NHTSA Complaint #10185356 — 1999 FORD TAURUS

DRIVING OUR 99 FORD TAURUS WHEN WE HAD A SUDDEN BLOWOUT AND SAGGING ON THE LEFT FRONT. THE STRUT SPRING HAD RUPTURED, ALSO PUNCTURING THE TIRE. NEW FRONT STRUTS AND TIRES TOTALLED OVER $1100. LUCKILY, WE WERE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED WHEN THIS OCCURED. ONE MONTH LATER I DISCOVER THAT FORD HAD RECALLED VEHICLES INCLUDING OUR TYPE FOR THAT VERY PROBLEM. WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED. THE FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS PERSON (JASMINE) SAID THAT BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE A 'PROFILE' ON US, WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED. WE HAVE LIVED AT THE SAME ADDRESS SINCE 1991 AND HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR YEARS. ANY SECRETARY OF STATE OFFICE WOULD HAVE HAD OUR INFO, YET NO GENUINE NOTIFICATION ATTEMPT WAS MADE. I LEARNED THAT FORD EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THAT PROBLEM BUT THE TIME AND/OR MILEAGE ON OUR CAR NOW SLIGHTLY EXCEEDED THE LIMIT. I PHONED THE NHTSA ROUGHLY 3 WEEKS AGO. A LADY TOOK DOWN MY COMPLAINT AND STATED THAT SOMEONE WOULD CONTACT ME BY PHONE OR EMAIL. I HAVE RECEIVED NEITHER. I EMAILED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MY REPLY WAS THAT THERE WAS NO PENDING ACTIONS OR ADJUSTMENTS REGARDING MY VEHICLE. WHEN THIS PROBLEM FIRST SURFACED FORD APPARENTLY TOOK THE EAST WAY OUT AND ONLY NOTIFIED PEOPLE THEY HAD ON RECORD AS OWNERS. IF NOTIFIED, I WOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY HAD THEM REPAIR THE CAR. NO NOTIFICATION, NO REPAIR AND OUR WELL- BEING WAS PUT IN DANGER AS A RESULT. WE WERE NOT HURT BUT I WOULD LIKE FORD TO LIVE-UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AND COVER THE DAMAGE COST AS SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE CASE ANYWAY. I WOULD LIKE YOUR INPUT ON THIS BEFORE I PROCEED FURTHUR. PLEASE ADVISE. THANK YOU. AL MANENTE.