NHTSA Complaint #729943 — 1996 FORD TAURUS

THE HEATING AND COOLING PROBLEMS WE HAVE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE HAVE PROGRESSED FROM BEING INCONVENIENT TO A PERMANENT PROBLEM. FINALLY, AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL 2000 I THOUGHT THAT POSSIBLY IF I HAD THE RADIATOR FLUSHED THAT IT WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE HEATING AND A/C PROBLEMS. THE 19TH OF APRIL 2000 I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR A OIL CHANGE AND TO HAVE THEM CHECK THE COOLING SYSTEM. IN THERE NOTES UNDER "CORRECTION" IT SAID "CHECK OVER COOLING SYSTEM;BELTS;HOSES;COOLANT;ECT... THEN IN THE "COMMENT" AREA IT SAID *CK -30 OR BETTER UNLESS ADVISED* IT WAS PICKED UP AND I FELT COMPELLED TO CHECK TO SEE IF THEY HAD TOPPED OFF THE FLUIDS. (BEING A WIDOW AND A SINGLE MOTHER I DON'T KNOW WHO TO TRUST ANY MORE SO I DO MORE CHECKING THEN MAYBE OTHERS) THE COOLANT RESVOIR WAS NEAR EMPTY. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT BACK OUT. WE COMPLIED AND EVERY THING WAS FINE FOR APPROXIMATELY A WEEK OR SO. ON THE 29TH OF APRIL WE DROVE IT APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES ROUNDTRIP AND ON THE WAY HOME IT STARTED TO OVERHEAT. BY THE TIME WE GOT HOME ALL THE COOLANT WAS OUT OF IT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOOK IT BACK IN MAY 2ND. THIS WAS UNDER THE SECTION "CORRECTION COMMENT": CONTACTED FORD REGARDING CONCERN; ADVISED CUSTOMER ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED; DEALER AND CO. TO ASSIST; CUST. PORTION $700. WELL I GUESS THEY THOUGHT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN RELIEVED THAT I DID NOT HAVE TO STAND THE WHOLE COST, BUT I FOUND OUT THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE CAR CAME FROM THE FACTORY WITH THE WRONG COOLANT IN IT. THE COOLANT WAS TOO ACIDIC AND HAD OVERTIME CORRODED THE INTAKE VALVES,ETC.,RESULTING IN THE NECESSITY TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. NOW MIND YOU FORD HAD INSTALLED A BY-PASS KIT AND CHEMICAL FLUSH COOLING SYSTEM PER PROGRAM 07/29/99. AND YET WHEN I TALKED TO A WHISTLE BLOWER WANNABE, HE TOLD ME THEY WERE FIRST NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM IN JULY OF 1998. TWO OTHER TAURUSES AT THIS DEALERSHIP HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.