NHTSA Complaint #10903062 — 2010 FORD TAURUS

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE OVERHEATING DISPLAY CAME ON AND THE ENGINE LOST MOST OF ITS POWER. UPON ISPECTION THE RADIATOR COOLANT TANK WAS EMPTY. FILLED THE TANK WITH WATER AND DROVE TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER. THE DEALER SAID THE WATER PUMP HAD FAILED AND LEAKED THE COOLANT INTO THE CRANKCASE. NO LEAKS WERE VISABLE OUTSIDE THE ENGINE. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE ENGINE GOT TO HOT AND THERE IS EXHAUST GASES IN THE COOLANT AND SUGGESTS A NEW ENGINE BECAUSE OF THE 150K MILEAGE ON THE ENGINE. THE IMPORTANT PART OF THIS IS THAT THIS IS A VERY POOR DESIGN BY THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER. I AM A MECHANIC/SUPERVISOR FOR A COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN USING THE FORD TAURUS AS IT'S VEHICLE OF CHOICE FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS. THIS FAILURE HAS HAPPENED TO TAURUS' IN OUR FLEET FOUR OTHER TIMES IN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS WITH CATASTROPHIC FAILURE BEING THE OUTCOME. THE VEHICLES WERE 2010-2012 WITH 100K -150K MILES.BECAUSE THERE IS NO OUTSIDE LEAK AND THE LEAK IS SLOW SO THAT THE COOLANT DEGRADES THE OIL AND INTERNALLY DAMAGES THE ENGINE BEFORE A LOSS OF COOLANT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE WITH ALL BUT ONE OF OUR VEHICLE FAILURES. A WATER PUMP REPLACEMENT BEFORE 100K MILES SHOULD BE RECOMMENDED BY FORD AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BY FORD SHOULD BE OFFERED IS A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE OCCURS BECAUSE OF THIS MAJOR DESIGN FLAW.