Problems with 2000 Ford Taurus SUSPENSION

All coil springs could crack and cause mishap. *jb

Left rear coil spring is broken, causing safety concern regarding possible tearing of tire by broken spring. this exact situation caused a recall by ford of front springs but they refuse to extend to rears. *jb

Tl* - the contact owns a 2000 ford taurus. the contact stated that both of the rear coil springs fractured. the contact learned this because the car was taken to dealer for an oil change, and while the vehicle was on the lift, the contact found that both coils fractured. the failure mileage was 75000 ,and the current mileage was 76000. *ak

Tl * the contact owns a 2000 ford taurus. the contact drove the vehicle to a ford dealer for scheduled maintenance and heard vibration in the rear of the vehicle. the mechanic informed the contact that the failure required replacing the rear springs. the dealer stated that they were only taking responsibility for the front springs ,and that he would replace the rear coil springs at the contact's expense. the rear springs were replaced. the current and failure mileage was 95,602. *ak updated *jb 04/05.07

Tl*- contact owns a 2000 ford taurus, and while the contact heard a clanking g sound. the contact took the vehicle to local mechanic, and the mechanic stated that a sharp jagged edge of the coil spring gouged the inner side wall of the left rear tire and snapped. the right rear coil spring snapped as well, but the spring was not into the tire. the current an d failure mileage were both 87600.*ak updated 04/12/07. *jb

2000 ford taurus - while driving on a side street near my home, the rear suspension spring broke and protruded into the rear tire causing the inside of the tire to be damaged. this event happened at a low speed and the car was stopped as soon as the noise was heard. there was not an accident due to the timing of the failure at low speed and the driver's reaction time. at the time of this complaint, the car has not been fixed yet as it only occurred one day ago. i was alarmed when i researched this problem on the internet and found many other complaints for the same type of failure. obviously the rear spring design on these cars are defective, resulting in a very dangerous situation if they fail at high speed. i was fortunate compared to other reports i have read. *nm

The rear left spring had broken off at the bottom by the support. the car was drivable. but out of concern, i went to a local repair shop. also the mechanic noticed that a stabilizer bar bolt was missing. so i authorized them to replace the springs, struts and stabilizer bars to the tune of 1000$. i can verify the exact amount by receipt. unfortunately i didn't take pictures or save the old parts. *nm

Driver side rear coil spring broke. broken coil spring had a pointed sharp edge.........could have punctured tire. *jb

Tl*- the contact stated that 2000 ford taurus ses, has problems with spring coils. he stated that 2 years ago, while driving at about 30 mph had the front driver side tire blowout. the contact stated that he put a spare on the vehicle , and took the vehicle to a tire dealer to replace the tire. the contact was informed that this tire didn't blow out, but that the reason for the failure was that the front driver side spring coil fractured and it punctured the tire. the contact took the vehicle to the ford dealership , and and he was informed that their was a recall on coil springs, campaign # 04v332000. the ford dealership did replace both of the front coil springs and added shields. the contact stated he took vehicle in 01/24/06 to dealership to have some body work done. the dealership informed the contact that his rear driver side tire has a gouge grove around it where the coil spring has damage the tire and the rear driver side spring is broken, and informed the contact that this needed to be replaced. there is no recall on this problem, and itwas a safety issue. the contact felt that there should be a recall for both front and back coil springs. *ak

I own a 2000 ford taurus model ses and have encountered suspension problems as related to the coil springs. two years ago the left front coil spring broke and punctured my left front tire while driving and i nearly hit a utility pole. i found out there was a recall and both left and right front coil springs were replaced by ford dealer. yesterday, while my car was at the body shop, they noticed that the driver's side rear coil spring was broken and it has cut a groove into the tire and will cause the same dangerous action as the front coil did two years age. i might not had been as lucky this time, depending on where and at what speed i was driving, if i had not had the vehicle in the body shop and they had not found the defect. it is amazing to me that ford motor corp.,would not have recalled the rear coil springs, the same as they did for the front. they are basically the same configuration, and perform the same function as the front coils, did they not think that it would not be the same outcome. this is extremely dangerous and could cause serious injury and most likely death in many instances. the real problem is that the owner is unaware of the problem until something happens. i did not know or have any inkling, in either case, that the springs were broke. there is no way of telling unless the car is on a lift, so if an owner is lucky enough to have the vehicle in the shop for repairs or inspection, it would most likely go unnoticed until a tire blew and put their life in jeopardy while on the road.

