NHTSA Complaint #10185671 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

MY 2002 FORD TAURUS SE WAS PARKED WHEN I WENT TO PULL OUT OF THE SPACE, THE CAR MADE LOUD SNAPPING SOUNDS AND WAS JOLTED, THEN WOULD NOT MOVE PROPERLY. I GOT OUT TO CHECK AND THE DRIVER' S SIDE FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. PUT ON THE SPARE TIRE, AND FOUND A LARGE GASH CUT INTO THE INNER WALL OF THE FLAT TIRE. FOUND OUT THAT A BROKEN COIL SPRING DESTROYED THE TIRE. CONTACTED TWO FORD DEALERS AS WELL AS THEIR NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE 2002 TAURUS, AND THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO COMPENSATE ME FOR THE REPAIRS, ALTHOUGH I STATED SEVERAL TIMES THAT THIS WAS A COMMON AND TOO WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE TAURUS. I HAVE YET TO PAY THE REPAIR BILL, BUT KNOW IT WILL BE AROUND $400.00 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF COIL SPRINGS AND TIRE. I AM SAVING MY RECEIPTS AND THE DEFECTIVE COIL IN THE HOPE THAT A RECALL WILL BE ORDERED. THANK GOODNESS THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY. *AK