NHTSA Complaint #10272559 — 2003 FORD TAURUS

THE REAR SPRING ON OUR 2003 FORD TAURUS BROKE OVERNIGHT. AS WE TRIED TO DRIVE IT IN THE MORNING WE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING OUT OF THE WHEEL WELL AND PULLED THE CAR INTO THE DRIVEWAY. WE REMOVED THE TIRE AND DISCOVERED THE SPRING HAD SNAPPED AND THE JAGGED TIP WAS GROOVING THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WOULD SURELY HAVE BLOWN THE TIRE. REPLACING BOTH REAR SPRINGS COST $590.07, AND REPLACING THE TIRE UNDER A ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY COST ANOTHER $86.78. THE CAR HAS ONLY 76,200 MILES ON IT. IN RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET WE DISCOVERED THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH FRONT AND REAR SPRINGS ON THE FORD TAURUS, ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH THE 2004 MODELS. FOR RECENT COMPLAINTS, SEE: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_SPRINGS.HTML DOES IT TAKE SOMEONE TO DIE BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT THIS? THESE SPRING BREAKS OFTEN DESTROY THE TIRES. MY FORD MECHANIC TELLS ME THEY SEE THESE FAILURES QUITE OFTEN, AND ADMITTED FORD HAS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR SPRINGS. WHY IS NHTSA ALLOWING THIS TO CONTINUE? IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE MATTER TO ASK ALL FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENTS HOW MAY OF THESE FAILURES THEY HAVE SEEN. THE WEBSITE I GAVE YOU ABOVE SHOULD GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HOW BAD THIS PROBLEM HAS BECOME. *TR