Soulion

I bought a 93 Taurus GL Edition a month ago, for $900, came w/ Hankook Winter tires, new alternator, windshield, heater, brakes, and sound system (That I upgraded anyways) Anyways, my problem is that tonight I was driving my friend Nadia home and I noticed that whenever I had to turn my tires while stopped or moving I could hear a terrible grinding/rubbing sound... I know it's not the power steering, I'm not quite that stupid haha! But even my co-worker who I visited tonight said that when I had turned my tires while stopped he thought he heard a chain rattling..... Engine light is not on, Air Bag light now came on.. Don't know how they could possibly be related!

Regardless, I turned the tires as far as they could go and looked underneath, I couldn't see any problems with the Tie rod ends, nor could I find any issues with the rotors or pads! Amongst closer inspection, I noticed that my one tie rod end looked abnormally curved compared to the other one... Does this sound normal? Would this cause the problem do you think? If you have any other idea's please let me know!

Another issue I am having right now is that it seems as though I can almost NEVER get my key out of the ignition.. now this is my 3rd taurus in the past 5 years so I know how to start these damn beasts yea know.. But why I am having such a hard time trying to get it out? There is no additional button underneath the steering wheel and even after pulling the key out the chime keeps dinging until I position the key slot PERFECTLY!!!

TOTAL PAIN IN THE REAR END!!!

Last thing that I wanted to ask about is that when I was sitting in the Tim Hortons Drive Through, I noticed my car was viberating a lot more than normal, almost as if it was reving it's self up! Once it is in park you cannot hear it, feel it, or tell that it is running... It's the same way when you are in motion... But when I stopped it in drive it felt like the engine was pulsing through the seats and steering, is there a way to adjust such a thing? Or is this really the way the 93 Taurus's were made? My last two Taurus's were an 97 and a 89, niether of the other two were at all like this...

Any help you guys could give me would be really appreciated! I just need to know for now, is it safe to drive? Thanks everyone!

thefonz

Grinding noise, check cv axles
Ignition cyl, for starters, give a shot of WD40 in the ignition barrel and see if that helps
3rd issue, not sure, but maybe try cleaning the MAF and or IAC valve

R.S.LOGAN

On any cars I have found "one tie rod end looked abnormally curved compared to the other one" was due to either accident damage to steering / suspension or by kerbing wheel . If bent , need to get it replaced and geometry (alignment ) check carried out .

Soulion

Well I feel like a bit of an idiot right now... Turns out that the rubbing/grinding sound I have been hearing was actually the Hankook Tires rubbing against the strut on the driver side... It took till day light and on the hoist for me to realize it! When looking at the tie rod end I could see there was a small fracture so I walked to ICBC and payed for a print out of the car history and turned out that the car was in an accident involving running a red light and getting smucked up on that end... Still surprised that when the car was being repaired that they wouldn't had noticed it or at least fixed it!

As for the ignition I was fiddling with it for a few hours today and I realized that for some reason my brake pedal needs to be floored for the key to come out? Never had a vehicle like that before! But still the chime goes off like crazy until I position the Key socket perfectly!

Aside from that I have not really had anymore problems! The car is a work in progress, today I replaced the exhaust as the old one was rusted out badly and while at it I flushed the rad and transmission, and to boot I was bored so I installed some new Door panels and front seats! It should come along nicely as my little project but I can't help but wonder why the tie rod was never replaced, makes me leery to drive it with all these new upgrade and the steering acting up like that! Regardless though I'm replacing the Tie rod end on Saturday so it should be okay until then! Thanks guys!

R.S.LOGAN

Thanks for update . When you've got it up to change t/tod end , have a good look about for any other possible damage to suspension / steering that may have been missed also . If it's the same tyre on other side , seems strange that that one doesn't foul strut also ?

Soulion

Well now I am confused because after replacing the tie rod end and taking the tire off while on the hoist I tried turning the wheel and it's still grinding! This is getting to be a pain... I am almost on the verge of selling it for half of what I payed just to get rid of it and cut my losses...

jwko

I would suspect a bad ball joint or strut bearing.