Problems · NHTSA complaints

2005 Ford Taurus problems

Owners filed 774 complaints about the 2005 Ford Taurus with NHTSA between Feb 2005 and Oct 2023. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (529).

Complaints
774
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
40
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
28
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Vehicle speed control529
  2. Power train123
  3. Engine68
  4. Engine and engine cooling40
  5. Fuel/propulsion system29
  6. Electrical system28
  7. Air bags27
  8. Service brakes26
  9. Structure22
  10. Visibility11
  11. Fuel system, gasoline10
  12. Service brakes, hydraulic10
  13. Steering7
  14. Suspension7

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
200510
200615
200722
200815
200924
201054
201137
2012262
2013119
201479
201547
201630
201710
201822
201917
20205
20213
20222
20231

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

Vehicle speed control

529 reports18 crashes1 fire
“I was on my way to work. When I came to the stop sign to turn on the main road. I felt my car jerk. I thought it was weird and kept driving anyways. Then I noticed the resistance was gone from the gas pedal and it went straight to the floor. So I came to the stop light and kept my foot on the brake. When the light turned green and I had let go of the brakes. My car was accelerating on its own. I had to keep pumping the brakes so I wouldn't crash or hurt anyone. I managed to pull into a mechanic's shop and asked for help. The mechanic told me that it was my cruise control and that it wasn't disengaging. So he had to disconnect it from my car.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 3, 2023Vehicle speed control, Engine, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11547998

Power train

123 reports3 crashes1 fire
“I DROVE TO A FRIENDS HOUSE AND HAD NO PROBLEMS AT ALL WAS THERE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO AND WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AND PUT IT IN DRIVE IT WOULDN'T MOVE THE CAR IS ON A SIDE STREET IN THE CITY”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 25, 2019Power trainODI 11282375

Engine

68 reports1 crash1 fire
“MY CAR WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ME PRESSING THE GAS. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST 4 TIMES A WEEK WHILE I AM DRIVING AND HAPPENS WHEN I AM DRIVING BETWEEN 20 AND 50 MPH. I CAN MAKE THE ENGINE REV/ACCELERATION STOP BY QUICKLY TAPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. I HAVE HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL DISCONNECTED BECAUSE MY MECHANIC THOUGHT THIS WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM BUT THE RANDOM SEF-ACCELERATION HAS CONTINUED AND SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE FREQUENT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON OFF AND ON FOR A FEW YEARS BUT HAS INCREASED IN FREQUENCY OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 16, 2020Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11383695

Engine and engine cooling

40 reports1 crash1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING WAS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR OVER A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE MASSIVE AIR FLOW SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPARIED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATED FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,019.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 13, 2014Engine and engine cooling, EngineODI 10598142

Fuel/propulsion system

29 reports1 crash
“MY CAR BEGAN TO TRY TO REV UP AND TRY TO GO REALLY FAST . I HAD TO SLAM ON BRAKES AND TURN THE MOTOR OFF. AFTER DOING THIS I TOOK IT TO A MECHANICS AND WAS TOLD MY SWITCH FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD POPES OFF AND STUCK IN MY IGNITION AND CAUSED MY CAR TO ACCELERATE. I ALMOST KILLED MYSELF SEVERAL TIMES. THIS ALSO DAMAGED MY TRANSMISSION. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR FOR YEARS. I KNOW NOTHING WILL BE DONE BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW. [XXX] . I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD. I CALLED IN A COMPLAINT TO YOUR PRESIDENT YEAR'S AGO AND NEVER GOT A RESPONSE. IF ANYONE CARES MY NUMBER IS [XXX]. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 4, 2017Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11021355

Electrical system

28 reports1 crash5 fires
“THE CAR WILL START ACCELERATING WHILE PARKED GOING UP TO 4000 RPM, IT WILL ALSO WHILE DRIVING ACCELERATE WITHOUT FOOT BEING ON PEDAL. PLEASE CALL ME IF YOU CAN HELP [XXX].”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 16, 2018Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11120555
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.