NHTSA Complaint #10080924 — 1996 FORD TAURUS

I BOUGHT A USED 1996 FORD TAURUS FROM A LOCAL FORD DEALER, BROCKPORT FORD, IN 1998. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN JULY OF 2000, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATED A HIGH TEMPERATURE. I PULLED OVER TO FIND THE CAR LEAKING COOLANT. I TOOK THE CAR TO VISION FORD AND THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE'S FREEZE PLUGS AS A COST OF $452. RECENTLY I HAD THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM, ONLY THIS TIME IT THE REPAIRS COST ME $907. I QUESTIONED TWO FAILURES OF THIS TYPE ON A RELATIVELY NEW CAR AND LOCATED NUMEROUS WEBSITES DEVOTED TO THIS SAME PROBLEM IN 1996 FORD TAURUS VEHICLES. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED NUMEROUS THERMOSTATS AND NOW MY HEATER CORE IS GOING. THIS IS ALL DUE TO A MANUFACTURING/ ENGINEERING DEFECT, WHICH CAUSES THE ANTIFREEZE TO TURN ACIDIC AND ATTACK THE ENGINE PARTS. THERE WAS A "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WARRANTY EXTENSION" ISSUED BY FORD FOR THIS KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT, BUT IT EXPIRED IN AUGUST OF 1999. AS THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, WHICH I FEEL IS A SAFETY CONCERN, I FEEL FORD SHOULD BE MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THERE SHOULD BE A MANDATED RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE. ALSO, WHEN I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, THE FORD DEALER SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE DEFECT AND SHOULD HAVE APPLIED THE REPAIR KIT AS SHOULD THE DEALER WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR BOTH REPAIRS. A DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE AWARE OF COMMON PROBLEMS WITH THEIR MODELS AND SHOULD COMMUNICATE THIS WITH THE OWNERS. *LA