1996 Ford Taurus Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL CLUNKING NOISE. HE THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER AXLE WAS CORRODED, SIMILAR TO THE FAILURE LISTED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V385000 (SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, FRONT SEATS, STEERING CONTROL ARMS, DASHBOARD, AND TRANSAXLE WOULD NEED TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO MAKE REPAIRS TO THE SUB FRAME. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 202,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 195,000.

NHTSA ID

10375425

Incident

Dec 1, 2010

Mileage

195,000 mi

THE REAR SPRINGS OF MY 1996 FORD TAURUS GL HAVE BOTH BROKEN THROUGH NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10296511

Incident

Mar 10, 2009

1996 FORD TAURUS GL, 147,000 MILES. WHILE TRYING TO MOVE THE CAR THE FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING BROKE, PUNCTURING THE TIRE. FORTUNATELY THIS WAS LOW SPEED, NO ONE HARMED. REQUIRES NEW SPRING AND TIRE AT A MINIMUM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10261077

Incident

Mar 5, 2009

Mileage

147,000 mi

I HAVE A 96 FORD TAURUS THAT HAS A BROKEN FRONT SPRING (AND I OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT) AND IT CAUSED MY TIRE TO BLOW ON THE HIGHWAY. I ALMOST CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT THAT WOULD HAVE INVOLVED A TRACTOR TRAILER, AND ALMOST SURELY MY DEATH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10237673

Incident

Aug 8, 2008

Mileage

158,423 mi

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME FROM WORK, WHEN HER TIRE EXPLODED. SHE CALLED CRYING AND VERY SHOOK UP. WHEN I ARRIVED THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR WAS ON THE GROUND. APPARENTLY THE COIL SPRING SHOT OFF THE STRUT ASSY AND PUNCTURED THE INNER SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE. FORTUNATELY SHE WASN'T DRIVING TOO FAST AND WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL INCIDENT! UPON LOOKING ON THE INTERNET FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SITUATION, I LEARNED THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH FORD TAURUS AND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR ONLY NEWER MODELS OF THE SAME VEHICLE. WHY IS THE SAME PROBLEM ONLY RECALLED WITH ONLY CERTAIN YEAR OF MAKES???? WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THIS COULD'VE HAPPENED. I EVEN CHECKED FOR RECALLS FOR THIS CAR ONLINE. IF I WAS INFORMED OF THIS RECALL, THEN I WOULD'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC TO PUT GUARDS ON THE COIL SPRINGS WITH MY OWN MONEY, BECAUSE A LIFE IS WAY MORE IMPORTANT THAN MONEY OR A PRODUCT. PLEASE REALIZE THAT THIS COULD'VE BEEN VERY VERY BAD AND COULD HAPPENED TO ANYONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10217875

Incident

Feb 12, 2008

Mileage

180,643 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, A CLICKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT END,AND ALSO HAD STEERING DIFFICULTIES. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST AUTO REPAIR SHOP WHERE A CERTIFIED MECHANIC DETERMINED THE TWO FRONT COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, AND INFORMED THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED, AND COINCIDED WITH THE DEALERSHIP INFORMATION. THE CONTACT WAS VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THE MECHANIC INFORMED ABOUT INCIDENTS WHERE THE TIRE WAS PUNCTURED BY THE FRACTURED COIL AND THE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. UPDATED 1/19/2007 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10171350

Incident

Oct 5, 2006

Mileage

47,898 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HITTING A GUARD RAIL WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR PAINT DAMAGE. AFTER BEING DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED A STABILIZER BAR.

NHTSA ID

10170920

Incident

Oct 15, 2006

Mileage

190,804 mi

FRONT DRIVER SIDE COIL UNEXPECTEDLY SNAPPED WHILE AT A STOP SIGN AND PUNCTURED TIRE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO ROLL INTO A NEAR LOT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10148273

Incident

Jan 21, 2006

Mileage

98,000 mi

I BACKED MY 1996 FORD TAURUS OUT OF THE GARAGE AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS SITTING AND THE RIGHT FRONT SPRING BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE RIGHT TIRE. THERE WAS NO SAGGING OF THE CAR OR WARNING THAT THE SPRING WAS ABOUT TO BREAK. I TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND BOTH FRONT SPRINGS WERE FIXED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10138645

Incident

Jan 15, 2005

Mileage

90,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 1996 FORD TARUS THAT HAD SAT FOR A YEAR. UPON BACKING IT OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE FRONT SPRING BROKE. THE CAR DROPPED DOWN ONTO THE TIRE SLASHING IT OPEN IMMEDIATELY. THEN I INSPECTED THE OTHER SPRINGS ONLY TO FIND THAT ANOTHER SPRING HAD A BREAK IN IT ALSO. THE SPRINGS WERE NOT RUSTY AND THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN ABUSED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10134855

