1997 Ford Taurus

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THEN TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 97V097000, REGARDING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1997 FORD TAURUS. I WAS IN CLARENDON HILLS, IL FROM JULY 22ND UNTIL JULY 31ST. ON JULY 26TH I SPENT THE DAY DRIVING MY CAR. AFTER I PARKED MY CAR AT THE HOTEL IT WAS AN HOUR LATER WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THEN A HISSING NOISE. THE NEXT DAY I WENT DOWN TO MY CAR. IT WAS AT THAT TIME I NOTICED MY CAR WAS SUNK DOWN. I WENT TO CHANGE WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A FLAT TIRE AND AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS STUCK INTO THE SIDE OF IT. THE COIL SPRING SURROUNDING THE STRUT BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE MAKING IT GO FLAT INSTANTLY. I SPOKE TO TWO PEOPLE THAT MORNING THAT WERE STANDING OUTSIDE AND WITNESSED IT THE NIGHT BEFORE. THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. IT WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN. MY CONCERN IN THIS MATTER IS THAT IT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY. WHAT IF I HAD DRIVEN ANOTHER HOUR? I FEAR IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO VEER OFF INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. MY TIRE WENT FLAT INSTANTLY AND IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY AND POSSIBLE DEATH. I SPENT THE WHOLE MORNING CALLING REPAIR SHOPS. I FIRST BECAME VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS WHEN I CALLED THE FIRST REPAIRMAN AND HE KNEW EXACTLY THE PROBLEM I HAD. HE SAID HE FIXES THIS PROBLEM ON FORD TAURUS' BETWEEN TWO OR THREE TIMES A MONTH. AFTER THIS I PROCEEDED TO CALL A FORD DEALERSHIP EXPECTING A RECALL. THE GENTLEMAN KNEW NOTHING OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE FORD TAURUS. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS ON OLDER AND NEWER MODELS OF THE TAURUS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY SISTER AND HER HUSBAND OWN A 2001 FORD TAURUS AND THEY HAD A RECALL ON THEIR CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM. ALL THAT WAS DONE WAS PUT A SHIELD AROUND THE COIL SPRING SO THAT WHEN IT DOES BREAK IT DOES NOT PUNCTURE THE TIRE. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. WHY WOULD THEY NOT HAVE A RECALL AND JUST REPLACE IT? I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. THIS INCIDENT COST ME $700. I DO HAVE THE OLD COIL SPRING THAT BROKE. I DO FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD COMPENSATE ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE AT 65 MPH THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR. WHEN HITTING A BUMP THE BRAKES BOUNCE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES AND THE ENGINE LIGHT SENSOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

97 FORD TAURUS WHEN IN PARK THE CAR WILL STILL ROLL FORWARD UNTIL YOU APPLY THE BRAKE,THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS #96S50 LOCAL FORD DEALER WAS HELPFUL BUT SAID MY [XXX] COULD NOT BE FOUND UNDER THIS RECALL BUT THE CAR IS DOING THE SAME THING AS RECALL STATES. THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T REALLY NO WHAT TO DO SO THAT'S WHEN I CALLED YOUR NUMBER AND THEY SAID I COULD FILE A COMPLAINT ON LINE .NO ONE HAS BEEN INJURED BY THIS YET,BUT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET THIS TOOK CARE OF,ANY HELP YOU COULD OFFER WOULD BE GREAT. THANK YOU. *JB UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

THIS INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE THE DATE BELOW BUT THIS TIME I DECIDED TO MAKE A COMPLAINT AFTER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. WHEN THERE IS A LOT OF WATER AND YOU TURN RIGHT, MY CAR TURNS OFF, THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON AND THEN IT MAKES THIS SQUEALING NOISE. AND THEN IT STARTS RIGHT BACK UP. I HAD THIS CHECKED OUT BUT NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG WITH MY FORD 97 TAURUS. I'VE DRIVEN THROUGH A LOT OF WATER GOING FORWARD IN THE CAR AND IT DOESN'T TURN OFF OR MAKE ANY NOISE, JUST WHEN TURNING RIGHT. I NEVER NOTICED IT WHEN TURNING LEFT. *JB