NHTSA Complaint #726564 — 1993 FORD TAURUS

ENGINE STARTED TO RUN HOT AND LOSE POWER WITH STEAMY, WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM EXHAUST PIPE, AND WITHIN FIVE MINUTES THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN ON CALIF RTE 30 (LATE AT NIGHT), AND HAD TO BE TOWED OFF THE FREEWAY. AFTER EXAMINATION OF THE MOTOR, MY MECHANIC ADVISED ME THAT THE ENTIRE MOTOR WOULD HAVE TO BE OVERHAULED DUE TO EXTENSIVE INTERNAL DAMAGE RESULTING FROM A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS TIED-UP IN HIS REPAIR SHOP FOR OVER THREE WEEKS. THE WORK REQUIRED TO PLACE MY VEHICLE BACK IN PROPER RUNNING CONDITION WAS $3,500- OUT OF MY POCKET. I STILL OWN THE VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF THIS EXPENSE BECAUSE IT IS WELL-DOCUMENTED WITHIN THE NHTSA (ODI) DATA BASE THAT THIS TYPE OF MECHANICAL DEFECT HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING OCCURRANCE IN THEIR FORD TAURUS PRODUCTS FOR YEARS. WHEN IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR SOMEONE GOING TO DO SOMETHING DEFINITIVE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? I HAVE A PAID MECHANIC'S WORK ORDER FOR THE PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED MOTOR OVERHAUL, AND I HEREBY DEMAND THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY REIMBURSE ME IMMEDIATELY. *AK