2002 ford taurus with front side coil spring problems**cc the front driver's side coil spring broke puncturing the tire. the vehicle was parked when this occurred. the vehicle was over it's warranty by 1231, therefore the consumer had to pay for the repairs. *nm

Tl*- while driving the 2000 ford taurus on a secondary road the contact heard a loud noise in the rear of the vehicle, assuming that she hit a bump on the road she continued to drive. on 01/22/07 the contact took the vehicle into the dealer for an oil change and for a tire rotation. at the dealer the service advisor stated that the rear springs were cracked and needed to be replaced. when the contact picked up the vehicle from the dealership and drove the vehicle home, she was concerned that the vehicle did not seem right. the contact took the vehicle back to the dealer, and the service advisor determined that the vehicle needed to get the struts replaced. the advisor had worked on five ford taurus within a short period of time with the same failure. the failure mileage was 117000, and the current mileage was 118000.*ak updated 03/30/07. *jb

2000 ford taurus rear coil spring broke and damaged the passenger rear tire. rubbing noise was heard before the tire actually deflated. *jb

In the summer of 2006 i took my 2000 ford taurus se in to get the brakes checked. auto mechanic informed me the rear springs were broken. took vehicle to local ford dealership and they said the same thing, springs broken. last weekend (1/13/07) i took the vehicle in for a couple of new tires. this auto mechanic also informed me rear springs were broken and advised of danger of rear tires being punctured and blown out. technician actually showed me broken springs. were very rust and pointed. got new rear springs, struts, sway bar, alignment for a cost of approximately $800.00. this car has less than 40,000 miles! *jb

On 1/12/07 while pulling into my garage i heard a loud "clunk" sound in the rear of the car. when i went to drive the car the next day, i heard a loud grating and rubbing sound coming from the rear of the car. it was unlike any sound i have ever heard before so i was afraid to drive the car. aaa came to tow the car. the tow truck driver looked under the car & informed me that the driver's side rear coil spring had broken & was rubbing the tire. i contacted the ford dealer who told me ford would not pay for the repair but that i should keep my repair bill in case there is a recall for the rear coils in the future. the suggestion was that i might be able to obtain reimbursement from ford. the car was towed on a flat bed truck to an independent mechanic who replaced both rear strut/spring assemblies and sway pins and aligned the car. the mechanic stated that the metal in the parts used by ford is substandard. he said that the tire was not damaged but would have been punctured had i driven the car any distance. he also checked the front coils which were subject to recall in 2004 & said they were "okay". i do not have the defective part. the repair cost me $979.00. i intend to notify ford and the dealership where i purchased the car about this matter. if i had been driving at highway speeds when the coil broke i could have been in a bad accident. my car is 6 years old and the mileage was only 51886 when this happened. *nm

