NHTSA Complaint #729777 — 1993 FORD TAURUS

THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CAR TURNS OFF WHILE WE ARE DRIVING. IT HAS OCCURRED AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS,BUT IT HAPPENS MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN WE ARE DRIVING AT 65-70 WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING. WITH NO WARNING, THE CAR ENGINE COMPLETELY STOPS. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO TELL US WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. WE HAVE TO OPEN THE HOOD AND LET THE ENGINE COOL DOWN AND THEN DRIVE WITH THE HOOD OPEN A LITTLE. (I NOTICE A LOT OF TAURUS WITH THEIR HOODS OPEN ALSO) , AFTER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COOLS, THE CAR WILL START WITH NO PROBLEM AND CONTINUE UNTIL THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HEATS UP AGAIN. THE ENGINE IS NOT OVERHEATING, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS. IT APPEARS THAT SOMETHING IS OVERHEATING AND TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BOTH REPORTED SEPARATELY TO FORD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RECALL IN CALIFORNIA SOUNDS JUST LIKE OUR PROBLEM. WE HAVE TOLD FORD THAT THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM, BUT THEY JUST ENTER THE REPORT--SUPPOSEDLY. LAST WEEK WE HAD TO PULL UP OVER A CURB ONTO GRASS TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. TODAY, I PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT ONTO THE HIGHWAY, AND THE CAR STOPPED IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC WHICH LUCKILY WAS FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO SEE MY PROBLEM. I HAD TO COAST TO THE NEXT DRIVE IN ORDER TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. I HOPE THIS PROBLEM WILL BE LOOKED INTO AND RESOLVED BECAUSE IT IS A DEFINITE DEFECT AND HAZARD.