good gas mileage of close to 30 on the highway. I am starting to look for a new car to replace it. I hope to get at least 200,000 miles before replacement and maybe 250,000.
Who ever it was that said the door sensor that's in the latch just needs to be sprayed with wd40 to turn the door ajar light off, thanks that was awesome I couldn't figure it out.
I'm sorry the original poster had so many problems, but actually for getting 100,000 miles out of the car since purchased it seems reasonable to spend a few thousand on tranny work and other odds and ends.
I still drive my 92 Taurus wagon and bought a 97 Taurus as the wagon seems so reliable. I had to spray wd40 in the first week we owned it to cure the 'door ajar' problem; that was two years ago, and after the cam sensor failed twice, I used epoxy glue to reinstall the magnet in first sensor. That has worked fine for over a year now. It is an easy car for backyard mechanics, and parts are cheap.