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CarComplaints.com Notes: Most people need a car where the coil springs don't puncture or shred tires while driving. The Taurus fails in that respect.

The 1999-2003 Ford Taurus has a huge problem with coil springs breaking, which can puncture or even shred tires while driving.

The US government spent THREE YEARS (2008-2011) investigating the 2002-2003 Taurus coil springs. Although Taurus/Sable from earlier years were recalled, ultimately the NHTSA did not force a recall. They determined that because there had been no deaths & very few bad crashes & injuries, the broken coil springs defect was no big deal & not a safety defect. Tell that to all the owners who had close calls...

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
100,218 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2002 Ford Taurus suspension problems

suspension problem

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2002 Ford Taurus Owner Comments (Page 1 of 8)

problem #155

Dec 082020

Taurus 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the brake light started to flash while driving however, there was no brake malfunction. The vehicle was taken to auburn automotive (500 S. opdyke rd, waterford, mi 48328, (248) 332-9300) to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the undercarriage of the vehicle was extremely rusted and that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA

problem #154

Jun 122020

Taurus

  • 60,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, the front and rear driver's side coil springs fractured. The contact drove to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were contact nor informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

- South Amboy, NJ, USA

problem #153

Feb 262018

Taurus

  • 62,000 miles
Front passenger coil spring broke causing a blowout on the tire in motion on a city street

- Vermilion, OH, USA

problem #152

Oct 142017

Taurus

  • 100,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The car has experienced 2 failures of the right front strut spring resulting in destruction of the tire. First at 75,000 miles second at 100000 mi. Both tires flattened at between 30 & 50 mph

- Rockford, IL, USA

problem #151

Jun 292017

Taurus

  • 134,128 miles
Coil spring in driver's side front strut failed suddenly when vehicle was being driven on residential street in sister bay, wi. There was a loud bang when spring fractured and suspension collapsed. Failure of coil spring occurred at about 10:15 am on Thursday June 29, 2017. After vehicle was safely parked in a bank parking lot the owner then jacked up front end and removed wheel/tire. Owner noticed how energy released when coil spring fractured drove spring violently downward to front wheel knuckle assembly. Fortunately when spring was driven downward it did not puncture tire. The next day vehicle was loaded on a transporter and taken to jim olson express in sturgeon bay, wi, for repair. Subsequent repairs included replacement of both front struts and alignment check/adjustment. Total cost of repair including charge of usd 165 by transporter company was usd 1,010. At time of coil spring failure the vehicle had 134,128 miles on the odometer. Visual inspection by owner of broken piece of coil spring did not reveal any surface corrosion. Owner speculates coil spring fracture may have been due to 15 years of stress loads on the spring or perhaps there was a defect in metal of coil spring.

- Sister Bay, WI, USA

problem #150

Feb 012017

Taurus 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 99,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. The contact heard a loud thumping noise from the front driver side wheel well. The contact removed the front driver side wheel and noticed that the front driver side coil spring was ruptured and damaged the tire severely. When the contact called the manufacturer, he was informed that the VIN was excluded from NHTSA campaign number: 04V332000 (suspension). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 99,000. Updated 04/05/17

- Ridgeley, WV, USA

problem #149

Dec 232016

Taurus

  • 190,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While driving 5 mph approaching a stop sign, the suspension coil failed without warning and damaged the front passenger side tire. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 190,000.

- Sand Point, ID, USA

problem #148

Oct 172016

Taurus

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. After the vehicle was undergoing routine maintenance, the technician informed the contact that the rear coil springs were fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

- Palmer, TN, USA

problem #147

Aug 112016

Taurus

  • 120,654 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While the vehicle was being serviced for an oil change, the technician informed the contact that the rear spring was fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,654.

- North Logan, UT, USA

problem #146

Aug 072016

Taurus

  • 150,500 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While making a turn at 30 mph, a loud banging and grinding noise was heard from the rear driver side. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road, removed the rear driver side tire, and noticed that the coil spring was fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,500.

- Swartz Creek, MI, USA

problem #145

Mar 152016

Taurus 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 91,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to operate. In addition, the contact noticed that the front passenger side tire was flat and the spring was fractured. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the front spring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 91,000. Updated 06/14/16 the consumer stated the vehicle would not go forward, because the front spring was broke and damage a new tire.

