NHTSA Complaint #11072275 — 2003 FORD TAURUS

I REGRET TO REPORT THAT MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF 3 COIL SPRING ASSEMBLIES AND A SUBSEQUENT FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE FAILURE DUE TO A PUNCTURE A FEW MONTHS AGO WHILE WAS DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED IN HER PARENTS' NEIGHBORHOOD IN WINONA. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED AND SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR INTO THE DRIVEWAY. WE ARE THANKFUL SHE WASN'T DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CORROSION OF THE COIL SPRINGS HAS BEEN A KNOWN DESIGN PROBLEM FOR YEARS. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE 2003 MODEL YEAR IS NOT ON A RECALL AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER EARLIER MODEL YEARS OF TAURUS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME ISSUE IN THE PAST, SO CORROSION OF THE COILS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. THE CAR IS A 2003 FORD TAURUS, 73,663 ACTUAL MILES, WELL-MAINTAINED, NO VISIBLE EXTERNAL RUST, GARAGED NIGHTLY. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA.