2001 Ford Taurus Other / unspecified Problems

AS I WAS TRAVELING THE REAR SPRING SNAPPED AND STARTED TO GOUGE INTO THE TIRE AND CUT THE TIRE ON THE TOP CORNER SIDEWALL WHERE THE STEEL BELTS ARE NOW SHOWING ALSO HEATED UP SO FAST THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO TAKE OFF THE LUG NUTS OF THE TIRE TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE ADVISORS AND IT COULD BE FATAL IF THE TIRE EXPLODES. FORD CLAIMS THERE IS NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO ORDER A RECALL FOR A POTENTIAL FATAL FLAW IN THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10587476

Incident

May 2, 2014

Mileage

78,300 mi

RIM (WHEEL) RIPPED APART WITH THE LUG NUTS AND CENTER OF RIM STILL ATTACHED TO CAR / ROTOR: MY SON WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX. 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER WHEEL STARTED TO SHAKE. BEFORE HE COULD STEP ON THE BRAKE THE TIRE AND MOST OF THE RIM WAS DETACHED FROM THE CAR CAUSING EXCESSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. FROM THE CENTER LANE, THE CAR WENT SKIDDING OUT OF CONTROL TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY BARELY MISSING A LARGE POLE AND EVENTUALLY COMING TO A STOP. THE MECHANIC ON THE SCENE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN HIS LONG CAREER OF MECHANICS. HE TOLD MY SON THAT HE WAS VERY LUCKY HE WAS ON EVEN PAVEMENT BECAUSE THE CAR COULD HAVE EASILY FLIPPED CAUSING MAJOR INJURY AND PROBABLY DEATH. HOOD OR DRIVER SIDE DOOR WON'T OPEN. BRAKES ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL. FRAME, ROTOR AND LOWER SUSPENSION ARE DAMAGED. IT IS PRESUMED THAT THE COST TO REPAIR WILL BE MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH (TOTAL LOSS). I FOUND THAT ANOTHER INCIDENT JUST LIKE THIS WAS REPORTED TO NHTSA ON JULY 27, 2001, VIN-[XXX], SO THIS ISN'T JUST A ONE TIME OCCURRENCE. I FELT COMPELLED TO REPORT THIS BECAUSE I FEEL THAT MANY MORE ARE AT RISK AND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS WHO DIDN'T KNOW TO REPORT IT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10467592

Incident

Jul 19, 2012

Mileage

148,500 mi

APPROX. MID-MAY 2008 NOTICED COOLANT SMELL IN CAR AND WATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR INSIDE 2001 FORD TAURUS WAGON. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AC BLOWER MOTOR ONLY WORKED ON HIGH. TOOK TO SHERWOOD FORD IN SALISBURY, MD END OF MAY 2008 FOR REPAIR. THEY REPLACED RESISTORS TO BLOWER MOTOR AND STATED PROBLEM WAS DUE TO CORROSION FROM WATER DAMAGE FROM LEAK IN WINDSHIELD/COWL. BLOWER WORKED FINE UNTIL AUGUST 18, 2008 STARTED WORKING ONLY ON HIGH AGAIN. TOOK BACK TO SHERWOOD FORD 8-25-08, THEY ARE CURRENTLY REPLACING RESISTORS AGAIN AND STATE THAT BLOWER MOTOR SHOULD BE REPLACED TOO BECAUSE IT IS NOT WORKING UP TO PAR DUE TO WATER DAMAGE. INTERNET SEARCH OF FORD TAURUS COWL LEAK REVEALS MANY OTHER PEOPLE OWNING FORD TAURUS/MERCURY SABLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND FORD WILL NOT ISSUE RECALL. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE BLOWER, IF IT GOES OUT ALTOGETHER THEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION COULD DEVELOP DUE TO INABILITY TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD OF FOG, ETC. REFERENCING COMPLAINT NUMBERS 10184014, 10189897, 10195320, 10205290. CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER ON 8-25-08 AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP WITH REPAIRS FOR THIS KNOWN DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10239598

Incident

May 15, 2008

MY SON ADVISED ME TO SEND THIS TO YOU. OUR 2001 FORD TAURUS WAS IN OUR GARAGE WHEN OUR GARAGE CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED IN FEBRUARY. THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANY REASON FOR THE GARAGE TO BURN. I WAS ADVISED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE CASE WAS IN THE GARAGE WHEN THE GARAGE STARTED TO BURN. WE HAVE PICTURES.

NHTSA ID

10127366

Incident

Feb 22, 2005

Mileage

40,000 mi

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED/STARTED UP REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL INTERMITTENTLY LOCKED UP. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10089503

Incident

May 22, 2004

Mileage

30,000 mi

HAVE COMPLAINED TO DEALER/FORD MOTOR COMPANY RE: FOUL ODOR WHEN HEAT IS RUNNING. WAS TOLD THAT I PROBABLY HAD A HIGH SENSITIVITY TO ALLERGIES. COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING TO REPLACE BREAKS AT 15,000 MILES. HAD TO REPLACE OIL GASKET PAN TWICE WITHIN THE SAME YEAR. DEALERSHIP DID NOT FIND THIS UNUSUAL. CAR ACCELERATES WITHOUT WARNING SOMETIMES. THE MOTOR IS MAKING A RUSHING NOISE. WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS THE NORMAL SOUND OF THE MOTOR ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT START UNTIL SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD. HAD TO TAKE CAR BACK TO REPLACE BACK/WARPED WINDSHIELD AFTER HAVING IT ONE DAY. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT EVEN ALLOW ME TO TRADE VEHICLE AND DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE FACT THAT TOO MANY THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG IN TOO SHORT A PERIOD OF TIME. PURCHASED VEHICLE IN 2002. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047653

Incident

Sep 12, 2003

Mileage

3,500 mi

PROBLEM WITH ENGINE FAILURE. *MR THE CONSUMER'S SERVICE DEALER HAD BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE. THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL (FRONT WHEEL WAS CHOPPED), AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. *SCC VARIOUS COMPONETS WERE REPLACED, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10044103

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER MADE A RIGHT TURN AND STRUCK 2 VEHICLES. UPON INSPECTION CONSUMER NOTICED THE RIM HAD SPLIT WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT. RIGHT FRONT RIM AND TIRE WERE AFFECTED.*JB

NHTSA ID

10002583

Incident

Nov 1, 2002

CONSUMER STATED WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE FRONT RIM SPLIT, WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOWOUT. CONSUMER COLLIDED WITH 2 VEHICLES.*JB

NHTSA ID

10002484

Incident

Nov 1, 2002

THE REAR LEFT WHEEL INCLUDING THE RIM CAME OFF WHILE IN TRANSIT. THE LUGS: NUTS THAT THE RIM IN PLACE WERE STILL INTACT. LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR, BUT ABLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT ANY INJURIES. I AM FILING A COMPLAINT FOR FAULTY MANUFACTURING.*AK

NHTSA ID

749411

Incident

Jul 27, 2001