Ford to Fix Transmission: Ford Motor Co....

Ford to Fix Transmission: Ford Motor Co. has sent letters to 437,000 owners of 1991 Taurus, Mercury Sable and Lincoln Continental cars with automatic transmissions warning that the transmissions might exhibit “erratic operation.” Ford dealers said “erratic” refers to transmissions that shift gears suddenly or sluggishly or, in some cases, not at all. Both Ford and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say the problem does not amount to a safety hazard. “There is no danger that the car would suddenly stop in traffic,” a spokeswoman for Ford’s customer service division said. In explaining the defect, Ford said the transmissions “were not meeting durability expectations.” A transmission typically costs about $1,500 to replace. Ford’s letter promises to extend the transmission warranties on the affected cars for another six months. Coverage includes 1991 models whose original transmission warranties have expired. Ford is agreeing to give refunds to owners of those cars whose transmissions have already been repaired or replaced.