1997 Ford Taurus

(1) INTERMITTENTLY, RADIO TURNED OFF WHEN BACKING UP OR DURING FORWARD TURN. (2) WHILE DRIVING, SEATBELT LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING WITH SEAT BELT FASTENED, THEN POWER STEERING FAILED AND RADIO TURNED OFF SIMULTANEOUSLY (3) VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC WHO ONE MONTH PREVIOUSLY FIXED SAME PROBLEM ON 1997 TAURUS BY CHANGING THE PARK-NEUTRAL SWITCH. *AK

IN JUNE OF 2003 I BOUGHT MY 1997 FORD TAURUS WITH ONLY 97,000 MILES, FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP. IN SEPT. OF 2003 IT BEGAN TO LEAK TRANSMISSION FLUID AND SO I GOT THAT FIXED AND THEN IN OCTOBER I WENT TO BACK OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AND MY CAR WOULDN'T GO. I WAS ABLE TO PUSH IT OUT AND FOUND OUT THATIT WOULD STILL GO FOWARD. I DROVE IT TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE DOWN THE ROAD TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING TIGHTENED AND I COULDN'T TURN. NOW MY CAR DOESN'T RUN AT ALL. IT IS THE FIRST AND ONLY CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED.*AK

I HAVE ADVISED FORD MOTOR CO OF A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION IDENTICAL TO CONDITION FOUND IN RECALL # 97V-097NSA-111PAW, FORD # 97S75. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING FROM THE SERVO COVER IS CAUSED BY THE COVER BECOMING PERFORATED BY RUST. THIS ON A 1997 FORD TAURUS WHICH HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF BUT DRIVEN IN VERMONT & NEW HAMPSHIRE WHERE SALT IS USED DURING WINTER SNOWS. FORD MOTOR CO DECLINED ANY PARTICIPATION BECAUSE MY CAR DOESN'T FALL INTO THE PRODUCTION CATEGORY OF THE RECALL. THE SYMPTOMS AND LEAKING OF OIL AGAINST THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR WHEN DRIVING ARE THE SAME AS THOSE DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. TO THIS END, THE FIRST RUST THROUGH PROBLEM OCCURED WITH THE OIL COOLER LINE WHICH RUSTED OUT PREVIOUSLY AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED. JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO THE METAL TUBE FROM THE HEATER TO THE REAR OF THE ENGINE BEGAN LEAKING FROM RUSTOUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I ASSURE YOU THIS CAR IS NO "RUST BUCKET" I AM A FULLY CERTIFIED (IN ALL SUBJECTS) NIASE MECHANIC AND KNOW WHEREFROM I SPEAK. THERE ARE A LOT OF THESE TAURUS MODELS OPERATING IN NEW ENGLAND AND I'M CERTAIN MINE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THESE RUST PROBLEMS. THE VIN # [XXX] TRANSMISSION DATA PLATE: [XXX] OIL PAN READS: AXOD METRIC ENGINE: 3.0L DATE OF MANUFACTURE: 8/97. *JB UPDATED 08/03/2012 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES A NOISE WHEN I TURN RIGHT AT TIMES. I HAVEN?T HAD IT FIXED YET. SOMETIMES MY WINDOW ON THE DRIVERS FRONT WON?T ROLL DOWN. IT HASN?T BEEN FIXED. THE CAR WOULDN?T GO FORWARD WHEN YOU HAD TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN FIXED. THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON HAD TO BE CHANGED. I COULDN?T DRIVE IT FURTHER AS IT WOULDN?T GO FORWARD AFTER I STOPPED.

I AM SENDING A COPY OF A LETTER I SENT TO VARIOUS NEWS STATIONS AND AGENCIES. IT?S IN REGARD TO A PROBLEM THAT AROSE CONCERNING MY FORD CAR. I PURCHASED A 1997 FORD TAURUS IN MARCH 1997 FROM SPRINGFIELD FORD IN DELAWARE COUNTY. THE CAR CAME WITH A 3-YEAR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY. IN MARCH OF 2000 I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THREE MORE YEARS AT THE COST OF $1,000. IN JULY 2000, WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND HAD TO BE OVERHAULED. IF I "DIDN'T" PURCHASE THE WARRANTY IT WOULD HAVE COST ME IN EXCESS OF $2,000. WELL, THE EXTENDED WARRANTY RAN OUT ON 3-31-03. ON 5-21-03 THE TRANSMISSION WENT AGAIN. IT IS GOING TO COST $2,800 TO REPLACE. THE CAR IS SIX YEARS OLD AND HAS LESS THEN 50,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL CERTIFIED MECHANICS THAT ALL AGREE THAT THIS SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPEN. EITHER FORD CO. HAS A BAD TRANSMISSION FOR THIS TYPE TAURUS OR THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. WHEN I CONTACTED FORD H.Q. THEY HADN?T HEARD OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. AND SPRINGFIELD FORD SAID THERE?S NOTHING THEY CAN DO, EVEN AFTER I MENTIONED WE HAVE BOUGHT THREE CARS IN SIX YEARS FROM THEM, IT REALLY DIDN'T MATTER. IN CONCLUSION, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I HAVE FIVE KIDS AT HOME AND REALLY DON?T HAVE $2,800 LYING AROUND. IF THIS IS THE WAY ONE OF AMERICA?S BIGGEST CORPORATIONS STANDS BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS, WELL NOW I KNOW WHY PEOPLE ARE BUYING IMPORTED CARS AND FROM NOW ON MYSELF AND MY FAMILY WILL BE ONE OF THEM. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, ANY HELP OR FEEDBACK YOU COULD GIVE ME A CALL WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. SINCERELY, [XXX] PHONE # HOME- [XXX]\T# WORK- [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR