NHTSA Complaint #735990 — 1991 FORD TAURUS

IN APRIL 1998, OUR 1991 FORD TAURUS STATION WAGON'S TRANSMISSION FAILED DESPITE HAVING ONLY 61,518 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. WE INCURRED OVER $2,100 IN EXPENSES REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH WAS THEN OUT OF WARRANTY. OUR TRANSMISSION SHOP TOLD US THAT THIS CAR SUFFERED FROM A DESIGN DEFECT, IN THAT THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT HAVE A SUFFICIENT COOLING SYSTEM, AND THAT IF THE TRANSMISSION BECAME HOT IT COULD FAIL UPON HAVING TO SHIFT GEARS AT SLOWER SPEEDS. THIS WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR CAR; MY WIFE HAD COMPLETED A LONG, HIGHWAY TRIP, AND THE TRANSMISSION SIMPLY FAILED AND LOCKED UP AFTER SHE EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND BEGAN STOP AND GO DRIVING. SHE WAS ACTUALLY PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP LIGHT WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. IN AUGUST 1999, I DISCOVERED THAT FORD HAD ACTUALLY SENT OUT A LETTER IN 1995 ADVISING OF AN EXTENSION OF ITS WARRANTY ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS DUE TO REPEATED FAILURES. I SENT A LETTER ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT AT THAT TIME, SINCE OUR CAR HAD BEEN ONLY 1,518 MILES OVER THE 60,000 LIMIT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE, BUT I RECEIVED A REPLY FROM FORD REFUSING TO PROVIDE ANY REIMBURSEMENT WHATSOEVER. I TOOK NO ACTION AT THAT TIME, BUT RECENTLY, THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR FAILED AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH ONLY 79,400 MILES (ABOUT 18,300 MILES SINCE PREVIOUS FAILURE) AND WE HAVE INCURRED ANOTHER $2,300 IN REPAIR EXPENSE, DESPITE OUR HAVING TAKEN MORE THAN ADEQUATE CARE OF THIS CAR. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY RECOURSE FOR THESE EXTRAORDINARY EXPENSES, GIVEN THAT FORD APPARENTLY WAS AWARE OF A DEFECT IN ITS TRANSMISSIONS FOR THIS MODEL OF CAR, YET FAILED TO OFFER A RECALL OR REPLACEMENT AND FAILED TO REIMBURSE US ADEQUATELY IN THE PAST. THIS CAR HAS TOO FEW MILES, AND HAS BEEN CARED FOR TOO WELL, SIMPLY TO JUNK IT, BUT WITH THE ONGOING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS IT HAS BECOME A CAR WE CAN NEITHER USE NOR SELL. *AK