10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 6 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 9 / 1
- Average Mileage:
- 88,616 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
While driving down the road, if I release the gas pedal, the vehicle will continue to increase in speed. When I am completely stopped at stop sign or stop light, I have to pressed on the brakes really hard to keep the vehicle from surging forward
- Greenville, NC, USA
The accelerator cable gets stuck. Which causes the car to rev at 2000 rpms even when the brakes are applied the car is trying to take off when waiting at a red light or in motion.
- Gywnn Oak, MD, USA
My car suddenly, and without warning, accelerated and the brake peddle dropped to the floor. The car mat was not on the peddle.
- Monkton, MD, USA
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Taurus. While driving approximately 70 mph, the throttle control cable became stuck. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The driver placed excessive pressure on the brake pedal, pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road, and shut off the engine. The contact assisted the driver with releasing the stuck cable. The vehicle was restarted. The contact called avis Ford Inc at 248-355-7500 (29200 telegraph rd, southfield, Michigan 48034) and was informed that an unknown recall repair was previously performed on the vehicle and would not be done again. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
- Southfield, MI, USA
Driving in intermittent rain showers at 60-70mph I had the engine cut out and dropped out of cruise control. Speedometer and tachometer bouncing up and down. Theft and engine light were flashing on and off at the same time as engine was stalling. Then the engine reengaged at 50-55 mph and continued on now responsive to gas pedal and acceleration. This repeated 5 - 8X in the span of 15 miles and several times pulling over. Weather cleared and drove another 100 miles with no events. Next morning driving kids to school after 10 minutes of running 25-40mph the same problem recurred but engine did not recover and completely stalled 3X in 1 mile. Restarted immediately each time. Reading through potential causes there were no less than 30 other individuals describing the exact same issue. Theft light on and engine stalling while driving. Various solutions proposed from electrical grounds, battery, alternator, fuse. Mega fuse, dpfe (differential pressure fuel exhaust?) sensor, egr (exhaust gas recirculation) system, PCM, icr, and several others. Not sure which it might be. Given there are so many and that it occurs in potentially dangerous situations - at high speed and no warning - this seems to be worthy of an investigation or recall.
- Jamestown, OH, USA
I was driving and the car revved the engine which made it feel like the car was going to take off.the car did jerk forward. And another time, I was at a stop light and the car revved like it was trying to go, even though the brake was being held down. The gray cap that holds the throttle cable in has broken on one side and the cable is slipping out. Is this a recall part?
- Summerville, SC, USA
While driving my car began to accelerate and the more I tried to put on my brakes it continues on a busy 4 lane street. I was able to turn at a turn in slamming in on my brakes and throwing my shaft into park. It was still shaking like it wanted to go. I got it towed to my mechanic. The cruise control throttle cable insert split and got caught on the throttle bracket. It could have killed me and hurt a lot of people. I can't sell this car like this. I want Ford to recall and reimburse me for this terrible traumatic incident.
- Pensacola, FL, USA
Car accelerated itself after releasing gas pedal on highway. Engine RPM hit about 4000. It was very hard to stop the car by brake. I checked under the hood and found the cruise control cable had problem. A plastic part on the cable was broken and caused the throttle body to stuck. Please see attached picture for reference.
- Glen Allen, VA, USA
Put vehicle in shop vehicle had rough idle, misfiring on #2 cylinder. Shop removed and replaced spark plug, air filter, fuel filter, and ignition coil. Got vehicle from shop. Vehicle idle too high-speeds up on its own. Took back to shop shop removed and replaced idle air control valve got vehicle out of shop. Vehicle still idle too high and still speeds up on its own. When stopped at stop light, when the breaks are released, car jumps forward. When backing up out of garage, car back-up too fast; must hold breaks at all times.
- Roxboro, NC, USA
My vehicle with [xxx]. I can not shift my car from park, or if I press on the brake a couple of times, and get the brake light to come on, they say on. Even when foot is not on brake. My vehicle in not apart of a recall, it was manufactured in an atlanta plant. I am being out of money and time with repairs that I have had done, and its not solving the issue. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
- Lexington, KY, USA
I having so much trouble issues on this car I want refund money for this was $1,900 refund back to me...updated 11/13/15
- Matthews, NC, USA
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Taurus. While driving at an unknown speed, the accelerator pedal became stuck without warning and there was a sudden increase of engine rpms. The vehicle was merged to the side of the road, where it was turned off and towed to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the throttle cable was defective and needed to be replaced. The contact mentioned that there was a manufacturer service campaign directly related to the failure; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 160,000.
- North Chesterfield, VA, USA
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Taurus. While driving approximately 65 mph with the cruise control engaged, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle's speed rapidly increased without warning. The contact lost control of the vehicle, drove into a grass field over a dip in the field which caused the vehicle to roll over and land upside down. While flipped upside down, the engine continued to rev until the vehicle was powered off. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact and two passengers sustained unknown injuries that required medical attention. The approximate failure mileage was 177,000.
- Canon City, CO, USA
Vehicle was traveling southbound in the outside lane of a 4 lane hwy. Vehicle changed lanes abruptly and went left of the center of roadway entering into the nourthbound lanes of traffic, continuing in a southbound direction, the vehicle departed the East side and collided with the end portion of a guardrail. The inside portion of the right front tire caught the outside of gaurdrail causing the car to straddle the top of the rail until the undercarriage of the car caught on a post of the rail causing the car to slide sideways until the left side tires dug into the ground and flipped the car completely over where it continued to travel South, rolling over again, colliding with a wood post then finally coming to rest on it's tires facing northwest. No airbags deployed at any point of the collision. Gearshift was between neutral and overdrive.
- Macon, MO, USA
Transmission stopped working, it was replaced at my expense.
- Selma, NC, USA
My car will accelerate on its own when driving.and in the morning it will be in park but the RPM nozzle will go up like somebody's pushing on the gas pedal.when im pulling off I have to hold the brakes down hard because the car will try to take off before me.it has serious acceleration issues.
- Detroit, MI, USA
My 2003 Ford Taurus accelerates by itself to 35-45 mph without having to touch the accelerator (note: The car will also accelerate uphill without having to press the accelerator. Also, the cruise control light works, but the cruise control itself is not engaging.
- Rincon, GA, USA
Driving down long road, got up to 40 mph, car stayed on that speed as if it was in cruise control mode. I had the cruise control off. I even slowed down to 30, car stayed on thirty. Had foot off the gas pedal. It surges forward. I read horror stories of other year Taurus' doing same thing, causing crashes. My 16 yr old daughter drives this car. Every other car around this years date was recalled, but not the 2003. I changed my hoses, so it's not that. The car is literally staying in cruise control mode even when it's off. When I turn my steering wheel slightly to the right, I can hear a ticking sound once or twice, not sure what that is, it's scary though. Before something bad happens I want a recall for this year of Taurus regarding the cruise control being engaged.
- Moore, OK, USA
The car does not slow down (intermittent) sometimes. Traveling at bout 55 or 60 I will take my foot off the pedal and the car will not slow down. When I finally come to a stop (which is hard on the brakes) my RPM's are 1000. If I put the transmission into neutral my RPM's will climb to 4000. Dealer has not been able to fix the problem and has no idea what to do.
- Citrus Heights, CA, USA
- Lincoln, NE, USA