Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 59 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 59, in the owner's own words
WHEN I WAS TURNING A CORNER MY CAR STARTED TO SHIMMY LIKE IT HAD A FLAT TIRE I GOT OUT TO CHECK ONLY TO FIND THERE ISNT A FLAT TIRE AND THAT MY RACK AND PINION IS GONE BAD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR I JUST REPLACED THE SAME PART ON THE OTHER SIDE A YEAR AGO EVERYTIME THE ALIGNMENT GOES OUT THE RACK AND PINION GOES BAD! *TR
98 FORD TAURUS WAGGON BUILD DATE OF 11/4/97 WITH 105,000 MILES, FRONT PASSANGER COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY, THANK GOD. APPARENTLY VERY COMMON, WHY IS THERE NO RECALL FOR THIS!! NO APPARENT REASON, LIGHT USEAGE MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES. *TT
1998 FORD TAURUS FRONT DRIVERSIDE COIL BROKE WHILE DRIVING. *TR
IN JUNE 2008 I STARTED MY REGULAR YEARLY MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE OF MY 1998 FORD TAURUS WAGON. I HAD MY OIL CHANGE & ROTATED/BALANCED MY TIRES. IN OCTOBER 2008 I HAD TWO TIRES REPLACED (ALL OF MY SERVICE WAS DONE @ A FORD DEALERSHIP IN MY CITY) AND A MULTI-POINT INSPECTION FOR MY VEHICLE INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC ADVISED ME THAT MY CAR NEEDED REAR SHOCKS, AS THE OUTER CASING WAS ROTTED! LEFT INNER TIE ROD WAS LOOSE & FRONT BRAKES WERE WORN. I WENT IN ON OCT 23, 2008 AND HAD ALL OF THE WORK DONE!,$417.45 FOR FRONT BRAKES, RESURFACED FRONT ROTORS; REPLACED FRONT INNER TIE ROD. THEN ON 11/10/08 I WENT IN TO HAVE MY VEHICLE INSPECTED AND WAS ADVISED THAT IT FAILED, THE ROCKER PANELS WERE ROTTED OUT! I MADE AN APPT FOR 11/19/08 TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO FIX THIS & LEARNED THAT THE ROCKER PANELS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FROM FORD & THAT I NEEDED TO FABRICATE NEW ONES! MY CAR, WHICH HAD 142,555 MILES ON IT, WHICH I THOUGHT TO BE IN PERFECT CONDITION, DID NOT PASS INSPECTION BECAUSE OF SUB-FRAME ROT! THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY BEEN SERVICED BY FORD DEALERSHIPS, WHO HAD JUST POCKETED $621.45 OF MY MONEY TO PERFORM WORK ON A CAR THAT THEY REFUSED TO INSPECT! IN SEARCHING FOR ESTIMATES TO REPAIR THIS DAMAGE I LEARNED THAT ALL TAURUS' RUSTED IN THE SAME PLACE! UNDER THE ROCKER PANEL COVERS, RIGHT WHERE MINE WAS ROTTED. I WAS TOLD BY EVERY COMPANY TO JUNK MY CAR! I CALLED FORD TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS AND WAS ONLY TOLD "YOUR CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY". I JUST LEARNED TODAY ABOUT RECALLS ON FORD VEHICLES DUE TO SUBFRAME ROT! MY CAR IS STILL SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIX IT AND HAVE NOT JUNKED IT YET BECAUSE I AM SO SADDENED THAT IT WAS NEVER FIXED BY FORD. I HAVE EVERY RECEIPT FOR ALL THE WORK PERFORMED ON MY CAR AND WOULD LIKE MY CAR TO BE INCLUDED IN THE UPDATED RECALLS ON FORD VEHICLES! THANK YOU. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING IN REVERSE APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH WHILE IN THE DRIVEWAY AND HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, FOLLOWED BY THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE COLLAPSING TO THE GROUND. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETECTED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE COIL SPRING FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE SIMILAR DEFECT AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL ON THE 1999-2001 MODELS UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V332000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,450.
I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AND MY COIL SPRING ON MY 1998 FORD TAURUS WENT THREW MY FRONT RIGHT TIRE. LUCKILY I WAS ONLY PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS, JUST TWO DAYS BEFORE I WAS DRIVING TO SYRACUSE AND GOING 70MPH ON THE FREEWAY, I WOULD HAVE MORE THEN LIKELY DIED DUE TO THIS. NOW FORD KNOWS THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE COILS IN THERE CARS BUT YET HAS DONE LITTLE TO FIX IT OR HELP PEOPLE. NOW I AM OUT 600 PLUS DOLLARS BECAUSE I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIRE AND PAY FOR A WHOLE NEW COIL SPING ASSEMBLY FOR BOTH SIDES ON THE FRONT OF MY CAR. ALL I WANT IS FOR FORD TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AND THESE FAULTY COIL SPINGS AND FOR ME TO GET MY MONEY BACK. *LN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANG AND STOPPED. WHEN HE EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD BEEN PIERCED BY A BROKEN COIL SPRING. HE REPAIRED THE VEHICLE HIMSELF. TWO MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BUT THE TIRE HAD NOT BEEN PIERCED. HE AGAIN REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 61,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. WHILE BACKING UP IN THE DRIVEWAY AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE MADE A RUBBING NOISE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE COIL SPRING PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FOUND A 1999 RECALL FOR THIS COMPONENT ONLINE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 138,000.
