Problems with 2003 Ford Taurus SUSPENSION

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact was driving 5 mph, when the front driver side tire blew. the vehicle was stopped and the contact noticed that the front driver side coil spring was fractured and had pierced the tire. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the coil spring was repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance. the failure and current mileages were 68,250.

At approximately 126000 miles first of two coil springs broke in the front driver's side of the car. had both front coil springs replaced. three weeks later was backing out of parking space at work only to have the transmission pump fail. car acted exactly as described in many other complaints here, sudden loss of power, high engine rev and an inability of the car to work in any gear. had the car towed to my mechanic and was then told that not only did the transmission need to be rebuilt but i also had a rear coil spring that now was broken. have purchased many ford vehicles but this is enough to make you look at a different manufacturer. *tr

Car began making noise while driving. local garage found broken rear spring and replaced both rear struts and rear springs. *tr

Left front spring broke while driving 25 mph. spring contacted tire and shredded sidewall. control affected but no crash. mechanic estimates $525 for repair/ replacement of both front spring/shock units and alignment.+ *tr

My 2003 ford taurus broke down on the road-upon investigating it, the front springs broke and grease spread throughout the front part of the car. i cannot afford to have it fixed, so it was towed to my home garage. *tr

Front drivers side coil spring broke and punctured the front drivers side tire.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that the front driver side coil spring fractured and punctured the front driver side tire. the contact had the vehicle towed to their mechanic who confirmed the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the current mileage is 112,000. updated 08/31/11 *bf updated 09/09/11

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated while driving approximately 1 mph and leaving his driveway he noticed he had a flat tire. when he inspected the tire he noticed that the front drivers side coil spring had punctured the tire. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where they are waiting for the results of the diagnostic test. the manufacturer advised him that there were no recalls. the failure and current mileage was approximately 59,845 updated 6/8/11 *cn updated 06/23/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that after having the vehicle inspected, the contact was advised that both rear coil springs were fractured. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and they advised that that there were no related recalls on the vehicle. the failure and current mileage was approximately 133,000.

Driving car, heard a load crash from front end like someone had dropped a tray of socket wrenches. load popping noise followed. pulled over to inspect. found a large portion of front spring drivers side wrapped around the strut. the piece was the shape of a "c". i am glad that the sharp end did not puncture through the tire as it was within 1/8" of the tire. i guess quick reactions prevented an accident. spring will have to be replaced and front end inspected for additional damage. old spring and broken off part are available. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated while reversing from a residential driveway, the front driver side coil spring failed and punctured the tire. the vehicle was not repaired for the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the failure and the current mileage was 95,000. updated 09/15/14*lj

2003 ford taurus. consumer states coil spring snapped from the strut assembly while the vehicle was parked in the driveway. *tgw updated 10/06/11. *jb updated 01/05/12. *jb the consumer stated the strut was replaced at a considerable cost. updated 02/07/12. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact started the vehicle and when shifting into reverse, a loud noise emitted from the outside of the vehicle. the contact noticed the front driver's side tire exploded due to a severe puncture. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the front drivers side shock and strut module assembly were replaced. the tire and front sway bars were also replaced. the failure mileage was 45,708. updated 06/01/11*lj updated 07/01/11

Was told by ford dealer both front and rear coil springs on drivers side were broke on my 2003 ford taurus. found out this is a ongoing problem that ford has with no recall. bought this car new and now i have only 71,000 miles .paid 1354.12 to have car repaired and im very unhappy with ford over this. ford should make good for this repair. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. while attempting to drive out of a parking space, the contact smelled rubber burning when he noticed the front drivers side coil spring had fractured the side wall of the tire, causing the tire to deflate. the failure was similar to nhtsa campaign id number: 04v332000 (suspension front springs:coil springs). the dealer advised the contact that his vehicle was not included in the previous recall. the manufacturer confirmed that there were no recalls associated with his vin and offered no further assistance. the current and failure mileages were 74,900.

