NHTSA Complaint #10023769 — 1997 FORD TAURUS SHO

ON MORNING OF JUNE 13, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 8:00 AM, I STARTED MY CAR. THE CAR STARTED BUT MADE A CLICKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE BAY. I LOOKED TO SEE THE PROBLEM AND DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC FOR HIS INSPECTION. AT FIRST CHANCE OF INSPECTION ON JUNE 19TH THE MECHANIC ADVISED ME THAT THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE THE ENGINE AND I WOULD BE BETTER OF TO TAKE TO A FORD DEALER. I THAT TIME DROVE THE CAR TO PLACE OF PURCHASE, WHITMOYER FORD. ON FRIDAY THE 20TH, I WAS INFORMED MY WHITMOYER FORDS SERVICE (DAVE) THAT THE CAMSHAFT HAD SLIPPED AND HAD CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. ON JUNE 23RD I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY SERVICE (800-241-3673) AND ADVISED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. THE FORD MOTOR SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TOOK MY INFORMATION AND PROCEEDED TO READ ME A RESPONSE ALONG THE LINE: THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THUS NO ASSISTANCE WOULD BE PROVIDED IN REPAIRING OF THE CAR. I ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE SUPERVISOR AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUPERVISOR GUIDELINES WERE NOT ANY DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE PROVIDED. I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO THE SUPERVISOR ALTHOUGH I HAVE GOTTEN VOICE MAILS WITHOUT ANY NUMBER TO CALL. I HAVE RESEARCH MORE ON MY PROBLEM AT HTTP://WW2.V8SHO.COM/SHO/CHANGES.HTML AND HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THEY ALONE HAVE 268 CAMSHAFT FAILURES LIKE MINE LISTED. FROM WHAT I CAN DETERMINE THAT FORD MOTOR CO. HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE 1997 AND HAS NOT ADMITTED TO THE PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE FORD TO COVER FOR THE COST OF REPAIR OF ALL 4 CAMS IN THE ENGINE. THE BILL COULD BE AS GREAT AS $10,000 PER OCCURRENCE IF NOT REPAIRED AND PREVENTATIVE WORK PERFORMED. AS OF JUNE 25, 2003 FORD ZONE REP HAS NOT RETURNED PHONE CALLS OF WHITMOYER FORD. THE FOLLOWING WEB SITE HAS PDF FILES WHERE FORD HAS OFFERED, SOME ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE PA ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE, TO A CONSUMER BUT STILL FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM. *NLM