NHTSA Complaint #10170540 — 2003 FORD TAURUS

AS WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER 2003 TAURUS OWNERS, I ALSO HAVE WATER LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE COMPARTMENT FROM A DESIGN/MANUFACTURING FLAW. I ALSO REPLACED THE HEATER FAN WHICH I FOUND TO BE FULL OF WATER. I AM ALSO VERY, VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE IDEA THAT THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW AND FORD WON'T MAKE IT RIGHT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HAVING THEIR FEET HELD TO THE FIRE BY A GOVERNMENT AGENCY. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR HAS OCCASIONALLY DONE WHAT IS CALLED A "NEUTRAL DROP". WHILE STARTING OUT FROM A STOP IN "DRIVE", THE TRANSMISSION HAS (ON THREE OCCASIONS) NOT ENGAGED UNTIL THE ENGINE HAS REACHED ABOUT 2000 RPM. THE RESULTANT EFFECT FROM THIS SURPRISE ENGAGEMENT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS THE FEELING OF HAVING SOMEONE RUN INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED, TESTS WERE RUN WITH NO ERROR CODES FOUND FOR ANY TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONS. APPARENTLY THE COMPUTER'S MEMORY IS SELECTIVE. I USED TO HAVE A WIFE LIKE THAT. I'VE PURCHASED FIVE FORDS SINCE 1994 AND HAVE HAD SERIOUS DESIGN/MANUFACTURER PROBLEMS WITH ALL OF THEM. DO YOU THINK I'LL BUY ANOTHER ONE? I HAVE A LONG MEMORY, AND THAT'S IT FOR ME. *NM