I submitted complaint number 10178664 on 1/14/07 and afterwards discovered that i had entered an incorrect date for the incident. the correct date is 1/9/07 so i am resubmitting my complaint. on 1/9/07 while pulling into my garage i heard a loud "clunk" sound in the rear of my car. when i went to drive the car the next day i heard a loud grating & rubbing sound coming from the rear of the car. it was unlike any sound i have ever heard before so i was afraid to drive the car. aaa came to tow the car. the tow truck driver looked under the car & informed me that the driver's side rear coil had broken & was rubbing the tire. i contacted the ford dealer who told me ford would not pay for the repair but that i should keep my repair bill in case there is a recall for the rear coils in the future. the suggestion was that i might be able to obtain reimbursement from ford. the car was towed on a flat bed truck to an independent mechanic who replaced both rear strut/spring assemblies and sway pins and aligned the car. the mechanic said that the metal in the parts used by ford is substandard. he said that the tire was not damaged but would have been punctured had i driven the car any distance. he also checked the front coils which were subject to recall in 2004 & said they were "okay." i do not have the defective part. the repair cost me $979.00. i intend to notify ford & the dealership where i purchased the car about this matter. if i had been driving at highway speeds when the coil broke i could have been in a bad accident. my car is 6 years old and the mileage was only 51886 when this happened. *nm

Front, and rear coil springs, possibly- fuel pump, all failed in ford taurus 2000 sel 66k miles. this could cause driver to loose control, loss of power on highway. these problems could lead to serious injury. the coil springs are well know but ford will not replace rear coil springs... fuel pumps seem to go out in this car around 60k miles...*jb

I own a 2000 ford taurus. i recently experienced a front spring failure which was effected by a recall. during the repair, i was notified by the service department of my local ford dealer of a cracked rear coil spring. i find it hard to believe, only the front springs were defective on these vehicles considering the dealership inspected the rear springs and identified a failure. *jb

Rear spring broke and damaged tire, creating a 1/4 inch gash on my right rear tire. i understand that there has been a recall of the front springs, but haven't seen one for the rear springs. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while having the vehicle's tires rotated by an independent repair shop, it was noticed that both rear coil springs were fractured. the contact was unsure how long the coil springs were fractured. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, who determined that they would consult with a ford representative and try to find a resolution. the manufacturer was contacted, but provided no assistance. the contact expressed concern that fractured coil springs could pose a serious risk to safety when driving on the highway. there were no repairs made to the vehicle. the vehicle only had 11824 miles.

Began hearing noises from the rear of the car. removed rear tires and found both rear coil springs broken. one was cutting into the tire!!! i understand this is a common problem with the ford taurus. *tr

At ~92,000 miles on my 2000 ford taurus a noise developed, when turning the steering wheel, that was diagnosed by the dealership service department as a broken coil spring on the driver side front suspension. they warned of possible tire failure if a piece broke off and punctured the tire. they noted that the cost of this work would be covered due to the recall. at the same time the service personnel reported that both of the rear coil springs were broken. it seemed unusual that they would inspect the rear suspension for a noise that was coming from the area of the front left wheel. dealer service personnel offered that the rear springs may have been broken for a 'long time, possibly years...' . further warned that rear tires could be punctured by a piece of these springs. clearly, they knew the rear springs were suspect and were looking for a non-recall service opportunity. obviously all of these springs were either improperly designed or of substandard material or substandard workmanship. i would not want to replace the rear springs without some assurance (over seen by the nhtsa office) that the new springs were not of quality similar to the oem springs that were prone to failure. i was lucky not to have suffered an accident from any of the failures, i do not want to 'press my luck'. i will have the dealer replace the right front spring and install the guards on both front suspensions. i will request the failed spring. *jb

I pulled into my driveway after work and was going to park my car when i heard this crunch sound. i then noticed that the car was sitting lopsided on the rear passenger side and since then the car has been making crunching sounds. the dash lights also went out along w/the heater. it no longer blows cold air it is always hot air and the temperature is at its lowest. this all started w/a vacuum leak. the passenger side seat belt also retracted slow and now it doesn't even retract. this car seems to have one problem after another and all at once. i bought this car for my daughter cuz i wanted her to have a safe vehicle to drive for college, but it doesn't seem to be turning out that way. she is now driving my car because i don't want to have to worry about her on the road. *tr

The driver's side rear coil spring broke in the same manner as the front spring previously failed. i am having the spring and tire replaced, but this looks the same as the break on the front spring that was recalled. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle was riding lower on the left side than the right side. when any significant weight was put in the trunk, there was a knocking noise coming from the rear left of the vehicle anytime the vehicle went over a bump in the road. the more weight there was in the vehicle, the more noticeable the noise was. the vehicle was taken to a private repair shop, where it was determined that the left rear coil spring had detached.

