NHTSA Complaint #10949901 — 2011 FORD TAURUS

I HAD A INTERNAL WATER PUMP FAILURE FILLING THE ENGINE WITH COOLANT. THIS RESULTED IN A ENGINE HYDRO LOCK CONDITION (LUCKILY I WAS ABLE LIMP A VERY ROUGH RUNNING CAR IN THE EMERGENCY LANE AT 15MPH TO A NEARBY EXIT). HAPPENED FRIDAY EVENING FEB 3RD 2017 ON A COLD 27 DEGREE EVENING. I WAS STRANDED NORTH OF NASHVILLE, TN ON I65. THIS IS A VERY VERY BAD DESIGN FLAW. I AM MECHANICALLY INCLINED AND MOST CARS HAVE EXTERNAL WATER PUMPS -- EXCEPT THIS ONE. NOT JUST THE TAURUS, BUT ALL 3.5 (AND 3.7) MOTORS HAVE A INTERNAL WATER PUMP DESIGN; DRIVEN OFF THE OVERHEAD CAM CHAIN. WHEN IT FAILS, IT FAILS BIG, DUMPING ALL COOLANT (SEVERAL GALLONS) INTO THE CRANKCASE. END RESULT: IS A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR ENGINE FAILURE AS ALL COMPONENTS INCLUDING IN MY CASE THE ECO BOOST TURBOS SUBMERGED IN COOLANT / ANTIFREEZE. LEARNING NOW IT MAY BE $8-9K FOR A NEW MOTOR. BESIDES THIS EXPENSE IS TO KNOW THIS ENGINE WILL HYDRO LOCK WITH ALL THE COOLANT IN IT AND CANNOT BE EASILY DRIVEN TO A SAFE LOCATION SEEMS VERY VERY DANGEROUS TO ME. IF THE EXIT WERE NOT LESS THAN A 1/2 MILE AWAY I WOULD HAVE BEEN STUCK. NO ONE WANTS TO BE ON A DARK FREEWAY FOR 1-2 HOURS WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK ON A COLD FRIDAY NIGHT. ALL IS TAKES IS ONE PERSON FROM BEHIND TO SLIP OFF INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND THEN IT'S ALL OVER.