NHTSA Complaint #10512645 — 2008 FORD TAURUS X

BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY- I NOTICED THAT STEERING COLUMN WAS NOT LOCKED PRIOR TO INSERTING KEY. INSERTED KEY, TURNED TO START AND NO RESPONSE FROM IGNITION. KEPT TURNING STEERING COLUMN AND DECIDED TO ENGAGE TRANSMISSION FROM PARK TO DRIVE SEVERAL TIMES. I RETURNED TO PARK-ING THE CAR AND REMOVED THE KEY. INITIALLY, STEERING COLUMN WAS NOT LOCKED, THEN I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN THE COLUMN LOCKED. TURNED THE KEY AND THE IGNITION HESITATED- THE DIALS WERE JUMPING. AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS THE ENGINE TURNED OVER AND DIALS WENT TO NORMAL. I COMMENCED TO BACK OUT OF DRIVEWAY- THE ENGINE RPM JUMPED, FAR MORE THEN WHAT I WAS APPLYING ACCELERATION FOR AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS HESITANT ( CLUNKING WAS AUDIBLE). THE VEHICLE REVERSED TOO RAPIDLY AND I APPLIED QUITE A BIT OF BRAKE TO STOP- I SHIFTED TO DRIVE AND AGAIN I COULD HEAR THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HESITATED TO GO FORWARD ( TRANSMISSION WAS CLUNKING), JERKING FORWARD AND SLOWING DOWN AND THE ENGINE RPM WAS ERRATIC. I PULLED TO THE SIDE AND PLACED CAR IN NEUTRAL; WAITED A MINUTE WHICH DURING THIS TIME, THE VEHICLE RPM WENT TO NORMAL. OK, I PLACED GEAR IN DRIVE AND VEHICLE RESPONDED NORMALLY. HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES OF SOME OF THE ABOVE DESCRIBED EVENTS HAPPENING SINCE ORIGINAL OCCURRENCE. AT THIS MOMENT, STEERING COLUMN IS NOT LOCKED WITH THE KEY REMOVED AND WHEN TURNING CAR TO START THE IGNITION IS JUST TURNING OVER. *TR