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Denise Porter - Cam Failure #196

new 1/24/03


Dear Tim,
I have just read your article about the class action suit filed on behalf of Taurus SHO owners with engine problems. I have a '96 Taurus SHO with approx. 80,000 miles on it. We have owned it for 4 years and kept up on all maintenance procedures. We began hearing a rattle in the top end of the engine while at idle and took it to a Ford Dealership is diagnose. After a 1 hr. diagnostic look (which we are not totally certain that they actually took anything apart to look deep into the engine), they called and said that the engine was damaged and was irreparable. They quoted a new engine would cost $15,000 and recommended that we either try to sell it ourselves real quick "as is" or plan on donating it to charity for a tax receipt. Considering I still have 3 more car payments to go, love this car, and had planned on keeping it for many more years, I was quite devastated by this news. To make it worse, the engine actually died on the way home, and I had to pay to have it towed to my garage. When we asked over and over again, how damage could have occurred in this engine at this time, they said they didn't really know and that these were great engines and rarely ever had a problem. When I looked on the web to see if I could find out anything that would give us an answer, I found your article and many testimonials about very similar problems. I don't know what I would have to do to prove that my particular engine failure is similar to those in the suit, but the symptoms seem to fit. Can you advise me about getting information to see if we could become part of this claim. In the mean time, my beautiful car sits in the garage. I feel like my dog has just died .

Thanks for your help.

VIN # 1FALP54N4TA242886
Mileage: 87,064

We've owned the car for 4 years. Never had engine problems up to this point, never been in an accident, had regular oil changes, car is not leaking oil. Only repairs include new alternator, brakes and routine tire replacement. 

Sincerely,
Denise Porter


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