Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT BEING DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CAUSING HIS BATTERY TO DRAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,800.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON IT FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE FAILURE WAS TEMPORARILY RESOLVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THE BRAKE SWITCH SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND CONFIRMED THE VIN DID NOT QUALIFY FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 106,000.
WHEN HOT (AMBIENT TEMPERATURE), CAR WILL NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR FROM "PARK" UPON STARTING ENGINE. BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT OPERATE - SAME AS NHTSA RECALL 04V106000. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN "REAR-ENDED" TWICE DURING LAST MONTH. FORD ADVISES THAT MY VIN NOT SUBJECT TO RECALL, BUT SAFETY PROBLEM EXISTS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS REMAIN ILLUMINATED AT ALL TIMES, EVEN WHEN THE IGNITION IS ON OR OFF. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V078000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS:SWITCH), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
WHEN ROTATING THE HEADLAMP CONTROL SWITCH CLOCKWISE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (DASH) LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON. HOWEVER, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS DO COME ON. *TR
PURCHASED A USED 2001 FORD TAURUS. AFTER PURCHASING, NOTICED THAT HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS BROKEN OFF AND WAS JUST RESTING IN ORIGINAL PLACE. CONTINUED TO OPERATE HEADLIGHT SWITCH UNTIL PLASTIC PIECE THAT FIT INTO PART BROKE OFF. CAN STILL TURN HEADLIGHTS ON & OFF, BUT ONLY WITH A LOT OF EFFORT. PLANNING TO CALL DEALER TO SEE IF IT CAN BE REPLACED AT NO COST; OTHERWISE WILL DO THE REPAIR MYSELF. *JB
TAIL LIGHT ON DRIVER'S SIDE KEPT BLOWING OUT DUE TO WATER GETTING INTO THE LENS. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONT HEADLIGHT LENS HAVE FOGGED UP. THIS WOULD CAUSE IT TO BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SEE DURING NIGHT HOURS. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HEADLIGHT PROBLEMS. HAS CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY HAVE NOT TRIED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. *AK
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE DIRECTION LIGHTS. EVERY TIME DIRECTION LIGHTS KEEP ON BURNING . DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED, AND DEALER WILL ONLY FIX IT, AND A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER THEY GO OUT AGAIN.*AK
WHEN USING TURN SIGNAL TO GO LEFT OR RIGHT SIGNAL WILL GO OUT BEFORE TURN IS MADE. TOOK TO DEALER AND HAD IT REPAIRED, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK THE TURN SIGNAL WAS REPAIRED TWICE, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE EXHAUST MAKES HUMMING SOUND WHEN AT IDLE. WIPER BLADE FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE GETS LOW MILEAGE WHEN A/C ON, THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL. *YH
THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH WON'T STAY IN PLACE UNDER SOME CONDITIONS. MOST COMMONLY IT WON'T STAY IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS AT THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, EG. TRYING TO PUT IT AT 'LEFT' WHILE THE STEERING IS STILL TOWARD 'RIGHT'. IT HAPPENS TO ME OFTEN BECAUSE I NEED TO MAKE A SHARP LEFT TURN RIGHT AFTER I LEAVE MY GARAGE, WHILE THE LATTER IS A SHARP RIGHT TURN. SOMETIMES THIS PROBLEM ALSO OCCUR EVEN THE STEERING IS STRAIGHT AHEAD. IT OCCURS WHEN THE CAR IS BRAND NEW SO I DOUBT IT'S A DESIGN FLAW.*AK
ON MARCH 6, 2001, I PURCHASED A 2001 FORD TAURUS LX, FROM CHINO HILLS FORD, CHINO, CALIFORNIA 91710. ON APRIL 6, 2001, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FORD WEST, ARTESIA BLVD., BELLFLOWER BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE STRANGE PART IS WHEN I PHONED THE DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM, THEY GAVE ME INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SHIFT THE GEAR AS IF IT WAS PART OF MY OWNER'S MANUAL. I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE TAURUS VEHICLE. WHEN THE SERVICE DEPARMENT AT FORD WEST PULLED THE INFORMATION UP ON THE CAR FROM THE COMPUTER, IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE CAR'S REAR BUMPER HAD BEEN REPLACED WHEN IT HAD 5 MILES ON IT. (THIS WAS NEVER DISCLOSED TO ME). I PICKED UP THE CAR DROVE HOME AND THE BRAKE SWITCH WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME I CALLED CHINO HILLS FORD TO HAVE THEM REPLACE THE BRAKE SWITCH. I DROVE THE CAR TO CHINO HILLS ON APRIL 12, 2001, I WAS TOLD BY ONE OF THE SERVICE PERSONNEL THAT THERE WERE LOOSE WIRES AND I HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. ALL OF THIS WAS ASSESSED BY HIM WITHOUT TAKING THE VEHICLE INTO THE SERVICE AREA. CHINO HILLS SUPPLIED ME WITH A RENTAL AND SAID IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE A DAY TO REPAIR. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD CHECK THE CAR THOROUGHLY SINCE THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURED MORE THAN ONCE IN SUCH A SHORT TIME OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR I COULD FEEL THAT THE BRAKES WERE STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY, SO I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ONLY TO FEEL AS THOUGH THEY WERE NOT TAKING MY CONCERNS SERIOUSLY. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT THE BRAKES FAILED TWICE ON THE CAR. TWO ENGINEERING COMPANIES INVESTIGATED AND FOUND OIL IN THE BRAKE LINE. NOW FORD DOES NOT WANT TO COMPENSATE ME WITH A NEW CAR AND OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES FOR A RENTAL. A MORE DETAILED LETTER HAS BEEN SENT TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY, PRODUCT CLAIM DEPARTMENT. I DESPERATELY NEED YOUR HELP. FORD SAYS THE CAR IS READY, BUT I FEAR FOR MY FAMI LY'S SAFETY!!!!
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
Data on this page last refreshed .