WASHINGTON
-
The
government is
investigating whether
the rear coil spring can
fracture and punch a
hole in the rear tires
of some models of the
Ford Taurus and Mercury
Sable, federal auto
safety officials said
Tuesday.
The
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration
said it opened a
preliminary
investigation into the
2000-2001 models of the
Taurus and Sable sedans
after receiving 131
complaints about broken
coil springs.
The
inquiry involves about
467,000 vehicles. The
Taurus was among the
best-selling passenger
cars in the United
States during the two
model years.
Most
of the complaints came
from northern states
where vehicles are often
subject to salt
corrosion during the
winter. About half of
the owners who filed
complaints said there
were punctures in the
rear tires because of
the broken coil springs.
