NHTSA Complaint #10906283 — 2011 FORD TAURUS

CATASTROPHIC WATER PUMP FAILURE LEAKED A LOT OF COOLANT IN OIL - DRIVER WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON HIGHWAY WHEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE MOTOR JUST DIED (STALLED), FORCING THE DRIVER TO HARD STEER TO THE SIDE OF HIGHWAY. THE GAUGE AT THE TIME JUST SUDDENLY JUMPED TO H - IN A SPAN OF FEW SECONDS AND ALL DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. VERY LITTLE STEAM WAS COMING OUT - VERY LITTLE FLUID WAS LEAKING. NOTICED SMELL OF COOLANT RIGHT AWAY. LOOKED/DOUBLE CHECKED UNDER THE CAR - LITTLE LEAK AGAIN. IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT MAYBE WATER PUMP OR AT LEAST RADIATOR HOSE LEAK, CHECKED THE COOLANT - IT WAS EMPTY. HAD IT TOWED TO PAUL MILLER FORD IN LEXINGTON. VERY UNFRIENDLY CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY MENTIONED THAT IT WAS A "CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE" - COOLANT HAD MIXED IN WITH THE OIL AND WAS PRETTY MUCH SITTING THERE. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT THIS HAS NOT CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT AS I EXPLAINED IT WAS REAL DIFFICULT TO DRIVE THE CAR AFTER IT STALLED. WE FOLLOWED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE - WE ARE VERY ANAL ABOUT THAT. MY HUSBAND HAS A FORD EXPLORER HIMSELF. I AM JUST AT DISBELIEF THAT WE HAD A ENGINE FAILURE AT 108,000 MILES. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS COMMON AMONG THE 3.5L V6 DOHC 24V ENGINE. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT FORD HAD DESIGNED THE WATER PUMP TO BE INTERGRAL PART OF THE ENGINE (PRETTY MUCH INSIDE THE ENGINE NOW BEHIND THE TIMING CHAIN COVER, WHERE YOU HAVE TO REMOVE SEVERAL PARTS TO GET TO IT. MOST PEOPLE KNOW WATER PUMP FAILED BUT TO BE A PART OF INTERNAL ENGINE AND TO HAVE IT POUR COOLANT INTO ENGINE, MIXING UP WITH OIL AND SIT IN THE OIL PAN???? HUH? COSTED US SEVERAL GRAND TO GET THE ENGINE REPLACED.