NHTSA Complaint #10049469 — 1998 FORD TAURUS

WHILE TRAVELLING TO WORK ON FRIDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 5, I HAD JUST ACCESSED INTERSTATE 65 NORTH AND HAD TRAVELLED ON IT FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES. I HAD REACHED MY NORMAL CRUISING SPEED OF 80 MPH WHEN I BEGAN TO CROSS THE BRIDGE OVER THE TENNESSEE RIVER. ON THE DOWNSIDE OF THE BRIDGE, I HAD NO WARNING WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY TRANSMISSION CEASED TO FUNCTION. DUE TO THE SPEED I WAS TRAVELLING, I WAS ABLE TO COAST UNTIL I EXITED THE BRIDGE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1/4 A MILE, I SAFELY PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND CAME TO A STOP. I PROCEEDED TO CHECK ALL THE GEARS TO DETERMINE IF THE TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY FAILED. UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAD. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THERE WAS NO NOISE, NO JERK, NO ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 135,000 MILES ON IT, AND I ENSURE THAT ROUTINE SERVICE IS PERFORMED ON IT. TWELVE MONTHS PRIOR, I HAD THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY SERVICED. THIS COMPLETE FAILURE CAME AS A SURPRISE TO ME AS NO WARNING SIGNS WERE EVIDENT. TODAY, I AM HAVING TO SHELL OUT $1600 FOR A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. THE COMPANY I HAVE PERFORMING THE REPAIRS IS KNOWN TO BE VERY REPUTIBLE AND TOLD ME THAT A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION AT OR JUST PRIOR TO THE ACTUAL FAILURE. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED VERY SIMILAR SITUATIONS. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS INDEED A FLAW IN THE FORD TAURUS TRANSMISSION SYSTEM.*AK