NHTSA Complaint #10578332 — 2001 FORD TAURUS

CAR ACCIDENT -- DEER HIT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE -- DAMAGE TO HOOD, LIGHT, SMALL BAR INSIDE HOOD. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS INFORMED THAT AIR BAGS DO NOT DEPLOY ON ALL ACCIDENTS. CAR WAS TOTALED DUE TO AGE AND MILEAGE ON VEHICLE, BUT IT RAN WELL. HAD ALL OF THE FRONT END LOOKED AT TO BE SURE THAT I COULD STILL OPERATE IT, SO KEPT THE VEHICLE. FEB. 10, 2014 I HAD GOTTEN AN OIL CHANGE AT WALMART. ALSO HAD ADDED COOLANT. I NOTICED ON THE WEDNESDAY (2/12) THAT THE CAR HAD SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN I PARKED THE VEHICLE AT THE SAME WALMART. TOOK IT BACK TO THE AUTOMOTIVE DEPARTMENT THE COOLANT LEVEL WAS COMPLETELY GONE AND HAD TO TAKE IT TO AN INDEPENDENT BUSINESS TO HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS REPLACED - WATER PUMP, OIL GASKET PAN, NEW OIL AND COOLANT ADDED AND A FEW OTHER THINGS. WAS TOLD BY THE INDEPENDENT THAT WALMART SHOULD HAVE INFORMED ME WHEN I HAD GOTTEN THE OIL CHANGE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. ALSO DEC. 31ST, I HAD TWO TIE RODS INSTALLED (OUTER IF I RECALL CORRECTLY), THEN I HAPPEN TO NOTICE ON MARCH 13TH MY FRONT TIRES SEEMED LOW. WENT IN AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TWO NEW TIRES AND SUGGESTED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT (WHICH THIS COMPANY DID NOT DO). TOOK IT TO A TIRE COMPANY AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT A BALL JOINT AND ONE INNER TIE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FEBRUARY AND MARCH INCIDENTS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS OUT OF TOWN (FATHER IN HOSPICE AND DEATH). *TR