Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1995 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 85 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 85, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING FROM A PARKING SPACE, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE UNDER CARRIAGE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.
ARRIVING HOME, I PARKED THE CAR IN OUR ATTACHED GARAGE. I WENT INTO THE GARAGE AND I NOTICED THE SMELL OF SOMETHING HOT OR SHORTED COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I BACKED THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. THE NEXT DAY, I RECONNECTED THE BATTERY AND NO LONGER NOTICED THE SMELL. I DROVE IT AND THERE WAS NO MORE ODOR. THE SPEED CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE, AND THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID ON THE WIRING HARNESS AND THE 3 AMP FUSE IN THE WIRNG HARNESS WAS BLOWN, BUT ONLY AFTER COMING CLOSE TO STARTING A FIRE. FORD HAS A HISTORY OF SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH LEAKING BRAKE FLUID ON THE WIRING HARNESS AND CAUSING FIRES. THIS CAR WAS RECALLED IN 2007 TO INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS WITH A 3 AMP FUSE BETWEEN THE SWITCH AND THE SPEED CONTROL SERVO WHERE IT OFFERED NO PROTECTION. THE CAR WAS RECALLED AGAIN IN 2008 TO REPLACE THE FIRST WIRING HARNESS WITH ONE HAVING THE FUSE AHEAD OF THE DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THE 3 AMP FUSE IN SERIES WITH THE 15 AMP FUSE IS FAR LESS LIKELY TO CAUSE A FIRE THAN HAVING ONLY THE 15 AMP FUSE. NEVERTHELESS, I CAME CLOSE TO HAVING A MAJOR FIRE IN OUR HOME WHILE WE WERE INSIDE HAD I NOT NOTICED THE PROBLEM. THE 3 AMP FUSE DID ITS JOB, BUT THERE WAS ENOUGH BRAKE FLUID AND HEAT TO POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE LEAKING SWITCH AND THE FUSED WIRING HARNESS. THEY CHARGED ME $177.03 FOR THE REPAIR. FORD HAS RECALLED ABOUT 10 MILLION VEHICLES TO ADD THE FUSE, BUT I AM CONVINCED THAT THE DESIGN IS STILL UNSAFE BECAUSE 3 AMPS COULD STILL IGNITE BRAKE FLUID, I HOPE THIS NOTE MAY SAVE OTHERS FROM SERIOUS PROBLEMS, AS MORE OF THESE PRESSURE SWITCHES WILL FAIL WITH AGE AND LEAK BRAKE FLUID ON THE CONTINUOUSLY ENERGIZED WIRING HARNESS. THE 3 AMP FUSES MAY NOT ALWAYS BLOW SOON ENOUGH. *TR
OUTER TIE RODS GONE BAD AT 80,000KM SPEEDOMETER JUMPS AT 60,000KM FRONT POWER WINDOWS GONE BAD AT 90,000KM I ONLY HAVE 96,000KM ON MY 1995 FORD TAURUS SE ITS NOW 2009. *TR
SPEEDOMETER WORKS UP TO SPEEDS OF 45. ANYTHING ABOVE THAT THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE JUMPS AROUND AND MAKES A CONSTANT CLICKING NOISE. I RECEIVED A SPEEDING TICKET FOR THIS. LOOKED ONLINE FOR DIAGNOSIS AND FOUND THAT EVERYONE HAS THIS PROBLEM. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED. THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT READ THE CORRECT SPEED. IT FAILED PREVIOUSLY ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS AND WAS REPAIRED. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT COVERED THE SPEEDOMETER WITH PAPER. THIS MADE THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGE NOT VIEWABLE AND THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE DOES NOT DISTRACT THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR INSPECTION AND THERE ARE NO PLANS TO MAKE REPAIRS.
