NHTSA Complaint #10490659 — 2003 FORD TAURUS

FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SPRING BROKE & PUNCTURED TIRE. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF THREE BOYS (9,5 & 6MONTHS) AND HAD DROVE HOME ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65MPH WITH ALL MY BOYS IN THE CAR. I PARKED MY CAR AT HOME & WENT OUT LATER TO RETRIEVE SOME PAPERWORK FROM MY VEHICLE ONLY TO FIND OUT I HAD A FLAT TIRE. WHEN THE TIRE WAS REMOVED TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT & HOPEFULLY JUST HAVING THE TIRE REPAIRED, THAT IS WHEN WE NOTICED THAT THE SPRING HAD BROKE WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED & PUNCTURED THE TIRE. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE I WAS IN SHOCK, BUT WAS THANKFUL THAT IT HAD NOT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65MPH SHREDDING MY TIRE & POSSIBLY CAUSING A FATAL ACCIDENT. I HAVE SINCE RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED AND HAS STILL HAD NO RECALL ! IS IT A MATTER OF A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DEATHS TO OCCUR BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE ? IT IS A BLESSING THAT THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED YET & YOU WOULD THINK THAT FORD WOULD WANT TO KEEP IN MIND THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE WHO BUY THEIR CARS, BY HAVING A RECALL ON THE DEFECTIVE SPRINGS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. THERE IS NO WARNING WHEN THIS HAPPENS & I FEEL THAT IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR FORD TO PLAY WITH THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WHO BUY THEIR VEHICLES. I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS IS A GREAT FINANCIAL SET BACK FOR ME & MY 3 CHILDREN & WILL THINK TWICE BEFORE EVER BUYING A FORD VEHICLE AGAIN KNOWING THAT THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN UNFORGIVABLE. YOU CAN REPLACE A DEFECTIVE PART, BUT YOU CANNOT REPLACE A LIFE......! *TR