NHTSA Complaint #10242369 — 2001 MERCURY SABLE

BOTH REAR SPRINGS ON MY CAR ARE BROKEN. ONE OF THE FRONT SPRINGS ALSO BROKE (AND HAS BEEN REPAIRED) AND MY MECHANIC HAS TOLD ME THE OTHER IS ABOUT TO GO. I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT FORD RECALLED THE FRONT SPRINGS DUE TO A SUBSTANDARD MATERIAL USED IN CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS PRONE TO ROAD SALT CORROSION. SINCE I LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST, ROAD SALT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. THE REAR SPRINGS ARE MADE OF THE SAME MATERIAL AND ARE ALSO CORRODING. IT'LL COST ME AROUND $1,600 TO COMPENSATE FOR A DESIGN FLAW THAT FORD IS WASHING IT'S HANDS OF (AT 100,000 MILES, MY FRONT SPRINGS AREN'T EVEN COVERED UNDER THE RECALL, EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM WAS THERE FROM DAY-1). ONE WOULD THINK FORD WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE REAR SPRINGS AS WELL. I GUESS THE NUMBER OF POTENTIAL DEATHS CAUSED BY A REAR BLOW-OUT IS BELOW THEIR THRESHOLD, SO THEY'LL TAKE THEIR CHANCES IN COURT. THIS IS WHY WE NEED NHTSA OVERSITE. HOWEVER, NHTSA HAS ONLY REQUIRED FORD TO RECALL THE FRONT SPRINGS TO DATE. FORD EXPECTS PEOPLE TO BUY THEIR CARS, BUT THEY DON'T STAND BEHIND THEM (EVEN WHEN IT IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT). THAT IS WHY MANY PEOPLE ARE BUYING JAPANESE CARS. I, FOR ONE, WILL NEVER BUY FORD AGAIN. *TR