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED SPEEDOMETER FLUCUATED BACK AND FORTH. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE SPEEDOMETER WAVERED. SO THE CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW HOW FAST HE WAS GOING . TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FORD . HE WAS TOLD TO HAVE IT REPLACED. HOWEVER, THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME IT HAD BEEN REPLACED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING SPEEDOMETER OPERATES ERRATICALLY. CONSUMER HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW FAST THE VEHICLE IS GOING. DEALER WAS CONTACTED.*AK
SPEEDOMETER NO LONGER SHOWS THE ACTUAL SPEED DRIVEN, NEEDLE JUMPS AROUND. COMPONENT WAS REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP.*AK *PH
SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. AT SPEEDS OVER 35 MPH THE NEEDLE STARTS JUMPING AROUND AND MAKES A BUZZING SOUND. *LA
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO TRAFFIC. *AK THE ABOVE STATEMENT IS CORRECT. PER FOLLOW-UP CORRESPONDENCE AND RESULTING CONVERSATION WITH THE CONSUMER 11/18/03 THE LAST THREE SENTENCES OF THE NARRATIVE AS WRITTEN WERE INCORRECT AND WERE DELETED AS REQUESTED BY THE CONSUMER. *NM
VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON A HOT DAY. THE DRIVER WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES. *AK AFTER 15 MINUTES THE VEHICLE COULD BE RESTARTED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER PURCHASED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND USED THE TAURUS FOR LOCAL USE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHEN THE CONSUMER ACCELERATED THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WHILE IN A PARKING GARAGE. *PH *NLM
I OWN A 95 FORD TAURUS WITH A SPEEDOMETER THAT BOUNCES WILDLY ABOVE 50 MPH. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. I CAME ACROSS A FORD TSB 99-7-9 THAT HAS REPLACEMENT PART, WHEN I CALLED I WAS TOLD THE PART WOULD COST OVER $500.00. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THIS. MY VEHICLE HAS 59,000 MILES ON IT AND IT IS IN SAME CONDITION AS WHEN I BOUGHT IT NEW. I FEEL THAT THIS CONSTITUTES SAFETY HAZARD NOT KNOWING WHAT SPEED THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING. I THINK THAT IF YOU INVESTIGATE THIS, YOU WILL FIND THAT IT IS A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT. THAT IS WHY I AM MAKING RECORD OF THIS. *JB
IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE, PULLING TO THE RIGHT, THE TIRES HAD BEEN SWITCHED, THE SPEEDOMETER WAS INOPERABLE AND THE BRAKES WERE VERY NOISY. CONSUMER CONTINUED TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE VEHICLE WASN'T ABLE TO GO FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DRIVING CONDITION IS STILL INSUFFICIENT. *JG
THE SPEEDOMETER WAS ACTING ERRATICALLY, THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPEEDOMETER, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. TS *JB
VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE ANY TIME WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ACTIVATED AT ANY SPEED. THIS STARTED AT 10000 MILES. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAS DISCONNECTED CRUISE CONTROL.*AK
WHILE IN A PARKING LOT CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO SLOW DOWN, BUT INSTEAD STEPPED ON GAS AND BRAKE PEDAL AT SAME TIME BECAUSE PEDALS WERE SO CLOSE TOGETHER. CONTACTED DEALER. *AKATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CONSUMER UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL CRASHED INTO A WALL, INJURING HIMSELF AND DAMAGING OTHER PARTS OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL. ONCE BEFORE CONSUMER WAS PARKING THE CAR AND HAD TO KEEP FOOT ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. *JG
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SPEEDOMETER SWINGS BACK AND FORTH, FAILING TO INDICATE THE CORRECT SPEED, THIS MOSTLY OCCURS WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS BEING USED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL, HOWEVER THE TIME TO FIX IT HAD ALREADY EXPIRED. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING 65MPH VEHICLE DECELERATED AND STALLED IN TRAFFIC. GOT VEHICLE STARTED, WENT SEVERAL MILES, AND IT STALLED AGAIN. CAUSE OF PROBLEM UNKNOWN. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS LOSING WATER AND ANTIFREEZE AND ON OCCASION IS RUNNING HOT AND MISSING. CONSUMER RECEVIED RECALL NOTICE RELATING TO HEAD GASKET FAILURE. HOWEVER, WHEN DIAGNOSED BY DEALERSHIP, DEALER CLAIMED COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. CONSUMER'S PERSONAL MECHANIC FOUND WATER AND ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING DOWN ONTO THE PISTONS AND RUSTING THE SPARK PLUGS, AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE RADIATOR AND THERMOSTAT. HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE HEAD GASKETS, IT WAS REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *TT
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY MPH AND STEPIN GON ACCELERATOR , ENGINE WILL NOT ACCELERATE, JUST LIKE MENTIONED IN RECALL # 97 V 025 000/ THROTTLE CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY LURCH FORWARD OR BACKWARD WHILE PARKING WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL OR WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THEN PRESSING ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. ENGINE REVVS, BUT TRANSMISSION DOES NOT KICK IN. THEN, SUDDENLY VEHICLE WILL SURGE FORWARD. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT 1-2 TIMES A WEEK. VEHICLE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON SIDE STREETAND GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. GAS PEDAL WAS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. SHE HAD CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT GUARDRAIL. CONSUMER THOUGHT IT WAS CRUISE CONTROL. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
CONSUMER STATES AS SHE WAS ENTERING PARKING LOT ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK RESULTING IN VEHICLE CRASHING INTO A BRICK WALL CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE TOTALED, THERE IS A RECALL REGARDING THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL, 97V025. *JB
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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