1999 Ford Taurus Sho

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD TAURUS SHO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND BLACK SMOKE ROSE FROM THE ENGINE. AS THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED AND NEARLY CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE REAR ENDED. BEFORE HE REACHED THE FREEWAY, THE CONTACT NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS CALLED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 126,000.

EXPERIENCED A CAMSHAFT RELATED ENGINE FAILURE AT 70 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE OF A MAJOR INTERSTATE. VEHICLE HAD TO TAKE EMERGENCY ACTION TO CROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO THE SHOULDER WHILE THE ENGINE WAS OFF AND NO POWER ASSIST WAS AVAILABLE TO BRAKES OR STEERING. VEHICLE HAD BEEN OPERATING FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES OF CITY DRIVING AND 1 HOUR OF HIGHWAY SPEEDS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER SHOWED ME THAT THE FAILURE WAS THE EXACT SAME CONDITION REPORTED ON WWW.V8SHO.COM. THERE OVER 530 DOCUMENTED CASES OF CAMSHAFT TO SPROCKET SPLEEN FAILURES WHERE THE PISTONS THEN IMPACT STATIONARY VALVES AND DESTROY THE MOTOR. THE DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER RECOMMENDED I CONTACT FORD ENGINEERING TO ADVISE THEM OF THE FAILURE SINCE IT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE A MAINTENANCE OR WEAR RELATED ISSUE. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH A JUNK YARD MOTOR AT A COST OF OVER $6000 SINCE THE PISTONS AND VALVES HAD DESTROYED THE ENGINE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO SERVICE BULLETINS, CONTACT FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE NO NEW FACTORY ENGINES AVAILABLE AND 3RD PARTY MOTORS WERE TWICE THE BLUE BOOK VALUE OF THE CAR.*AK PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE SCOPE OF THIS PROBLEM AND REQUIRE THE MANUFACTURER TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS ENGINEERING FLAW. THIS FAILURE IS A CATASTROPHIC ONE THAT DESTROYS AN ENGINE AND IS CERTAINLY SOLVABLE IF ADDRESSED EARLY ENOUGH. MY FAMILY WAS MOST FORTUNATE THAT THIS PROBLEM DID NOT CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

IT IS A KNOWN FACT, TO FORD AND THEIR DEALERS, THAT THE 1996 THROUGH 1999 FORD TAURUS V8 SHO HAVE DEFECTIVE CAM SHAFTS. WHY HASN'T ANTHING BEEN DONE TO PROTECT THE DRIVING PUBLIC FROM THIS MENACE. GO TO THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE. *AK HTTP://AUTO.COM/INDUSTRY/TAURUS24_20021024.HTM MY SON WAS DRIVING A 1999 FORD TAURUS V8 SHO WHEN THE CAMSHAFT FAILED CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD HE WAS NOT HURT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS, MORE LIKELY THOUSANDS OF FORD TAURUS V8 SHO CARS WITH DANGEROUS CAMSHAFT DEFECTS.

I AM THE OWNER OF A 99 TAURUS SHO. VIN#[XXX]. I LEARNED ONLY RECENTLY OF THE CAM GEARS SPINNING FREELY AND DESTROYING THE ENGINE. I AM FORKING OUT OVER FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS OF MY MONEY TO HAVE THE GEARS WELDED TO THE CAMS. WHILE I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY INJURIES THE POTENTIAL IS THERE. IMAGINE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH ON A BUSY INTERSTATE AND HAVING YOUR ENGINE FAIL. NO POWER STEERING NO BRAKES. IT COULD BE FATAL. THERE ARE NEARLY FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOCUMENTED CASES OF THIS AT WWW.V8SHO.COM. AND THE NUMBERS ARE RISING, BETWEEN 7- AND 12 PER MONTH. THESE ARE JUST THE ONES BEING REPORTED. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY MORE THERE ARE. WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN THE ENGINE DAMAGE IS CATASTROPHIC AND REPAIR BILLS ARE IN EXCESS OF THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS. PLEASE LOOK IN TO THIS AND HELP. I UNDERSTAND A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT HAS BEEN FILED BECAUSE FORD WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM NOR ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *AK UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)