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

SECOND CAMSHAFT FAILURE WITHIN ONE YEAR. REPAIRING DEALER WAS REQUESTED TO CHECK VALVE TAP IN SEPTEMBER. ORIGINAL CHAMSHAFT REPAIR WAS DONE HOWEVER CAR CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE ENGINE PRESSURE AND TIMING PROBLEMS. REQUESTED SERVICE DEALER TO CHECK VALVE TAP IN SEPTEMBER 2001. DEALER REFUSED TO DO SERVICE, EXPLAINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS ABOVE THEIR HEADS. COMPLAINED NUMEROUS TIMES TO FORD CONCERNING REPAIR AND DEALER'S RESPONSE. DEALER NOW BELIEVES CAR NEEDS NEW ENGINE. INITIAL REPAIR WAS $3000 AND TOOK TWO MONTHS. FORD HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE FAILURE OF THE CAMSHAFT SPROCKETS FOR AT LEAST 3 YEARS. HOWEVER, NO ACTION HAS BEEN INITIATED TO REPAIR ALL PROBLEMS AT ONE TIME ONLY TO HANDLE EACH CAMSHAFT AFTER FAILURE RESULTING IN LARGE REPAIR BILL.

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