new 10/29/03
I wish I would have found this web site a couple of weeks ago. I have a 96 SHO with over 144,000 miles on it that started making a clicking or diesel sound that you described. Now as of 10/03/03 it no longer runs. I bought the car used, back in June of 98', for around $12,000. I had less than a year left to pay it off (around $3600). Now I have a car that doesn't run, that is not worth anything for a trade in, that cost a fortune to fix and I still own on it. Ford made me feel like I should be grateful I got 144,000 miles out of it. I would like to be included in the class action suit.
1. VIN#s 1FALP54N8TA243670
2. Date of malfunction 10/03/03
3. Where did the malfunction take place (highway, city streets, driveway, parking lot, etc.) Highway
4. Odometer reading at time of malfunction 144,000 plus
5. How fast were you traveling? about 60
6. Were you accelerating or staying at a constant speed? Let up on the gas
7. Estimated date of purchase, new or used? June of 98', used
8. Estimated Odometer reading at time of purchase 40,000
9. Full Name, address, and a good phone# to reach you at during the day and night. Kenneth R. Cooke,
10. Brief description of the time of events leading towards the malfunction. (what did you hear and see before, during, and after the malfunction) The car started making a clicking or diesel sound a few weeks prior to 10/03/03. As time when on the clicking became more noticeable. On 10/03/03 I was driving down the highway I let up on the gas to take an exit, when suddenly my engine died. I pulled over and tried to start the engine and could not get it to run. I called a tow truck and had the car towed to Bob Sight Ford in Lees Summit, MO.
11. Customer service phone # you called and the name of the person you talked to. (if you can remember) Can't remember
12. Did you feel satisfied with the answers customer service provided? Explain. No, he said that they do not show there were any recalls with the engine and that they didn't have any other reports of the sprocket problem I described. Their basic attitude was that I should be happy I got 144,000 miles out of the car.
13. Which dealership did you take your vehicle in for service? (name, address, phone#) Bob Sight Ford, 607 N. Blue Parkway, Lee's Summit, MO 64063, (816)524-6550
14. What was the cause of failure determined by the dealer? They said that the timing chain slipped time and bent the valves.
15. What was the cause of failure determined by you? I have not taken the engine apart to find out, but from what the dealer has said and what is described in the articles on this web site, it sounds like the sprocket/cam failure.
16. How much was your statement? (I hope you kept your receipt) They said they would not rebuild the engine. They could not get a new long block engine. They could get a short block for $16,000, not including labor to have it installed (I only paid $12,000 for the car used). They could get a used engine and install it for about $8,000 with a 90 day warranty. Or I could trade it in, but the car would not be worth much since it had a bad engine.
17. What can FOMOCO do to make you a satisfied Ford owner? After this there is nothing Ford can or will do to satisfy me. I come from a family that own nothing but Fords but from now on I will never buy a Ford again. I have had nothing but problems with this car. And if I can persuade my family and anyone else not to buy a Ford I will. There quality continues to go down and this goes to show you that they do not stand behind their product.
Ken Cooke