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Ford Fires - Taurus

Jane of Sylvester GA (12/21/04):
On October 22, 2004 I bought a 2003 Ford Taurus from Sunbelt Ford. I drove it about 70 miles over the week-end. On October 25, 2004 I drove it to work which is about a 5-minute drive. My windshield was fogged over so I turned on the defogger. As I turned into the school parking lot I noticed a strange smell but attributed it to the foggy air. I got to school about 7:15 and about 7:40 the secretary announced to whoever owned a Ford Taurus to go to your car.

Flaming Fords • Ford Truck Suspected in North Texas House Fire • Ford Cruise Control Fire Strikes Florida Car Dealership • Ford Hopes to Wind Down Recall of Fire-Prone Vehicles • Ford Expedition Suspected in Fatal Ohio Home Fire • Ford Fires Continue Despite Long-Delayed Federal Warning • Feds Warn Some Ford Trucks and Cars Can Erupt in Flames • Ford Fire Lawsuits Spread • Ford Recalls 57,000 More Trucks, SUVS for Fire Hazard • Ford Fires Strike in Minnesota, California • Ford Plans Another Recall to Fix Fire Hazard • Ford Fire Hazard Recall Creeps Along • Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute Continue Ford Fire Tradition • Ford Fires Kill Pets and Spread Despair as Year Ends • Ford Lacks Parts for Fire Recall Repair • New F150 Erupts in Flames as Ford Truck Fires Rage On • Red Hot Texas Car-B-Que • Kerry Vows Action to Get Flaming Fords Off the Road • Flaming Ford Scandal Disgraces Ford, Feds • Ford Tries Again to Fix Fire Problem with Massive Recall • One Ford the Recall Missed • Ford Stops Sales of Big Super Duty, Recalls 2008 Trucks • Ford Recalls 155,000 More Trucks to Fix Fire Hazard • Feds Probe Fires in Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute • Feds Wind Up Ford Engine Fire Probe with Massive Recall • Ford Truck Fires Mount as Recall Rolls Slowly • Ford Trucks Burn As Recall Fiddles • Ford Truck Fire Fix Delayed by Parts Shortage • Ford Recalls 4 Million Trucks to Fix Fire Risk • Nader Demands NHTSA Warn Ford Truck Owners • Wrongful Death Suit Charges House Fire Started in F-150 • Feds Look Deeper for Ford Fire Causes • Recall Leaves Many Questions Unanswered • Houston Lawyers Sue Ford • Ford Recalls Some Fire-Prone Models • Feds Probe Ford F-150 Engine Fires • Ford Recall Was Biggest Ever --- • Bronco • Crown Victoria • Dump truck • Expedition • Explorer • F-150 • Other F-Series Trucks • Focus • Mustang • Ranger Pickup • Taurus • Windstar

I ran out and the car was smoking. I went and called the dealership and told them that they needed to come to the school. I ran back out and the car was in flames. The fire department was called and they put the fire out. I was beside myself with grief. The school nurse and another teacher took me to lay down in the nurses' station. As I was given a ride home the tow truck was just arriving to pick up the car. About 11:00 my daughter came to help me sort things out.

We went to the dealership to talk about the situation. When we got there some of the other salesman said that the Fire Department was called to put out the fire again at the dealership. We talked to the salesman and he said that there was nothing they could do but he could put me in another Taurus at the same or equivalent price as the one that burned up. He said that my insurance would pay most of what I owed on the car and I would be responsible for the rest. They did say that they would pay the extended warranty that I bought.

My insurance company did pay for the value of the car but I had to fork out $600 of my own money for a car that I had for only a few days. I resent that my insurance paid in the first place. I feel that there was something wrong with the car and that the Ford Company should have owned up to being responsible for my loss. They actually had the gall to call me to see if I wanted to do business with them. Paul Bell even went to say, "We will do right by you."

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