NHTSA Complaint #10299629 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

ON SUNDAY MORNING I WENT TO GET A PAPER, I STARTED TO BACK THE 2002 FORD TAURUS OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I THOUGHT IT WAS FROM ICE BUILD UP AND THE COLD WEATHER. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I COULD HEAR SOME NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE. I WENT ABOUT TWO MORE BLOCKS TO THE GAS STATION TO GET THE PAPER, AS I PULLED IN THE PARKING LOT THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT. I CHANGED THE TIRE, TO MY SURPRISE THE WHOLE INSIDE OF A NEW TIRE WAS TORN THRU ALL THE WAY AROUND. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION TO SEE WHAT CAUSED THIS, MY COIL SPRING WAS BROKE AND THE SHARP EDGE OF THE SPRING TORE THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE ALL THE WAY AROUND. I SPUN THE SHARP EDGES OF THE SPRING TO THE INSIDE AWAY FROM THE SPARE TIRE SO I COULD GET IT HOME AND TO THE REPAIR SHOP. MONDAY MORNING I DROVE THE CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP TO GET IT FIXED, I WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL ON THE COIL SPRINGS. I WAS FLYING OUT OF STATE ON VACATION, WHEN I RETURNED THEY TOLD ME THE RECALL ONLY WAS ON THE 1999-2001 FORD TAURUS. THE SHOP CHANGED THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS, STRUT BEARINGS AND ALIGNED THE FRONT END. I HAD TO GO TO ANOTHER SHOP TO GET ANOTHER NEW TIRE AND HAVE IT BALANCED. I CALLED FORDS 1-800 NUMBER TOOK MY INFORMATION, BUT WAS TOLD NO RECALL, YOU DIDN'T BRING IT IN TO A FORD DEALER TO BE REPAIRED, AND ITS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I COULD NOT GET ANY ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS, WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS TRAVELING 55MPH AND THIS HAPPENED?, AND WHAT CHANGED IN THE COIL SPRINGS FROM THE 2001 TAURUS AND THE 2002 TAURUS SPRINGS. *TR