2003 Ford Taurus Powertrain (other) Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that when taking the vehicle out of the park(P) after starting the vehicle, which required the brake pedal to be depressed, the contact could not depress the shifter button out of the park. The contact stated that the shift button would not depress. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact turned the vehicle off and turned the vehicle back on but had to pump the brake pedal to shift the vehicle out of the park. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V106000 (Exterior Lighting). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000.

NHTSA ID

11462647

Incident

Apr 25, 2022

Mileage

151,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SLOWING DOWN WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND WHILE SWITCHING GEARS THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE LOCAL DEALER FORSOM LAKE FORD(12755 FOLSOM BLVD, FORSOM LAKE CA.) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

NHTSA ID

11307742

Incident

Nov 1, 2019

Mileage

175,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT POSTED SPEEDS WHEN MY CAR BEGAN TO SLOW WITH THE ACCELERATOR STILL PRESSED, ALMOST GETTING REAR ENDED I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. I REALIZED THE CAR WAS RUNNING BUT WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR REVERSE. I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. I WAITED THREE HOURS FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO SHOW UP AND THEN HAD IT TOWED 80 MILES TO MY HOUSE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER SPLINES WOULD FAIL WITH NO WARNING. I ALSO DID SOME TEST TO CONFIRM IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS DONE NOTHING TO RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM. DOES IT TAKE SOMEONE GETTING KILLED FIRST? FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP AND RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED.

NHTSA ID

11185515

Incident

Jun 29, 2018

Mileage

103,000 mi

HAD TO REPLACE MY TORQUE CONVERTER FOR $1,300 WHICH IS RIDICULOUS CONSIDERING THERE IS ONLY 87,000 MILES. THERE HAS BEEN THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS. FORD NEEDS TO FIX THIS! WOULDN'T LEAVE PARK, HAD IT TOWED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY.

NHTSA ID

11156745

Incident

Oct 24, 2018

Mileage

87,400 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO SHIFT. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DISCHARGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED, BUT THE CONTACT SPOKE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE LIKELY ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

NHTSA ID

11003046

Incident

Feb 15, 2004

Mileage

3,000 mi

THROTTLE STUCK WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL GOING INTO A TURN NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I RELEASED THE THROTTLE AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV, FORCING THE USE OF BRAKES TO GAIN CONTROL. PLACED TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND ENGINE REVVED BEFORE TURNING IGNITION SWITCH TO OFF POSITION. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP BROKE AND PREVENTED THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO NEUTRAL POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10937292

Incident

Dec 23, 2016

Mileage

168,000 mi

WHILE GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY ON THE DRIVE HOME FROM WORK (AT 6:40PM ON DEC 1ST, 2016) THE TRANSMISSION NO LONGER ENGAGED. I HAD TO COAST OVER TO A FIELD AND PARK WHILE AVOIDING ON-GOING TRAFFIC. I LOST ALL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GEARS (RD21), AND IT IS LIKE BEING IN PERPETUAL NEUTRAL. THE SPLINES OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER ARE STRIPPED. FORD MADE THEM TOO SMALL, SO THEY STRIP. THE CAR HAS 126,000 MILES ON IT, AND IS ONLY USED TO GO TO AND FROM WORK. THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM, YET FORD HAS DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THE SITUATION.

NHTSA ID

10929790

Incident

Dec 1, 2016

Mileage

126,000 mi

THE CAR WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND STOPPED. WHEN I PRESSED TO ACCEL THE TRANSMISSION DID'NT PULL OVER 15 FEET AND STOPPED PULLING. IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER THAT HAD GON OUT. AND THEN I GET A LETTER IN THE MAIL ABOUT OTHER RECALLS BUT NOT ON THE TRANSMISSIONS. I WORKED FOR FORD FOR 27 YEARS AS AN ENGINEER AND BUILT TRANSMISSIONS UNDER RECALLS. I HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT THESE PAOPLE! BUT THE 2004 HAS THAT RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10926580

Incident

Jan 10, 2015

Mileage

1,024,083 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF A STOP LAMP FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 283,000.

