1998 Ford Taurus

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

I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM THIS COMPANY. I EXPECT THAT ALL PARTS BE IN SAFE WORKING CONDITION... I WAS IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT JUNE 3, 2005 IN WHICH WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH MY CAR STRUCK THE SIDE OF A FORD TRUCK THAT HAD PULLED OUT PERPENDICULAR INTO MY LANE. MY CAR WAS WEDGED BENEATH THE TRUCK AND THE FRONT END WAS DEMOLISHED WHILE THE DASH HAS EVIDENCE OF MOVING BACK AS WELL INCLUDING THE BRUISES ON MY KNEES AND LEG. MY CAR WAS DETERMINED "TOTALED" AND I AM IN THERAPY FOR MY INJURIES TO INCLUDE PORTIONS OF MY BODY FROM HEAD TO TOE. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY!!! THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD TO ME IN LESS THAN SAFE DRIVING CONDITION AS THE AIRBAG WAS ONE OF MANY REASONS I AGREED TO BUY THE CAR. FORD SHOULD NOT ALLOW THE RESALE OF THEIR PRODUCT UNLESS IT IS SAFE. *NM

NO HEAT. TOOK OUR 1998 FORD TAURUS 6CYL.,3.0L,182FI VEHICLE TO DEALER WITH COMPLAINT OF NO HEAT. I AM TOLD FROM THE FORD SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THERE IS RUST IN THE COOLANT SYSTEM CAUSED BY A METAL ALLERGY REACTION FROM THE WATER PUMP IMPELLER BLADE AND THE ANTIFREEZE COOLANT IN THE SYSTEM WHICH CAUSE RUST THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE, FREEZE PLUGS, HEATER CORE, THERMOSTAT AND EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT/BREAKDOWN DUE TO LACK OF WATER/COOLANT CIRCULATION. FORD ANSWER: REPLACE WATER PUMP WITH UPGRADED WATER PUMP, FLUSH SYSTEM WITH ANTI-RUST CHEMICALS, REPLACE FREEZE PLUGS, REPLACE HEATER CORE, HOSES, THERMOSTAT AND REFILL WITH ANTI-FREEZE COOLANT AT A COST OF @ $1700.00. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON IT SINCE I'VE OWN IT 10/1999, IE. OIL CHANGES @5000K MI., COOLANT FLUSH @1/YR., BRAKES & TIRES CHECK/SERVICE @5000K MI. I BELIEVE FORD KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM OR THEY WOULDN'T HAVE UPGRADED THE WATER PUMP TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AND I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART AND RELATED COMPONENTS. *NM

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

THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. 2 CODE READ INTERNAL PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION - FOURTH GEAR AND SOLENOID. CODE WAS CLEARED BUT CAME BACK A WEEK LATER. HAD TRANSMISSION REBUILT TO THE AMOUNT OF OVER $3200. BOUGHT 1998 FORD TAURUS USED IN 2001 WITH 52000 MILES - NOW 91400. JUST WANTED TO MAKE OTHER CONSUMERS AWARE OF THIS COSTLY PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD NO OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE 4 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. *NM

DT: 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONSUMER STATES THE SPEED SENSOR GOES OUT. THE VEHICLE WILL DOWN SHIFT WHILE GOING 70 MPH. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INSIST IT IS AN OWNER'S PROBLEM, NOT A VEHICLE PROBLEM. THEY INDICATE THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. HE HAS HAD ALL OF THE SENSORS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE STILL BEHAVES POORLY. THIS PROBLEM STARTED TWO WEEKS AGO ON AUGUST 1, 2005. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A LOCAL MECHANIC. FORD REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OR GIVE THE CONSUMER $500 FOR THE VEHICLE.*AK

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.