NHTSA Complaint #737211 — 1997 FORD TAURUS

I OWN A 97 FORD TAURUS THAT LIKES TO PING. IT STARTED IN 1998 AND AT THE START OF A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP, WENT AWAY, BUT CAME BACK. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER IN TACOMA WA, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY CLEANED A CYLINDER AND THAT THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS THAT LIGHT PINGING IS OK. THEY BLEW ME OFF. I MOVED TO FORT KNOX, KY AND THE WHOLE TRIP IT LIGHTLY PINGED. I PUT ON OVER 5,000 MILES IN LESS THAN A MONTH SO IT ISN'T CARBON. USED NAME BRAND FUEL THE WHOLE TRIP. IT GOT TO THE POINT HERE THAT I TOOK IT BACK TO FORD AND WAS TOLD BY FORD, THAT FORD HAS THIS "PINGING"PROBLEM IN ALL THEIR ENGINES. V-6 TO V-8 AND IN DIFF. VEHICLES. HE HAD JUST REPLACED A 4.0 LITER THAT DAY. . HE WOULDN'T HELP ME BECAUSE I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 3 MONTHS, HAVE 37,000 ON THE FORD AND I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH DOCUMENTATION ON THE PROBLEM. I WORK WITH A GUY WHO OWNS A 98 TAURUS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE CHANGED FUEL BRANDS AND OCTANE RATINGS AND IT DOESN'T GO AWAY. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT TAKES A FEW HOURS OF DRIVING TO START ACTING UP, BUT IT IS THERE. HILLS, STEADY DRIVING, CITY DRIVING, IT DOESN'T MATTER. I AM WORRIED THAT I WILL EAT AN ENGINE AND FORD WILL TELL ME "OH WELL". CAN YOU SHED ANY LIGHT ON THIS FORD KNOWN PROBLEM? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.