Put my 2003 ford taurus in reverse, backed up about a foot , tire blew out and the front drivers side suspension spring was broken. *tr

2003 taurus s/w left front and right rear coil springs broken at 103,000 miles. found under routine inspection. no tire damage, no crash fortunately. *tr

From a parked position in my driveway put the car in reverse. heard a loud hiss and left side of vehicle dropped down. upon further investigation found coil spring had failed and cut sidewall of tire. if this had happened at highway speed results could have been disastrous have had this happen on 2 ford vehicles why hasn't ford issued a recall for this issue very unsafe. *js

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. while driving approximately 20 mph the contact heard a loud noise and drove the vehicle onto the emergency lane. upon examining the vehicle, the contact noticed that the front passenger side coil spring fractured and pierced the tire. a spare tire was installed and the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where it was repaired. the failure and current mileages were 133,050.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. while the driver was traveling approximately 20 mph, she heard a loud ping sound followed by a clanking sound as if metal was bouncing on the ground. the driver stopped the vehicle and noticed a piece of unknown metal had fractured from the vehicle. the vehicle was able to be driven home and was not taken for inspection or repairs. the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the front passenger side coil spring had broken. there was an open investigation for the failure nhtsa action number: ea08018 (suspension: front: springs: coil springs). the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

Pulled out of garage and heard a loud pop. front strut broke puncturing tire on drivers side. we just purchased the vehicle 3 wks ago it has a little over 90k on it. vehicle is in good shape other wise. previous owner had already replaced passenger side strut a few weeks before we purchased it. very disappointing. was hoping that there was a recall on this part. and judging by the numerous complaints about the suspension issues, there certainly should be. *tr

The car is my daughters. i maintain and service the car. the car is a 2003 ford taurus. a week ago both front springs failed at once, and subsequently cut the insides of both front tires causing them to blow out. fortunately the tires failed in the driveway and not while she was on the highway commuting to or from work. i called the ford dealer and asked if there was a recall on this failure. the person said that the 'oasis' system did not show any recalls on the specific vin. i then arranged for the car to be towed to my local mechanic (who previously worked at the local ford dealer for over 15 years), since the ford dealer is excessively expensive. he said that the broken springs (both) twisted in such a way as to cut both the front tires on the inside side wall. he also had to replace a sway bar link (broken in the spring failure), and both front struts blown out when the broken springs allowed all the cars weight to bottom out on the struts. the car is currently at the tire shop getting two replacement tires (the blown out ones had 70% tread remaining) and a front end alignment. this failure could have been catastrophic had it happened at higher speed or on the highway. this is an extreme safety hazard and should be investigated by the nhtsa. i'm aware that the failure of springs on ford's taurus/sable, escort/tracer, and other ford models is not uncommon and has been a problem over the years. this specific type of failure, where the tires are cut and blowout is extremely dangerous and should be investigated asap. i have notified fomoco as well. *tr

Have a 2003 ford taurus. i went to pull out of my driveway, when i heard a pop. and my left front tire flat. my coil spring broke which proceeded to tear my tire and broke my sway bar in the process. this could of caused a serious accident if i was on the road driving. i have to replace all parts for both sides and tires. i have read some of the other reports on the same subject. and there are hundreds. i also in january had to replace the rear end suspension too. the coil springs were broken too. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. while driving approximately 10 mph, the contact heard a popping sound coming from the driver side front tire. the contact stopped the vehicle and noticed front driver side tire was flat. the contact stated the coil spring had broken. the vehicle was not inspected or repaired. the dealer was contacted and stated in order to diagnose the failure, the vehicle needed to be towed to the dealer. there was an open investigation nhtsa action number: ea08018 (suspension: front: springs: coil springs). the approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

While waiting at stoplight, heard a popping noise and front drivers side of car went down. was able to pull into gas station parking lot about 50 feet away. upon inspection could see inside sidewall was torn up. called for tow. a series of bad events had taken place, could have been fatal at high speed. spring had broken and twisted out to side shredding tire. tore open pvc boot. spring also damaged axle. also destroyed another large plastic part. all these parts had to be replace at great expense. also replaced spring and strut on passenger side for safety s sake. ford has recalled and replaced other model year springs, but not 2002 or 2003. this should never have happened, especially with fords past acknowledgment of this problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. while driving approximately 10 mph, the contact noticed that the front coil spring fractured and ruptured the tire, causing it to deflate. the failure was similar to nhtsa campaign id 04v332000 suspension front:springs:coil springs. the manufacturer was notified and informed the contact that her vin was not included in the previous recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the current and failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

