The driver's side front coil spring broke and the sharp broken edge sliced the tire of our 1999 ford taurus sedan, VIN #[xxx]. The bottom of the car suddenly dropped and the tire blew out. We were very, very lucky that this occurred while my wife was slowly backing out of our driveway. There were no injuries or other consequential damage to the vehicle. But it was a terrifying close miss with a horrific catastrophe. If the spring had broken only a short time later, it is extremely likely that my wife and several others would have been killed or at least seriously injured. She was just starting on a drive into boston via route i93, a heavily used expressway. Imagine what would have happened if the spring had broken while the car was moving at expressway speed and surrounded by other fast moving vehicles. We purchased the car april 25, 2000 from hewlett packard company where it had been used as a company car assigned to one of the managers. The odometer read 5,352 then. Most of our driving has been done around suburban boston where the roads are well surfaced and maintained. One week prior to the incident (may 28) the car had been serviced by iversen ford, 257 boston road, north billerica, ma. The front stabilizer bars and left inner axle seal had been replaced. I have the broken spring and the original unbroken spring from the passenger side in my possession. I also have photographs of the spring and slashed tire. Ford refused to analyze the broken spring despite two letters urging them to do so. Ford also refused to pay for the spring replacement. As far as I can determine, ford has not seriously investigated this matter either with regard to defects in the coil spring itself or with regard to service procedures that could lead to spring failures. *jb information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
1999 Ford Taurus suspension complaints
Page 6 of 7: complaints 131 to 160 of 180, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The coil spring popped out and fractured the driver's side tire. Dealer notified. *ak the springs on both driver's and passenger side popped out and damaged the tire. Both springs and tires had to be replaced. *ph
Driver got into vehicle while it was parked and the front left side broke and exploded.
While attempting to back out of a parking space behind my house, the drivers side front coil spring broke. This caused the drivers side front tire to puncture and instantly lose all pressure. About one ring of the coil broke off and the coil remaining on the car had the sharp end that pierced the tire.
The left front coil spring snapped. My car had only 51,377 miles. I had to have both coil springs, 2 gas struts, 2 upper pivot strut mounts, 2 sway bar links, and 1 continental left front tire with only 5,000 miles on it replaced. It cost $ 1,204.93. It would be nice to get reimbursed for it. I've heard this has happened on several ford models. The place that I took it to said they did a taurus for the same exact reason the week before.
Front coil springs snapped while driving 25 MPH and damaged the bearings. *ak the consumer's wife was driving when she heard a loud bang and smelled rubber. The service dealer found a broken spring on the driver's side, light scuff marks on the tire, and a damaged bearing. *scc
While driving at a slow rate of speed, broken spring punctured left front tire, necessitating the replacement of the spring, tire, strut, strut mounting bearing and left front sway bar link. Right side strut and spring were also replced at this time.
While getting into the vehicle, the consumer heard a loud crack, and found the left side coil spring punctured the tire. Dealer notified. *ak the front coil spring and sway bar were replaced. *tt
While driving, the front coil spring fractured and cut through the tire. *jb *ts
Driver side front coil spring broke and went through the front tire.
Broken suspension spring. *mr
While driving the right front tire was punctured, due to a broken coil spring.
Vehicle's front coil spring fractured.
The vehicle's left front coil spring punctured the tire the caused the tire to blow out.
While driving, the consumer heard a loud bang and the left side of the vehicle dropped. Consumer stated the springs which supported the front end broke.
My ford taurus 1999 se-model, VIN# [xxx], has 69,095 and the front wheel bearings are shot. My mechanic says this is low mileage for this to happen; however he has seen a trend with the ford taurus having this problem. I called superior ford and spoke with a [xxx] regarding this problem and he conveniently got rid of me - as long as there are no deaths resulting as of yet.....ford will deny any problems. *nlm information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Front passenger spring failure on 1999 ford taurus, causing tire and component damage. This happened at the same mileage of another company owned vehicle of the same make and model, last year in 2002.
Right front coil spring snapped slicing the right front tire causing blowout. Luckily was backing out of parking spot at low speed when occurred.
The front strut broke and punctured the left front tire.
Front spring broke at slow speed shredding inside of tire, broke stabilizer bar and damaged strut - vehicles has about 75,000 miles on. Have owned many cars, never had this happen - no good reason a spring should break!
The front springs broke, which caused the tire to blow out.
Our county agency purchased two ford taurus vehicles new, in 1998 and 1999. At the end of february 2003 within one week of each other the drivers side front coil springs fractured and punctured the tire. In research I have discovered that there were recalls in 1998 on the 1993 ford taurus and in 2001 on the 1998 ford contour and mercury mystique, however I see no recalls concerning this problem with the 1998 and 1999 ford taurus. I would appreciate an investigation into this concern with the 1998 and 1999 ford taurus. I believe there is an obvious problem with the coil springs on these vehicles as well. Thank you.
The left front coil spring broke.
Total failure of the driver's side lower ball joint. 1999 taurus with 58,000 miles. The ball joint separated and left me without any steering. I had just left the highway 5 minutes prior. There was no vibration or handling difficulties to warn of the problem.
While driving the vehicle at 40mph, the front left side coil springs collapsed. Consumer states that she got the part number on the federal safety agency web side #xf1z5310ab. Dealer has been notified. Please provide further information. Ph
Drivers side front coil spring breakage. Coils spring broke in half near bottom of spring. 1999 taurus has 75,000 miles on. 80% highway miles.
Consumer stated the front driver side coil spring busted and punctured tire. Dealer notified. Please provide additional information.
Shortly after purchasing my taurus I noticed a slight vibration when braking. It was very minor and I did not worry about it - thinking it was a knot on a tire. It got steadily worse and when I had a mechanic look at it he told me I needed new tie rod ends. The front tires had both worn to the steel belts. I replaced both the tie rod ends and the tires. Now I am still feeling the shudder when I brake and last week I started noticeing the steering was getting difficult and humming as I turned. I took the car to the mechanic today and he said the rack and pinion was leaking and needed to be replaced. He suggested your website and I have found numerous other people with the same problem. Ford needs to do something about this, it seems to be getting out of hand. I hope you can pressure them into standing behind their product and do what is fair.
Camber on vehicle is factory adjust. *aki the only way to re adjust and the place where I took it said that he has seen new one like that come in
Exciter rims on ABS switch broke, leaving vehicle without any brakes. Contacted dealer.*ak consumer stated that tires wear out fast since the vehicle had no camber adjustment on rear wheels due to rear end being out of line.
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