NHTSA Complaint #10396786 — 2005 FORD TAURUS

THIS HAPPENED IN A 2005 FORD TAURUS SE SEDAN WITH THE 3.0L VULCAN V6 FLEX-FUEL ENGINE. CAR WAS JUST HITTING 85,000 WHEN THE PROBLEM APPEARED. CAR BEGAN TO MAKE A SQUEALING NOISE- WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE THE BELT BEGINNING TO WEAR HEAVILY. IT WAS CHANGED, AND THE NOISE BECAME EVEN WORSE. NOW AN ADDED CLUNKING SOUND BEGAN TO MANIFEST ITSELF. IT WAS FOUND OUT TO BE THE A/C COMPRESSOR BEGINNING TO BREAK. IN FACT, A NUT OR SOMETHING HAD BECOME LOSE, WHICH WAS THE CLUNKING NOISE I HEARD. THE WHOLE COMPRESSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED AND FILLED (SO I CAN USE THE A/C.) AND A NEW BELT HAD TO BE BOUGHT AS WELL. IF THIS COMPRESSOR WASN'T REPLACED, IT WOULD HAVE FAILED- CAUSING IT TO SEIZE, THE BELT TO BREAK, AND MY ENGINE TO QUICKLY OVERHEAT AND PROBABLY CRACK. IT TOOK AROUND 2 HOURS TO REPLACE EVERYTHING- INCLUDING LETTING THE BROKEN A/C COMPRESSOR OUT. ILLEGAL, BUT I COULD NOT AFFORD TAKING IT TO THE DEALER AND GETTING CHARGED $800+ SO I HAD MY BROTHER IN LAW DO IT. ALTOGETHER I SPENT AROUND $350 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. I LATER LEARNED, FROM MY MECHANIC FRIEND, THAT TAURUS' HITTING AROUND 80K HAVE THIS SAME A/C COMPRESSOR FAILURE LIKE CLOCKWORK. IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM, THAT IS EXPENSIVE, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED IF IT IS KNOWN WHAT CAUSES IT. *TR