- Cedar Rapids, IA, USA

problem #144

Jun 132013

Taurus

  • 80,000 miles
All springs on the car cracked. The front springs went first around 80000 miles. The rears shortly after. The car was not drive able after the front spring broke. While backing up, I heard a bang followed by a ratcheting sound. Then noticed the right front of the car was dropped way down. For the rear springs, we heard the broken spring part hit the highway while we were driving. Then later noticed the rear of the car sagging badly.

- Saint Charles, IL, USA

problem #143

Jan 272016

Taurus

  • 80,000 miles
Driving down the interstate coil spring on front drivers side fractured. Coil spring punctured tire and the tire immediately deflated resulting in loss of control of vehicle.

- Fargo, ND, USA

problem #142

Jul 032015

Taurus

  • 190,000 miles
My 2002 Ford Taurus has a broken rear coil spring. I've been told by several mechanics that this is a safety issue because if the spring pops off it could shred my tire while I'm driving. The Ford Taurus 1999-2001 has been recalled for this same issue, but the 2002 has not been. I have noticed several complaints online from other 2002 Taurus owners, that have also had the rear coil spring break on their '02 Taurus, and many of them experienced potentially dangerous situations when theirs broke. Luckily my mechanic told me about this issue so that I didn't have to experience what so many other people had by having my wheel shredded or ripped off while driving. This is a safety issue and there's no reason the '02 shouldn't be recalled along with the earlier models that have the same problem.

- Tyler, MN, USA

problem #141

Jul 022015

Taurus

  • 65,000 miles
I noticed the rear of the car was low. Found the problem to be two broken springs at the rear. I found there was a recall up until 2001 but not for 2002. I feel this is wrong since the company is still using the same springs that were under recall. This problem still exists with the same potential outcomes. I was fortunate.

- Methuen,, MA, USA

problem #140

Apr 032015

Taurus

  • 180,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. While in the reverse position, an abnormal noise emitted from the front driver side. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front coil spring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

- Grand Rapids, MI, USA

problem #139

Aug 082014

Taurus

  • 77,000 miles
While pulling out of the garage, the left front spring coil broke and punctured my tire. There was a recall of 1998-2001 tauruses because of that defective part. Though old, the car has few miles on it and rarely driven in the winter. The spring coil looked almost new...no rust. Obviously 2002's should have been included in the recall. What would have happened if I'd been driving down the highway at 70 mph? the local Ford dealer replaced both spring coils and tire at cost but Ford should have stood behind this repair.

- Fremont, MI, USA

problem #138

Mar 302008

Taurus 6-cyl

  • 90,300 miles
See ODI 10222968 for details. This is a follow-up request for investigation. Summary: Driver's side front suspension spring catastrophically failed when backing out of driveway. This had the same conditions as described in recall 04S17 on 1999 to 2001 Taurus. After repair at my own cost, I sold the car. I would like to add to the previous complaint that the vehicle was somewhat unique in that it was a former gsa vehicle. I had brought it at a gsa auction. This is unique since the gsa vehicles are brought under a large contract and may be manufactured slightly differently from the other vehicles thus may not have been included in the investigations.

- Saratoga Springs, NY, USA

problem #137

Jul 162014

Taurus 6-cyl

  • 91,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving 5 mph, the front driver side leaf spring became fractured. The front driver side tire blew and no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed. The manufacturer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnose that the front left spring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 91,000. Updated 8/27/14

- Moon Township, PA, USA

problem #136

Apr 152014

Taurus 6-cyl

  • 141,768 miles
My son was driving my 2002 Ford Taurus on 4-15-2014 at approximately 12:00 a.M. he had the cruise control set to 35 mph. While driving, the cruise control began to accelerate. He tried to disengage the cruise control by hitting the brake. The cruise control would not disengage and the car kept accelerating reaching the speed of about 70mph. As a turn approached he could no longer control the vehicle. He hit a curb and a stop sign before the car came to a stop on the roadway. This was not the first instance with that vehicle and cruise control malfunctions, though this was the only time that the cruise control caused an accident. The vehicle had to be towed from the scene. The vehicle sustained $6005 of damage and is a total loss. Which does not include the cost of fixing the cruise control and acceleration issues.

- Coventry, RI, USA

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