30th Mar 2008, 09:20

I just had a new head gasket put on my car about 1 month ago due to the no heat problem and the antifreeze turning muddy. Just yesterday, my car started to smoke and it looks as through the same problem as recurred. Head Gasket has blown again! Not for sure what if it's a bad new gasket or something bigger. Ford should have recall 1999 Ford Tarsus based upon the many problems these particular models experience with the "heater cores and gasket"! Yes, like many others have had to replace the "Heater Core" twice! Only heats up when driving for about 15 minutes. No heat at stop lights and definitely will not defrost! Any help will be appreciated.

9th Nov 2008, 20:05

Just purchased a 1999 Taurus. Had the same problem of no heat. Coolant was always rusty. Took it in to our local back yard mechanic, replaced both head gaskets and flushed the heater core. Had heat for two days. Now I am back to flushing the core out once a week. I always had luck with Fords, but the way it sounds this year, Fords better idea was for %##!!%%.

10th Nov 2008, 11:56

Somewhere here I read that the pipes to and from the heater core are of steel that rusts. Replace those and you should be fine.

11th Nov 2008, 22:41

I have a 1999 Ford Taurus 3.8 liter. There are 246000 km on it, and I have had heat problems for 50000 km.

I have replaced the steering rack, and was able to get it at a decent price at parts plus.

I have flushed my heater core. That only worked for a week. I flushed the entire engine, overflow, radiator, and heater core, and I changed the thermostat. I had heat for about 3 weeks.

I also noticed that the car always runs at the lowest temperature, and the fan runs at ridiculous times, like when you start it and it's cold. The only thing I haven't done is replace the water pump. I can't believe the amount of people that are having this problem. Ford knew they made the mistake, and kept on selling the cars. Very nice.

I really like the new Ford F150's, but I am a little bit upset with Ford right now.

Buy anything but a late 90's Ford Taurus.

Thanks, Trigger.

30th Dec 2008, 01:24

My parents have a 2000 Ford Taurus. Same problem occurred, no heat. So I replaced the heater core, which was corroded, as well as the water pump and thermostat, and finally flushed the whole system with a garden hose. Finally got heat.

8 months later same problem, no heat, so I flushed the heater core again and it worked for 2 weeks then quit. Then I flushed it again today, it worked for 30 minutes, then went to barely warm. This car really sucks. I'm going to try to bypass the bypass hose and see what happens.

I can't keep flushing this thing, and/or changing the heater core. It is a big job and costly to replace every year before winter.

I told my parents not to buy Ford, but no.

5th Mar 2009, 13:10

My girlfriend has a 1999 Ford Taurus 3.0L with no heat. I read all of the items above, and tried a few things.

* Flushed the coolant system

* Replaced the water-pump and thermostat.

Still no heat.

I was curious about the bypass hose, so I tried to clamp it off and force the coolant through the heater core. Then one of the rusty steel lines on top of the engine sprung a leak. Figures.

Tonight I will try to replace the heater core, as well as any steel coolant line with bulk hose. I'll ground the new core also to see if it makes a difference in the long run. Hopefully after this round of tinkering it will work, but who knows at this point.

8th Dec 2009, 22:30

I have a 1999 Ford Taurus. OK, I blew the radiator hose. The one that looks like a Y. OK, replaced it, and now when I drive the car, I get heat out of it, then it cools down to cold, and I turn it off, back on, turn heat down, and then up, and get heat again.

Tonight the light come on low coolant and it's full, so any one have an idea what's wrong, could it be air in it, core, pump, thermostat etc.

If you can help, email me at fisherman1860303@yahoo.com please

24th Dec 2009, 02:29

I read about a guy in here that was bragging about having millions of miles on his Taurus's, and he can keep them running by going to the junk yard to get parts to "FIX" the car.

First of all, these cars are far from being reliable, and take it from the guy above that kept his cars running off ALL the TAURUS'S in the junk yard; there is a reason they're there for cryin out loud.

Second of all, don't take the guy's advice about buying a Ford Exploder; they're just as bad if not worse than a Ford Torass.

And third, there is a reason these auto manufacturers spend millions of dollars on deciding the right fluid for that make and model of car; there is no such thing as MAGIC in a bottle.

Just maintain your car people; it's part of the responsibility of owning one.

27th Dec 2009, 20:48

Owner of a 1999 Ford Taurus -- original owner with current mileage of 298,430: heater core problems started last year -- thru the years I've usually had cooling flush conducted by the dealer. My heater problems started when I conducted a flush -- Obviously my heater problems were created by rust flakes becoming trapped in the heater core. In doing the flush – I should have bypassed the heater core. Using an infrared tempt. gun to check hose temperature – I had readings of approx. 170 deg. F on the bypass line, and 87 deg. F on the heater line: before and after the heater core.

Conducted a reverse flush today: reversed the flow into the heater core @ the fire wall – connected the inlet line from the heater core to a discharge line and let run to atmosphere (yard), and connected a garden hose to the water pump: Flushed for about 15 minutes – flushed until I had a good solid, clean discharge stream with pressure.

Then connected the discharge line being feed by the orig. inlet port of the heater core to the inlet of the water pump – left the discharge line from the block feeding into the discharge line of the heater core (now being used as the inlet for hot block water). With arrangement – I’ve abandoned the by-pass heater hose – forcing all water from the block thru the heater core.

Where previously I had no heat transfer I now have cabin heat – temp coming from the dash reached 150 deg. F. --- I was at the point of planning to install a new heater core.

I’ve added another flush treatment – plan to run min. of 5 to 6 hours driving time: and then replace with fresh antifreeze: I’m still amazed with the change, and performance of heat: Obviously I had particles from a previously deteriorated water pump blocking the feed into the heater core. Considering eliminating the original heater line bypass.

If you're going to replace the heater core – here’s an excellent link detailing how to remove the heater core without removing the entire dash:

http://www.airsept.com/Articles/RecycleGuard/macs_SR03.03.pdf