ESP Trip To Dealer

[stephen newberg]

Well, my list had gotten toward 10 items, so I figured it was time to give this ESP thing a try. Took her in yesterday and they had her for the morning. Results:

Adjusted trunk lid spring tension.

Cleaned and lubricated telescoping antenna.

New alternator, installed.

New front wheel bearings, both sides, installed.

New front stabilizer end links and bushings, both sides, installed.

New transmission shaft seal, one side, installed.

Cost, $100 Canadian.

Items not addressed:

Mosture getting in front turn signal lenses. Apparently a normal Taurus thing which will happen even if replaced, and not covered, so not done until they stop working.

Paint bubbling on inner lip of trunk lid. They are checking to see if there is some way to cover it.

Metal rubbing at rear when with 4 passengers on bad bumps. Another Taurus thing, hitting exhaust, and worse on SHOs, they claim.

Well, I guess there is still no fix for the 115 mph speedo problem.

And they washed it, so for the next half day until it rains, the car is clean.

I suspect the ESP plan just paid for itself, and it still has a couple of years to run.

pax, smn

 

[XLSuruaT]

Can you post your list of problems, for example what was wrong with your wheel bearings? From what you got done, that seems to be good.

I had gone in with about 5 things on my list and they only fixed one and are watching the other.

squeeling noise - replaced water pump, then crank pulley

engine consumes oil - about a qt per 900ish, currently tracking oil loss with dealer

engine makes ticking noises/loud rattle at 3500 rpm - still under investigation (because I keep bugging them about it), they still dont see anything wrong since they couldn't duplicate it when the car is raised with no load on engine

groan from steering - does occur frequent enough for them to witness it

trans gets lost in gears during rush hour - deemed normal

I still need to slap them in the face with the blower motor chirp tsb and get that fixed, it's starting to annoy me shoot

WOO HOOO, magical post #89 YEAH!!! burn_out

<small>[ October 19, 2002, 12:37 PM: Message edited by: SE 2 SHOSE ]</small>

 

[stephen newberg]

Morning,

I will check later on the other computer (the real one, not this wintel internet box) and see if the copy of the list is still there. I suspect it is, because I do not remember deleting it. But it is a UNIX system, so if I did, it will not be simple to get it back.

When a wheel bearing is really bad, you can hear it when driving, so it is easy to tell. But before that, you can detect it when turning the wheel with the car up on a lift, again by sound.

Your list is interesting.

"squeeling noise - replaced water pump, then crank pulley"

Did this fix it?

" engine consumes oil - about a qt per 900ish, currently tracking oil loss with dealer"

Ouch. That is a serious lot of oil. Obviously you will be having smoke come out the exhaust. Do you get blue smoke when accelerating, or when backing off, or both? Regardless, the main thing is to have it documented while still under warranty. It will need fixing.

"engine makes ticking noises/loud rattle at 3500 rpm - still under investigation (because I keep bugging them about it), they still dont see anything wrong since they couldn't duplicate it when the car is raised with no load on engine"

Does the sound vary with engine speed around the 3500 mark, or is it abrupt just at that rpm? And does it do it in every gear?

"groan from steering - does occur frequent enough for them to witness it"

Actually from the steering, or from the undercarriage as you turn? At slow speeds or higher speeds?

"trans gets lost in gears during rush hour - deemed normal"

Well, mine has never gotten confused about what gear it was in, including in cross town Montreal traffic in the summer. I would beat on them, gently, about this one again.

"I still need to slap them in the face with the blower motor chirp tsb and get that fixed, it's starting to annoy me"

They did something about a fan chirp for me just after I got the car, and it has not recurred (as yet).

pax, smn

 

[XLSuruaT]

Thanks for the reply.

In reply to your post:

Squealing noise was fixed after the crank pulley was replaced. I knew it wasn't the water pump and I jsut let them make fools of themselves.

Engine is still consuming oil. I bought it in yesterday and I'm at 879 miles per quart. I am taking it back on tuesday to have them inpspect the motor and listen for the othernoise. Unfortunatly, ford does spec 900 miles per quart of oil normal. They even went far enough to publish it in the service manual.

Yeah, that noise only occurs at around 3500 rpm on 70% or greater acceleration. It makes it in any gear and it heard even when the car shifts and the rpm's drop below that point. I just need to keep on them because I think it's the engine and they want me to believe it is just an exaust shield rattle or anythign like that.

It's the steering. I get it at low speeds and usually after making right turns. There is a tsb to replace the rack and a hose from 96 and 97 taruii. I thikn sho's have different racks, so I dont knwo if that applies.

I dunno much about the trans. Sometimes when it downshifts it doesn't know where to go, that's it.

The tsb on the blower motor is found here: http://www.shoforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=000537#000001
It's pretty annoying when you have it on low speeds and having that thing chirping at you.

I still have 2.5 years and 27.5k miles left on the warranty, so I still have time.

Thanks for replying.

Used ford cars shoot

 

[stephen newberg]

Yes, I understand their 'out' on oil consumption, but for these motors it is not even close. But to tell if it is the oil control rings or the valvue guides, we need to know when the smoke is produced out the exhaust.

SHOs do have different racks. I think your rubbing sound from the steering is really coming from the front stabilizer bar end links. I have had the same thing a couple of times and am now on my third set of end links. They are made of a plastic and do not last long.

It is certainly possible your 3500 rpm rattle is in the motor itself, but actually I think they are right and it is some component rattling externally. I hate trying to find rattles. Have you gone tapping around with a rubber mallet when it is up on the lift trying to find anything loose?

That is a seriously long warranty for a '96, by the way, in years. How did you manage it? Max I could get was 6 years or 120,000, whicheve comes first.

pax, smn

 

[XLSuruaT]

Usually, they sell the ESP when you buy the car. They also sell it when you buy a used car as well. I've also heard of cases where you can walk in and they'll sell you the esp. I bought mine shortly after I bought my car used.

<small>[ October 21, 2002, 04:16 PM: Message edited by: SE 2 SHOSE ]</small>

 

[stephen newberg]

I think, up here anyway, that the maximum 6 years on the ESP is from the date of the manufacture of the car, not the date you purchased it, new or used. You might want to check on this and see if your dealer has made an error or misinformed you.

pax, smn

 

[XLSuruaT]

According to the print out on my vin, everything seems ok. Thanks for checking.