2003 Ford Taurus power train problems

“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.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SLOWING DOWN WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND WHILE SWITCHING GEARS THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE LOCAL DEALER FORSOM LAKE FORD(12755 FOLSOM BLVD, FORSOM LAKE CA.) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.”

“I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT POSTED SPEEDS WHEN MY CAR BEGAN TO SLOW WITH THE ACCELERATOR STILL PRESSED, ALMOST GETTING REAR ENDED I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. I REALIZED THE CAR WAS RUNNING BUT WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR REVERSE. I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. I WAITED THREE HOURS FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO SHOW UP AND THEN HAD IT TOWED 80 MILES TO MY HOUSE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER SPLINES WOULD FAIL WITH NO WARNING. I ALSO DID SOME TEST TO CONFIRM IT WAS THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS DONE NOTHING TO RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM. DOES IT TAKE SOMEONE GETTING KILLED FIRST? FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP AND RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED.”

“HAD TO REPLACE MY TORQUE CONVERTER FOR $1,300 WHICH IS RIDICULOUS CONSIDERING THERE IS ONLY 87,000 MILES. THERE HAS BEEN THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS. FORD NEEDS TO FIX THIS! WOULDN'T LEAVE PARK, HAD IT TOWED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO SHIFT. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DISCHARGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED, BUT THE CONTACT SPOKE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE LIKELY ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.”

“THROTTLE STUCK WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL GOING INTO A TURN NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I RELEASED THE THROTTLE AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV, FORCING THE USE OF BRAKES TO GAIN CONTROL. PLACED TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND ENGINE REVVED BEFORE TURNING IGNITION SWITCH TO OFF POSITION. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP BROKE AND PREVENTED THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO NEUTRAL POSITION. *TR”