Problems · by component

2002 Ford Taurus service brakes, hydraulic problems

35 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Taurus cite service brakes, hydraulic, 2% of all 1,469 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
35
2% of all complaints
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS MALFUNCTIONING, BUT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 233,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 10, 2016Service brakes, hydraulic, Exterior lightingODI 10925371
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR AND BRAKE FLUID NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED. HOWEVER, THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE GEM MODULE AND CIRCUIT BOARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000. UPDATED 12/3/13*CN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 11, 2013Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10547656
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ALSO DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A COMMUNICATION BOX, WENT AIR BOURNE, AND CAME TO A STOP AFTER LANDING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 02V266000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES) THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000. UPDATED 9/10/12 *CN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 30, 2012Service brakes, hydraulic, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10468303
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT ROTORS WERE WEARING PREMATURELY AND WERE REPLACED TEN TIMES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE WAS CAUSING THE ROTORS TO WEAR PREMATURELY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 05/24/12*LJ”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 26, 2012Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10456594
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THREE DAYS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IT WAS INSPECTED AND THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION AND THE BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC TO HAVE THE BRAKES AS WELL AS THE TIRES REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER SOLD HER AN UNSAFE VEHICLE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH TO OCCUR. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH DOWN A HILL, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND CONTINUED DRIVING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A WALL CAUSING INJURIES TO HER KNEE AND NECK. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL AND WAS TREATED FOR HER INJURIES. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO WALK DUE TO THE CRASH. THE CONTACT STATED THE DEALER SOLD HER A VEHICLE THAT HAD FAULTY BRAKES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 21, 2010Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10356825
“PROBLEMS WITH NOISE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SHUDDERING SOUND WHILE DRIVING COMES AND GOES. PROBLEM WITH CAR RUNNING ROUGH ENGINE POWER DECREASED, SEAM LIKE FUEL IS POOR, SOME MALFUNCTION CAUSING PROBLEMS IN TRAFFIC. THIS MALFUNCTION ALWAYS HAPPENS ON START UP AND DURING REGULAR OPERATING DURING DRIVING. WE HAVE TO KEEP LETTING OFF THE GAS AND GIVING GAS TO TRY MAKE IT RUN RIGHT A HOPE TO HAVE A SMOOTH RIDE. THE POPPING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END ALWAYS HAPPEN DAILY DURING DRIVING WITH NORMAL SPEEDS. THE FRONT ROTORS HAS BEEN CHANGED THREE TIMES SINCE I OWNED THIS VEHICLE, CONTINUING TO HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT END. BRAKE PADS ALWAYS HAVE BEEN CHANGED DURING THESE PROBLEMS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 28, 2010Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulic, Tires, EquipmentODI 10315023

Showing 6 of 35 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Service brakes

Free remedy

Bosch Brake Components LLC (Bosch) is recalling certain aftermarket replacement front brake pads, models Bosch QuietCast BC598 and BP765, Bosch Blue BE598 and BE598H, Prostop PD598 and PD765M, Duralast Gold DG598, Duralast MKD598, Stop Master ST598, UltraStop ULT598, UltraLife MX598 and MX765, BrakeBest MKD765, and Prostop Platinum PGD598. These brake pads, manufactured October 1, 2014, to October 31, 2015 are intended for use on 2001-2007 Ford Taurus, 2001-2005 Mercury Sable, 1995-1999 Ford Taurus SHO, 1995-2002 Lincoln Continental, and 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII vehicles. The brake pad shim may shift out of position causing the shim to contact the brake disc resulting in damage to the disc.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Apr 1, 2016NHTSA 16E026000

Service brakes

Free remedy

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ADJUSTABLE PADELS ARE BEING RECALLED IN ORDER TO ADJUST THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS TO A MINIMUM OF 50 MM OF LATERAL SEPARATION. SIMULTANEOUS APPLICATION OF BOTH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS COULD RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPM.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Oct 2, 2002NHTSA 02V266000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 8, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.