NHTSA Complaint #10940107 — 2013 FORD TAURUS

ON 5/31/2013 I PURCHASED A NEW 2013 FORD TAURUS SHO. TODAY, THE CAR HAS ABOUT 73,000 MILES ON IT. ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO I BEGAN SMELLING A HOT SMELL, LIKE PLASTIC OR SULFUR, BUT COULD NOT PIN POINT IT. I WAS CONCERNED THAT MY CAR WAS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE BECAUSE IT JUST DIDN'T SMELL RIGHT, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CAR. I ONLY SMELLED IT AFTER THE CAR GOT WARMED UP AND WAS STATIONARY OR MOVING SLOW IN TOWN. AFTER I ACCELERATED THE SMELL WOULD GO AWAY, BUT WOULD COME BACK WHEN I SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED. THEN I BEGAN TO NOTICE A COUPLE DROPS OF FLUID UNDERNEATH MY CAR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO TOLD ME I PROBABLY HAD SOME OIL ON THE ENGINE, WHICH WOULD GO AWAY WITH TIME. I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AND NEW TIRES PUT ON AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK A COUPLE ERROR CODES I HAD GOTTEN. THE SERVICE TECHNICIANS TOLD ME MY CAR WAS FINE AND I COULD DRIVE IT, INCLUDING TO CHICAGO FOR CHRISTMAS. THE SMELL PROBLEM CONTINUED AND THE LEAK PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE, SO I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT BACK AGAIN. THEY NOW TELL ME THAT THE POWER TRANSFER UNIT HAS FAILED AND THE CAR HAS A TURBO DOWN PIPE LEAK. TO REPAIR, IT WILL COST ME OVER $2,000.00. I CONTACTED FORD TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP ME. THEY TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, THEY WILL NOT HELP ME. I EXPLAINED THAT THIS CAR WOULD STILL BE UNDER WARRANTY AS OF MAY 31, 2017 AND THE POWERTRAIN SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 73,000 MILES, MOST OF WHICH WERE HIGHWAY MILES. FORD STILL WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. IN SPEAKING WITH THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON. THEY'VE HAD 5 OTHER PTUS FAIL IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS. FORD DOCUMENTED THE CASE NUMBER AS [XXX]. I AM GOING TO TAKE PICTURES AND SAVE ALL DOCUMENTS AND RECEIPTS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR