1998 Ford Taurus

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT COILS SPRING FAILED AND DAMAGED THE FRONT TIRES. THERE WAS A RECALL # 04V332000 CONCERNING SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 62,257.*AK

TODAY, FEB. 26,2007 I WAS SUMMONED BY THE MECHANIC WHERE I WAS GETTING THE OIL CHANGED. WHILE DOING THE SAFETY INSPECTION HE SHOWED ME THAT THE FRONT END SUPPORT RAILS OF THE CAR WHICH HOLDS THE ENGINE ARE RUSTING THROUGH! THE WHOLE CRADLE IS IN DANGER OF BREAKING OFF DUE TO THE RUST. THIS WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION HE TOLD ME NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL IT GETS FIXED! THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE STEEL I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. *NM

WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. I GOT OUT TO INVESTIGATE NOTHING WAS BLOCKING THE TIRES. I THEN PULLED THE CAR FORWARD AND HEARD A BANG. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT DUE TO THE FRONT SUSPENSION (SPRING). WHEN THE TOW TRUCK CAME (AAA) HE SAID HE HAS SEEN "MANY" TAURUS' THAT THIS HAPPENS TO. I AM GLAD I WAS NOT ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED...*NM

MY DOOR AJAR LIGHTS KEEP COMING ON EVEN THOUGH THE DOORS ARE ALL SHUT. SOMETIMES I AM ABLE TO OPEN AND CLOSE A DOOR AND THE LIGHT WILL GO OUT, BUT OTHER TIMES THE LIGHT STAYS ON NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. THE DOME LIGHT WILL STAY ON DUE TO THIS AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE BULB OUT IN ORDER TO DRIVE ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR QUITE AWHILE NOW AND NO ONE IS ABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AND TWO BATTERIES WHICH I BELIEVE TO BE CAUSED FROM THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A DEFECT SINCE THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE AND IF SO WILL THE DEALER FIND AND FIX THE PROBLEM AT NO COST TO ME? *JB

1998 FORD TAURUS WITH 68000 MILES. FRONT DRIVERS SIDE COIL SPRING FRACTURED. ONE FULL BROKEN COIL STILL ON STRUT. DAMAGED RACK AND PINION STEERING UNIT. ONLY FOUND PROBLEM AFTER HAD LOOKED AT FOR LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID. APPARENTLY COIL FAILURE PULLED RACK APART ON END. RECALL FOR 1999-2001 ISSUED NHTSA #04V332/FORD RECALL 04S17. SEE OTHER WEBSITES WITH PEOPLE WITH 1998 MODEL YEAR HAVING SAME PROBLEM. WHY WASN'T RECALL EXTENDED TO 1998 MODEL YEAR? OR WAS IT? CAR IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND NEVER IN ACCIDENT OF ANY KIND. OBVIOUSLY THE DESCRIPTION IN THE RECALL FITS MY SITUATION. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY TO 20 MPH WHILE IN REVERSE WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION. THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION WAS PUT IN REVERSE TO BACK INTO A PARKING SPOT WHEN FULL ACCELERATION ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER AN EMBANKMENT AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING AFTER THE COLLISION UNTIL THE CONTACT SHUT THE IGNITION OFF. THE THROTTLE CONTROL WAS NOT CONTROLLABLE WITH BRAKING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTRACTED THE 3 INJURED PASSENGERS FROM THE REAR WINDOW. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. UPDATED 09/15/06. *JB