NHTSA ID

10909914

Incident

Sep 26, 2016

Mileage

283,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE GEAR FAILED TO SWITCH INTO THE DRIVE POSITION WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE LAMPS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

NHTSA ID

10897628

Incident

Aug 11, 2016

Mileage

88,000 mi

DANGEROUS SITUATION TRANSMISSION COMPLETE FAILURE IN INTERSECTION WHILE TURNING LEFT. STOPPED AWAITING ON-COMING TRAFFIC AT CITY STREET SITUATION COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH ON-COMING TRAFFIC RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY! MANY COMPLAINTS ALREADY FILLED HOWEVER AFTER SPEAKING WITH FORD THE REFUSE TO FIX IT

NHTSA ID

10891595

Incident

Jul 26, 2016

Mileage

53,203 mi

WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS IN CRUISE CONTROL AT 68 MPH ON A 3 LANE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING BEGAN TO QUICKLY LOOSE SPEED AND THE ABILITY TO KEEP PACE WITH SURROUNDING TRAFFIC. THE TRANSMISSION BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND THE VEHICLE LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AND FUNCTION IN A SAFE MANNER. I QUICKLY AND UNKNOWINGLY DROPPED BELOW THE SAFE DRIVING SPEED FOR THE HIGHWAY AND POSED A SAFETY RISK TO MYSELF AND OF THE DRIVERS ON THE ROAD AROUND ME. IN THE COURSE OF RAPID DECELERATION I WAS ALMOST STRUCK IN THE REAR BY A VEHICLE THAT WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF MY LOSS OF SPEED, AS I DID NOT APPLY THE BRAKES. AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND AS TO NOT FURTHER ENDANGER THOSE AROUND ME; I TURNED ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS AND RELIED ON EVASIVE DRIVING TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SAFETY OF THE SHOULDER. ONCE OFF THE HIGHWAY, MOTOR RESPONDED BUT NONE OF THE GEARS (REVERSE, OVERDRIVE, 1ST, OR 2ND) WOULD ENGAGE. THE CAR HAD NO WARNING LIGHTS, SERVICE LIGHTS, OR CHECK ENGINE SIGNALS ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THERE ARE NO FLUID LEAKS OR OUTWARD APPEARANCE OF ANY BROKEN COMPONENTS. THIS SUDDEN MALFUNCTION HAS RENDERED MY VEHICLE BARELY FUNCTIONAL AND NOT SAFELY MANEUVERABLE.

NHTSA ID

10888069

Incident

Jul 7, 2016

Mileage

113,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY FELT AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN ANY GEAR. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER MAY HAVE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,400.

NHTSA ID

10837197

Incident

Feb 12, 2016

Mileage

132,400 mi

TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER - STRIPPED SPLINES. JUST 49,334 MILES. THIS CAR HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE AND IS IN IMMACULATE CONDITION. DEFINITELY A PROVEN BAD PART THAT FORD SHOULD COVER. THE CAR QUIT MOVING AT MY WORKPLACE PARKING LOT. IM GRATEFUL IT WASN'T IN AN INTERSECTION. HAD TO REPLACE CONVERTER.

NHTSA ID

10809581

Incident

Sep 11, 2015

Mileage

49,334 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AS IT INCREASED IN ENGINE RPMS. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

NHTSA ID

10786378

Incident

Oct 27, 2015

Mileage

61,000 mi

THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR

NHTSA ID

10786256

Incident

Oct 26, 2015

Mileage

145,000 mi

I HAVE AN ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

10786123

Incident

Jan 10, 2009

Mileage

167,777 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON A VERY BUSY ROAD, MY TRANSMISSION QUIT. I HAD NOTHING BUT NEUTRAL. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS THAT IT WAS GOING TO FAIL, IT WENT FROM WORKING PERFECTLY TO HAVING NO GEARS (FORWARD OR REVERSE). LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A SAFE SPOT TO PARK AND WAIT FOR A TOW. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED, IT WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

10781254

Incident

Sep 9, 2011

Mileage

45,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, BUT FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. IN ADDITION, THE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ID

10779891

Incident

Oct 5, 2015

Mileage

180,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE REVVED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESUME ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

NHTSA ID

10762584

Incident

Sep 7, 2015

Mileage

54,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD BECOME INOPERABLE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000. MA 10/15/2015

NHTSA ID

10760945

Incident

Aug 10, 2015

Mileage

68,000 mi

DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 45MPH WHEN VEHICLE, WITHOUT WARNING, SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND WOULD NOT REENGAGE. CAR ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN HOWEVER, TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN ANY GEAR. CAR WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED TRANSMISSION. CAR TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED AND IT WAS STATED BY REPAIR FACILITY THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, OR WARNINGS.

