NHTSA Complaint #10322496 — 2001 FORD TAURUS

COIL SPRINGS ON THE FORD TAURUS ARE BREAKING. A RECALL HAS BEEN DONE ON THE FRONT, BUT NOT ON THE BACK SPRINGS. THE SPRINGS ARE MADE OF DEFECTIVE MATERIAL -- HAIRLINE CRACKS CAN BE SEEN ON THE SPRING. THE PORTION OF THE SPRING THAT SEPARATES SHOWS THAT THE CRACK IN THE SPRING HAS OXIDIZED AT POINTS BEFORE THE COMPLETE BREAK. THIS IS NOT A RUST PROBLEM!! THE METAL USED FOR THESE SPRINGS IS EXTREMELY DEFECTIVE. IN THE PORTION THAT BROKE ON MY CAR LODGED IN THE TIRE, AND I WAS ABLE TO THOROUGHLY INSPECT THE METAL AND SAW MANY HAIRLINE CRACKS. THE FRONT SPRING BROKE ON MY CAR IN FEB. 2009 AND THE REAR SPRING BROKE IN MARCH 2010. I WAS LUCKY AND WAS NOT MOVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE SPRINGS BROKE. MY FRONT TIRE WAS SLICED THROUGH AND BLEW OUT. THE FRONT SPRINGS WERE REPLACED, BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR THE TIRE. YESTERDAY, MY BACK RIGHT REAR SPRING BROKE. I UNDERSTAND FROM THE RECALL INFORMATION THE BACK SPRINGS WERE NOT RECALLED. WHY NOT?? PLEASE HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED BEFORE THERE IS A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY BY AN UNSUSPECTING DRIVER OF A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE! AT 60 MPH, A TIRE BLOWING WOULD NOT ALLOW TIME FOR THE DRIVER TO MAKE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION.