NHTSA Complaint #10273820 — 2003 FORD TAURUS

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (65-70) WHEN ACCELERATING TO PASS, CAR BUCKS VIOLENTLY (AT 70K MILES ON ODOMETER). ALSO, RANDOM ROUGH IDLING SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE OF VEHICLE IN JULY 2003. AFTER TAKING CAR IN NUMEROUS TIMES TO DEALERSHIP WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE EVEN AFTER HOOKING UP RECORDER. DID MY OWN RESEARCH ON LINE AND DISCOVERED A FAULTY CAMSHAFT SYNCHRONIZER WAS THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A $400 REPAIR THAT FORD IS AWARE OF AS THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RATE IS USUALLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES MAKING IT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONSUMER. I HAVE ALSO PERSONALLY SPOKEN WITH A DOZEN TAURUS OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. LODGED A COMPLAINT WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHO DID NOT RESPOND OR FOLLOW THROUGH. VERY DISAPPOINTED AS THIS COULD POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM FOR CONSUMERS NOT TO MENTION CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE IF THE SYNCHRONIZER FAILS COMPLETELY. IF YOUR TAURUS HAS A ROUGH IDLE THAT IS INTERMITTENT AND THE DIAGNOSTIC SAYS THERE IS NO CODE, IT IS PROBABLY THIS PROBLEM AS THE SERVICE BULLETIN FROM FORD INDICATES THAT THE CAM SYNCHRONIZER DOES NOT THROW A CODE TO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. ALSO, IF YOUR CAR BUCKS OR HESITATES ON HARD ACCELERATION OR THERE IS A HIGH PITCHED CHIRPING SOUND, IT IS THE CAM SYNCHRONIZER. IF YOU TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TELL THEM WHAT IT IS SO THEY DON'T CHARGE YOU AN ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTIC FEE THAT WILL SHOW NO PROBLEMS! IT'S BAD ENOUGH TO HAVE TO PAY $400 FOR A PART THAT SHOULDN'T FAIL, BUT DOES AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. FORD SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS AND OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS (KNOW TO OCCUR IN THE F150 AS WELL). *TR