NHTSA Complaint #10052846 — 1996 FORD TAURUS

WE HAD PURCHASED OUR 1996 FORD TAURUS IN JULY OF 1999 WITH 30,000 ON THE ODOMETER [XXX]. NOT LONG AFTER THIS I HAD THE COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHED AND, AT ABOUT 40,000 MILES THE HEATER CORE GOES OUT. AT A COST OF $600 WE HAD IT REPLACED. SINCE THEN THE HEATER CORE HAS BEEN REPLACED 7 TIMES; THE LAST TIME BEING JANUARY 9, 2004 WITH 75,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE FIRST TIME THE HEATER CORE HAD BEEN REPLACED IT WAS DONE BY OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS REPAIRED WITH A FORD PART. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE PART WOULD HAVE A 12 MONTH, 12,000 MILE WARRANTY, SO IF THE PART FAILS AGAIN IT WOULD BE COVERED BY FORD. THIS WAS A GOOD THING. THE PART ALWAYS FAILED BEFORE THE 12K MILES OR 12 MONTHS (NOTE: WE ALSO HAD THE RADIATOR REPLACED LAST SUMMER 2003 AT A COST OF $850). AFTER THIS LAST TIME IT WAS SUGGESTED BY THE DEALER THAT THEY WILL NO LONGER REPLACE IT, NOR WILL FORD. SINCE THIS CAR WAS MADE IT SEEMS, FROM WHAT I HAVE READ AND RESEARCHED THAT FORD HAD USED A DIFFERENT COOLANT WHICH AS CAUSED THESE PREMATURE FAILURES AND REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. FORD BLAMES IT ON ELECTROLYSIS; SAYING THAT IF THE COOLANT SYSTEM CONTAINS MORE THAN .4 VOLTS THAT IT CAN CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURE OF ANY PART OF THE COOLANT SYSTEM. I HAVE CHECKED THIS VOLTAGE EACH AND EVERY TIME BEFORE HAVING THE HEATER CORE REPLACED AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN BELOW .2 VOLTS. I DID NOT CHECK IT THIS TIME AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY MEASURED .7 VOLTS!? I PERSONALLY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ELECTROLYSIS IS OR HAS EVER BEEN THE PROBLEM. FORD REFUSES TO DO ANY THING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM REGARDLESS OF THE CAUSE. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT WE BUY ANOTHER CAR; THIS WAS NOT IN OUR PLANS BECAUSE THE CAR WILL BE PAID OFF IN JULY OF 2004; MY WIFE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO NOT HAVING ANY MORE CAR PAYMENTS. SO MUCH FOR QUALITY IS JOB ONE! PLEASE NOTE: THE FORD DEALER HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM THANKS TO NO HELP FROM FORD.*AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)