NHTSA Complaint #10216456 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

2002 FORD TAURUS LEFT FRONT COIL SNAPPED, WRAPPED AROUND THE STRUT ASSEMBLY, BROKE THE SWAY BAR LINK AND PUNCTURED THE LEFT FRONT TIRE GETTING EMBEDDED IN THE TIRE SO AS TO MAKE THE WHEEL IMMOVABLE. FORTUNATELY THE CAR WAS STOPPED AT THE TIME, HOWEVER, A MOMENT LATER AND I'M CERTAIN SOMEONE (MY HUSBAND) WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR PERHAPS SEVERAL PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE BEEN INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. HE COULDN'T FREE THE TIRE FROM THE COIL AND HAD TO CALL FOR A TOW. IT COULDN'T BE TOWED; SO THEY SENT FOR A FLAT BED TO TRANSPORT IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP. I WENT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WITH THE BUSTED PARTS AFTER WE HAD EVERYTHING REPLACE BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT COILS AND STRUT ASSEMBLIES AND SWAY BAR LINKS AND LEFT FRONT TIRE. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THERE WAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THE 1999, 2000, AND 2001 ; THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY PUT A PROTECTIVE SHIELD ON THE VEHICLES WHICH PREVENTED THE COIL FROM PUNCTURING THE TIRE. HOWEVER, THE RECALL DID NOT EXTEND TO THE 2002 TAURUS. PERHAPS FORD MOTORS SHOULD RETHINK THIS MATTER AND CONSIDER PUTTING A SHIELD ON THE 2002'S ALSO. DON'T WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO BE INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE TAKING STEPS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. I RETAINED THE OLD PARTS, I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES OF THEM AND WILL BE SENDING THE COIL AND SWAY BAR LINK TO FORD MOTORS. I WILL KEEP THE STRUTS AND TIRE IN THE EVENT THEY WOULD LIKE TO INSPECT THEM. HOWEVER THEY ARE HEAVY AND BULKY AND WILL BE RATHER DIFFICULT TO SEND, BUT I WILL SEND THEM UPON FORD'S REQUEST. *TR