1998 Ford Taurus

ON APRIL 24, 2006, I EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOW-OUT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN KEENE AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A BROKEN FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING. THE TOW DRIVER HAD INFORMED ME OF A RECALL FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS FOR 1999 TAURUS. MY CAR IS A 1998. I HAD TO REPLACE 2 FRONT TIRES BECAUSE OF THIS AND A SPRING. THE BILL TOTALED $537.78. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS LOOKED INTO. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, HE REALIZED HE HAD A FLAT TIRE. THE CONTACT CHANGED THE TIRE, REPLACING IT WITH THE SPARE TIRE. WHEN HE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT TIRE SHOP THEY FOUND THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE WHICH PUNCTURED THE FRONT TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT THE DEALERSHIP. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COIL SPRINGS, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. UPDATED 01/19/06. *JB UPDATED 02/22/06. *JB

WHILE BACKING OUT OF OUR GARAGE, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW. THE TIRE WAS SLICED ALL AROUND ON THE INSIDE AND WAS IN TWO PIECES. THIS VEHICLE HAS 4 NEW TIRES AND I THOUGHT THE TIRE HAD TO BE A DEFECT. A LOCAL GARAGE CAME TO MY HOUSE TO CHANGE IT WITH A SPARE STUDDED TIRE THAT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. I DROVE 2 FEET WHEN THAT TIRE BLEW. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT WASN'T THE TIRES. I HAD TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED TO A GARAGE. THE MECHANIC HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION SPRING COIL AND STRUT MOUNT. HE ALSO REPLACED THE LEFT ONE; IT WAS ABOUT READY TO SNAP. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND NOTICED THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAD RECALLS ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRINGS FOR THE 1997 AND 1999 VEHICLES, BUT NOT 1998. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR ANY RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE YEAR, AS THEY HAD RECALLS ON THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND YEAR AFTER. THERE WASN'T ANY CONCERN AT ALL AND NO RECALLS; NOW I AM STUCK WITH A BILL OF $489.71. LUCKILY I WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 MPH OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC. *JB

WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE AND MY TIRE SUDDENLY WENT FLAT. REMOVED THE TIRE AND SAW THAT RIGHT COIL SPRING BROKE PUNCTURING THE ENTIRE INNER SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO FIRST SAID THAT ALL EXPENSES WOULD BE COVERED INCLUDING THE TIRE DUE FORD'S RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR TAURUS. THEN THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE IT'S A 1998 TAURUS. IT IS PLAIN TO SEE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE COIL SPRING. THIS IS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM THE THE 1999 -2001 FORD TAURUS' RECALL. I'M SURPRISED THAT FORD WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR 1998 MODELS.

FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE TWICE IN SIX MONTHS ON 1998, FORD, TAURUS. I LOOKED UP RECALL INFORMATION ON THE FORD WEB SITE. I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON 1999-2001 FOR THE COIL SPRINGS BREAKING. SO I CALLED CUSTOMER SUPPORT LINE AND EXPLAINED WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO,THEY WOULD PUT IN A COMPLAINT. SO I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS ABOUT IF IM DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR AND MY TIRE EXPLODES WOULD THEY WORRY ABOUT IT. THEN?THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO,I HAVE TO JUST KEEP GETTING IT FIXED, AND WAIT AND SEE IF A RECALL COMES OUT. SO I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT YOU PEOPLE COULD DO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THAT I'M HAVING WITH FORD. THANK YOU. *AK

13 MARCH 2005, PULLING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY, RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT SUDDENLY FLAT. REMOVAL OF THE TIRE SHOWED THAT THE SPRING ON THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT BROKE, PUNCTURING THE TIRE. LOOKING AT THE FRACTURE ZONE IT APPEARS THAT CORROSION HAD STARTED AT A DEFECT IN THE STEEL, CREATING A CRACK THAT EVENTUALLY YIELDED TO THE APPLIED STRESS AND FAILED. LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE THE PROBLEM IN 1999 TAURUSES IDENTIFIED IN NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 04V332000.*AK

TOOK 1998 FORD TAURUS (DURATEC 3.0) IN FOR COOLING SYSTEM FLUSH AND TRANSMISSION FLUSH. WITH ONLY 54,000 MILES, I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND A REAR STABILIZER BAR WAS BROKEN, AND A FRONT AXLE SEAL WAS LEAKING. THOSE ARE CLEARLY MATERIALS DEFECTS, AS WE TAKE EXPERT CARE OF THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH ROTORS SINCE WE DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT. THE POOR QUALITY ROTORS THE FACTORY INSTALLS ON THESE CARS CONTRIBUTES TO WARPING, WHICH WOULD BE NOTICEABLE BY A PULSING WHEN BRAKING FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS.*AK