I own a 1989 Ford Taurus Station Wagon - V-6 - 308 engine - 79,000 miles. Problem: Sudden drop of MPG in city and highway. I was getting 24 MPG on the highway and 19 MPG in the city. I called Ford Motor Company and they said this is what my car should get, considering the low mileage. I have for a year now getting only 12 MPG in the city and the same less amount on the highway.
The first repair shop I took it to was First Rate Auto Service. They did a diagostic check, replaced the spark plugs and the ignition wiring. They said the wiring that was in there was for high performance engines, when I should have standard wiring. The dianostic check showed all sensors working properly except one they couldn't check, the coolant sensor. No visible gas leaks were found. Result: Still getting only 12 MPG.
The second repair shop I took it to was Berger's Car Care Service, Inc. They said I should replace the coolant sensor which hadn't been checked. They said it would be cheaper to just replace it than have another diagnostic check done which was $85.00. Result: Still 12 MPG in the city.
I took the vehicle back to them. They said to replace the oxygen sensor even though it checked out O.K. At the first repair shop. They said even though the sensor checks out O.K. Doesn't mean it operates correctly when the car is running. An hour later they called me and told me my car had 2 oxygen sensors and both should be replaced. They told me I would notice a remarkable difference in the gas mileage. I did. It went down to 11 MPG.
I then called Ford Motor Company again and they said to take the vehicle to a Ford Dealership and then maybe they could help me with the problem.
I then took it to Northpoint Ford. They said they would have to do another diagnostic check ($85.00) to be sure it was done right in the first place. They did this and called me and said everything, sensors, etc. Were working perfectly. They suggested I replace the thermostat since it was the original and perhaps the engine wasn't operating at the proper temperature. I told them the temperature gauge indicated it was working properly and my heater emitted plenty of hot air. But I told them to replace it anyway. Result: still 12 MPG.
I then called Ford again. They said to take the vehicle back to Northpoint Ford and tell them what happened. They also told me there is a Engineering & Research hot line that Northpoint Ford could call but consumer's are not allowed access to.
I went back to Northpoint Ford. They said I would have to have them look the vehicle over again, for a mininmum of $85.00, with no guarantee it would solve anything. I told them I'd think it over.
I have spent over $600.00 with no results. Five good parts were replaced with new parts with no results. The company where I worked for 25 yrs, I was a mechanic on Overhead Rotary Presses and one of the requirements of the job was to take a course in ATS (Analytic Trouble Shooting). All the mechanics who have worked on my car to solve this problem apparently never went to such a school. They're approaching the problem helter-skelter, hit and miss and hoping to stumble on the solution by replacing everything in sight, in the meantime charging me for their games. I'm 71 yrs old, retired and on a fixed income and cannot afford to give more cash to them for no results. Nor can I afford to drive a vehicle that gets the gas mileage of a U.S. Abrahms tank. I've tried to find out how to contact Ford Engineering & Research but have been unable to do so.
All the mechanics, Ford mechanics included, all agree on several points. The engine is running perfectly. With that amount of gas disappearing (2/5 of a tank), if there was a leak, one would certainly smell it. If it was improper burning, black smoke would be billowing out of the exhaust. They all agree on one other thing, the engine shouldn't be doing what it is doing, getting only 12 MPG.
I'm at wits end as to what to do next. If there are other 1989 Ford Taurus Station Wagons out there that are having the same problem, I sure would like to know.
Robert
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
U.S.A.
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