MY WIFE WAS BACKING THE CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND SUDDENLY THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT END DROPPED TO THE GROUND AND A FLAT TIRE OCCURRED. WHEN I TOOK OFF THE FLAT TO REPLACE IT WITH THE DONUT, THE ENTIRE INSIDE CIRCUMFERENCE WAS CUT. ONE OF THE COILS OF THE COIL SPRING HAD BROKEN OFF AND SLICED INTO THE TIRE. THE COIL SPRING APPEARS TO HAVE WORN HALF-WAY THROUGH AND THEN SNAPPED OFF. FORTUNATELY THE CAR WAS NOT BEING DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS! THE SHOCKS, MOUNTS LINKS, TIRES, ETC. WERE REPLACED AT THE TUNE OF $1,375.00. *TR
THE COIL SPRING IN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE PUNCTURED THE TIRE IMMEDIATELY FLATTENING IT AND RENDERING IT UNDRIVABLE COULDN'T EVEN PUT ON THE SPARE BECAUSE OF THE SPRING I HAD MY 7 MONTH OLD SON IN THE CAR AND THANKFULLY WE WERE JUST BACKING UP AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY YET! THIS HAPPENED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE LAST YEAR. I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DANGER THAT THIS POSES! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. HE PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FRONT END WAS LOWER TO THE GROUND. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING FAILED. THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE SPRING. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.
I OWN A 1998 FORD TAURUS. AFTER READING ANOTHER REPORT OF MALFUNCTIONING OF FRONT COIL SPRINGS I HAVE DECIDED TO REPORT THE SAME TYPE OF INCIDENT WHICH HAPPENED TO THE VEHICLE IN 2005. THE FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING SNAPPED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE, THE ENTIRE SPRING WAS LODGED THROUGH THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE - THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE, AND HAD TO BE MOVED ON A FLAT BED TOW TRUCK TO THE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT COILS SPRING FAILED AND DAMAGED THE FRONT TIRES. THERE WAS A RECALL # 04V332000 CONCERNING SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 62,257.*AK
WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. I GOT OUT TO INVESTIGATE NOTHING WAS BLOCKING THE TIRES. I THEN PULLED THE CAR FORWARD AND HEARD A BANG. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT DUE TO THE FRONT SUSPENSION (SPRING). WHEN THE TOW TRUCK CAME (AAA) HE SAID HE HAS SEEN "MANY" TAURUS' THAT THIS HAPPENS TO. I AM GLAD I WAS NOT ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED...*NM
FRONT SPRING BREAK
WHILE GOING DOWN ROAD, THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE CAUSING IT TO SLICE THE FRONT TIRE. THIS CAUSED THE REPLACEMENT OF BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS, BOTH FRONT STRUTS, AS WELL AS BOTH STRUT MOUNTS. *JB
1998 FORD TAURUS WITH 68000 MILES. FRONT DRIVERS SIDE COIL SPRING FRACTURED. ONE FULL BROKEN COIL STILL ON STRUT. DAMAGED RACK AND PINION STEERING UNIT. ONLY FOUND PROBLEM AFTER HAD LOOKED AT FOR LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID. APPARENTLY COIL FAILURE PULLED RACK APART ON END. RECALL FOR 1999-2001 ISSUED NHTSA #04V332/FORD RECALL 04S17. SEE OTHER WEBSITES WITH PEOPLE WITH 1998 MODEL YEAR HAVING SAME PROBLEM. WHY WASN'T RECALL EXTENDED TO 1998 MODEL YEAR? OR WAS IT? CAR IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND NEVER IN ACCIDENT OF ANY KIND. OBVIOUSLY THE DESCRIPTION IN THE RECALL FITS MY SITUATION. *NM
ON SATURDAY, MARCH 11,2006, I PARKED MY CAR IN MY CARPORT AT 7 PM, HAVING DRIVEN 30 MILES THAT DAY WITH NO PROBLEMS. IT REMAINED THERE UNTIL MONDAY MORNING, MARCH 13, 2006, WHEN I DISCOVERED A FLAT FRONT LEFT TIRE. THE AAA TOWER NOTICED THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY A COIL WHICH HAD BROKEN OFF FROM THE SPRING, PREVENTING HIM FROM RELEASING THE TIRE FROM THE WHEEL. THE FORD DEALER SAID MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER, MY CAR CLEARLY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE SPRING BREAK WAS CLEAN, THERE WAS NO RUST, AND THERE HAD BEEN NO PROVOCATION TO CAUSE A BREAK. HAD I BEEN DRIVING, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. THE REPAIR BILL WAS $875.00 TO REPLACE THE FRONT SPRINGS AND STRUTS AND TIRE. THE TOWER, FORD DEALER AND BOTH REPAIR MECHANICS EXAMINED THE COIL THAT BROKE OFF. I DO NOT HAVE THE PART. *JB
