NHTSA Complaint #10106350 — 1997 FORD TAURUS SHO

ON DECEMBER 21, 2004 MY 1997 FORD TAURUS SHO BEGAN MAKING A TICKING NOISE. TWO DAYS (AND ABOUT 20 MILES) LATER, THE LEFT EXHAUST CAMSHAFT SPROCKET FAILED, CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL AND NOT RESTART. AS A RESULT OF THE SPROCKET SLIPPING, THE NO. 5 CYLINDER'S PISTON WAS CRACKED DUE TO COMING IN CONTACT WITH AN OPEN VALVE (THIS IS AN INTERFERENCE ENGINE). 15,000 MILES AGO, THE LEFT INTAKE CAMSHAFT SPROCKET FAILED, RESULTING IN A $2900.00 REPAIR BILL FROM A FORD DEALERSHIP. UNABLE TO AFFORD THE COST OF SUCH A REPAIR AT THIS TIME (NOT TO MENTION UNWILLING TO DEAL WITH THE SAME FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT WANTED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS HARDLY EVER HAPPENS AND THAT I MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO CAUSE IT THE FIRST TIME), I OPTED TO ATTEMPT THE PROCEDURE MYSELF. AFTER FINDING AND REMOVING THE FAULTY CAMSHAFT, I THOUGHT MY PROBLEMS WERE SOLVED UNTIL I CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS. THE NO. 5 CYLINDER PLUG WAS COVERED IN OIL, WHICH MEANS THERE IS A BAD PISTON/RING, AND MOST LIKELY VALVES. I AM CONSIDERING MY OPTIONS TO REPAIR OR PART THE CAR OUT NOW. I BELIEVE THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY BY FORD DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUES THAT WILL ARISE WHEN THIS HAPPENS TO SOMEONE ON A FREEWAY. THE LOSS OF POWER BRAKES AND STEERING THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A STALLED ENGINE COULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THROUGH TRAFFIC TO A "SAFE" SPOT ON THE SHOULDER. THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION ON THIS ISSUE AT WWW.V8SHO.COM (IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE SO MANY REGISTERED FAILURES WITHOUT THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF A PROBLEM BY FORD). *JB