The contact owns a 2001 Ford Taurus. The contact started the ignition and heard a loud noise coming from the steering wheel. There were no warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and they stated that the failure was related to the steering wheel rubbing against the steering column. The vehicle was repaired for the malfunction. Recently, the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for identical failures on a separate occasion. The noise level was more intense. The technician stated that the failure was related to the driver side tie rod end. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was 43,700 and current mileage was 62,441. Updated 09/24/08 updated 09/26/08.

- Gaithersburg, MD, USA

Strange sound from front right tire in terms of loud squeaking when going over bumps and rolling road. Took car to dealer. It was found to have a broken tie rod at the front right end. However they also found the right rear coil spring was broken. The broken spring had cut a deep groove into the inner sidewall of the tire. I had the broken spring and tie rod replaced by the dealer under the terms of my extended warranty but they were not obligated to pay for the tire. I paid for a new tire. On the way home a loud hammering sound now came from the right rear tire area when riding over bumps. Took car back to dealer and he found that the right rear strut was ruined due to the broken coil spring and replaced it. The dealer said the left rear spring was good and did not need to be replaced. My main concern is not that I was not covered for cost of the replacement tire but rather that this broken spring be allowed, by design to ruin a tire that can result in an accident. A new spring can still break and puncture the tire. I now have to spend my own money as soon as my warranty runs out (in a few weeks) to replace the coil spring on the left rear side. If these things were not designed right or made right, we should at least be told to change them after a certain number of miles rather than wait for a failure to occur and risk a tire blowout.

- St. Charles, MO, USA

I bought a new Ford Taurus in 2001. Three months after my purchase, a vibration began in the front end. I took the car in and had repairs. To my dismay, the car began to vibrate again in January 2002. I took my car in for repairs again. April 2002 the same problem occurred again, so more repairs. This continued until I gave the car back (July 2004) due to these problems and many others. The dealership, silsbee Ford, seemed to only fix the problem temporarily, resulting in me returning the vehicle again and again. I believe there was an underlying problem that was overlooked and I assumed taking the car to a dealership the problem would have been found and properly fixed. By Mar 2003 appr. 21,000 miles one cv shaft and axle seal replaced, rod asy replaced at 38,000 miles, and by Jan 2004 the other cv axle was replaced. This car has had three sets of tires before 60,000 miles, new rotors at appr. 38,000 miles. The rotors have been turned a number of times before replacing. Consumers need to be informed of makeshift repairs done at dealerships. I turned in my car to the company because it was getting too dangerous to drive and obviously the dealership wasn't competent enough to find the underlying problem. I have tried many different avenues trying to resolve this situation and the Ford company keeps stating the warranty is out. I know this but the problem is, my vehicle should have been repaired properly the first time or at least the second time it was in the shop for repairs, while under warranty. I believe my family was endangered because of the negligence of this company.

- Buna, TX, USA