Problems · by component
2004 Ford Taurus power train problems
72 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Ford Taurus cite power train, 19% of all 375 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
72
19% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER CEASED IN THE PARK POSITION WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN TUBE ASSEMBLY HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT LINKED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT, THE GEAR SHIFTER LOCKED IN THE PARK POSITION. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER (DEACON JONES FORD-LINCOLN LOCATED AT 3301 MCLAIN STREET, GOLDSBORO, NC 27534 PHONE NUMBER 800-921-7994) WHO CONFIRMED THEIR FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) HOWEVER, THEIR VEHICLE'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD NOT MOVE OUT OF PARK. THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THE GEAR SHIFTER TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.”
“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…”
“I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DOING AROUND 70 AND, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE RPM'S REVVED UP REALLY HIGH (INTO THE 7000'S) AND THE CAR INDICATOR SAID CHECK TRANSMISSION. I QUICKLY CHANGED LANES AND GOT ONTO THE SHOULDER AND SHUT OFF MY CAR. I LET IT SIT FOR TEN MINUTES WHILE I CHECKED FOR VISIBLE PROBLEMS. FINDING NONE, I THEN TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND PUT IT IN GEAR AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE. I TRIED IT IN EVERY GEAR BUT THE CAR STILL REFUSED TO MOVE. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC THAT SAID THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. MY REGULAR MECHANIC AND I HAD DONE SOME RESEARCH OVER THE PHONE WHILE WE WERE WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THE MECHANIC AND FOUND THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS THE FAULT OF A BAD TORQUE CONVERTER. FORD ACTUALLY HAS A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT BAD TORQUE CONVERTERS AND DID A RECALL FOR THEIR 2004 FREESTAR WHICH I HAD HEARD USES THE SAME TORQUE CONVERTER AS THE TAURUS. AFTER RESEARCHING, I DECIDED TO TAKE MY CAR TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP INSTEAD AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS INDEED BAD. THE SPLINES HAD STRIPPED OUT AND/OR BROKE. IT COST $1400.00 TO REPLACE IT FOR A CAR THAT HAD A LITTLE OVER 57000 MILES.…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED CAUSING THE BATTERY TO FAIL AT TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE WHEN DEPRESSING THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE PEDAL PROPERLY. THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NO LONGER OPERABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16E026000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.”
Showing 6 of 72 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.