NHTSA Complaint #700112 — 1993 FORD TAURUS

WE NOTICED THE ENGINE SEEMED TO SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER (COX FORD, HAMPSTEAD, MD). THEY INFORMED US THAT OUR PROBLEM WAS TWOFOLD. FIRST THEY SAID THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING, AND THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE DETERIORATED. AFTER DOING SOME EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND WITH PHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY, WE LEARNED THAT THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE MOTOR MOUNTS (REF: TSB #92M77 JUN 95). INITIALLY THE FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CLERK INDICATED THAT THIS WORK WOULD BE PERFORMED WITH NO PROBLEM. AFTER SEVERAL HOURS, WE WERE NOTIFIED BY ANOTHER FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CLERK THAT THIS PARTICULAR RECALL WAS SUBJECT TO A 60,000 MILE LIMITATION (THIS WAS NOT INDICATED ON THE INTERNET SITE OR BY THE FIRST CLERK). FURTHER MORE, DISCUSSIONS WITH A SERVICE MANAGER FROM ANOTHER LOCAL FORD DEALER HAD INDICATED THAT FORD HAS HAD A LOT OF PRE-MATURE FAILURES WITH THE 3.8L HEAD GASKETS AND THAT THERE WAS A SLIGHT POSSIBILITY THAT THE EXCESSIVE SHOCK AND VIBRATIONS FROM THE BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. ESTIMATED REPAIRS FOR THIS PRE-MATURE FAILURE IS GOING TO COST ME AS MUCH AS $2000.00 ON A VEHICLE LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD. ANY INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE APPRECIATED.