NHTSA ID

10758664

Incident

Aug 20, 2015

Mileage

126,445 mi

MY CAR RANDOMLY STOPPED MOVING WHEN I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY IT WAS A MAJOR SCENE ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED BY 5 CARS HAD TO VEER OFF TO THE SIDE TO AVOID A ACCIDENT THESE TRANSMISSIONS/TORQUE CONVERTERS NEED TO BE RECALLED THEY WERE RECALLED IN THE FORD WINSTAR WITH THE SAME TRANNY PARTS BUT NOT THE FORD TAURUS 2003 I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER WENT OUT AND THIS IS A MORE THAN COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR OF TAURUSES THIS IS REDICILIOUS COME ON FORD RECALL THESE TRANNYS!!! I CANT AFFORD $1500

NHTSA ID

10744474

Incident

Jul 24, 2015

Mileage

208,000 mi

ON THE DATE ABOVE AND THEN AGAIN ON FEB,2015 THE TRANSAXLE QUIT WORKING, IT WOULD NOT GO ANYWHERE. HAD IT ROLLBACKED TO MY HOUSE BOTH TIMES AT A COST OF $50 PER TOW. THE COST TO REPAIR AND OR REPLACE THE TRANSAXLE WAS :2011: $1,400; 2015: $1,700. THE CAR AT THE 2ND. REWORK/EXCHANGE (THE TRANS SHOP REPLACED RATHER THAN REBUILD MINE) HAD ONLY 125,000 MILES. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THE TRANSAXLES IN THESE GENERATION FORD TAURUSES WERE PRONE TO TRANSAXLE FAILURE, AS WERE THE FORD WINDSTARS AS BOTH VEHICLES USED THE SAME TRANSAXLE. UPON STUDYING UP ON THESE PROBLEMS IT SEEMS FORD MOTOR CO. RECALLED THE WINDSTAR AND CALLED IT A BAD TORQUE CONVERTER CAUSING THE PROBLEMS. WHY DID THEY NOT RECALL THE TAURUSES ALSO, ANSWER: AMOUNT OF VEHICLES PRODUCED OF EACH MODEL AND THEIR FEET WERE NOT "HELD TO THE FIRE" BY YA'LL AND OUR GOV.. NOW TO GET TO THE LIGHTING PROBLEM: THE MOST SAFETY HAZARDOUS ITEM WHICH HAS BEEN INSTALLED ON VEHICLES IN THE LAST 15-20 YEARS IS THOSE DAMNED "PLASTIC LENSED HEADLIGHTS" THAT WITHIN 3 YEARS WILL "FOG OVER" TO THE EXTENT THEY DO NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH LIGHT TO BE USEFULL AT NIGHT. OH THEY SAY YOU CAN CLEAN THEM, OF WHICH I HAVE TRIED ON MY TAURUS, TO NOT MUCH AVAIL. I BELIEVE THE AUTO MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE ORDERED THRU A RECALL FROM YOU TO REPLACE THEM AT NO COST TO US OWNERS. IF YOU WILL CHECK, YOU WILL SEE A REPLACEMENT OF THOSE "WUNDERFULL" INVENTION , KNOWN AS BULLCRAP, LENS WILL SET AN OWNER OF THE VEHICLES AROUND $500 TO $700 PER PAIR INSTALLED. AND MUST BE ADJUSTED BY A DEALERS ONLY EQUIPMENT. I MY SELF DO NOT BELIEVE IN TODAYS WORLD 125,000 - 129,000 MILES IS A LOT. IF THE TRUTH WERE KNOWN THE "YELLOWED OUT" HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF A LOT OF NITE TIME ACCIDENTS. DO YOUR JOB AND GO AFTER THEM AND MAKE THEM REPLACE WITH NEW TRANSAXLES AND TORQUE CONVERTERS AND AT THE SAME TIME MAKE THEM REPLACE THE YELLOWED OUT HEADLIGHT LENSES.

NHTSA ID

10717032

Incident

Jul 2, 2011

Mileage

120,000 mi

I WAS DEPARTING FROM PARKING LOT AND THE CAR SUDDENLY HAD SOME NOISE IN THE HOOD THEN LOST ALL THE POWER. AFTER STARTING ENGINE AGAIN, I CAN SHIFT THE GEAR INTO D OR R, ENGINE WORKS OK BUT THE CAR WON'T MOVE AT ALL. BEFORE IT HAPPENED, THE TRANSMISSION WORKS FINE, NO DELAYED ENGAGEMENT, NO SLIPS, NO JOLTS, SMOOTH GEAR-CHANGING...THE TRANSMISSION JUST STOPPED WITH NO WARNING SIGNS AT ALL. THE CAR IS REGULARLY AND WELL MAINTAINED. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WHEN IT HAPPENED. LATER IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE STRIPPED TORQUE CONVERTER SPLINES. IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG FORD EARLY 2000'S VEHICLES, THE SPLINES ARE ONLY 0.16" THICK BY FORD'S DEFECT DESIGNS, WHICH CAN BE EASILY STRIPPED.

NHTSA ID

10716291

Incident

May 7, 2015

Mileage

68,000 mi