NHTSA Complaint #733952 — 1994 FORD TAURUS

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED. THE ENGINE LOST ALL COOLANT. WE WERE ABLE TO SHUT ENGINE DOWN WITHOUT OVERHEATING THE ENGINE. CHECKED ENGINE OIL FOR POSSIBLE COOLANT CONTAMINATION.. FOUND NO SIGN OF OIL/COOLANT MIX. DEALER SAYS THAT ESTIMATE OF REPAIRS TO BE AROUND $1200.00 TO $1600.00 IF THEY FIND NOTHING ELSE WRONG. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE 3.8 HEAD GASKET DESIGN. I BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH ONLY 20,000 MILES AND HAVE SERVICED IT PERFECTLY. I HAVE CHANGED OIL EVERY 3000 MILES, FLUSHED COOLANT EVERY 30,000 MILES, ETC. ETC. THIS CAR HAS 91,000 MILES ON IT . IT HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN HARD OR USED FOR TOWING. I AM A SERVICE MANAGER FOR A COMPANY THAT USES FORD TRUCKS AND VANS FOR SERVICE WORK. WE HAVE THE 351 CI AND 460 CI PUSH ROD ENGINES AS WELL AS THE 5.4L AND 6.8L OVERHEAD CAM TRITON ENGINES AND HAVE WELL OVER 140,000 MILES ON MANY OF THEM AND HAVE NEVER HAD A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. WHAT'S THE DEAL??