NHTSA Complaint #10345845 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

TWO NIGHTS EARLIER I WAS IN MY GARAGE WORKING WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG. I WAS STARTLED ENOUGH TO GO OUTSIDE. BELIEVING IT WAS A VEHICLE THAT HAD JUST DRIVEN BY I WENT BACK TO WORK. THAT EVENING MY SON WAS GOING TO BORROW OUR 2002 FORD TAURUS SEL. AS HE WAS BACKING OUT TO LEAVE THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE SPRING SNAPPED IN HALF. YOU COULD SEE BY THE TIRE THAT THE SPRING RUBBED A GROOVE ON THE TIRE AND ONCE HE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL THE SPRING TORE A HUGE LONG HOLE INTO THE TIRE. THE TIRES HAVE APPROX. 20,000 MILES ON THEM. I WENT ON-LINE TO SEE WHAT IT TAKES TO REPLACE A SPRING WHEN I SAW A BUNCH OF FORUMS WHERE THIS HAS BEEN A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE/PROBLEM. I WILL PURCHASE A NEW SPRING AND HAVE IT INSTALLED BUT ACTUALLY IT SEEMS LIKE THE SAFEST THING TO DO WOULD BE TO REPLACE THEM ALL. I WILL ALSO KEEP MY RECEIPTS FOR THE WORK IF THERE IS EVER A RECALL. IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE UNTIL THERE ARE SOME TRAGIC ACCIDENTS FORD DOESN'T SEE THIS AS A BIG PROBLEM. I JUST WARNED A COWORKER WHOSE WIFE OWNS A 2003 TAURUS ABOUT THIS AND SHE HAD ONE SNAP A YEAR AGO BUT THE TIRE WASN'T PUNCTURED. THIS IS CRAZY!! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS HASN'T BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. THANKS! *TR