2001 FORD TAURUS Complaints

HEARD A BANG HEADING OFF AN OFF RAMP AND CAR SHOT INTO GUARD RAIL WITH DRIVERS SIDE OF CAR BREAKING HEADLIGHT, BUMPER, BENDING HOOD, FENDER AND DOOR AND VARIOUS SCRATCHES ALONG SIDE OF CAR. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER WHERE PURCHASED UPON INVESTIGATION BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN AND FRONT TIRES WERE SHREDDED. AS REPAIRS WERE BEING MADE I FOUND THERE WAS A FORD RECALL ON THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FOR THE FRACTURES AN SHREDDING OF TIRES. NEVER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE. THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY, AFTER REPAIRS WERE MADE, DON'T WANT TO REIMBURSE REPAIRS MADE BECAUSE THE REPAIRS WEREN'T MADE THROUGH THEM AND REFUSE TO PAY THE BODY DAMAGE. *TR

THE PAINT ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE TRUNK DOOR UNDER THE LICENSE PLATE IS PEELING. THE COSMETIC BLEMISH IS ABOUT 18INCHES IN LENGTH AND 3-4INCHES HIGH. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY, CUSTOMER RELATIONS DIVISION AT 800-392-3673 ABOUT THIS ISSUE; I SPOKE WITH A FRONT LINE REPRESENTATIVE NAMED KEVIN WHOSE EMPLOYEE ID IS 61151, HE ASSURED ME THIS IS NOT A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICING AT MY CLOSEST FORD DEALERSHIP, HE ALSO STATED FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT PAY FOR NOR PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE REPAIR OF THE COSMETIC BLEMISH; I THEN PROCEEDED TO ASK FOR HIS SUPERVISOR I WAS ASSURED SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE SUPERVISOR WOULD GIVE ME THE SAME RESPONSE AND WAS THEN GIVEN A REFERENCE NUMBER OF 0482120158 AND TRANSFERRED TO RON (41004) WHO AGAIN ASKED ME WHAT THE ISSUE WAS AND UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION RON SAID INDEED THIS WAS NOT A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND SAID HE WOULD NOT OVERTURN HIS EMPLOYEES DECISION ABOUT NOT PROVIDING THE REPAIR OR ASSISTING WITH THE COST OF THE REPAIR HE ASSURED ME NO ONE WOULD OVERTURN HIS DECISION AND I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE MYSELF WITH NO ASSISTANCE FROM FORD. I THANKED HIM FOR HIS TIME, TOLD HIM I WOULD FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA AND REQUESTED A CALL BACK FROM THE NEXT HIGHEST FORM OF MANAGEMENT, HE SAID I WOULD RECEIVE A CALL BACK WITHIN 2-5 BUSINESS DAYS AND SAID GOOD LUCK TRYING TO GET ANYTHING OUT OF FORD. *TR

MY DAUGHTER CAME HOME LAST NIGHT AND I WENT TO CHECK HER CAR THIS MORNING AND FOUND A FLAT TIRE ON THE LEFT REAR. PUMPED IT UP AND HEARD AIR LEAKING OUT, REMOVED IT AND FOUND THE COIL SPRING STICKING OUT HAD CUT THE TIRE DOWN AND PUNCTURED IT. I REPLACED THE COIL AND STRUT AS A UNIT FROM ADVANCE WITH A MONROE WHICH HAS A 5/8 COIL SPRING, THE ORIGINAL FROM FORD WAS 1/2". FORD HAD A RECALL , CAMPAIGN # 04V3320000 FOR THE COIL SPRINGS ON THE FRONT , WHY NOT THE REAR AS WELL? ITS APPARENT THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR AS YOU HAVE 60 COMPLAINTS BEFORE MINE. DOES IT TAKE A DEATH TO MAKE THEM FIX THE PROBLEM? OUR CAR ONLY HAS 42,211 MILES ON IT TODAY WHEN I REPLACED THE STRUT AND TIRE. WE PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AN INDIVIDUAL, AT THE FORD DEALERS LOT, AS IT HAD BEEN PARKED THERE AFTER BODY WORK HAD BEEN PERFORMED AND BEEN SETTING FOR OVER A YEAR , IT ONLY HAD 18,000 MILES ON IT 2 YEARS AGO. I HAVE THE OLD STRUT WITH BROKEN SPRING, IT HAS A SMALL CRACK THAT SHOWS SOME RUST IN THE EDGE, AND HAS A DUCTILE FRACTURE CLEAN BREAK WITH NO RUST IN IT. I'M A CAT MECHANIC WITH SOME TRAINING IN FAILURE ANALYSIS, BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO FIGURE THIS ONE OUT. *TR

DEALER FOUND ALL FOUR SPRINGS BROKEN AFTER CAR WAS GRINDING ON REAR TIRE. DEALER IS REPLACING FRONT ONES PER RECALL BUT I FEEL REAR SPRINGS ARE ALSO PRONE TO FAILURE AND FORD SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. CAR SUFFERED TIRE DAMAGE TO RIGHT REAR WHEEL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT HAD JUST REFILLED THE WASHER WINDOW FLUID AND PRESSED THE BUTTON FOR THE FLUID A SECOND TIME WHEN HE BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE. BY THE TIME HE AND HIS DAUGHTER EXITED THE VEHICLE, FLAMES WERE RISING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V258000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER: MOTOR) WAS REFERENCED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 124,004.

