1998 Ford Taurus

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

GOT BLOWOUT SO HAD 2 NEW TIRES PUT ON FRONT OF VEHICLE. DROVE 1/2 MILE DOWN ROAD GOT ANOTHER BLOWOUT ON BUSY HIGHWAY. WE WERE ABLE TO GET OFF ROAD SAFELY AND PUT SPARE (DOUGHNUT TIRE) ON AND RETURN TO WHERE WE HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON. WHEN THEY CHECKED AFTER REMOVING TIRE THEY FOUND THE COIL SPRING ON DRIVERS SIDE WAS BROKEN AND HAD PUNCTURED TIRE. WE NOW HAVE THE SPARE STILL ON VEHICLE AS WE CAN NOT AFFORD THE REPAIRS RIGHT NOW. *LA

WHILE TRYING TO BACK OUT OF OUR GARAGE, THE FRONT LEFT SPRING COIL IN OUR 1998 FORD TAURUS BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE, CAUSING A BLOW OUT. IN RESEARCHING THE NHTSA WEBSITE I LEARNED THAT THE 1993 FORD TAURUS, 1998 FORD CONTOUR, AND 1998 MERCURY MYSTIQUE WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO FOUND A COMPLAINT INDICATING THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE 1998 AND 1999 FORD TAURUS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM, AND I FEEL FORTUNATE THE INCIDENT DID NOT OCCUR, AS IN OTHER REPORTED CASES, WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE DEALER AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY WERE INFORMED OF HIS PROBLEM BUT HAVE MADE NO EFFORTS TO CONTACT ME REGARDING THIS SAFETY ISSUE. ALSO, I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE WE HAD REPORTED EXCESSIVE VIBRATION OF STEERING WHEEL AND WOBBLING OF THE CAR TO THE DEALER IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER OF 2003 BUT WERE TOLD THAT OUR BRAKES WERE OUT OF ROUND. THIS MAKES NO SENSE TO US, AS THE PROBLEM OCCURRED NOT ONLY WHEN BRAKING, BUT ALSO AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND WHEN ACCELERATING. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS MISDIAGNOSED AND PUT OUR SAFETY AT RISK. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS PROBLEM, AS I HAVE CONCERN FOR OTHERS DRIVING THE 1998 FORD TAURUS. I WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE SOME ASSURANCE THAT OUR CAR IS NOW SAFE- I HAVE READ THAT IN OTHER SITUATIONS A SHIELD WAS INSTALLED TO PREVENT A BROKEN SPRING FROM MAKING CONTACT WITH THE TIRE IN THE FUTURE. I HAVE KEPT MY REPAIR RECEIPTS AND AM HOPING THAT THIS WILL BE TREATED AS A RECALL AND RESULT IN REIMBURSEMENT FOR MY EXPENSES.*AK

OUR COUNTY AGENCY PURCHASED TWO FORD TAURUS VEHICLES NEW, IN 1998 AND 1999. AT THE END OF FEBRUARY 2003 WITHIN ONE WEEK OF EACH OTHER THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. IN RESEARCH I HAVE DISCOVERED THERE WERE RECALLS IN 1998 ON THE 1993 FORD TAURUS AND IN 2001 ON THE 1998 FORD CONTOUR AND MERCURY MYSTIQUE, HOWEVER I SEE NO RECALLS CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE 1998 AND 1999 FORD TAURUS. I WOULD APPRECIATE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS CONCERN WITH THE 1998 AND 1999 FORD TAURUS. I BELIEVE THERE IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE COIL SPRINGS ON THESE VEHICLES AS WELL. THANK YOU. *JB

ROTOR SERVICE ON FRONT END OF VEHICLE ONCE EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TIRES SHAKING, CLUNKING NOISE IN FRONT WHEELS WHEN TURNING, AND SQUEAKING NOISE IN REAR END WHEN BRAKING. THE HEATER AND DEFROSTER MAKE A BUZZING NOISE, THE BRAKES PULSATE. THE REAR RIGHT BRAKE AND ROTORS FAILED. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE MAKES A BUZZING NOISE WHEN START. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. THE DRIVER DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO BATTERY FAILURE. *YH

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SPEEDS UP AND CANNOT SLOW DOWN WHEN PRESSING DOWN ON BRAKES. THIS MAY CAUSE A CRASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, BUT DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK THE LEFT FRONT DRIVE WHEEL MAKES ROARING NOISE. THE VEHICLE ALSO TRYS TO PULL OFF WHEN BRAKING TO STOP. THE DEALER NEITHER CAN FIX IT NOR TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK. *YH