NHTSA Complaint #762561 — 1996 FORD TAURUS SHO

MY 1996 FORD TAURUS SHO STARTED MAKING A CHATTER NOISE ON THE TOP END OF ENGINE. I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER IN ALBANY, NY. THE DEALER WAS ORANGE MOTORS. THEY CHARGED ME 100.00 TO DIAGNOS THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AND THE COST WAS GOING TO BE $12,000.00. SINCE I WAS IN SHOCK WITH THE PRICE, I LOOKED INTO THE PROBLEM MYSELF AND FOUND A WEBSITE V8SHO.COM. THEY DESCRIBED MY EXACT FAILRURE. THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE AMONG ALL 1996,97,98,AND 99 SHO'S. THE ENGINE IS BUILT BY YAMAHA FOR FORD. THE PROBLEM IS THE DESIGN OF THE CAM SHAFT. THE TIMING GEAR SPROCKET IS PRESSED ONTO THE CAM AND CAN COME LOOSE AT ANY TIME. IF YOU HEAR THE AUDIBLE CHATTER FROM THE ENGINE, YOU MUST STOP DRIVING IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE GEAR WILL SLIP ON THE CAM AND THE ENGINE WILL SELF DESTRUCT BENDING VALVES AND DESTROYING THE ENGINE. IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW AN INDIVIDUAL MAINTAINS THE CAR. THIS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE AT ANYTIME. FORD KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM. THEY ISSUED SPECIAL SERVICE BULLITEN 15879 TO CHECK FOR THE PROBLEM. IN MY CASE THE FORD DEALER WHERE I TOOK THE SHO DIDN'T EVEN TELL ME NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR ANY FURTHER. WHEN THIS IS CAUGHT IN THE BEGINNING STAGES YOU CAN WELD THE SPROKETS TO THE CAM. AFTER TAKING MY CAR APART MYSELF, I FOUND BOTH FRONT CAMS TO HAVE A PROBLEM. ONE MOVES LEFT AND RIGHT ON THE SPROKET AND THE OTHER IS LOOSE ON THE CAM.(READY TO SPIN COMPLETELY LOOSE AND KILL THE ENGINE. THE COST OS THIS SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD NOT BE THE CONSUMER'S RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS A LATENT DEFECT BY THE MANUFACTURER.*AK