2001 FORD TAURUS Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED DURING A VEHICLE INSPECTION, THE REAR COIL SPRINGS FAILED TO PASS. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE RECALL #04V332000 CONCERNING THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS DID NOT INCLUDE THE REAR COIL SPRINGS.

REF: NHTSA ACTION # EA06002. I'M CONTACTING YOU ON BEHALF OF MY AUNT & UNCLE WHO DO NOT HAVE INTERNET ACCESS. ON 10/13/06 THEY TOOK THEIR 2001 FORD TAURUS WITH 29,306 MILES TO A REPUTABLE FORD DEALER IN CHICAGO FOR AN OIL CHANGE. THE DEALER FOUND THAT BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS HAD BROKEN AND BOTH REAR TIRES WERE BEING GOUGED. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF SLIGHTLY LESS THAN $700. THE CAR IS WELL MAINTAINED, KEPT IN A GARAGE AND IS NOT ABUSED IN ANY WAY. DOCUMENTATION CAN BE SUPPLIED IF YOU WANT IT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PREPARING TO BACK THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE CHILD UNBUCKLED THE SEAT BELT AND WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. THE CONTACT STATED THE DOOR ALARM DID NOT SOUND. AS THE VEHICLE WAS BACKED OUT AND TO THE LEFT AT 5 MPH, THE 4 YEAR OLD CHILD WAS THROWN OUT THE REAR RIGHT DOOR. THE CHILD BECAME PINNED UNDER THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE, AND SUSTAINED ABRASIONS AND SWELLING OF THE ANKLES, KNEES, AND LEFT THIGH. THE CHILD WAS TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE BOOSTER SEAT AND VEHICLE WERE NOT NOTIFIED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR BRAKE SERVICE, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF DAMAGE TO THE REAR COIL SPRINGS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE REAR COIL SPRINGS AND EXPRESSED THAT THEY HAVE NOTICED SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND DETERMINED THAT NOTHING MORE COULD BE DONE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY REPAIRED. COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THIS COMPONENT ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE ONE OF THE ODI #'S WAS 10076221. THERE WERE 123 RESULTS. UPDATED 11/30/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS ROAD HAZARDS. THE TIRE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE TREAD SEPARATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE TIRE WAS A CONTINENTAL, TOURING CONTACT AS P215/60R16, DOT NUMBER UPTR4561205. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - *NM

THE REAR SPRING ON THE 2001 FORD TAURUS ARE BREAKING . THIS IS THE SECOND CAR WE FOUND THIS MONTH WITH BROKEN SPRINGS. WHEN THE SPRING BREAKS THE EDGE COME CLOSE TO THE TIRE WHICH I THINK IS A MAJOR SAFETY DANGER. I AM A MECHANIC WITH THE COM ED COMPANY. *JB

REAR COIL SPRING SNAPPED, FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE REPLACED DUE TO RECALL IN 2004 WHICH FORD MOTOR COMPANY PAID FOR BUT NOW WILL NOT PAY FOR DEFECTIVE REAR COIL SPRINGS TO BE REPLACED, DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE DRIVING WHEN SPRINGS BREAK. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PERFORMING A MAINTENANCE INSPECTION AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE FRACTURED. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS REGARDING THE REAR COIL SPRINGS TO INDICATE A FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE REAR STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. UPDATED 10/25/2006 - THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS HAD BEEN REPLACED UNDER RECALL SEPT 2005. *NM

2001 FORD TAURUS SES WAGON. PURCHASED 4/2001 WITH 32 MILES ON IT. FOUND OUT RIGHT AFTER PURCHASE THAT ROTORS HAD BEEN GROUND DOWN. DEALER BLAMED ORIGINAL PARTS. UPON BRAKING, STEERING WHILE HEAVILY ROCKS FROM SIDE TO SIDE. OBVIOUS TO ANYONE SITTING IN THE CAR. ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST TWICE, AND GROUND DOWN AT LEAST 3 TIMES. CAR ONLY HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT. TRAVEL IS 90% HIGHWAY MILES, LITTLE BRAKING AT ALL. DEALERS JUST KEEP SUGGESTING NEW ROTORS AND PADS OR GRINDING DOWN BUT I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS APPROX. EVERY 8,000-10,000 MILES. SHIMMY IN WHEEL NEVER FULLY GOES AWAY NO MATTER WHAT I DO. I AM AFRAID THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP ONE DAY GIVEN HOW MUCH VIBRATION IN THE CAR THERE IS. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT'S WRONG OR IS ADMITTING IT. RESEARCH WILL SHOW THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS COMPLAINT, SO CLEARLY THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW OF SOME KIND. *JB

CAR TAKEN IN TO MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION COILS WERE BROKEN AND COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO A TIRE PUNCTURE WHICH COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS INCIDENT. MECHANIC SAID HE BELIEVED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS MATTER AND SUGGESTED WE INVESTIGATE THIS HAZARD FURTHER. *JB