Problems · NHTSA complaints
2003 Ford Taurus problems
Owners filed 1,223 complaints about the 2003 Ford Taurus with NHTSA between Mar 2003 and Mar 2025. The most-cited component is power train (316).
Complaints
1,223
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
56
Reported by owners
Fires
12
Reported by owners
Injuries
59
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Power train316
- Suspension313
- Visibility191
- Structure111
- Electrical system97
- Vehicle speed control88
- Engine and engine cooling67
- Air bags46
- Exterior lighting46
- Equipment36
- Engine23
- Tires22
- Service brakes21
- Service brakes, hydraulic21
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
27
48
55
64
101
142
129
168
129
130
69
45
45
32
12
8
8
5
1
4
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 27 |
| 2004 | 48 |
| 2005 | 55 |
| 2006 | 64 |
| 2007 | 101 |
| 2008 | 142 |
| 2009 | 129 |
| 2010 | 168 |
| 2011 | 129 |
| 2012 | 130 |
| 2013 | 69 |
| 2014 | 45 |
| 2015 | 45 |
| 2016 | 32 |
| 2017 | 12 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Power train
316 reports2 crashes
“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.”
Suspension
313 reports3 crashes2 fires
“ON OCTOBER 23 2019, I RETAINED MAVIS DISCOUNT TIRE TO INSPECT MY NEW YORK STATE REGISTERED 2003 FORD TAURUS. MAVIS DISCOUNT TIRE PASSED THE VEHICLE, DETERMINING THE VEHICLES CONDITION COMPLIED WITH NY STATE SAFETY STANDARD OF ROADWORTHINESS. 12/12/2019, AFTER REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION AT GORILLA AUTO WORKS, I WAS INFORMED OF A SERIOUS STRUCTURAL SITUATION, CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY "SEVERELY DETERIORATED". ON JANUARY 20TH 2020, I AGAIN REFERRED THE VEHICLE TO CASKINETE FORD CARTHAGE NEW YORK FOR FURTHER EVALUATION, AT FORD MOTOR COMPANY STANDARDS, AS WAS INFORMED, THAT THE CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY WAS NOT REPAIRABLE, AT THE PRESENT CONDITION, DID NOT MEET NEW YORK STATE OR FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS, CONTRARY TO THE ORIGINAL STATUS, AND INSPECTION , ISSUED 10/23/2019 MAVIS DISCOUNT TIRE ARSENAL ST. WATERTOWN NEW YORK. FURTHER EVALUATIONS, STUDY REVEALED, THAT FAILURE OF THIS CONDITION, UNDERWAY, AT US INTERSTATE AVERAGE SPEED OF TRAFFIC, POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC INCIDENT WOULD RESULT, EMINENT RISK OF LOSS OF LIFE. PER US AGENCY STANDARDS, I HAVE MADE ALL REASONABLE EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THIS COMPLAINT WITH RELEVANT STATE AGENCIES, DMV. ETC. ADDITIONAL EFFORTS INCLUDED…”
Visibility
191 reports1 fire1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE BLOWER MOTOR EMITTED SMOKE FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RESISTER BLOWER MOTOR WAS GETTING DAMAGED WITH WATER FROM THE CROW AND UNDER THE AIR CABIN FILTER WHERE THE INSTALLATION OF THE CABIN AIR FILTER. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE NEED TO BE TAKEN TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE INSTALLATION REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.”
Structure
111 reports2 crashes2 fires
“WE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WHERE THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP,AND SLIDE ON DRY PAVEMENT,AND WET CONDITIONS . THE CAR HAD NEW BRAKES, ROTORS, TIRES, BUT STILL WOULD HAVE TROUBLE STOPPING, UNFORTUNATELY MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR TODAY,AND HIT ANOTHER CAR. I JUST REPLACED THE TIRES AGAIN A FEW MONTHS GO, THINKING THE TIRES WERE THE PROBLEM. I HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS MYSELF, AND I THINK THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR STOPPING. THANK GOD NOBODY WAS HURT, BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. MY DAUGHTER WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES AN HOUR, AND SHE WAS ON A CITY STREET, CONDITIONS WERE WET , BUT SHE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP.”
Electrical system
97 reports1 crash7 fires
“FORD TAURUS 2003 CAR SAFETY PROBLEM WAS REPORTED ON JULY 01, 2007.FORD TAURUS 2003, MANUFACTURED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAD A PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER. ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM FAILING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING.”
Vehicle speed control
88 reports6 crashes1 fire
“At times the vehicle accelerates by itself albeit I am not touching the gas pedal. While driving the vehicle at 45 mph, I take my foot off of the accelerator and the vehicle maintains the 45 mph speed or increases speed if I am driving down a hill or any downward gradient regardless of the angle of decent. When I try to stop the vehicle using the foot brake it continues to maintain speed and if I put the shift lever in neutral, while trying to stop, the RPM's increase from approximately 1500 rpm's to 3200 rpm's until the vehicle comes to a complete stop, and then, only after approximately five seconds do the RPM's begin to drop to 1000 rpm's. If I am driving the vehicle with cruise control and cancel the cruise control, the vehicle maintains the cruise control speed indefinitely, literally for miles thereafter. I wanted to give this vehicle to my daughter who has multiple sclerosis but it's too dangerous for her to drive with this acceleration problem. Do you have any recommendations for me???”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.