NHTSA Complaint #10168143 — 2005 FORD TAURUS

FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE UNTIL CURRENT THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE FOLD DEALERSHIP IN REGARDS TO A NOISE RADIATING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT DASH AREA. 8/4/06 MILEAGE 6,958. ACTION TAKEN: SERVICE ATTEMPTED TO FIX NOISE IN DASHBOARD BY PLACING A PIECE OF FOAM BETWEEN THE DASHBOARD AND WINDSHIELD. 8/8/06 MILEAGE 7,001. IT WAS 8/8/06. VEHICLE TAKEN IN FOR NOISE IN RIGHT SIDE OF DASHBOARD. FOAM IS SHOWING AND THIS WAS AT LEAST MY FOURTH TRIP IN FOR THIS PROBLEM. ACTION TAKEN: REPLACED RIGHT A TRIM, CHECKED PILLAR WELD. WINDSHIELD STRESS CRACK. REMOVED AIR BAG. INSPECTED AND SENT TO BODY SHOP FOR WELD WORK. 8/30/06 ACTION TAKEN: REMOVED UPPER DASH AND GARNISH TRIM, REPAIRED WELD BROKEN. 9/1/06 RETURNED TO LANDERS BODY SHOP TO PICK UP VEHICLE. THIS SAME DAY, AT 3:30 PM WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS WARMER OUTSIDE WHEN I LEFT MY OFFICE THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE. I DROVE DOWN TO LANDERS AUTO BODY AND GARY PATTERSON AND A WOMAN NAMED KAREN BOTH WENT FOR TEST DRIVES WITH ME. NEITHER SAID THEY COULD HEAR THE NOISE, EVEN THOUGH I COULD. THEY STATED ALL THEY COULD HEAR WAS ROAD NOISE. I MENTIONED THAT JOEY IN THE SERVICE DEPT. HAD HEARD THE NOISE ON PREVIOUS VISITS. THEY SENT ME OVER TO SERVICE AND JOEY WENT FOR A TEST DRIVE WITH ME AND JOEY DID HEAR THE NOISE. 9/12/06 - MET WITH FORD ZONE REPRESENTATIVE AND TOOK CAR FOR TEST DRIVE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT THE A PILLAR HAS "NO SAFETY IMPACT" WHEN I EXPRESSED I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE WELDING THAT HAD TO BE DONE ON MY VEHICLE. THE WINDSHIELD HAD STRESS FRACTURES IN IT AND THEY WELDED AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. I HAVE AN OPEN CASE WITH FORD IN REGARDS TO THE REPAIRS. MY INQUIRE IS ABOUT ANY SAFETY ISSUES THAT COULD BE INVOLVED WITH THE A PILLAR NOT BEING CORRECTLY WELDED. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED AND AM CURRENTLY WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM FORD. *JB