multiple "symptoms" maybe one problem???

[redhotzz]

I noticed this week while driving to the grocery store and on a few short (10 mile trips) that suddenly I'd look at the speedometer and it was sitting on zero. It happens intermittently, but yesterday I noticed when it did that~~was on zero and I was driving, the car acted like it didn't want to shift into higher gear and I had to accelerate very slowly to keep it from revving up . I have also just begun to hear a slight metalic scraping noise that sounds like it might be coming from the front passenger side wheel area. Nothing is leaking from any place. I haven't checked the transmission fluid yet as it was 104* yesterday and I was sick from being in that heat. I just noticed that these "symptoms" all began one right after the other this week and I need to be at a job interview next week. Any help you can give me is kindly appreciated. BTW~ I have a 97 Taurus GL with 141K miles on it. the check engine light NEVER goes off....have had many mechanics try to get it to go off, but it comes right back on with a differnt code each time. I have to spend $300 every year to get an inspection WAVIER...and YES! it IS very annoying! All they can tell me is I have a Lemon Taurus, but the check engine light is not new.....the other things just began 2 days ago.

[way2old]

Go to an auto parts house and have them read the codes again. If it is a P0500 code, more thaan likely it is the vehicle speed sensor. That will cause the sprrdometer and transaxle problems. As far as the scraping noise, remove the wheel and look at the brakes to see if they are worn out. If they are OK, possible wheel bearing noise. I can't hear the noise, so I can not pinpoint it for you.

[TaurusKing]

Maybe you need to try different mechanics, ones who can maybe diagnose the problem???? Not all are qualified to fix some of these issues, cars are tough today, what with all the electronics and computer-controllers.. no shame in it.. turning off the light does nothing to fix the problem, you can't pass emissions testing that way,,, 300 bucks for a waiver could have been spent towards finding the issues,,, as far as "lemons" or "possessed by evil spirits", I suppose they're out there somewhere..

[redhotzz]

I have taken it to 3 different mechanics, all with their own diagostic mechanisms....all came with different codes. The $300. is NOT for a wavier, it has to prove to the state DMV that I AGAIN tried to make repairs to fix the car and it will not pass. There are NO emissions problems with the car, that passes. I was only asking online because with so many different "opinions" aleady AND SO MANY DIFFERNT CODES, I was overwhelmed with mecanics AND their diagnostic tools. I thank you kindly for your opinion.

[Huney1]

Do what way2old said about the brakes because if the scraping is the worn out pad on the rotor you have metal to metal contact and will need the rotors turned and possibly a new rotor(s). When was the last time the brake pads were replaced? On my 03 you can see the pad without taking the wheel off, piece of cake to check for ample brake pad before it wears out.

"I haven't checked the transmission fluid yet as it was 104* yesterday and I was sick from being in that heat." Let's hope the scraping is not coming from the tranny. Ford says flush the tranny every 30K mi. I can sympathize with you, it's been 105 to 110F heat index here with very high humidity.

CEL electronics over my head so someone else will have to help there. Listen to what the man said; ". . . . more thaan likely it is the vehicle speed sensor. That will cause the speedometer and transaxle problems." There you go and certainly worth a shot to replace it.

[Huney1]

If your rims won't let you see the brake pads most any tire shop will take the front wheels off and show you the pads. I believe yours has front 'pads' and rear wheel brake 'linings', two entirely different things. Pads are flat, linings are circular. I re'cd the PM and replied.

[TaurusKing]

So every mechanic came back with different codes??? I suppose it's possible, unlikely but as usual most anything is possible, if components requiring multiple keystart cycles were intermittently faulting one time only, some will set the light at the first fault, others require consecutive failures.. if they fix themselves I believe it takes a rather large number of warm-up cycles to erase them.. hopefully you have one component that's creating multiple issues, just find a qualified shop.. the 300 dollars for a waiver was what you posted.. I don't understand what you're spending money to fix, if the car won't pass, it's emissions related.. all the components work together to make your car run cleanly, if the light is on something is wrong,, if your brakes were bad, car wouldn't pass, you fix them it passes,, you don't get a waiver for bad brakes.. go to www.nysdmv.com and read about our testing

[redhotzz]

This check engine light issue has 3 different mechanic shop totally befuddled. I have this same problem every year with inspections. Last year had 9 different inspections at 3 different places and finally had the cat coverter replaced....and they STILL couldn['t get the light to go off....I let them keep my car for a MONTH...to go thru the recycling and drive it to see how the light comes right back on...and they all hide now when I bring it in.....a BIG repair shop, too. Now their diag reads it as a #3valve problem, my old & reg mechanic's diag read it as a different sensor than this speed sensor....the speed sensor has happened in the past 3 days....I have already looked up the NAPA prices of the sensor, brake pads etc and I will go to my old reg mechanic to get those two problems fixed then we are back to the #3 valve problem to pass it....IF it comes up again and some other code doesn't show up. I really have had enough of this car! I even called the place I got it 4 yrs ago, to see what it's history was and it was electorcuted by high power wires when another car hit a pole and brought down the lines on my Taurus and several other cars. That was all I could find out. But the multiple diag codes happens to me yearly and with the NC DMV I must spend a $300 min in repairs to try to make that light go off in order to get the wavier....I know I have spent approx $2000 in four yrs to do repairs that come from codes that show up....you can't get me to believe that many different code are REAL....reason for my shop hopping....reason for them telling me I prob have a "lemon". For now I am stuck. Thanks for all the comments and help.