Driving about 35 mph car started shaking then loud bang, pulled over and found drivers side front tire flat had car towed to service center and was told that the coil spring broke and flattened the tire. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that the front drivers side coil spring punctured a hole in the tire, causing it to deflate similar to nhtsa campaign number 04v332000 (suspension:front:springs:coil springs). the dealer was notified and informed the contact that his vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the current and failure mileages were 98,000. updated 4/4/11 *cn updated 04/28/11*jb

Backing out of garage and heard a loud noise and left front tire went flat. found left front coil spring had broken and punched a hole in a new tire (less than a week old). could not get the flat off because the spring was inside the tire so could not put on the spacesaver spare had to tow. this is a 2003 ford taurus with less than 80,000 miles. not covered under any warranty or policy. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, he heard a loud noise and the vehicle suddenly lost control. he coasted to the side of the road and noticed that the front passenger side had exploded. the vehicle was inspected by a independent mechanic who informed the contact that the coil springs had punctured the tire causing it to blow out. the vehicle has been repaired for the front passenger coil springs and tire. the manufacturer was also contacted and informed him that there were no recalls for the coil springs and they could not offer any assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 120,000. updated 03/17/11*lj updated 12/20/11 *cn

Was driving my 2003 taurus when i got a flat tire drivers side..called aaa they put my spare on. i took car to my mechanic who told me a coil broke and ruptured the tire..it is going to cost $950..i was told how lucky i was not to have had a major accident!!! only have 49,000 miles on my taurus. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that while in reverse, the left front strut spring broke and punctured the tire. a month before, the right front strut spring had broken and punctured the tire. the vehicle was repaired. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 68,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. while driving in reverse 2 mph, the front coil spring broke and punctured the driver side front tire. the contact exchanged the tire with the spare. the vehicle was taken to a discount tire company to replace the tire where the contact was informed that the coil spring broke and advised him to have it replaced. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the two front coil springs and the strut assembly were replaced. the failure mileage was 112,300 and the current mileageias 112,310. updated 04/15/11*lj updated 10/12/11

I'm adding my complaint to an open investigation #ea08018. my 2003 taurus suffered a broken coil spring today which punctured my passenger side tire and apparently damaged upper and lower mounts in the process. estimated cost of repair (including addressing the yet to be broken opposite side), is 1800 dollars. there was no accident as i was traveling a slow rate of speed. *tr

Front suspension spring broke suddenly, causing front corner of vehicle to drop, vehicle pulled abruptly to the left, and broken spring pierced tire on 2003 ford taurus. luckily nobody was killed, potentially very deadly quality defect with these vehicles. ford acknowledges problem with 1999-2001 taurus coil springs, but will not repair later models, even though they apparently haven't fixed the problem. *tr

On january 5, 2011 my eldest daughter was driving our car in a residential area near our home. as she drove over a manhole she heard a noise and the bottom of the car scrape the pavement. she stopped to inspect, but not noticing anything unusual she continued on. a mile later she got a flat tire on the front left side. after calling for help she pulled into a parking lot. i helped change the tire, but i noticed that the car was riding low. when i went to get a new tire i was told that there was a greater problem. a broken spring! that is what had punctured the tire. the next day(s) we got the front end repaired and a new tire mounted. i understand that there was a recall of this problem on earlier taurus models. apparently the problem still exists for 2003 models! although you have closed your investigation (ea0818) please add this complaint to your file. *tr

Front springs breaking on 2003 taurus. loud boom in front of car. result is a broken spring damaging front tire also. car was backing out of garage when it happened. had to tow vehicle as it could not be moved without further damage to vehicle. *tr

While exiting my driveway the left front spring coil let go puncturing the tire and rendering the vehicle inoperable. had to have vehicle towed to repair facility for replacement. ford motor company had a recall on this component on some other of its vehicles, but i was informed my vehicle was not in the recall. it seems to be an ongoing problem. when are they going to admit the problem and fix it, when someone has a serious crash or dies?

