NHTSA Complaint #765327 — 1998 FORD TAURUS

I BOUGHT THE 1998 FORD TAURUS USED BUT IN GOOD SHAPE,AT 70,000 THE COMPLETE EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILED THE DEALER FIXED IT BUT 5 MORE THOUSAND MILES AND IT WOULD HAVE COST OVER 1000.00 DOLLARS.ON JULY 31 2002 THE CAR HAD A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE INCLUDING ALL THE COMPONENTS THAT CONNECT IT TO THE ENGINE.I TAKE VERY GOOD CAR OF MY CARS BECAUSE I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA WITH THE NEAREST CITY OF ANY SIZE 45 MILES AWAY.THE MILES MIGHT SOUND LIKE ALOT BUT THEY ARE ALL EASY HIGHWAY MILES.I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER BUT THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARANTY AND SAID IT WOULD COST OVER 3500.00 TO FIX,I HAD IT WORKED ON IN A SHOP IN RENO NV AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE DAMAGE WAS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND THEY WORK ON HUNDREDS OF TRANSMISSIONS ON FORD CAR. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IT IS A ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MANY FORD'S WITH THE 3.0L AND 3.8L V-6 ENGINES.IT SEEMS WRONG FOR A RELATIVELY NEW CAR THAT I AM STILL PAYING ON TO HAVE THIS KING OF MAJOR PROBLEM AND FORD NEED'S TO COME CLEAN THAT THIER IS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW. P.S I AM ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2001 FORD WINSTAR'S TRANSMISSION TOO