NHTSA Complaint #10000508 — 1993 FORD TAURUS

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT I AM EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED WITH MY 1993 FORD TAURUS. IT WAS PURCHASED ON JULY 8, 2000 FROM BRIARWOOD FORD IN ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN. IT HAD 37,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER OWNING IT FOR ONLY 40 DAYS, THE ENGINE BLEW ON MY WAY TO TENNESSEE. THE REPAIR SHOP CHECKED IT IN WITH ONLY 39,488 MILES ON IT. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE LONGBLOCK FOR A TOTAL OF $5532.27. LET ME GIVE YOU A BRIEF PICTURE OF MY SITUATION. I AM A WIDOW LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND A SMALL PENSION FROM MY FORMER HUSBAND??S EMPLOYER. I LIVE IN AN APARTMENT THAT IS BASED ON INCOME. I WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE THE CAR FOR $6957.00 WITH THE MONEY I RECEIVED WHEN MY MOTHER-IN-LAW PASSED AWAY. AFTER PAYING FOR THE REPAIRS, THE COST OF THE CAR BECAME $12,492.27. THIS AMOUNT WOULD HAVE PAID FOR A MUCH NEWER CAR, BUT I WAS TRYING TO SAVE SOME MONEY FOR LIVING EXPENSES. I HAVE GLAUCOMA, DIABETES AND OTHER MEDICAL PROBLEMS. DUE TO MY GLAUCOMA, I WILL NOT BE DRIVING MUCH LONGER AND AS IT STANDS I DON??T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR FOR ANY DISTANCE. I WOULD LOVE TO VISIT FRIENDS WHILE I CAN, BUT I ALSO CANNOT AFFORD TO REPAIR ANYTHING ELSE THAT MIGHT GO WRONG. ALL I AM ASKING FOR IS TO BE REIMBURSED WHAT IT COSTS ME TO REPAIR THE ENGINE. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH I PURCHASED THE CAR, THEY SAID IF IT HAD HAPPENED IN THE AREA, THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP. I FEEL THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. WHY SHOULD I BUY A CAR ONLY TO TRAVEL IN THE AREA OF THE DEALERSHIP. FORD HAS REPAIRED OVER 100 CARS DUE TO ENGINE PROBLEMS AND IN MARCH OF 2000 THEY PROMISED TO COMPENSATE ENGINE CLAIMS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. FORD ASSURED THAT CLAIMS WOULD BE MORE THOUGHTFULLY HANDLED. SINCE 1986, FORD TAURUS??S HAVE HAD SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS IN REGARDS TO ENGINE PROBLEMS, MULTIPLE SAFETY-RELATED RECALLS, SECRET WARRANTIES AND SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS. I HOPE THIS LETTER GETS TO THE CORRECT PERSON. IF YOU CAN NOT HELP ME, PLEASE TELL ME WHO CAN. TS