1996 Ford Taurus

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ON, FOLLOWED BY SHAKING AND VIBRATION. ALSO INTERMITTENT STALLING WOULD OCCUR WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR APPLYING ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM A STOP POSITION, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER SHOP, AND HAD SOME SEVERE REPAIRS DONE, PROBLEM CONCERNING ENGINE IS STILL OCCURRING, ALSO REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED, THE COOLANT OVERFLOW BOTTLE CONTAINED A LEAK. *SLC

WHEN PURCHASED, THIS CAR WAS SERVICED, INCLUDING A COOLING SYSTEM INSPECTION. I ALSO NOTIFIED FORD BY TELEPHONE THAT I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR, PROVIDING THE VIN. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE CAR AT THAT TIME. THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS CHECKED 4 MONTHS AGO, AND WAS FINE AT THAT TIME. SEVERAL DAYS AGO, THE CAR OVERHEATED, SPEWING COOLANT WHEN THE HOOD WAS LIFTED. I DID NOT, AT ANY TIME ATTEMPT REMOVAL OF THE COOLANT CAP; THE COOLANT WAS SPEWING FROM BENEATH THE CLOSED CAP. MY MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE COOLING SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY CONTAMINATED WITH RUST AND SLUDGE. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT FORD HAD A RECALL ON THE SITUATION. WHEN I CALLED FORD, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALL WAS OVER, THAT THEY WOULD NO LONGER COVER THIS PROBLEM, AND THAT THE RECALL WAS OVER IN 1999. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS RECALL. FORD DID PROVIDE ME WITH A TSB NUMBER- 972416. BUT, TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO BEAR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT A MANUFACTURER CAN DECIDE TO REPAIR A SERIOUS DEFECT FOR ONLY A LIMITED TIME, AND ONLY IF THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINS DURING THAT TIME? I WAS STRANDED IN A VERY BAD PART OF ATLANTA BY THIS INCIDENT, AND COOLANT WAS SPEWED ALL OVER ME. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, IN MY VIEW, NOT THE 'CUSTOMER SATISFACTION' ISSUE FORD TERMED IT ON THE TELEPHONE WHEN I SPOKE WITH THEM TODAY. THIS SITUATION WAS PRODUCED BY A DESIGN DEFECT THAT FORD CLEARLY HAS KNOWLEDGE OF AS EVIDENCED BY THE TSB. FORD HAS ALSO PRODUCED A RETROFIT PART TO CORRECT THE SITUATION- F7DZ8522AA (COOLANT RECOVERY KIT). WHY IS FORD NOT BEING REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS SITUATION ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES?*AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NOTICE IN 1999 ABOUT ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM. CONSUMER HAD REPAIRS DONE WHICH REPLACED RESERVOIR AND HEATER COIL. SINCE THEN, PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. RECALL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO . ALSO, CONTACTED FORD, AND FORD STATED WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND NOTHING THEY COULD DO. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK

MY 96 TAURUS SHO HAD SEVERE ENGINE FAILURE AT 66,682 MILES. THE ENGINE (CAMSHAFT) SHOULD NOT FAIL ON WELL CARED FOR VEHICLE WITH ONLY 66,682 MILES ON IT. THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE SHO ENGINE THAT IS CASUING HUNDERDS OF CONSUMERS TO PAY HUNDERDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. WHY ISN'T ANYONE CAUSING FORD TO ADDRESS THIS. THERE OUGHT TO BE GREATER CONSUMER PROTECTION AGAINST A MANUFACTURER OF A DEFECTIVE AUTO. PLEASE ASSIST. THANKS!*AK

THE CAR BEGAN MAKING A TICKING SOUND FROM THE VALVE TRAIN AREA. THIS NOISE BECAME MUCH LOUDER OVER A PERIOD OF WEEKS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED IT AS A LOOSE SPROCKET ON THE REAR BANK INTAKE CAMSHAFT. AS A MEMBER OF THE V8SHO ORGANIZATION (WWW.V8SHO.COM), I AM AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND IT'S MANY OCCURRENCES. THERE ARE NOW OVER 30 REPORTS OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM (WITH OCCURRENCES ON ANY ONE OF THE 4 CAMS), AND 14 REPORTED FAILURES IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2001 ALONE! THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AS THE SPROCKET IS MERELY "PRESSED" ONTO THE CAMSHAFT WITH NO OTHER MEANS OF ATTACHMENT. OVER TIME, THE CONNECTION WORKS LOOSE CAUSING THE OFFENDING CAMSHAFT TO SPIN FREELY, THUS ALLOWING THE VALVES TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE PISTONS, CAUSING COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO CATCH THIS ON MY ENGINE PRIOR TO COMPLETE FAILURE. MYSELF AND NUMEROUS OTHERS HAVE CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY WITH LITTLE SUCCESS ON THEIR OWNING UP TO THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER'S FIX IS USUALLY TO REPLACE THE CAMSHAFT(S) AT A COST OF $1080 EA., FOR PARTS ALONE! THAT IS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION AS THE OWNER IS STILL LEFT WITH A DESIGN FLAW, REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT IT'S A NEW CAMSHAFT. MY BILL WILL BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $2000+ AND THAT'S WITHOUT THE SPROCKET ACTUALLY COMING LOOSE! FORD NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS GROSSLY NEGLIGENT DESIGN FLAW!*AK