NHTSA Complaint #11055408 — 2006 FORD TAURUS

FORD MOTOR COMPANY SOLD MY VEHICLE WITH A LIFE-THREATENING DESIGN DEFECT IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THIS DESIGN DEFECT COMPRISES A PLASTIC COVER OVER THE STAINLESS STEEL HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINES WHERE THOSE LINES PASS FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR TO ITS REAR BENEATH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE OSTENSIBLE PURPOSE OF THE PLASTIC COVER IS UNKNOWN TO ME, BUT ITS ACTUAL FUNCTION IS TWOFOLD. FIRST, IT TRAPS MOISTURE AND ROAD SALT TO CAUSE RAPID CORROSION OF THE STAINLESS STEEL BRAKE LINES, WHICH CORROSION EVENTUALLY CAUSES THE LINES TO RUST COMPLETELY THROUGH, CAUSING ONE OR BOTH LINES TO BURST UPON APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES, RESULTING IN SUDDEN AND COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. SECOND, THE PLASTIC COVER HIDES THAT CORROSION FROM VIEW SO THAT CAREFUL VISUAL INSPECTION DOES NOT REVEAL THE CORROSION PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THE KNOWLEDGEABLE MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED MY BRAKES AND WHO HAS EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PROBLEM, THE DESIGN DEFECT APPLIES TO BOTH FORD TAURUS AND FORD FOCUS MODELS. THAT MECHANIC HAS IN THE PAST URGED FORD TO RECALL THESE CARS BUT FORD HAS TO DATE REFUSED TO DO SO. PRESUMABLY THE DESIGN DEFECT OCCURS ALSO IN THE MERCURY SABLE WHICH IS MERCURY'S TWIN TO THE FORD TAURUS. THIS DESIGN DEFECT CAUSE MY BRAKES TO FAIL SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY, CAUSING ME TO HIT ANOTHER CAR. FORTUNATELY THE DAMAGE RESULTED IN NO PERSONAL INJURIES, BUT IT CAUSE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND PRESUMABLY COMPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE OTHER CAR. BUT IF THE BRAKE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT, OR IF I HAD BEEN BRAKING FOR A PEDESTRIAN, IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH. I AM ATTACHING THREE PHOTO FILES, ONE TAKEN AT THE REPAIR SHOP WHERE I HAD THE BRAKE REPAIR DONE, THE SECOND A MARKED-UP COPY OF THE SAME PHOTO, THE THIRD A ZOOMED-IN PORTION OF THE FIRST PHOTO SHOWING THE SITE OF THE BRAKE LINE RUPTURE.