NHTSA Complaint #10521308 — 1995 FORD TAURUS

MY 1995 TAURUS EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE LOWER SUB-FRAME MOUNT RETAINER PLATE. THE RETAINER PLATE HAD BECOME SEVERELY CORRODED OVER TIME AND THIS CORROSION HAD WEAKENED THE RETAINER PLATE ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE BOLT HEAD TO PULL THROUGH THE RETAINER PLATE. THIS FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO MOISTURE FROM NORMAL PRECIPITATION AND CONSISTENT WITH THE FAILURE DETAILED IN THE REASONS FOR RECALL SECTION OF SERVICE RECALL BULLETIN 98S36. THE FORD RECALL BULLETIN STATES THE RETAINING PLATE NUT BECOMES SEVERELY CORRODED FROM LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALTS AND RETENTION OF MOISTURE IN THE MOUNTS. DUE TO CORROSION, MY 1995 TAURUS EXPERIENCED THAT SAME FAILURE BUT THE CORROSION WAS NOT CAUSED BY ROAD SALTS. ALTHOUGH THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AT SLOW SPEED, STEERING WAS AFFECTED. HAD THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AT HIGH-SPEED OR WHILE CROSSING A SLIGHT BUMP OR DIP IN ROAD SURFACE, STEERING COULD HAVE BECOME DIFFICULT, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A CAUSE OF CONCERN FOR OTHER 1986-1995 TAURUS AND SABLE VEHICLES STILL IN SERVICE. BECAUSE MY VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REGISTERED IN ANY OF THE STATES INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, MY REQUEST TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO INCLUDE MY VEHICLE IN THE RECALL WAS DENIED. NHTSA RECALL 98V323000 WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE FROM OCCURRING. HAD THIS VEHICLE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS SAFETY RECALL, THIS FAILURE WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS FAILURE IS ALSO CAUSED BY CORROSION DUE TO LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO MOISTURE FROM NORMAL PRECIPITATION AND NOT EXCLUSIVE TO ROAD SALTS. THUS, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 98V323000 SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO ONLY STATES WHERE ROAD SALTS ARE USED. THEREFORE, I AM REQUESTING FORD MOTOR COMPANY BE REQUIRED TO EXPAND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 98V323000 TO COVER VEHICLES REGISTERED IN STATES WHERE LONG TERM EXPOSURE TO MOISTURE FROM NORMAL PRECIPITATION IS A FACTOR. *TR