NHTSA Complaint #10340219 — 2008 FORD TAURUS X

THE TRANSMISSION OF OUR 2008 FORD TAURUS X (49K MILES) WENT INTO FAIL-SAFE MODE ON 6/21/2010 AND WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO TEAM FORD. THERE WAS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE PARKING BRAKE PEDAL WORKING INTERMITTENTLY SO WE ASKED THAT THIS PROBLEM ALSO BE FIXED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THEIR SHOP. THE SERVICE MANAGE SAID THAT THEY WERE BACKED UP ON THE TRANSMISSION (8 OF THEM - NOT GOOD) AND WOULD BE A WHILE SO THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PARKING BRAKE FIRST. THE NEXT DAY, 6/22/2010, I RECEIVED A CALL TELLING ME THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS RAISED UP ON THE RACK TO INSPECT THE REAR END, THE SERVICE TECH NOTED THAT THERE WAS UNEVEN WEAR ON THE PASS. SIDE REAR TIRE AND THEN NOTICED THAT THE BRACKET ON THE SUBFRAME ATTACHING THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS BROKEN (A CRACK THAT HAD PULLED APART). I WAS INFORMED THAT OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THE BROKEN SUB-FRAME AND BRACKET, A $2500 PART, WHILE MY POSITION IS THAT THIS IS COVERED AS IT IS A "LINK". I THEN WENT AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS CORROSION IN THE CRACK. WE HAVE ONLY OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 10 MONTHS AS WE BOUGHT IT USED FROM GUADIN FORD WHEN IT HAD JUST 37,560 MILES ON IT ON 8/6/2009. IT WAS ALSO A FORD CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE. THERE IS NO WAY THAT MUCH CORROSION COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO WEAKEN THE BRACKET IN UNDER 10 MONTHS, FAIL PARTIALLY, AND HAVE THE TIRE NOTICEABLE WEAR UNEVENLY. WE WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THIS "DAMAGE" WAS FROM "MIS-USE" OF THE VEHICLE. FUNNY THING IS, THE BRACKET WAS THE ONLY "DAMAGE". NOT EVEN SCRATCHES OR SCRAPES, OR, AT THE VERY LEAST, A FLAT TIRE OR WHEEL DAMAGE FROM A MAJOR IMPACT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NECESSARY TO BREAK A HIGH STRENGTH SUSPENSION PART. IT HAD TO BE DEFECTIVE AND NOBODY EITHER CAUGHT IT OR ADMITTED CATCHING IT. THERE ARE MORE SPOTS OF CORROSION ON THIS PART WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS EITHER DEFECTIVE RUSTPROOFING OR COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE TYPE OF STEEL USED TO MANUFACTURE THIS PART. *TR