NHTSA Complaint #710506 — 1990 FORD TAURUS

I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE DEALER FOR A RECALL SERVICE TO REPLACE THE "SUB-FRAME REAR PLATE NUT". WHILE FIXING THE RECALL MATTER, THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE FRONT AND REAR ENGINE MOUNTS WERE BAD, AND THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF MOVEMENT IN THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, SOMETIMES RESULTING IN A "CLUNKING" NOISE BEING HEARD WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE OR PARK. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE MOUNTS SHOULD BE REPLACED AND WOULD COST ME $343.70. A FEW YEARS AGO, I HAD NOTICED THE MOVEMENT IN THE ENGINE WHEN THE CAR WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK OR REVERSE, AND HAD ASKED MY LOCAL GARAGE MECHANIC ABOUT IT. HE TOLD ME THE MOUNTS ON THE TAURUS WERE NOTORIOUSLY BAD, BUT MY PARTICULAR CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY A FORD RECALL. I DID NOT PURSUE REPLACING THE MOUNTS AT THAT TIME. HOWEVER, NOW THAT THIS RECALL NOTICE ON THE FRAME CAME OUT, I HAVE LOOKED AT MATERIAL AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET, AND SEE THAT THERE WAS A GENERAL RECALLFOR ENGINE MOUNT DETERIORATION ON THIS CAR IN MARCH 92. (92M77) I DO NOT THINK I RECEIVED A NOTICE OF THAT RECALL. SINCE I DRIVE MY 3 KIDS AROUND IN THIS CAR, I TRY TO KEEP IT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE AND DETERIORATING ENGINE MOUNTS IS A RECALL NOTICE I WOULD HAVE PURUSED. IN ANY EVENT, I CALLED THE DEALER (CENTURY FORD IN ROCKVILLE, MD) TODAY ASKING ABOUT THE ENGINE MOUNT DETERIORATION RECALL AND WHETHER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT AND REAR ENGINE MOUNTS SHOULD ALSO BE TAKEN CARE OF AT NO COST TO ME. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE PARAMETERS OF THAT RECALL WERE IN EFFECT ONLY FOR 60,000 MILES OR 6 YEARS. THEY SAID MY CURRENT MILEAGE, ABOUT 69,000, PUTS MY CAR OUTSIDE THAT LIMIT AND THEREFORE FORD WOULD NOT PAY THEM TO DO THAT WORK. (I.E. I MUST PAY.) I HAVE SINCE CALLED FORD AND ASKED THEM ABOUT THIS SITUATION AND THEY JUST SAID THEY'D DO NOTHING. I THINK THE DETERIORATION OF THE ENGINE MOUNTS SOUNDS LIKE A WELL-KNOWN (TO FORD, ANYWAY) PROBLEM ON THIS CAR AND SEEMS STRUCTURALLY TO BE INTRINSICALLY RELATED TO THIS OTHER RECALL ON THE SUB FRAME, AND POSSIBLY CAUSED BY IT.