Incident

Aug 18, 2005

Mileage

135,000 mi

ON MY 1996 FORD TAURUS - RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND CAUSED BROKEN SPRING TO GO INTO RF TIRE CAUSING MASSIVE TIRE DAMAGE TO SIDEWALL. FAILURE WAS AT LOW SPEED SO NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. NEW COIL SPRING AND NEW TIRE WERE PURCHASED & INSTALLED. I'VE READ THAT TAURUSES OF OTHER YEARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE BUT NOT FOR THE 1996 TAURUS. MECHANIC TOLD ME THESE FRONT COIL SPRINGS SHOULD NOT BRAKE AND A MECHANIC FRIEND INFORMED ME OF THIS NHTSA WEB SITE. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL FOR THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY FAILURE AND REIMBURSE THOSE WHO HAVE PAID FOR PRIOR REPAIRS. THANKS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10116729

Incident

Mar 27, 2005

WHILE DRIVING FRONT PASSENGER COIL SPRING PUNCTURED THE TIRE. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10113207

Incident

Jan 14, 2005

Mileage

888,000 mi

I'VE NOTICED NUMEROUS PROBLEMS SINCE I FIRST BOUGHT MY TAURUS. FIRST I NOTICED A RATTLE/VIBRATION IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. I ALSO NOTICED A CLICK WHENEVER I TURNED MY WHEEL HARD EITHER WAY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10106291

Incident

Aug 25, 2004

Mileage

81,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH FRONT COIL SPRING RUPTURED, PUNCTURING THE TIRE. MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10106848

Incident

Dec 26, 2004

Mileage

119,000 mi

RECALL CAMPAIGN ; A FRACTURED FRONT COIL SPRING CAUSED THE FRONT TIRE TO BLOWOUT. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED FOR THE 1999-2000 MODELS ONLY. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10108855

Incident

Jul 1, 2004

WHILE REVERSING CONSUMER FOUND A PIECE OF THE BROKEN COIL SPRING ON THE GROUND OF THE GARAGE. THE DRIVER SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE AND THE COIL PUNCTURED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. RECALL 04V332000 WAS ISSUED BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID

10083561

Incident

Jul 2, 2004

Mileage

175,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH,CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM WHEEL ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, AND SUDDENLY CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO THE SHOULDERS. CONSUMER WENT UNDERNEATH OF THE VEHICLE AND SAW THAT COIL SPRING ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BROKE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10087244

Incident

Aug 5, 2004

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD ALOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10081922

Incident

Jul 10, 2004

WHILE PARKED FRONT DRIVER SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE. AS A RESULT, THE TIRE WAS PUNCTURED. *AK BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. THE UPPER BRACKET ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10071639

Incident

Apr 26, 2004

Mileage

66,500 mi

FOUND THAT THE REAR COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN DURING A TIRE ROTATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10075037

Incident

Jun 6, 2004

Mileage

94,350 mi

THE FRAME OF MY 1996 FORD TAURUS HAS RUSTED OUT WHERE THE FRAME MOUNTS TO THE BODY ON THE RIGHT SIDE. *MR

NHTSA ID

10073232

Incident

May 25, 2004

Mileage

71,400 mi

THIS CAR CONTINUALLY STALLS OUT , THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON, THE ENGINE REPAIR LIGHT COMES ON, THE UNDERNEATH SUSPENSION SQUEEKS AND GROANS, THE BRAKES SQUEAK, THE WHEEL DOESN'T TURN WHEN THE CAR STALLS OUT. IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES WHEN I AM TURNING A CORNER, THE CAR STALLS OUT AND THE WHEEL WILL NOT TURN. NOW THE COMPUTOR SYSTEMS ARE NOT WORKING THE AIR CONDITIONING. I HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR TO GET THE RADIO AND THE AIR CONDITIONING TO START UP. THESE THINGS HAPPEN BUT NO ONE CAN FIND A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10070128

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

1996 FORD TAURUS WHILE INSTALLING NEW FRONT BRAKE PADS IT WAS NOTICED THAT BOTH FRONT SPRINGS WERE BROKEN.*AK

NHTSA ID

10052797

Incident

Dec 19, 2003

Mileage

85,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN CONSUMER REALIZED THAT FRONT SUSPENSION DROPPED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10038053

Incident

Aug 16, 2003

WHILE BACKING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVE WAY, THE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE FRONT TIRE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM PH *JB

NHTSA ID

10015339

Incident

Apr 4, 2003