1996 Ford Taurus

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME FROM WORK, WHEN HER TIRE EXPLODED. SHE CALLED CRYING AND VERY SHOOK UP. WHEN I ARRIVED THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR WAS ON THE GROUND. APPARENTLY THE COIL SPRING SHOT OFF THE STRUT ASSY AND PUNCTURED THE INNER SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE. FORTUNATELY SHE WASN'T DRIVING TOO FAST AND WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL INCIDENT! UPON LOOKING ON THE INTERNET FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SITUATION, I LEARNED THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH FORD TAURUS AND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR ONLY NEWER MODELS OF THE SAME VEHICLE. WHY IS THE SAME PROBLEM ONLY RECALLED WITH ONLY CERTAIN YEAR OF MAKES???? WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THIS COULD'VE HAPPENED. I EVEN CHECKED FOR RECALLS FOR THIS CAR ONLINE. IF I WAS INFORMED OF THIS RECALL, THEN I WOULD'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC TO PUT GUARDS ON THE COIL SPRINGS WITH MY OWN MONEY, BECAUSE A LIFE IS WAY MORE IMPORTANT THAN MONEY OR A PRODUCT. PLEASE REALIZE THAT THIS COULD'VE BEEN VERY VERY BAD AND COULD HAPPENED TO ANYONE. *TR

ON 6/13/2006 I PURCHASED A SET OF FOUR NEW P205-65R-15 WYNSTAR TIRES FROM A LOCAL TIRE STORE AND HAD THEM INSTALLED. IN LESS THAN 3 MONTHS, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WITH LESS THAN 3000 MILES ON IT. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 35-40 MPH, IN THE RAIN. THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE UPPER 50'S F. I PUT THE SPARE ON AND RETURNED THE TIRE TO THE RETAILER ON 9/5/06 FOR WARRANTY. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE OF THE SAME BRAND. ON 5-23-2007 THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WENT FLAT AGAIN, BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE RETAILER FOR REPAIR, THEY TRIED TO PATCH IT, BUT IT DID NOT WORK, SO THEY PUT A TUBE IN IT. A TUBE SHOULD NOT BE NECESSARY IN A NEW TIRE. IT IS COMPENSATING FOR SOME TYPE OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT. NOW ON 7-5-2007, ANOTHER TIRE IS FLAT, THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THESE TIRES. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THE PREVIOUS TIRES WERE 5 YEARS OLD, WITH 70,000 MILES AND NEVER WERE OFF OF THE RIM FOR REPAIR. I HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT IS DRIVEN TO THE SAME PLACES AS THIS VEHICLE, (DIFFERENT BRAND OF TIRES) AND IT DOES NOT EXPERIENCE ANY TIRE FAILURES. BOTH VEHICLES ARE PARKED IN THE SAME DRIVEWAY. THE RETAILER IS OF NO HELP, HE SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THESE TIRES. THE FACTS SEEM TO TELL A DIFFERENT STORY. *AK

THE 1996 TAURUS THAT I DRIVE HAD A THUD/CLANKING NOISE UNDER THE FLOOR BOARDS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. REPLACED BRAKES, AND WHILE THE CAR WAS JACKED UP I FOUND EXTREME RUST THROUGH ON THE PASSENGER'S REAR ON THE SUBFRAME CARRIAGE AND CARRIAGE BOLT. THIS CAR WAS NO LONGER BEING DRIVEN. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 115,000 MILES ON IT. THIS SHOULD NOT BE ROTTED OUT. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT ANY REPAIRS WE NOT COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY OR RECALL, AND THAT THEY HAVE LETTERS FROM FORD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THIS WAS ONLY COVERED THROUGH THE 1995 MODEL YEAR.*AK

WHEN IN GEAR MY 1996 TAURUS'S POWER WINDOWS AND RADIO WILL NOT OPERATE. THEY WILL OPERATE IN NEUTRAL OR PARK. WHEN IN GEAR THE SEAT BELT LIGHT FLASHES ON. THE STEERING BECOMES TIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENS, ALMOST AS IF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. WHEN THE IGNITION MODULE DIED, THE OTHER PROBLEMS STOPPED FOR THE MOST PART. I NOTICE OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS.

MY 96 FORD TAURUS GL HAS THE FOLLOWING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, RADIO GOES OUT, SEAT BELT LIGHT FLASHES AND CLICKS, INTERMITTENT WIPERS FAIL, POWER WINDOWS FAIL, FINALLY POWER STEERING LOCKS UP,AND WHEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP, CAUSING SAFETY CONCERNS. IF PUT IN PARK EVERYTHING GOES BACK WORKING AS NORMAL. TOOK TO SHOP AND THEY SAY IT'S THE TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR AND THAT SEVERAL 96 TAURUS' THEY HAVE WORKED ON HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM....I AM WONDERING WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL PART IF THAT IS THE CASE...SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY WRONG! *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF PARK AND ALMOST ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO A DITCH. THE VEHICLE HIT A CULVERT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE SUSPENSION. THE DRIVER AND INFANT PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL #96V176000 REGARDING THE POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, DUE TO THE VIN.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, A CLICKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT END,AND ALSO HAD STEERING DIFFICULTIES. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST AUTO REPAIR SHOP WHERE A CERTIFIED MECHANIC DETERMINED THE TWO FRONT COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, AND INFORMED THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED, AND COINCIDED WITH THE DEALERSHIP INFORMATION. THE CONTACT WAS VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THE MECHANIC INFORMED ABOUT INCIDENTS WHERE THE TIRE WAS PUNCTURED BY THE FRACTURED COIL AND THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. UPDATED 1/19/2007 - *NM