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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train316
  2. Suspension313
  3. Visibility191
  4. Structure111
  5. Electrical system97
  6. Vehicle speed control88
  7. Engine and engine cooling67
  8. Air bags46
  9. Exterior lighting46
  10. Equipment36
  11. Engine23
  12. Tires22
  13. Service brakes21
  14. 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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200327
200448
200555
200664
2007101
2008142
2009129
2010168
2011129
2012130
201369
201445
201545
201632
201712
20188
20198
20205
20211
20224
20230
20240
20251

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.

03 —Owner reports

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 28, 2022Power trainODI 11462647

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…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 27, 2020Steering, Suspension, StructureODI 11302236

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 19, 2016Electrical system, VisibilityODI 10860395

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 8, 2016Suspension, Structure, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 10819080

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 23, 2019Electrical systemODI 11290912

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???”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 21, 2022Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11475206
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.