I have a 2000 ford taurus. left front spring punctured tire and damaged abs system. repairs were taken care of at dealership (front coils under recall). now i have a problem with rear coils ( i know two other people with same car and same problem). one day i heard a "dragging sound" could not visually find the source. i just went for state inspection and was told that both rear springs are broken, both struts are damaged and a sway bar link is broken. i can not get an inspection sticker without paying out of pocket over $900.00. i am told that the damage is not covered. i am shocked that three coils have broken on my low mileage car. after reading over 80 similar complaints, i feel very lucky that i was not driving during these incidents...*jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle shook while driving 45 mph. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop who determined the rear coil springs fractured and needed to be replaced. the dealer was contacted.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving on the interstate at 50 mph, the passenger side rear tire blew out. the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the passenger rear coil spring was fractured. the dealership was contacted. updated 10/4/2006 - *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while getting the oil changed at an independent repair shop the passenger rear coil spring was observed to be fractured. the dealer was alerted however the vehicle was taken back to the independent repair shop for replacement of the coil spring.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 65 mph on the highway under normal road conditions, the rear driver's side tire blew out without warning. the contact pulled over and the tire was changed. the vehicle was inspected by an independent repair shop who determined the rear coil springs fractured and punctured the tire. the manufacturer was not contacted. updated 9/20/2006 - *nm

Re: recall of 2000 ford taurus se vin [xxx]. govt required recall for faulty car springs did not work. i went to ford dealer in ri (paul bailey ford (now flood ford) for your recall 04v332000 - described below. the dealer put shields over front springs. ford should have also replaced the springs at that time, but did not. in 2006, both front springs broke in my car. i had to replace the 2 front springs, plus tie-rods and right front hub and ball joint between july and dec 2006. i did not go to a ford dealer because the nearest dealer is about 30 miles away, and i could not take the chance that the broken spring would puncture my tire and cause a crash, so i used a nearby repair shop. nhtsa or ford should warn other owners that your recall did not solve the problem, because ford did not also replace the springs as should have done. the failure of springs could lead to tire blowouts and serious car crashes. *nm updated 07/11/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Heard loud noise while driving at highway speed, as if something was run over....and hit bottom of car. did not realize it was spring until it was in for other service and mechanic informed me that drivers side rear spring was broken on july 7. *nm

Rear coil spring failed. the front ones failed 2 years ago. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated that the vehicle's rear springs had completely fractured. there was a recall on the front springs, but not the rear. the recall number is 04v332000. the front springs had collapsed previously and the recall work was performed. the contact expressed that if the front springs had problems that led to a recall, the defective rear springs should be recalled.

2000 ford taurus - rear passenger side coil spring broke causing tire to blow out during operation at a low speed (approximately 15 mph). cause of problem was not identified until a new tire was installed and severe rubbing sound was noticed. replacement tire was damaged by broken spring but had not ruptured before problem was identified. upon research we found there was a recall on the front coil spring for essentially the same problem but we had not received notification of recall. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated that while driving the rear coil springs fractured causing the tires to blow out. the front springs and tires were replaced on recall # 04v332000 by the dealers. most recently the back coil springs fractured and damaged the tire. the vehicle was taken to a mechanics to be replaced. there was no confirmation from the dealers or manufacturer to determine if the back springs was caused by a defect or recall. updated 08/22/06. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 45 mph a noise was heard under the rear of the vehicle. it was taken to an independent repair shop who determined the rear driver side coil spring fractured. the coil spring was replaced at the repair shop. the dealer has not been alerted.

