NHTSA Complaint #10266270 — 2003 FORD TAURUS

2003 TAURUS WAGON - FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING BROKE AND PUNCTURED/ DESTROYED TIRE. STARTED CAR IN AM, PLACED INTO REVERSE AND HEARD NOISE/ AIR PRESSURE WHOOSH AND LF SANK. LEARNED COILS SPRING HAD FAILED WHEN REMOVED TIRE TO PUT ON SPARE. TOLD BY BOTH DEALER SERVICE MANAGER AND TOW TRUCK OPERATOR THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. CHECKED ON-LINE AND IT DOES SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM ADDRESSED FOR 99-01 BUT NOT 02-03 YET. NHTSA INVESTIGATION OPEN. ALTHOUGH FORD ARGUES FAILURE SUCH AS THIS NOT LIFE THREATENING, I FEEL IF ROADS ARE SLICK WITH SNOW/ ICE, LOSS OF CONTROL COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. IN ANY EVENT, IT APPEARS THERE IS A HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM WITH 02 - 03 MODEL YEARS THAT SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE THE 99-01'S BASED ON MY SEARCH OF THE NET. *TR