NHTSA Complaint #712540 — 1993 FORD TAURUS

DRIVING ON CROWDED HIGHWAY IN 3RD LANE UPHILL WITH WIFE AND 3 CHILDREN IN CAR WHEN ENGINE HAD SUDDEN ALMOST TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AND WHITE SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT EXHAUST. HAD TO GO THROUGH 2 LANES OF HEAVY TRAFFIC TO MAKE IT TO BREAKDOWN LANE. ENGINE QUIT IN 1ST LANE WITH ALMOST TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY. THEN HAD TO WAIT ON SIDE OF HIGHWAY FOR TOWTRUCK. EXTREMELY HEAVY WHITE SMOKE ALSO BLINDED CARS BEHIND US AND MADE IT TOUGH FOR THEM TO SEE. I FEEL HEAD GASKET SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 100K MILES MINIMUM AND SHOULD NOT FAIL SO CATASTROPHICALLY. UNDERSTAND THIS IS VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND FORD HAS A SECRET OWNER REPAIR REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR CARS UNDER 5 YEARS/60K MILES. HEAD GASKET DEFINITALY SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 60K MILES. I ALSO FEEL THIS HIDDEN WARRANTY SHOULD BE EXTENDED AND THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN DEFECT IN THIS ENGINE.