We came back to Philadelphia Airport from a Christmas trip to Utah. When we pulled out from the parking lost I selt a drag on the left rear side of the car. It was One A.M, and we went directly home, (about 35 Miles). It was Sunday Morning when I took the car to a Firestone store to check it out. The coil spring had snapped mid way down the coil, and was rubbing against the tire. We were extremely lucky that the time did not blow out. I had both coil springs replaced by Firestone, plus a new tire. Ford Motor had noting to say about the whole matter, because I did not go to them to fix it. (God knows what that would have cost). The break in the spring looked like someone took a laser cutter and sliced right through the metal, (smooth as a babys butt). I filed a complaint with Ford Motor, and nevergot a response, also with the consumer bureau, same reaction, NONE.

I was in the car manufacturing business for 15 Years, (Budd Company of Phila & Detroit), and supplied Ford with body stampings) NISSAN AND TOYOTA ARE LOOKING REAL GOOD RIGHT NOW SINCE I AM IN THE MARKET FOR A NEW CAR)

Two years ago my left front coil spring broke and punctured and blew my tire while I was driving and I nearly hit a utility pole. Yesterday, while my car was in the body shop (to repair rusty wheelhousing) the shop noticed that my left rear coil spring was broken and has gouged a bad groove into the inner sidewall of my tire.

I had no clue that the rear spring was broken, just like a had no clue that the front spring was broken two years ago. Nothing gives you any indication that there is a problem until the problem happens. If your are lucky enough to have the car the repair shop, they may see the problem during a visual inspection. I heard no noises that would give me any indication that something was wrong, which could lead to a very serious injury and in some cases, death.

Ford had received a number of complaints of rear tire blowouts from broken rear coil springs(via NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE05054) but apparently decided not to have a recall on the Rear Coil Springs. They opened an Engineering Analysis (EA06-002) to further examine the potential safety implications of the rear coil spring fractures as realted to tire punctures in January of 2006(a year ago). I can't find any further information from Ford on that Analysis.

This is a serious matter, because injury and/or death could ensue from the above defect.

Everybody who owns a 2000 ford taurus should have both front and rear springs checked by a competent mechanic or by their ford dealer ASAP.

I hope Ford gets this problem resolved quickly before deaths do occur.