NHTSA Complaint #738907 — 1993 FORD TAURUS

THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURED DURING A BUSINESS TRIP IN AUGUST 1999. COOLING SYSTEM FAILED. AUTO WAS TOWED TO CAPITAL FORD IN RALEIGH NC. THEY INDICATED THE AUTOMOBILE HAD A LEAKING HEAD GASKET SAID THAT I SHOULD FIX IT WHEN I RETURNED TO MY HOMETOWN. THE PERFORMED APPROXIMATELY $200 IN REPAIR, I RETURNED TO CHARLOTTE. I TOOK THE CAR TO LAKE NORMAN FORD. MECHANICS SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. IN JANUARY 1999, THE CAR STARTED TO LOOSE COOLANT AND I COULD HEAR A GURGLING NOISE DURING ACCELERATION. I RETURNED THE CAR TO LAKE NORMAN FORD, THEY SAID THERE WAS AN AIR POCKET IN THE COOLING SYSTEM. I REMINDED THEM THAT CAPITAL FORD INDICATED THERE WAS A POSSIBLE HEAD GASKET PROBLEM, THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THE KEPT THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS HOWEVER. THE FOLLOWING WEEK THE CAR SUFFERED A COMPLETE FAILURE AND COULD NO LONGER BE DRIVEN. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO AN INDEPENDANT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. SPENT $2037 IN REPAIRS TO FIX. I CONTACTED FORD CONSUMER AFFAIRS. THEY REFUSED TO ADMIT A PROBLEM OR TO COMPENSATE ME FOR THE FAILURE SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRENTY. IN DECEMBER 2000, THE CAR FAILED AGAIN. AFTER SPENDING $900 TO TOW AND REPAIR THE COOLING SYSTEM THE MECHANIC INDICTED THERE WAS ANOTHER GASKET LEAK. ESTIMATED COST IS UP TO $2000. IF NOT CORRECTED, THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK