Problems · by component
2000 Ford Taurus vehicle speed control problems
84 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Ford Taurus cite vehicle speed control, 7% of all 1,195 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
84
7% of all complaints
Crashes
16
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
10
Reported by owners
What owners say about the vehicle speed control
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“IT PRESENTED A SERIES OF MISSED FIRED AND OVER HEATING ON THE ROAD , AFTER DRIVING AROUND 150 MILES , THE ENGINE LEAKING OIL AND IT LOSS POWER MAKE IT ON SAFE TO DRIVE . THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS ICED UP LIKE A FRIDGE AND LESS COOLING IN AN OVER WHOLE LOOK THE CAR NEED SAFETY CONTROL AND ALL OF THIS CAN CLEARLY SEEN ON THE CITY ROAD WAY .”
“PART OF THE ENGINE, TOP PORTION CLOSEST TO THE FIREWALL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET NEAR MY RESIDENCE IN LANCASTER, CA. I NOTICED THE SMOKE EMITTING FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN I CAME TO A STOP AT THE STOP LIGHT.”
“CAR FAILS TO ACCELERATE AT TIMES. GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED BUT ENGINE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE GETTING FUEL. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS -- HITTING ACCELERATOR -- ENGINE WILL SUDDENLY "CATCH" AND LURCH FORWARD. SEEMS TO BE A THROTTLE PROBLEM, BUT FORD DEALER WILL NOT ADDRESS. EVEN THOUGH CAR FALLS IN RECALL RANGE FOR 2000-2003 TAURUSES WITH "STICKY" THROTTLES (RECALL WAS ISSUED IN 2013), DEALER SAYS IT IS "NOT ON RECALL LIST." OVER 450,000 VEHICLES ARE -- BUT APPARENTLY MINE IS NOT ONE OF THEM. SEEMS LIKE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO ME. YOU'RE DRIVING IN A 55 MPH ZONE AN SUDDENLY YOUR CAR SLOWS TO 20 MPH NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU PRESS THE GAS PEDAL. THEN AFTER 20 SECONDS IT SUDDENLY TAKES OFF? NOT GOOD. *TR”
“I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35MPH AND I LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND NOTICED THE CAR WAS GAINING SPEED. I THEN SHIFTED IN TO NEUTRAL AND THE MOTOR BEGAN TO REV TO 4K RPMS. MY THROTTLE HAD GOT STUCK. I TAPPED THE PEDAL AND GOT IT TO STOP. TURNED AROUND AND PROCEEDED TO TAKE IT HOME AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN THIS TIME PUSHING ME THROUGH A REDLIGHT.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO REGAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BUT IT CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SALVAGE YARD AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.”
“ANOTHER CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, MY CAR SUDDENLY SPED UP TREMENDOUSLY AND I WAS BARELY ABLE TO STOP THE CAR USING THE BRAKES (THE ENGINE REVVED PAST 4 RPM!) I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT DID THE SAME THING (PAST 4 RPM!) THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP. EVEN THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE...THEY SAID THEY WILL NOT HONOR IT!!! ALTHOUGH I WAS IRRITATED THAT SOMEONE CUT ME OFF AND ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK, I LOOK AT IT AS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE. I WAS SECONDS AWAY FROM GETTING ONTO 610 IN HOUSTON RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. CAN YOU IMAGINE IF THAT CABLE HAD SNAPPED THEN AND ME CAR ACCELERATED TO A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND I WOULD BE UNABLE TO STOP?!?! *TR”
Showing 6 of 84 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.