NHTSA Complaint #10618158 — 1999 FORD CROWN VICTORIA

UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH I BEGAN TO SMELL A SWEET BURNING SCENT THAT I QUICKLY RECOGNIZED AS COOLANT. I PULLED OVER & INSPECTED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRST THING I OBSERVED AFTER REMOVING THE PLASTIC FACIA FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE WAS A CRACK IN THE WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR HOUSING RIGHT IN FRONT ON THE TOP PASSENGER SIDE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. I WAS LESS THAN A BLOCK FROM MY HOME SO I DROVE HOME AND HAD IT TOWED INTO HARVEY'S AUTO THE NEXT DAY. [XXX] HAS TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS INTAKE MANIFOLD AND AS THE ORIGINAL OWNER I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS RECALL. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF ANY RECALLS. [XXX] PLACED A TEMPORARY WELD WHICH HAS HELD UP JUST FINE, HOWEVER HE SAID THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER ISSUES WITH THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF FORDS ORIGINAL DESIGN AND THAT ULTIMATELY THE MANIFOLD WILL FAIL AT THESE WEAK POINTS WITH TIME. I DON'T PUT HEAVY MILES ON MY VEHICLE & ONLY HAVE 41,102 MILES ON IT NOW. ALL SERVICES HAVE BEEN PERFORMED AT 3000 MILE INTERVALS FROM AUTHORIZED MECHANICS. I HAVE ALL RECEIPTS OF MY SERVICE RECORDS AND FEEL THAT THE ONLY REASON I DIDN'T EXPERIENCE A FAILURE EARLIER IS BECAUSE OF MY DILIGENT EFFORTS TO FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE INTERVALS SET FORTH IN THE VEHICLES MAINTENANCE LOG. I FEEL THAT IT WAS AND STILL IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FORD TO SEEK OUT ALL OWNERS UNTIL EACH VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE OF RECALL EXPIRED IN 2009 ACCORDING TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE BUT I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE EFFORT BY FORD MOTORS TO INFORM ALL OWNERS OF THIS DEFECT. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF FORD WOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELLING A KNOWN FAULTY ITEM AND EXTEND AND HONOR THEIR ORIGINAL RECALL REPARATIONS FOR MY VEHICLE. I DID MY PART IN FOLLOWING ALL SERVICE REQUIREMENTS AND THEY SHOULD AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR