Driver side coil spring broke when I was backing out of the garage. This destroyed the tire, rendering it undrivable.

- West Chicago, IL, USA

- the contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus ses. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked, and when she got into the vehicle the coil spring on the front driver's side of the vehicle sheared and punctured the driver's side front tire. The contact stated that she had just had the tires rotated in December. The current and failure mileage on the vehicle were 48,000. The consumer provided the invoices for repair and a picture of the defected coil spring. Updated 06/25/07

- Buffalo, NY, USA

While moving the car only a few inches when pulling out of the garage a flat tire occurred with a loud noise. Investigating the problem it was found that the driver's side front coil spring had snapped and punctured the tire. If the car had been on the highway this would have been a serious failure, causing loss of control. The car was towed to the nearest Ford dealer, and I am in the process of having the spring and tire replaced. Ford recall no. 04S17 discussed this potential failure and covered model years 1999-2001 for Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable. I have a 2002 Ford Taurus, and my vehicle was not covered by the recall. I contacted Ford customer assistance and asked to have my vehicle included in the recall. They denied my request. Since the problem discussed in the recall notice appeared to continue to be an issue for 2002 Ford Taurus vehicles, I believe that the recall should be extended to cover 2002 Ford Taurus. My concern included the possibility of this occurring on the other front spring as well as the sudden way in which this happened, and the possibility of loss of control.

- Morris, IL, USA

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. The contact heard a loud noise near the front of the vehicle. The passenger's side front tire had blown. The contact had the wheel removed from the vehicle and noticed that the front passenger coil spring was sheared and had punctured the front passenger tire. The contact would like NHTSA to address this failure as a safety hazard. The current mileage was 74,000. Update 05/04/07

- Shelby, OH, USA

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. The contact referred to recall # 04V332000. The contact stated that the drivers side coil spring failed. The vehicle was brought to a local mechanic to be remedied. The current and failure mileage were 83579. The consumer informed there were no recalls for the vehicle. Updated 05/15/07.

- East Jordan, MI, USA

Just backing vehicle out of garage with no sign of a problem, left front corner of car dropped, followed by sound of air rushing out of tire. After jacking the car up to replace the tire, found one coil of the front spring stuck in the sidewall of tire. Spring showed no signs of rust, just a clean break.

- New Philadelphia, OH, USA

I own a 2002 Ford Taurus [xxx]. my family and I were getting into the car when something broke. We all thought it was a window but could not find any broken glass. I started the car and heard a crunching noise and then the driver side front tire exploded. When changing the tire, I noticed the coil spring was broken and it was dug into the tire. I had to call a tow truck and the driver said that this was common and there is a recall. When I got to the Ford dealer, they said that this is not covered in recall #04V332000. This is consistent with the charactistics of the failure for the recall. Updated 07/11/2012 information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Saco, ME, USA

My 2002 Ford Taurus SE was parked when I went to pull out of the space, the car made loud snapping sounds and was jolted, then would not move properly. I got out to check and the driver' S side front tire was flat. Put on the spare tire, and found a large gash cut into the inner wall of the flat tire. Found out that a broken coil spring destroyed the tire. Contacted two Ford dealers as well as their national customer service center, and was told that there was no recall on the 2002 Taurus, and they would not do anything to compensate me for the repairs, although I stated several times that this was a common and too well-known problem with the Taurus. I have yet to pay the repair bill, but know it will be around $400 for the replacement of coil springs and tire. I am saving my receipts and the defective coil in the hope that a recall will be ordered. Thank goodness this did not happen on the highway.

- State College, PA, USA

I backed out of a parking space and heard a grinding sound. I checked the front end but could not see any problems. I drove forward approximately 10 feet and heard a bang as the right front passenger side tire blew out. When I changed the tire I found the right front coil spring impaled in the tire's sidewall. The spring broke and the sharp end rotated into the tire. Fifteen minutes earlier, I had been driving at 70 mph on I-80 before exiting at mishawaka. I had the car towed to a local garage, and the spring/strut assembly was vreplaced. The tow truck driver commented he had seen approximately 20 of these incidents over the past 12 months.

