NHTSA Complaint #10030868 — 1999 FORD TAURUS

RE: 1999 FORD TAURUS: VIN # [XXX] MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 1999 FORD TAURUS FROM NORTH POINT FORD IN NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, ON FEB. 16, 2001. SINCE NOVEMBER 2002, WE HAVE HAD THE CAR AT TWO FORD DEALERSHIPS AND THREE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS TRYING TO GET THE HEATER FIXED. SO FAR IT HAS COST US $1,324.21. DURING THE MOST RECENT REPAIR, NORTH POINT FORD TOOK APART THE ENTIRE COOLANT SYSTEM, FLUSHED EACH COMPONENT AND FOUND RUST IN THE ENGINE BLOCK, WHICH THEY SAID WAS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. AT PRESENT, THE HEATER IS WORKING, BUT WE FEEL WE ARE DUE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY WHEN WE BOUGHT IT WITH 29,891 MILES. (THE CONTRACT STATES 28,890 AS THE DEALER DENIED OUR REQUEST TO LIST THE CORRECT MILEAGE.) WE PURCHASED AN EXTENDED "BUMPER TO BUMPER" WARRANTY AT A COST OF $1,733 AT NORTH POINT FORD. THE BIG SELLING POINT WAS THE WARRANTY WOULD COVER ALL MAJOR REPAIRS SUCH AS THE AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER SYSTEM. THE WARRANTY IS HANDLED THROUGH WARRANTECH AUTOMOTIVE, P.O. BOX 1179, BEDFORD, TX 76095. THE CONTRACT # IS 14747754; THE CONTRACT PLAN CODE IS CV60100UKD; THE SELLING DEALER CODE IS 718688 AND THE LOCAL AGENT CODE IS 183. HOWEVER, THE WARRANTY COMPANY HAS PAID VERY LITTLE TOWARD THE REPAIRS, CLAIMING THEY ARE "MAINTENANCE." I HAVE LOCATED SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE INTERNET. AMONG THEM IS #01-15-6 "HEATER CORE - REPEATED FAILURE" AND #01-11-6 "COOLING SYSTEM - CORROSION/CONTAMINATION/OVERHEATING." WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT ON THE 1999 TAURUSES, FORD SENT THE VEHICLES FROM THE FACTORY WITH A HIGHLY CORROSIVE COOLANT. THIS WOULD EXPLAIN THE SERVICE BULLETINS ON THE HEATER CORE FAILURE AND COOLANT SYSTEM CORROSION. [XXX] FROM THE FORD EXECUTIVE OFFICES CALLED AUG. 5 TO SAY FORD IS UNWILLING TO HELP AND I MUST TAKE UP THE FIGHT WITH THE WARRANTY COMPANY.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR