NHTSA Complaint #10257775 — 2000 FORD TAURUS

BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE AT MAYBE 1 MPH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE PUNCTURING THE TIRE ON MY 2000 TAURUS. I KNOW THERE IS A RECALL (ALTHOUGH POORLY WORDED) FOR THAT BUT THERE IS NO RECALL THE REAR COIL SPRINGS AND THE DRIVER SIDE REAR COIL SPRING APPARENTLY BROKE BEFORE SINCE THERE IS RUST AT THE FRACTURE. I HAD A SHOP TAKE CARE OF THE WORK AND IT LOOKS LIKE FORD MAY NOT BE WILLING TO PAY FOR ANY OF IT. THE SERVICE PEOPLE AT SHEEHY FORD IN GAITHERSBURG SAID THEY CERTAINLY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REAR SPRINGS AND ASSOCIATED COSTS BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL, YET IT APPEARS THAT THE REAR SPRINGS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM (EXCEPT THE REAR SPRING FRACTURE DID NOT PUNCTURE MY TIRE). I DO HAVE BOTH BROKEN SPRINGS AND PHOTOS IF YOU NEED THEM FOR THE INVESTIGATION. DID YOUR REVIEW AND DENIAL OF REAR SPRING FAILURES CONSIDER THAT A FRACTURED REAR SPRING MAY HAMPER A SUDDEN EMERGENCY MANEUVER CAUSING DAMAGE OR LOSS OF CONTROL? THE WAY THE ORIGINAL RECALL NOTICE IS WORDED DOES NOT MAKE IT SOUND SIGNIFICANT, ONLY IF YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT CORROSION, AND I WOULD NEVER THINK JUST SURFACE CORROSION WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT PITTING WOULD CAUSE A FAILURE. IF YOU LOOK AT MY COIL SPRINGS, THEY ONLY HAVE SURFACE CORROSION AND I WOULD NOT THINK THAT CORROSION SEVERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE A FRACTURE. THE SERVICE MAN AT SHEEHY EVEN ADMITTED THAT THE PARTS SUPPLIER USED SUBSTANDARD MATERIAL. HE THEN SAID IF THEY SAW A CRACK DURING RECALL SERVICING THEY'D REPLACE THE COIL, BUT IF IT'S GOING TO FRACTURE DUE TO CORROSION, THEY'D NEVER SEE A CRACK BECAUSE IT WOULD THEN FAIL IMMEDIATELY. THE DEALER OBVIOUSLY CAN'T BE TRUSTED WITH LINES LIKE THAT. *TR