NHTSA Complaint #756186 — 2000 FORD TAURUS

ON JANUARY 31, WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON FRIGHTENING ME SERIOUSLY. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AND CALLED FORD ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE FROM MY CELLULAR TELEPHONE. I WAS ADVISED TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE MY CAR TO THE NEAREST AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER, THAT BEING BURGE FORD OF SANTA MONICA. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE OFFERED TO SEND A TOW TRUCK BUT SAID I SHOULD BE OKAY TO DRIVE THE SHORT DISTANCE MYSELF. AS THIS OCCURRED AT THE END OF MY LUNCH BREAK, THIS CAUSED ME TO RETURN TO WORK VERY LATE THAT AFTERNOON. AFTER TWO DAYS ON 2/2/01, BURGE FORD ASSURED ME THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. I PICKED UP THE CAR AND DROVE LESS THAN TWO MILES FROM THE SERVICE CENTER. AGAIN, THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE BACK TO BURGE FORD. BURGE FORD ENCOURAGED ME TO STAY A FEW MINUTES,  THEN 30 MINUTES ETC. TO SEE IF THE MECHANIC COULD FIX THE PROBLEM WHILE I WAITED. EVENTUALLY, THEY OFFERED TO PROVIDE ME WITH A FREE RENTAL CAR AS IT WAS NOW LATE AFTERNOON ON FRIDAY AND MY CAR WOULD HAVE TO STAY OVER THE WEEKEND. AGAIN, I HAD TO MISS A WORK. AGAINST MY WISHES, THEY DID NOT WRITE A NEW REPAIR ORDER FOR 2/2/01 BUT RE-OPENED THE PRIOR ORDER. IN ADDITION, HAVING EARLIER ASKED FOR MY COPY OF MY CLOSING SERVICE INVOICE FOR THE 1/31/01 SERVICE, THEY REFUSED TO RETURN THE COPY TO ME SO THAT I HAD NO PROOF THAT THEY HAD CLOSED OUT THE ORIGINAL SERVICE ORDER. UPON THE NEXT OCCURRENCE, I SWITCHED TO GALPIN FORDS SERVICE WHOM I FOUND TO BE MORE ETHICAL. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO GALPIN FOR THE SAME RECURRING PROBLEM ON 2/8/01, 3/6/01, 5/16/01, AND 11/16/01. EACH TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO GALPIN, I HAD TO PAY FOR A RENTAL AS ONE WAS NOT PROVIDED TO ME FREE OF CHARGE. ON MAY 17, 2001 AND ON DECEMBER 3, 2001 I WROTE TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY ABOUT THE RECURRING PROBLEM. *AK