NHTSA Complaint #701557 — 1993 FORD TAURUS

FRONT MOTOR MOUNT FAILED SUMMER OF 1998. REPLACED. ON 11/24/98, FRONT MOTOR MOUNT BOLT CAME OUT AND REAR MOUNT FAILED. TOTAL FAILURE OCCURED WHEN CAR WAS SHIFTED TO REVERSE AT A FULL STOP. (LARGE CLUNK OF CAR). WHEN CAR WAS PUT INTO FORWARD, CAR ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY!!!! LARGE JERK OF CAR AS IT WENT INTO GEAR. I PUT INTO NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO A PLACE WHERE I COULD TURN OFF HIGHWAY. PUT INTO FORWARD AGAIN TO GET OFF ROAD...ANOTHER CLUNCK. STEAM OUT OF ENGINE...NO POWER AT ALL NOW (THROTTLE DID NOTHING). FRONT MOTOR MOUNT BOLT GONE, REAR MOUNT BROKEN, TOP RADIATOR HOSE PULLED OFF ENGINE, POWER STEERING PUMP DAMAGED (HAD TO BE REPLACED), HOOD DENTED. THROTTLE CABLE DISCONNECTED, THROTTLE ASSEMBLY BENT (CAUSE OF ACCELERATION). TWO FORD DEALERS AND ONE INDEPENDANT REPAIRMAN TELL ME THIS IS NORMAL FOR TAURUSES. YET FORD SAY IT ISN'T DEFECTIVE. THEY SAY I'M LUCKY TO HAVE GOTTEN 68,000 MILES, MOST FAIL BEFORE 60K. THE UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION VERY EASILY COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAR REACHED APPROX. 35 MPH BEFORE I PUT INTO NEUTRAL.