[way2old]

Hey redhotzz. SInce you stated the vehicle was zapped by high power lines, there is a good possibility the PCM is the culprit. Or it is possible a couple of wires got melted together and is causint the problems. If you would please get the codes read and post the EXACT code numbers so we might have a diagnostic trail to follow. We want to help all we can, but a check engine light that is on without us being able to read the codes ourselves is hard to diagnose. Thanks.

[Huney1]

". . . . . it was electorcuted by high power wires when another car hit a pole and brought down the lines on my Taurus and several other cars." runaround ". . . . and they all hide now when I bring it in." WHOA! Like Way2Old said, high voltage could have melted/welded circuits or wires together and that would be hard to find UNLESS you have the right code(s) to trace the problem to it's source. Sure hate to hear that and I hope Way2Old can get you squared away because all this is way over my head.

[redhotzz]

yes! that was what the car salesman at the lot told me when I finally tracked him down last year...my 3rd yr of going thru all this mess....He neglected to inform me that the car was listed as SALVAGE on the title and I did not know it until I received the new title months after I got it. I should have been wondering then, but has no problems til i noticed the dashboard separating from the faceplate over all the gauges etc...where they evidently had taken that apart and then glued it back togther...and I got the car in winter...so until heat of summer came round and the closed car got the glue soft and the dash began to separate, I never knew anything had been done like that to the car.....I finally located papers to get to the original owner who sold it to me as there is a law that says he has to tell me about accidents etc. I think I may have found a replacement vehicle in mint condition that I will go look at and then SALVAGE this car....out of its miseries. It's a 84 Buick LeSabre with only 52K miles on it and fully loaded....a lady at my church has owned it the whole time and died last week. The family wants $1000 for it as is or $1300 for it with a new water pump on it. I just looked up the water pump for it and it's approx $45. and my mechanic will be fair in putting it on for me. I'll at least go and look at it. I am tired of the yearly mess and have some bad health problems at this time and can't be stressed out or will lose my right eye.
You all have been a wonderful group of guys and I certainly appreciate your help!

[way2old]

Don't want to give up on it now. You have my curiosity piqued and hate to leave now. But it is your decision and we will follow your lead. Good luck with what you do. WOuld you please post me the codes?? Will ya huh???

[Huney1]

That's a shame redhotzz and henceforth ALWAYS get a carfax report for used cars and in all probability it would have shown it as salvage. Carfax only $20. and can save you a whole lot of grief. Here in SC we have a real estate disclosure law requres you to LIST any and everything adverse on a dislosure form which you sign saying you are not witholding any adverse information about the house or property. If they later find out you knew undisclosed bad stuff the judge can order you to buy back the property or pay to have it fixed.

As for cars, a carfax will show flooded, wrecked, lemon buy-back by dealer, etc. "I finally located papers to get to the original owner who sold it to me as there is a law that says he has to tell me about accidents etc." I'd be on the phone to the county solicitors office or clerk of court and find out if they can be sued and hopefuly you recover the money you've spent on repairs. It really galls me when people take advantage of a lady and one day they will have to give account for their actions.

[MyTaurus8AChevy]

Originally Posted by Huney1

a carfax will show flooded, wrecked, lemon buy-back by dealer, etc.

That's what I used to always think, then I learned that there's a 'loophole' with carfaq. It has to do with cars that are purchased out of state. There's a way that they can do something and get a clean bill of health on the car. I'll have to see if I can find the article that talked about it. It had to do with a lot of hurricane Katrina cars that were sent up north and they were listed by carfaq as being perfectly good cars

Regarding the car being hit by high power lines; that's a definite red flag. You could have the melted wires as mentioned above, which could cause an intermittent problem. You could also have problems with the chips on the main computer, which I'd be surprised if you didn't have at least one bad chip. I would have someone temporarily replace the computer and THEN take your codes. If insurance is paying for it just outright replace the computer. I'm surprised you don't have blown fusible links.

[redhotzz]

I found ALL of this AFTER THE FACT...when multiple codes from different mechanics started my brain a thinkin....and I have done a car facq...somehow I am shown as the FIRST AND ONLY OWNER...which is NOT true...and that is also when I looked back at my title and it has in big black letters...SALVAGE VEHICLE written on it...and began my hunt backwards for the guy who sold it to me...and, thank God...an old keychain he gave me which I'd tossed into my files on my car in the envelope. That is when I asked him to just be honest with me and tell me what kind of mess I had on my hands....and he told me about the electrocution of the car and even where to look for the marks of it. I just have to put it down as a lesson learned and try to do something for now...I am recovering from a broken leg and arm and detached retina all in the same year....I believe a different car is in order and death to this Taurus is emminent. Thanks for ALL of the help, tho! I KNEW my gut feelings were correct all along and all of you have helped verify that!