My son reports that his 2001 Ford Taurus has been lurching when he is driving between 15 to 30 mph. It only does this once the car has warmed up and only once as he speeds up. If he has to make a lot of stops, it will do this every time as he accelerates. He just had the transmission fluid checked and all is fine there. Any suggestions? He is living 3000 miles away and doesn’t know any mechanics in the area so he would like to have some ideas before he heads into a new shop.
For a start, check the posters recommended ‘mechanix’ list on this site. You should find one near him.
The VSS may be faulty. (Vehicle Speed Sensor)
Check motor mounts and transmission. Hold down on the brakes and put the car in drive and accelerate (carefully) to check motor mounts. The engine will seem to “jump” if the mounts are broken. I don’t know about this model, but earlier model Tauruses had a problem with mounts, especially the with the larger engine, and lurching was the symptom. Of course, transmission trouble can also cause this.
Thanks for the suggestions. We’ll check them out. We did search for mechanics near his apartment and found three close by that others recommended. He will go to one of them. Thanks again.