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated while driving at low speeds out of his driveway, the front driver and passenger tires became flat. after inspecting the vehicle he noticed that the coil springs fractured causing the tires to flatten. the vehicle was towed to a dealer who advised him that the coil springs fractured and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired for the front driver and passenger side coil springs and stabilizer links. the manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 58,100. updated 10/27/11*lj updated 12/06/2011 *ln

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the front coil spring fractured causing the vehicle to mount the sidewalk. the coil spring caused the front driver side tire to burst as well. the contact had the vehicle towed to his place of residence and called the manufacturer. the manufacturer informed the contact there were no recalls for the vehicle and would not provide any further assistance. the contact stated the front coil spring malfunctioning could have caused a serious crash. the failure mileage was 101,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. while the vehicle was parked the right front coil spring broke and punctured the passenger side front tire. the contact stated that he cut a section of the coil spring out in order to change the tire. the vehicle was taken a local mechanic who stated that the left front coil spring also broke and punctured the drivers side front tire. the dealer replaced the two front coil springs and both front tires. the failure and current mileages were 130,632.

2nd broken coil , 1st passenger rear, now front driver springs. on each occurrence fractured and punctured tire - similar to complaint ea08-018. 2003 ford taurus - 102,864 miles. date of latest occurrence. january 2011. *tr

No event(s) leading to failure, only standard driving conditions. front coil spring broke while car was parked. moving the vehicle caused the sharp end of the spring to cut the inner sidewall of the tire 180 around. dealership refused to cover repair and indicated 3-4 days to get replacement springs and complete repairs. had work done by local mechanic in one day for ~ $1200 to replace both front struts and springs with (better) aftermarket replacements. *tr

2003 ford taurus, pulling out of parking space, front right coil spring broke and damaged tire. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus ses (na). while driving approximately 15 mph, the driver side front coil spring broke and punctured the driver side front tire. the contact lost control of the vehicle but was able to avoid a crash by applying the brakes. the vehicle was towed to a local repair shop where the mechanic stated that the front coil spring broke and the entire strut assembly and the tire needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the vin was unavailable. the current and failure mileages were 84,523.

Tue 28dec2010 outside temp = 21f i entered driver's seat & immediately heard loud "bong!" sound of lf coil spring breaking. i am familiar w/ ford recall# 04v332000 (nhtsa reference #04v332000) and have been waiting similar recall for newer models during nhtsa action number: ea08018, ongoing for over two years now. i tried to drive off slowly to avoid tire damage but could not, as within the first tire rotation the broken spring slashed the entire inside sidewall of the lf tire. repairs will cost $300 for strut/spring replacement + $60 tow + $150 for tire, total = $510, and i expect rf to break identically at any moment. it is outrageous that the investigation of a safety hazard identical to vehicles two years older has taken two years! *tr

About 4 months ago as i was backing my car out of the garage, the front left coil spring broke which prevented me from driving the vehicle. i had to replace both of the front struts and coil springs which cost me several hundred dollars. today, as i was backing out of my garage once again, the left rear coil spring broke. again, i will need to spend several hundred dollars, this time to replace the rear struts and coil springs in order to assure my vehicle is safe to drive. my vehicle is only used to drive a few miles every day on smooth, paved roads so there should be no reason why i am having to replace these parts due to their breaking. i feel fortunate that the parts broke as i was exiting my garage, and not driving down the road at 50 mph. i believe this ongoing issue is a safety concern and should be addressed. i hope some type of financial compensation can be agreed upon to cover the costs associated with this ongoing safety issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact was exiting a driveway when the vehicle exhibited an abnormal pop. the contact then noticed that the coil spring on the driver side was fractured and had punctured and deflated the tire. the contact did not inform the dealer or the manufacturer of the failure. a private mechanic repaired the tire as well as the front coil spring. the current mileage was approximately 79,000 and the failure mileage was approximately 77,000.

My 2003 ford taurus was simply sitting in my driveway and all of a sudden there was a huge pop. we looked to see the tire had gone flat! when i took the tire we discovered the flat was a result from the coil spring breaking and puncturing the tire. so now not only do i have to pay to fix the spring, but also a new tire. obviously ford has not resolved the issue with the 2001 cut off model on a recall and they need to make right with their customers. i have been a loyal ford owner. they should be as loyal to their customers!!! *tr

On my 2003 ford taurus, the drivers side front coil spring assembly broke. this sliced my tire sidewall and caused my car front end to drop to the ground. luckily this happened when parked in my garage. the bad thing is that it is minnesota and winter. i thank god i was not driving down the road. this would have been very, very bad. *tr