NHTSA Complaint #10118613 — 1999 FORD TAURUS SHO

EXPERIENCED A CAMSHAFT RELATED ENGINE FAILURE AT 70 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE OF A MAJOR INTERSTATE. VEHICLE HAD TO TAKE EMERGENCY ACTION TO CROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO THE SHOULDER WHILE THE ENGINE WAS OFF AND NO POWER ASSIST WAS AVAILABLE TO BRAKES OR STEERING. VEHICLE HAD BEEN OPERATING FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES OF CITY DRIVING AND 1 HOUR OF HIGHWAY SPEEDS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER SHOWED ME THAT THE FAILURE WAS THE EXACT SAME CONDITION REPORTED ON WWW.V8SHO.COM. THERE OVER 530 DOCUMENTED CASES OF CAMSHAFT TO SPROCKET SPLEEN FAILURES WHERE THE PISTONS THEN IMPACT STATIONARY VALVES AND DESTROY THE MOTOR. THE DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER RECOMMENDED I CONTACT FORD ENGINEERING TO ADVISE THEM OF THE FAILURE SINCE IT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE A MAINTENANCE OR WEAR RELATED ISSUE. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH A JUNK YARD MOTOR AT A COST OF OVER $6000 SINCE THE PISTONS AND VALVES HAD DESTROYED THE ENGINE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO SERVICE BULLETINS, CONTACT FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR EVEN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE NO NEW FACTORY ENGINES AVAILABLE AND 3RD PARTY MOTORS WERE TWICE THE BLUE BOOK VALUE OF THE CAR.*AK PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE SCOPE OF THIS PROBLEM AND REQUIRE THE MANUFACTURER TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS ENGINEERING FLAW. THIS FAILURE IS A CATASTROPHIC ONE THAT DESTROYS AN ENGINE AND IS CERTAINLY SOLVABLE IF ADDRESSED EARLY ENOUGH. MY FAMILY WAS MOST FORTUNATE THAT THIS PROBLEM DID NOT CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.