Rear coil spring broke and damaged rear tire. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the back of the vehicle appeared to be sitting lower than usual. there were no other warning indicators of a possible problem. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop who determined both rear coil springs were fractured and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was also alerted of the problem. updated 7/3/2006 - *nm

I was backing out of a parking spot and noticed rubbing and resistance in the rear driver's side of the car. i pulled back into the parking spot. as soon as i put the car in park there was a very loud pop. i got out of the car to find the rear driver's side tire had blown. i had the tire replaced. when the mechanic was driving the car out of the garage he noticed the grinding and rubbing in the rear driver's side. when further looking at the car it was found the rear driver's side coil spring had broken. the jagged edge of the coil spring had gouged the sidewall of the tire nearly all the way around. in the short drive of the mechanic driving the car to the front of the building and back in the garage to further look at the car, another tire had been damaged by the broken coil. i had to replace 2 coil springs, 2 tires and sway bar. i still have the old tires and coil springs. thank goodness i was not driving down the highway when this happened. *nm

The right rear spring on my 2000 ford taurus se svg broke puncturing the right rear tire and causing me to lose control of the vehicle. this is a very common issue on these cars. front springs were recalled some time ago but nothing has ever been done about the rear. thanks for your assistance. *jb

I was driving my 2000 ford taurus along a smooth road at 35 mph. the rear driver side tire, which only had 10,000 miles on it, went flat with a loud bang and hissing sound. after the vehicle was taken to my residence i jacked up the vehicle and removed the flat tire. upon inspection the tire had a 1/2 inch hole through the sidewall and a groove cut all the way around the tire making repair useless. i looked at the strut area and noticed the driver side rear strut spring had broken and it was pointing toward the area needed for the tire, it was shiny on the end of the spring from rubbing the tire causing its failure. *nm

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford taurus. the vehicle was taken to the mechanic to have an alignment done. mechanic advised that the vehicle had two rear broken springs, struts and strut mounts. the left rear tire was damaged from the broken spring. there had been no failure before the alignment. the current and failure mileage were 76,469. updated 02-01-08 *bf the consumer stated took vehicle to genoa ford for brake repair not an alignment. the consumer further stated the alignment was necessary due to the defect. updated 02/01/08 *tr

Dt*: the contact stated the rear passenger tire had excessive wear. the dealership determined both rear coil springs had fractured.

I had an appointment on saturday 5/6/06 for a recall to put a guard on the front coil springs. on tuesday, 5/2/06, the front driver's side coil spring broke, rupturing the tire and causing the front end of the car to hit the road. ford replaced the front coil springs, put on the guards and replaced the front tire as part of the extended warranty of the recall. the rear driver's side coil spring broke as well, tearing up the rear tire but not bursting it. both the tire and the coil spring needed to be replaced which was not covered under the warranty/recall. the faulty coil springs used on the front of the car are also used on the back and should be included in the recall. normal use of this type of vehicle with less than 65,000 miles should not result in broken coil springs even in a so called "corrosion state". *nm

The rear drivers side coil spring broke causing the remaining spring to come out of the lower mounting bracket/support. i almost lost control of the car and while my tire was not punctured it has a gouge in the sidewall all the way around where the spring rubbed against it as i was stopping. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 35 mph, a loud bang was heard from the rear end. the vehicle was taken to the contact's residence and then to the dealership. the dealership determined the rear driver side coil spring fractured. the coil spring and tire are being replaced.

Left rear coil spring fractured and punctured tire while vehicle was moving. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 20mph, the rear of the vehicle dropped followed by a popping noise. after an initial inspection, the left rear tire had blown out. while the contact attempted to change the tire, it was determined the rear coil springs were fractured and had punctured the tire. the vehicle was not seen by a dealer.

Brought vehicle in for servicing and mechanic found that one of the rear spring were broke and the other was in bad shape. both coils had to be replaced along with the struts. *nm