- Mattawan, MI, USA

The front coil spring on the driver's side snapped and destroyed the tire on my 2002 Ford Taurus. Luckily the car was not in motion when it happened. Both front coil springs had to be replaced, as well as the sway bar, and the tire, plus an alignment had to be done. The repair cost over $500. The coil springs are not covered in the extended warranty I purchased from Ford even though every other part in the front end suspension is covered. Given what I have learned about the long history of faulty coil springs in Ford cars (going back to 1993) it seems likely that they exclude this part from the warrantly deliberatley. Also, there was a recall for 2001 Taurus cars due to coil spring failure, but Ford refuses to extend the recall to 2002 model cars, even though the problem with snapping coil springs is identical. Shame on Ford, and shame on the NHTSA if it does not force Ford to do a recall on this part.

- Delmar, NY, USA

- the contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While driving the vehicle at approximately 60 mph the driver's side front spring failed. The vehicle was towed and the spring and sway bar were replaced. Approximately two weeks later the passenger's side front spring failed. The passenger front tire was punctured when the spring failed. The spring and sway bar were replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000 miles. The contact has the repair invoices.

- Barnesville, OH, USA

I was driving on a highway doing 60 km all of a sudden I heard a bang and thought the front tire blow up because the front of the car dropped and veered to the left and almost crashed. Then had it towed to the dealer they check it and said the front spring broke and caused damage to the front driver side. 2,000 in damages.Ford said there was no recall on the 2002 model but there was on the 2001. So I am out of luck. Real nice.

- Barrie, 00, USA

2002 Ford Taurus; 57K miles; wife was parked at work parking lot (no other vehicle. In lot, was working alone on a Saturday). After work she went out and started the vehicle and put vehicle in (drive). The vehicle moved approximately 4 ft. And a large 'bang' came from the front of the vehicle. She immediately put the vehicle in park and shut off engine. She went to the front of the vehicle and noticed the tire flat. She then called home to have me come and help her change the tire. Tried to remove the tire to change it, and I noticed that it was 'hung up' on something. Realized the spring was broken, and had punctured the tire. (this tire had less than 2,000 mi on it). I then had to arrange for towing/service company to come and retrieve vehicle, and do repairs. The front stabilizer bar/spring assembly was replaced (on both sides); the tire was replaced with a new one; the front end was aligned. The total cost to me for this repair is just shy of $750.

- Gaylord, MI, USA

Failure of front right spring, just like the left front that failed in 8/05.

- Buffalo, NY, USA

Coil spring failure, left front, spring failed due to rust in steel. Repair to spring, parts and tire and rim. Cost $243.82.

- Buffalo, NY, USA

Backing out of driveway, front driver side coil spring snapped, puncturing sidewall of tire. Car was towed, cost for repair $650.

- Voorheesville, NY, USA

We are the original owners of vehicle. Daughter called while in parking lot describing flat right front tire. When I went to change tire, it would not come off of rotor. Upon further inspection, the coil spring had broken and was sticking through inside wall of tire. Wheel would not rotate forward forward without ripping out side wall. If the spring would have broken while vehicle was moving, a locked right front tire could have flipped the vehicle or pulled it of into a tree. By the grace of god, the spring broke just prior to the vehicle being driven.

- Lebanon, OH, USA

The front passenger coil spring broke about 50 feet from the end of my driveway after the car left my house. The broken spring then proceeded to slice through and ruin the tire. Happened at very low speed...thankfully.

- Sergeant Bluff, IA, USA

Front coil spring fracture on Ford Taurus front tire spilt like a can opener got to it.

- Solon, OH, USA

2002 Ford Taurus - front right spring snapped and punctured tire. 2000 and 2001 Taurus is under a recall for this issue. Fortunately it happened in a parking lot, not on the highway I had just exited. Had it been while moving - it could have lead to a very serious injury.

- Farmington Hills, MI, USA