NHTSA Complaint #700699 — 1996 FORD TAURUS

TWO TO THREE GALLONS OF WATER ACCUMULATED IN THE ENGINE BLOCK APPARENTLY DUE TO A COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE INVOLVING THE COLLAPSE OF THE HEAD GASKET. THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. FORD MOTOR COMPANY BLEW OFF MY COMPLAINT, AND THE REPAIR DEALERSHIP (FRIENDLY FORD/NORTH MIAMI BEACH) SAID THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN RAINING. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH A SPARE ENGINE FOR RAINY DAYS. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD ME THE CAR (DEEL FORD/CORAL GABLES) WHICH AT FIRST SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL OF CERTAIN 1996 FORD TAURUS FOR PRECISELY THIS PROBLEM, BUT WHEN THEY CHECKED MY VIN, THEY CLAIMED IT FELL OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THAT RECALL, AND THEY REFUSED TO FURNISH AN EXPLAINATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, I DISCOVERED THAT THE COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE HAD ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY DEGRADED THE TRANSMISSION. THE REPAIR BILLS HAVE BEEN ENORMOUS. WE FIND IT INCONCEIVABLE THAT THE ENGINE/COOLING SYSTEM WAS NOT DEFECTIVE SINCE THERE IS NO OTHER EXPLAINATION IN OUR VIEW FOR THE ACCUMULATION OF TWO TO THREE GALLONS OF WATER IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. SINCE THIS IS A MASS PRODUCED VEHICLE, IF THIS HAPPENED TO US IT HAS PROBABLY HAPPEN TO OTHERS.