Problems · by component

2004 Ford Taurus engine problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Ford Taurus cite engine, 7% of all 375 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
25
7% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I WAS DRIVING DOWN A COUNTY ROAD GOING 50 MPH WHEN I TRIED TO BRAKE THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING AND THE RPMS WERE HIGH. I TRIED TO BRAKE BUT IT WAS AS IF MY BRAKES WERE OUT BUT I KNOW THEY WERE FINE. I KEPT SPEEDING UP SO I HIT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND PUSHED BRAKE PUT IT IN NEITRAL BUT THE RPMS SEEMED TO GO HIGHER. I QUICKLY JUST PUT IT IN PARK WHILE STILL MOVING N RPMS HIGH. CSAR MADE A LOUD SOUND AND JERKED TO A STOP GAVE ME WHIP LASH THERE WAS NO CASRS ON THE ROAD I WAS IN THE COUNTRY. BUT AS I STOPPED I JUST PARKED TRYIUNG TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO . WAS VERY SHAKEN UP SO I HAD TO PARK FOR AWHILE. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF PARKING AND CALLING EVERYONE ABOUT MY NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE I STARTED IT UP AND DROVE 10 MPH HOIME. HAD IT LOOKED AT BY A SELF EMPLOYED MECHANIC I KNOW.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 3, 2020Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, EngineODI 11377836
“I HAVE ENGINE CODE P0430, I CHANGE ALL CONVERTERS, ALL 02 SENSORS STILL KEEP GETTING SAME CODE. MY GUESS IS UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD, WHICH SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR. I CAN US A LITTLE HELP GETTING THE PART. THANK YOU”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 4, 2019EngineODI 11229447
“THE PROBLEM IS THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CAN COME A LOOSE FROM THE THROTTLE BODY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED. WHEN THE DRIVER RELEASES THE ACCELERATOR, IF THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE HAS COME LOOSE, THE FITTING AT THE END OF IT CAN GET JAMMED IN THE CAM THAT ROTATES THE THROTTLE PLATE, AND IT WON ALLOW THE THROTTLE TO CLOSE, CAUSING THE ENGINE RPM TO STAY HIGH. THIS CAN HAPPEN RANDOMLY. IT MAY HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING, AND IT CAN BE DUPLICATED WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK. SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS CONCERN. I "GOOGLED" THROTTLE STICKING ON 04 TAURUS, AND CAME BACK WITH SEVERAL HITS, INCLUDING SOME SHADETREE FIXES. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS IT CAN LEAD TO A CRASH IF THE BRAKES ARENT POWERFUL ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE ENGINE'S POWER OUTPUT OR THE DRIVER DOESNT THINK TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF (OR THEY TURN THE KEY TOO FAR AND LOCK THE STEERING TOO) AND/OR ENGINE/TRANSMISSION DAMAGE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 27, 2018Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11081519
“I AM FILING DUAL COMPLAINTS PERTAINING TO THIS ISSUE, FIRST WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION SAFETY AUTHORITY AND A SECOND CONSUMER COMPLAINT WITH MR. PATRICK MORRISEY, ATTORNEY GENERAL WEST VIRGINIA. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS A CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION TO HELP RESIDENTS IN THE EVENT OF A SAFETY CONCERN AND A CONSUMER COMPLAINT THAT BRINGS A CONCERN TO THE SAFETY OF OTHERS, AS WELL AS THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC AND THE CONSUMER. UNDER "SPEED CONTROL" AS CHECKED OFF, THIS INCLUDES SYSTEMS AND DEVICES INTENDED TO CONTROL (ACCELERATE) THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE TO THE DRIVER'S INTENT SUCH AS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THROTTLE CONTROL CABLES, LINKAGES, ACTUATORS, ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNITS AND SOFTWARE, CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM ACTUATORS AND DEACTIVATING SYSTEMS, AND OTHER COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS THAT MAY INTERFERE WITH THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM (E.G., FLOOR MATS). MY 2004 TAURUS HAS NEARLY 90,000 MILES. IT HAS BEEN RUNNING WELL. ON MULTIPLE INCIDENTS IN 2017 MY TAURUS WOULD WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR INDICATIONS SUDDENLY BEGIN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. I DESCRIBE IT TO OTHERS AS HAVING TO THROTTLE STICK. I WAS FREAKING OUT, BECAUSE CARS BEHIND ME DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 4, 2018Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11058565
“THE WHOLE ENTIRE WIRES UNDER THE DASHBOARD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND ALMOST BLEW ME MY KIDS UP IN DALLAS TEXAS, HAD IT TOTAL AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE WHOLE COMPUTER SYSTEM BLEW THE WIRES OUT AND THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 19, 2016Electrical system, EngineFire reportedODI 10907613
“VEHICLE THROTTLE GOT STUCK, DAUGHTER WAS DRIVE HAD TO PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL TO KICK THROTTLE DOWN, FOUND OUT THAT CRUISE CONTROL CABLE IS COMING OFF THROTTLE BODY AND JAMMING, BEEN HAPPENING MULTIPLE TIMES FOR LAST YEAR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 19, 2016Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10897156

Showing 6 of 25 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.