NHTSA Complaint #723320 — 1993 FORD TAURUS

IN JANUARY 1998 I NOTICED WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS STAYING IN THE RED ZONE NEAR THE H. I TOOK IT INTO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THE NEXT MORNING AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR WAS AROUND $1100. ON SATURDAY 05/27/2000 WHEN DRIVING AWAY FROM A PARKING LOT I NOTICED THE CAR WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS PEGGED AT THE H, AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT THE TAILPIPE. I PARKED THE CAR AND HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP NEAR MY HOME. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AGAIN. THE REPAIR BILL IS POSSIBLY GOING TO BE BETWEEN $1100 - $1500. BOTH INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 1993 TAURUS 3.8 V6 ENGINE. I HAVE ALSO BROWSED YOUR COMPLAINTS SECTION OF YOUR WEBSITE AND FOUND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS LIKE MINE. I WILL BE CONTACTING THE NATIONAL FORD OFFICE IN THE MORNING TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY RECOURSE THEY CAN OFFER. IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM I FEEL LIKE FORD SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND/OR REIMBURSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY SPENT MONEY ON REPAIRING THIS PROBLEM. *AK