NHTSA Complaint #10256344 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, FRONT END OF CAR LURCHED UP; ACCOMPANIED BY EXTREMELY LOUD NOISE. UPON INSPECTION, DISCOVERED FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE SHREDDED. I ASSUMED AT THE TIME, THIS WAS THE ONLY PROBLEM. TIRE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL OF MAKE AND MODEL FOR CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF FRONT SPRINGS. THIS RECALL WAS DISCONTINUED JUST PRIOR TO MY MODEL YEAR. CONTACTING SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS AS WELL AS THE MANUFACTURER CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION - "WE KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT WE CANNOT HELP YOU." TRANSFERRING THE CAR TO ANOTHER REPAIR FACILITY, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT LEFT FRONT SPRING HAD INDEED BROKEN AND RECOMMENDED REPAIRS WERE ESTIMATED AT OVER $350.00 TO INCLUDE THE OTHER SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING AND, OF COURSE, A NEW SET OF TIRES AND ASSOCIATED ALIGNMENTS. AT THE TIME OF THIS COMPLAINT, THERE HAS BEEN NO REPAIR ACCOMPLISHED - AS CLAIMANT IS SEEKING LEGAL RECOURSE THROUGH STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AS WELL AS PRIVATE LEGAL COUNSEL. *TR