VEHICLE IS A SE WAGON, BUILD DATE 8/4/1998. PURCHASED NEW 8/26/1998. MILEAGE AT FAILURE IS 29,608 MILES. WHILE REVERSING AT UNDER 5 MPH, LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AT LOWER RETAINER. THE SPRING SLICED THROUGH THE INNER SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AND WAS TOLD THAT 1998 VEHICLES WERE NOT COVERED UNDER ANY RECALL, ONLY 1993 AND 1999 THROUGH 2001. FORD WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING EXCEPT RECORD THE FAILURE. TOTAL BILL WAS $1,075 FOR REPLACING BOTH FRONT STRUTS, TWO FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS, 1 TIRE, ALIGNMENT, AND TOWING. FORTUNATELY THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT LOW SPEED IN DRIVEWAY. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ENTERING THE VEHICLE A LOUD SNAPPING NOISE WAS HEARD. WHILE REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE FRONT DRIVER TIRE BECAME FLAT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 04V332000, REGARDING THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONSUMER HAD BOTH SPRINGS REPLACED AT HIS EXPENSE. UPDATED *JB
ON APRIL 24, 2006, I EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOW-OUT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN KEENE AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A BROKEN FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING. THE TOW DRIVER HAD INFORMED ME OF A RECALL FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS FOR 1999 TAURUS. MY CAR IS A 1998. I HAD TO REPLACE 2 FRONT TIRES BECAUSE OF THIS AND A SPRING. THE BILL TOTALED $537.78. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS LOOKED INTO. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, HE REALIZED HE HAD A FLAT TIRE. THE CONTACT CHANGED THE TIRE, REPLACING IT WITH THE SPARE TIRE. WHEN HE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT TIRE SHOP THEY FOUND THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE WHICH PUNCTURED THE FRONT TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT THE DEALERSHIP. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COIL SPRINGS, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. UPDATED 01/19/06. *JB UPDATED 02/22/06. *JB
WHILE BACKING OUT OF OUR GARAGE, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW. THE TIRE WAS SLICED ALL AROUND ON THE INSIDE AND WAS IN TWO PIECES. THIS VEHICLE HAS 4 NEW TIRES AND I THOUGHT THE TIRE HAD TO BE A DEFECT. A LOCAL GARAGE CAME TO MY HOUSE TO CHANGE IT WITH A SPARE STUDDED TIRE THAT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. I DROVE 2 FEET WHEN THAT TIRE BLEW. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT WASN'T THE TIRES. I HAD TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED TO A GARAGE. THE MECHANIC HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION SPRING COIL AND STRUT MOUNT. HE ALSO REPLACED THE LEFT ONE; IT WAS ABOUT READY TO SNAP. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND NOTICED THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAD RECALLS ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRINGS FOR THE 1997 AND 1999 VEHICLES, BUT NOT 1998. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR ANY RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE YEAR, AS THEY HAD RECALLS ON THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND YEAR AFTER. THERE WASN'T ANY CONCERN AT ALL AND NO RECALLS; NOW I AM STUCK WITH A BILL OF $489.71. LUCKILY I WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 MPH OR IT COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC. *JB
WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE AND MY TIRE SUDDENLY WENT FLAT. REMOVED THE TIRE AND SAW THAT RIGHT COIL SPRING BROKE PUNCTURING THE ENTIRE INNER SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO FIRST SAID THAT ALL EXPENSES WOULD BE COVERED INCLUDING THE TIRE DUE FORD'S RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR TAURUS. THEN THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE IT'S A 1998 TAURUS. IT IS PLAIN TO SEE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE COIL SPRING. THIS IS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM THE THE 1999 -2001 FORD TAURUS' RECALL. I'M SURPRISED THAT FORD WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR 1998 MODELS.
CONSUMER STATED, THE SPRING THAT WAS A PART OF THE STRUT ASSEMBLEY BROKE ON THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE. *JB
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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