FAILURE/FRACTURE OF FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRINGS AND RELATED TIRE DAMAGE. MY CAR WAS REPAIRED AS FAR AS THE FRONT SUSPENSION IS CONCERNED UNDER WARRANTY ONLY FOR SPRINGS. MY CONCERN IS FUTURE SPRING FAILURE ON REAR SUSPENSION WHICH IS KNOWN TO HAVE SIMILAR FAILURES WITH NO SAFETY RECALL IN EFFECT AT THIS TIME. DESPITE THE NHTSA TESTS ON SIMILAR VEHICLE DEFECT, I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL INCIDENT IS UNLIKELY. I WONDER IF ONE OF THE NHTSA PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TEST INFORMATION WOULD LET ME TRADE VEHICLES WITH THEM. WOULD THEY BE WILLING TO DRIVE THIS CAR FOR EXTENDED USE ON CROWDED INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS LIKE SO MANY OF US DO? THE PARTS IN QUESTION FAIL BECAUSE OF CORROSION. IN MOST CASES THE SPRING BREAKS AT THE LOWER FIRST COIL, FORD HAS INSTALLED A SHIELD TO PREVENT RELATED TIRE DAMAGE PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V332000 HERE IS MY POINT AS PLAINLY AS I CAN PUT IT. THESE SPRINGS WILL CORRODE AT ANY LOCATION DUE TO STONE CHIPS OR OTHER SURFACE IMPERFECTIONS. AS A RESULT THESE SPRINGS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BREAK AT ANY LOCATION RENDERING THE SHIELD AT THE LOWER COIL USELESS. THE RESULT COULD BE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL REGARDLESS OF WHICH, FRONT OR REAR, POSITION. SHOULD NOT FORD MOTOR COMPANY BE MANDATED TO AT LEAST INSPECT THESE PARTS FOR CORROSION IN OTHER THAN THE COMMON POINT OF FAILURE, AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THEM? FORD HAS INTRODUCED REPLACEMENT SPRINGS WITH IMPROVED CORROSION RESISTANT COATINGS, BUT IN THE CASE OF THE REAR SUSPENSION SPRINGS ON THE SAME VEHICLES KNOWN TO HAVE SIMILAR FAILURES, THERE IS NO CURRENT CONSUMER PROTECTION MANDATED. PLEASE TELL ME THAT YOU ARE GOING TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. ISN'T IT OBVIOUS THAT AT BEST THIS PROBLEM IS ONLY HALF CORRECTED! SINCE WHEN IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH? THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUCCESSES IN THE MATTER OF MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY! I HOPE THIS ISSUE WILL SOON BE ADDED TO THE LIST. BOB ZAMOST *TR

LEFT REAR COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE CAR WAS IN PARKING LOT AND BEING OCCUPIED BY 4 ADULTS. BROKEN SPRING DID NOT COME IN CONTACT WITH TIRE, BUT WAS DANGEROUSLY CLOSE. FORD GARAGE ON VACATION DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AND CUT AWAY ENOUGH OF THE SPRING END TO SAFELY CLEAR TIRE TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR 320 MILES FROM VACATION TO HOME. ARRANGED FOR HOME TOWN FORD GARAGE TO REPLACE BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS FOR $400. *TR

MY WIFE OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE BACKING IT OUT OF THE GARAGE. IT HAD ALREADY BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A RECALL ON THE FRONT SPRINGS BECAUSE ONE OF THEM BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. AFTER CONTACTING THE FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER (1-800-392-3673) TODAY, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM AND ALL COSTS TO REPAIR WOULD BE MINE. OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL YEAR AND THEY WON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 87,400 MILES ON IT. THIS DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT CONSIDERING THE TYPE OF FAILURE THAT HAS OCCURRED AGAIN. I ALSO NOTICED A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS POSTED ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I PULLED OUT OF MY PARKING LOT AND HEARD A SCRAPING SOUNDS. I DROVE AROUND THE BLOCK BACK INTO MY PARKING LOT AND THE SOUND WAS THERE THE WHOLE TIME. I JACKED THE REAR OF THE CAR UP AND NOTICED THE LEFT REAR SPRING WAS BROKEN AND WAS ACTUALLY SCRAPING THE REAR TIRE. HAD IT TOW TO A SHOP AND REPLACED THE SPRINGS/STRUTS ON THE REAR. REPAIR SHOP TOOK A PICTURE OF THE OLD SPRING WHICH I HAVE. ALSO REPLACED THE REAR TIRE, IT HAD JUST SCRAPED OFF A SURFACE LAYER OF RUBBER, MIGHT HAVE BEEN OK AS IT DIDN'T GET TO THE BELT, BUT FELT SAFER WITH A NEW TIRE. *TR

2001 FORD TAURUS. REAR SPRINGS HAVE BROKEN. WOULD HAVE PUNCTURED A TIRE, BUT WAS ABLE TO GRIND OFF BROKEN PART OF SPRING. HAVE NOT REPAIRED SPRING YET, ONLY HAVE GROUND OFF POINT OF SPRING. *TR