1992 Ford Taurus Body & Structure Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD TAURUS. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE REAR CORNERS OF THE SUBFRAME FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUBFRAME BOLTS ON THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WERE COVERED WITH RUST WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME UNSTABLE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL 98V323000 (COMPONENT: STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS) BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL; HE WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL REPAIR COSTS. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO CONFIRMED WHAT THE DEALER STATED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 72,000.

K-FRAME(SUB FRAME)FELL. BOTH TIMES WHILE DRIVING, BUT BOTH TIMES AT LOW SPEEDS. FRAME FELL AND I COULD NOT STEER CAR. BOTH TIMES MY TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED. 1ST TIME MAY, 2006, WAS DUE TO FAULTY BUSHINGS AND WASHERS. 2ND TIME, FRAME BROKE, RUSTED, GONE. ALL AT THE PRESCRIBED LOCATION AND PROBLEM THAT LED TO RECALL. AM I DRIVING A DEATH TRAP, IS FORD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR, IS IT MY FAULT, THE TRANSMISSION GUYS FAULT OR FORDS ? PLEASE HELP ME. BY THE GRACE OF GOD I WAS SPARED BEING ON THE OPEN ROADWAY, BUT IF I HAD AND MY FAMILY WAS WITH ME WE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE WEIGHT OF THE ENGINE AND TRANS. FALLS DIRECTLY ON THE STEERING, I ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT STEER THE CAR. PLEASE SOMEONE RESPOND TO ME BEFORE SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS. THANK YOU ! *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO REPLACED THE BODY MOUNTS AT THE REAR SUB FRAME. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN ALERTED AND AGREE THE VEHICLE IS INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA RECALL, # 98V323000 CONCERNING THE FRAME AND MEMBERS. HOWEVER, BOTH REFUSE TO REIMBURSE FOR THE REPAIR.

I WAS PROCEEDING AFTER WAITING FOR A TRAFFIC SIGNAL WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP. I HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, THEN PROCEEDED SLOWLY AND DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT; I CALLED AAA FOR SERVICE. AFTER THE CAR WAS HOISTED ONTO A FLATBED TRUCK I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE HAD DISCONNECTED FROM THE FRAME AT TWO POINTS JUST ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE WAY BACK FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND HAD DROPPED DOWN ABOUT 6 INCHES. THE TWO MOUNTING BOLTS WERE POINTING UPWARD FROM THE CONNECTING POINTS ON THE ENGINE CRADLE. I HAD THE CAR TAKEN TO THE FORD DEALER WHERE I HAD PURCHASED IT. THEY SAID THERE WAS $1200.00 IN DAMAGES AND THAT FORD DOES NOT HAVE A PROGRAM IN PLACE OFFERING NO-COST REPAIR OF THE FAILURE. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT. THE CAR HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY RECALLED FOR THAT PARTICULAR SAFETY DEFECT AND I HAD THE REPAIR DONE IN JULY OF 1999.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH TRAILING ARM BROKE WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE ENTIRE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED ONTO THE TIRES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD CLUNKY NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE BROKE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

MOTOR MOUNT FAILED. VIN: [XXX]. 1998 FORD TAURUS GL. CORROSION PROBLEM. SEE NHTSA RECALL NO. 98V323. ALTHOUGH THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED AND REGISTERED IN FL IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN IN NEW YORK FOR A CONSIDERABLE TIME IN THE EARLY YEARS. ALL OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND NOT JUST THE OWNERS IN THE NORTHERN STATES SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE POTENTIAL FAILURE AND COVERED UNDER THE RECALL IT THE CARS WERE EXPOSED TO ROAD SALT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE REAR LOWER SUB FRAME MOUNT PLATE NUT EXPERIENCED STRESS CORROSION CRACKING. *NLM

I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER SERVICE (800) 392 3673 SINCE THIS PROBLEM IS LISTED AS A RECALL ON YOUR WEBSITE, BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I THINK THAT SINCE MY VEHICLE IS EXHIBITING THE PROBLEM, IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED. *AK

REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTS BROKE IN HALF DUE TO CORROSION . A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE'S MAKE/MODEL. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.*AK

SINGLE THUMP SOUND WHEN SHIFTED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO REVERSE, THEN SHIFT TO GO FORWARD THE ENGINE SUDDENLY RACED CAUSING THE CAR TO ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLY. DUE TO IDLE AIR CONTROL LOCATED ON TOP OF THE ENGINE BROKE, CAUSING ENGINE TO RACE AT TOP SPEED, ENGINE CAME LOOSE FROM THE MOUNTS, FLOWN UP STRIKING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOD AND BREAKING THE IDLE AIR CONTROL, SUBFRAME MOUNT BOLTS WERE REPLACED.

THE MOTOR MOUNTS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 98V-323 THEN FAILED AGAIN. NLM

RECALL 98V323000; MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE, CAUSING ENGINE TO JUMP AROUND IN ENGINE COMPARMENT, AND HITTING HOOD WHEN DRIVING. FRONT AND REAR MOUNTS BROKE. THERE WERE NO PARTS HOLDING ENGINE IN PLACE. ALSO, RECALL DEALT WITH SAME PROBLEM; BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

DURING RECALL REPAIR CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO OBTAIN THE PROPER PAPER WORK, DUE TO DEALERSHIP PROBLEM. (98V-323) MJS

WHENEVER THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE PRESENT DUE TO A BROKEN WELD ON THE SUBFRAME. PART OF THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED UNDER A RECALL. *AK

CONSUMER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL (98V-323 SUB FRAME MOUNTS), DUE TO LACK OF KNOWLEDGE THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL FAILURES FROM EXCESSIVE WEAR (MOTOR MOUNTS, STRUT & MOUNT, SWAY BAR LINK) PRIOR TO RECALL REPAIR OF THE SUB FRAME MOUNTS. MJS

CONSUMER REQUESTING FULL REIMBURSEMENT OF CHARGES FOR RECALL REPAIR (98V-323), CONSUMER HAD REPAIR COMPLETED HOWEVER WAS CHARGED FOR RECALL WORK. *YC

REC'D RECALL NOTICE 98V323000 IN MAIL & CONTACTED DEALER FOR APPOINTMENT. AFTER ARRIVING, WAS INFORMED NO PARTS FOR SUBFRAME WERE AVAILABLE. BEEN CALLING OFF/ON DURING THE LAST FEW MONTHS & STILL NO PARTS.

REC' RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL #98V323000. NOTIFED DEALER. APPONT SET FOR MARCH. DEALER CALLED BACK LATER & CANCELLED DUE TO NO PARTS BEING AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE SUBFRAME.

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER ON MARCH OF 1999 FOR SUBFRAME MOUNTS TO BE CHANGED UNDER RECALL 98 V 323 000 AT 78,993 MILES. IN AUG 2001 105,000, MOUNTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THEREWAS A CLUNKING AND BUMPING NOISE. CONSUMER FELT LIKE INSIDE MAY FALL DOWN ON THE ROAD. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFOMATION.*AK