NHTSA Complaint #10300197 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

ON JAN 15, 2010, MY WIFE PULLED OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY TO GO TO WORK IN OUR 2002 FORD TAURUS SEDAN. THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT IMMEDIATELY. I QUICKLY PUT ON THE COMPACT SPARE TIRE SO SHE COULD GET TO WORK ON TIME. TWO DAYS LATER, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT ALL OF THE SUDDEN ABOUT A MILE FROM OUR HOUSE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT EACH OF THE TIRES WENT FLAT BECAUSE THE COIL SPRING OF THE FRONT STRUT ON THE ASSOCIATED SIDE OF THE VEHICLE BROKE AND STABBED THE TIRE. I KNOW IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE BUT WITHIN TWO DAYS, THE SPRING ON EACH OF THE FRONT STRUTS BROKE. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL THAT THIS HAPPENED AT A LOW SPEED. IT COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY IF IT HAD BEEN THE WEEK BEFORE WHEN WE WERE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON A TRIP TO DES MOINES. AT THE TIME OF THE BREAKAGE, THE FORD TAURUS HAD 99,300 MILES ON IT. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME AND PLAN TO REPLACE THE FRONT AND REAR STRUTS MYSELF. SINCE I WILL DO THE WORK MYSELF, THE COST OF THE REPAIRS WILL BE ABOUT $1,000.00 DOLLARS, WHICH INCLUDES 4 NEW STRUTS AND TWO NEW TIRES. I WILL NOT USE FORD REPLACEMENT PARTS, BUT WILL USE MONROE OR MOOG. *TR