NHTSA Complaint #10419547 — 2000 FORD TAURUS

AFTER GETTING THE CAR OUT OF THE BODY SHOP BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT, I WAS DRIVING HOME AND THE TEMP GAUGE IMMEDIATELY WENT FROM NORMAL TO PAST HOT. ONCE COOLED, I ADDED COOLANT AND NOTICED THE COOLANT JUG HAD CRACKED. AS A RESULT, THE HEAD/HEAD GASKET HAD CRACKED DUE TO THE OVERHEATING FROM LOSS OF COOLANT. AS A RESULT OF THE CRACKED HEAD, EXHAUST IS NOW ENTERING INTO THE COOLANT SYSTEM, AND CAUSING COOLANT TO BOIL OUT, AND PUMP EXHAUST FUMES INTO THE CABIN. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SHOP, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM, AND THAT THE BLOWN ENGINE WAS NOT A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. I HAVE MADE IT A POINT TO TALK TO EVERY TAURUS OWNER I CAN, AND MANY HAVE THE SAME EXHAUST ODOR IN THE CABIN. THE STRESS OF DRIVING, OR AN ACCIDENT, CAUSES THE COOLANT JUG TO CRACK AND LEAK OUT COOLANT. I PERSONALLY HAVE REPLACED 5 OF THESE JUGS SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR BECAUSE OF CRACKING ON THE BOTTOM AND COOLANT WOULD LEAK OUT. ONCE THIS STARTS, THE CAR OVERHEATS WITHOUT WARNING BECAUSE THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR DOES NOT HAVE COOLANT RUNNING ACROSS IT TO GET THE PROPER COOLANT TEMPERATURE. *TR