2003 Ford Taurus

indy_500

indy_500

Well-known member
Anybody have one? my sister's tranny just went out at 90k miles. With some quick reseraching it looks like it's common. Looks like we're buying her old 96 taurus back from my grandpa. Just curious if anybody else has had any problems with one. Oh, and the passenger window wouldn't go up, the window motor was shot, that was $200. The Automatic lock doesn't work on the passenger door, so it has to be pushed down manually. Only paid 3500 for it and it retails for 6000 so we might not lose too much.
 
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98panther

New member
Yepp, My wifes '03 Taurus died in Dec, left her stranded 3 times that month once on 494.
With 91K it was always babied, and serviced at dealer.

The final straw was the torq converter ? went out and they said the tranny needed to be replaced with it. The first 2 repairs set us back $2500, and they had a list of other things they said we needed. So there was no way I was going to replace the tranny and torq thing. Dealer quoted $2500 one shop would do it for 1200 with used parts.

She wanted nothing to do with it after that. the dealer took it for the cost of the final tow, we got nothing.

Was a good car until then.
 
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borderstaff

New member
All the more reason to buck up and learn to replace these items yourself. I have replaced about 6 trannies and a couple of motors over the years and saved many thousands. I'm by no means a mechanic - but really replacing a tranny isn't rocket science. 4 of the 6 were on FWD cars and were much harder than the RWD trucks I did - but again I figure each one would have cost 2 weeks worth of wages and I am usually able to to one in 2 weekends. I'm sure there are plenty of guys more talented than I who could do one in a few hours on floor jacks and in a tiny garage...air tools probably save a lot of time too.
 
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snow_monkey

New member
A Taurus with 90,000 miles is a great car. There was a window of a few years when the trans repair was more common the not. The Taurus was on of the most bullet proof cars produced by Ford. I have taken 4 of them to their high mile graves in excess of 200k. If you shop around I have found a few mechanics to do the repair for under $1,000 depending on your specific problem. Also watch the front springs, they have a tendency to break in the higher miles.
 
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98panther

New member
The '03's were great until 90k then they go BOOM.
My brothers '03 windstar did the exact 3 same things at 90K.
 
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skidoo50

New member
I own a 03,07,& 96 Taurus's. Mine is the 03. I bought it with 70,000 on the clock and it now has 124,000. I did't hesitate to let my daughter drive it 1,800 miles last week to Montana, with another 1,800 miles back too! I do the regular maintenence and had the transmission flushed at a local shop. Besides front pads and rotors these have been the best cars I have ever owned!
 
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Professor PC

Banned
my 1999 TAURUS SE currently has 254,000 miles...heres some tricks and tips you should know....first go to the VIN....count the 8th postion....see if its a U MOTOR....hopefully not....a U motor has different parts but they wont tell you that....a U motor lasts longer than others but is more expensive and a pain to work on....most U's are used as security vehicles....i paid 1500 for mine years ago and i think its great....the tranny went out at about 140,000 and i just had it rebuilt for 1200 that time...dont cheap out...just do it if everything else works...it will last long....secondly...every motor after 100,000 miles i HIGHLY RECOMMEND SLICK 50....i use it every 6 months in mine...not the oil...but SLICK 50 ENGINE TREATMENT, it has teflon bits in it which melt and fill in cracks on cyclinders and everywhere and you can get up to 4 miles per gallon increase and easier starts and idling...using SLICK 50 my most long lived engine had 380,000 miles on it....my least mileage engine is this TAURUS so far

PS....at auto parts store on look up you will notice that under the 3.0 engine choice way down at the botton is a 3.0 U MOTOR option...do not put any other parts OR TRANNY that doesnt go to a U...some parts will fit and some wont...the tranny that goes with a U MOTOR will last way longer and i forget what the code of tranny is but look on tranny pan and it should be stamped on it which tranny you have
 
misty_pines

misty_pines

Member
I had a 92 Taurus which was a great car. Sold it years ago to a kid who loaded up the trunk with sub-woofers and I'm told he is still driving it today!

Know a couple people with 2002 Tauruses which have been very dependable with over 100,000 miles on them. You can reseach about ANY car on the internet and find good and bad things about them. Hard to weed through it all.
 
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snowsdog1

New member
We have five Taurus's

We have a 1999, two 2000's and two 2005's. They are company cars, my sales and service people drive when needed. So needless to say I am sure they are driven hard much of the time. The 99 has the 32v V6, all the others are the standard 3.0 V6

The 1999 we bought used it now has 176, 000 trans was rebult at 120k cost was $740

The two 2000's we bought new, one has 247, 000 and the other is over 260,000 neither has had a major mechanical issue with the trans or engine just the basic stuff.

I bought two 2005's in late 2007 each at 24k miles they were lease returns bought them both $11k each. they both are over 70,000 miles with no issue to date.

Me personally, i think it is one of the best cars for the money out there. We have had tremendous relability out of them and hope it continues.

I would not hesitiate to buy one with 90k on it.
 
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Professor PC

Banned
Professor PC said:
torque converter????????? wow....you gots taken....especially for 1800....guess you didnt read my post...oh well.....live and learn
Click to expand...

dude...you better go back there and DEMAND your money back...you didnt say torque converter....there is a TSB for those and can be fixed with a solinoid for 350 dollars....a brand new one costs 1200.....they just hosed you 1500 bucks for a new tranny in the workers car (mechanic needed one and saw you walkin in tha door with an L on you forehead).....read here

http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl128i.htm

WOW WOULD I BE PISSED.....especially if it still has the same problem and drives like that....NEVER....EVER....GO BACK TO THAT PLACE
 
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Professor PC

Banned
98panther said:
What does a TSB for a much older vehicle have to do with anything?
Click to expand...

cause its the same tranny used and therer is probably another TSB for that year....TSB are easy fixes but they wont help you with jack shiite....they like money....just trying to point out something to help him...and if you smart you would do a search for that particular year...but since he never answered me about the frickin U MOTOR i can only guess....thats why GRASSHOPPER
 
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HIGHLANDER

Member
LMAO! Professor Pretty Cool sounds like the loudmouth drunk at the end of the bar....gettim another one, lets see how fcked-up we can get him
 
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