2001 FORD TAURUS Complaints

I SEE FROM AN ASSOCIATED PRESS ARTICLE DATED TODAY THAT THE FORD TAURUS IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA DUE TO REAR COIL SPRING FAILURES. I OWN A 2001 TAURUS ON WHICH I RECENTLY PAID SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS TO HAVE THE PASSENGER-SIDE REAR COIL SPRING REPLACED, DUE TO FAILURE (OR IMMINENT FAILURE). WHILE I WAS HAVING SOME OTHER NON-RELATED SERVICE WORK DONE, THE FORD DEALER NOTICED DURING THEIR INSPECTION THAT THE SPRING WAS AT OR NEAR THE POINT OF FAILING. THEY TOLD ME IT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT, OR ELSE IT COULD RESULT IN A TIRE PUNCTURE- SO OF COURSE I HAD THE REPAIR COMPLETED. AT THE PLACE I AM TYPING THIS, I DON'T HAVE THE BILL FOR THE WORK DONE WITH ME- SO THE INCIDENT DATE I'M ENTERING BELOW IS APPROXIMATE. I DO HAVE THE BILL FOR THE WORK WHICH WILL SHOW THE CORRECT DATE. PLEASE KEEP ME UPDATED ON THE OUTCOME OF YOUR INVESTIGATION. THANK YOU.*JB

DT: THE CALLER RECEIVED RECALL ON THE FRONT SPRINGS, BUT HE WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR SPRINGS. THE CALLER SAID THE REAR SPRING FAILED, AND IT PUT A GROOVE IN THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE. THE CALLER FOUND IT BEFORE THE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CALLER REPLACED BOTH REAR SPRINGS AT HIS OWN EXPENSE WITH ANOTHER BRAND. DEALER SAID THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE REAR SPRINGS FOR FREE. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT RESPONDED TO THE CALLER ON THE REAR SPRINGS. *AK THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED THREE TIMES, THE REAR BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED TWICE. UPDATED 01/19/06. *JB

IN JUNE 2004 I HEARD A NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT A REAR SPRING HAD BROKEN AND TORN A HOLE IN ONE OF MY REAR TIRES. THE TIRE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. I HAD BOTH REAR SPRINGS REPLACED, A NEW TIRE INSTALLED, AND THE VEHICLE STILL MADE A NOISE. I THEN TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP, WHO REPLACED THE LEFT REAR STRUT ASSEMBLY. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO FORD (TWICE) AFTER THE FRONT SPRING RECALL. THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. *NM

2001 FORD TAURUS REAR COIL SPRING BROKE AND FORD WOULD NOT REPLACE THEM FOR US. THREE WEEKS LATER THE FRONT SPRINGS BROKE AND FORD DID REPLACE AND REPAIR THE FRONT SPRINGS. REAR REPAIR OUT OF POCKET COSTS WAS $647.64. *NM

BROKEN RR COIL SPRING WAS DISCOVERED BY BELLE TIRE TECHNICIAN WHILE REPAIRING A TIRE LEAK ON MY DAUGHTER'S 2001 TAURUS. VEHICLE WAS DEADLINED AND DELIVERED TO BLACKWELL FORD TO HAVE THE FIRST SPRING RECALL PERFORMED AND THE REAR SPRINGS INSPECTED/REPAIRED USING AUTHORIZED FORD SERVICE PARTS. RR SPRING AND RR SHOCK WERE BOTH REPLACED DUE TO "USUAL DAMAGE" TO THE SHOCK CAUSED BY THE BROKEN SPRING (OLD PARTS ARE IN MY POSSESSION AND AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION). BLACKWELL SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT FORD WOULD NOT COVER THE COST OF THE RR SPRING/SHOCK REPAIR SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL/SERVICE ACTION IN PLACE REGARDLESS OF THE FAILURE MODE BEING IDENTICAL TO THE FRONT SPRINGS WHICH WERE PRODUCED AT THE SAME TIME. THE VEHICLE HAS 64,000 MILES ON THE ODO (IE OUT OF WARRANTY), BUT THE AMOUNT OF RUST AT THE FRACTURE POINT INDICATES THE SPRING HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR SOME TIME. THERE WERE NO NOISE OR VEHICULAR ATTITUDE CONCERNS TO INDICATE A BROKEN REAR SPRING. BOTH THE BELLE TIRE AND BLACKWELL PERSONNEL SEEMED "VERY" FAMILIAR WITH THIS FAILURE MODE ON THE TAURUS. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS $375.52. *NM

DT: ON AUGUST 25, 2005, THE REAR STRUTS AND COIL SPRING ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE CAME LOOSE AND WENT THROUGH THE TIRE. THE CONSUMER STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN WHEN REALIZING THAT THE TIRE WAS FLAT. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP AND REPLACED THE SPRINGS, BOOTS, AND THE UPPER MOUNTS. THERE NO FOR WARNING AND NO NOISE. *AK

WHILE SITTING AT A DRIVE THRU ANOTHER VEHICLE STRUCK THE DRIVER'S VEHICLE HEAD ON AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TS THE CONSUMERS SON WAS THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

DT: CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BEFORE THE ENGINE STALLED HE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. OTHER THAN THIS LIGHT THERE WERE NO OTHER WARNINGS INDICATIONS THAT THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO STALL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE. AFTER WAITING FIVE OR TEN MINUTES THE VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN. BUT AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES THE VEHICLE WILL STALL AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 FORD TAURUS THE LEFT REAR COIL SPRING ON THE STRUT BROKE CAUSING THE LEFT REAR TIRE TO DEFLATE FROM THE SPRING PENETRATING THE TIRE SIDEWALL!*JB

POWER BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED CAUSING VERY LONG BRAKING DISTANCES. DEALER REPLACED BOOSTER. *JB