NHTSA Complaint #10324117 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

DRIVING ALONG WITHOUT INCIDENT AND HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE. SAW THAT MY TIRE WAS BLOWN AND SMOKING SO WENT TO PUT THE SPARE ON. ONCE CAR WAS JACKED UP TO CHANGE TIRE, THE FRONT COIL SPRING FELL DOWN. NOTICED THAT THE COIL SPRING WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN AND HAD TORN INTO MY TIRE (THUS CAUSING A HUGE GASH IN MY TIRE AND SMOKE). FOUND THIS TO BE QUITE UNUSUAL AND QUITE DANGEROUS HAD I BEEN TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THAT BEING THE CASE, I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS TO BE A BIG PROBLEM FOR THE 2002 FORD TAURUS MODEL. APPARENTLY FORD HAD RECALLS FOR MODELS UP UNTIL 2002 FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM HOWEVER THE 2002 MODEL HAS YET TO BE INCLUDED. CONTACTED A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD REPAIRS WOULD COST AT LEAST 600.00. PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED. FRONT COIL SPRING HAD NO RUST THEREFORE SHOULD NOT HAVE JUST BROKEN APART. THIS IS AN APPARENT DEFECT AND FORD NEEDS TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *TR