NHTSA Complaint #752354 — 1995 FORD TAURUS

I PURCHASED SAID 1995 FORD TAURUS USED IN JULY 1997, SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I NOTICED THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE BOUNCING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH. THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM (DATE AND MILEAGE LISTED HEREIN IS THE FIRST REPAIR) THE DEALER (LISTED HEREIN IS NOW OUT OF BUSINESS) REPAIRED THE VEHICLE 2 MORE TIMES UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY WITHIN A YEAR. THE SPEEDOMETER BLOCK WAS REPLACED AGAIN A 4TH TIME BY HIXSON AUTOPLEX, THE FORD DEALER IN ALEXANDRIA, LA ON 6 -14-99. NO DIRECTIVE FOR THIS REPAIR WAS GIVEN OTHER THAN TO REPLACE THE SAME PART. IN SEPTEMBER 2000, THE SPEEDOMETER BROKE AGAIN. I RETURNED TO HIXSON AUTOPLEX, EXPLAINED THE SITUATION, AND THEY GAVE ME FORD'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS 800 NUMBER. ALTHOUGH, I EXPLAINED THE CAR HAD BEEN REPAIRED FOUR TIMES BY AUTHORIZED FORD DEALERS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, THE REPRESENTATIVE STOOD FIRM THAT THE REPAIR HAD LASTED 3 WHOLE MONTHS PAST FORD'S POLICY OF A 1 YEAR WARRANTY, THEREFORE THEY WOULD NOT HELP. NEEDING A SPEEDOMETER, I CONTACTED THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN JENA, LOUISIANA. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SPEEDOMETER PART WAS $500. MY ATTORNEY SENT FORD CONSUMER REPAIRS A LETTER ASKING THEM TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. USING LEGAL GOBBLDYGOOP THAT DID NOT EVEN APPLY TO LOUISIANA LAW, AND BASING THEIR ARGUEMENT ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME BETWEEN THE PURCHASE WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW ( THEY WERE TOLD I HAD BOUGHT IT OVER 2 YEARS LATER) AND MY ORIGINAL PROBLEM DATE. AGAIN, THEY DECLINED TO HELP IN ANY WAY. RECENTLY, I HAVE HAD CHANCE MEETINGS WITH 2 OWNERS OF 95 TAURUSES, BOTH DESCIBED SIMILAR SPEEDOMETER PROBLEMS.*AK