NHTSA Complaint #10236193 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

FORD ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS SWITCHING DEVICES CONTINUE TO BE UNDER RATED WHICH RESULTS IN RANDOM VOLTAGE DROPS AND ENGINE STALLS. THE UNDERRATED SWITCHING DEVICE CONTACTS OVERHEAT WHICH RESULTS IN HIGH RESISTANCE WHICH RESULTS IN HIGHER HEAT WITH RESULTS IN HIGH RESISTANCE UNTIL EVENTUALLY THE RESULTS DROPS VOLTAGES BELOW WHAT IS REQUIRED TO OPERATE THE DOWNSTREAM LOAD. THESE DOWN STREAM LOAD TYPICALLY ARE THE HEAD LIGHTS AND COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED WITH SUPPLYING POWER TO THE SPARK PLUGS. ONCE THE DOWNSTREAM DEVICE TURN OFF FROM LOW VOLTAGE THE SWITCHING DEVICE COOLS AND RESUPPLIES THE DOWNSTREAM LOAD WITH ENOUGH VOLTAGE AN CURRENT TO REACTIVE THE DEVICE IN VARYING AMOUNTS OF TIME RANGING FROM INSTANTANEOUSLY TO SEVER MINUTES. I FIST NOTICED THE PROBLEM YEARS AGO IN A 1987 MUSTANG AND THEN SAW IT AGAIN TONIGHT IN A 2002 TAURUS DRIVEN BY MY WIFE. UNTIL THE FAILED SWITCHING DEVICE IS REPLACED THE FREQUENCY OF FAILS AND THE DURATION WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE. THIS IS CLEARLY A MATERIALS FAILURE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THIS HAS HAD TO HAVE RESULTED IN ENGINE FAILURE WHICH HAS RESULTED IN CRASHES AND / OR DEATHS IF THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED SINCE I FIRST NOTICED IN THE 1987 MUSTANG. *TR