100 of the 1,524 complaints about the 2003 Ford Taurus are about the electrical system — 7% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 73,348 miles.
100
Complaints
1
Crashes
7
Fires
3
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY INTERIOR LIGHT STAYS ON WHILE I'M DRIVING, AND WILL STAY ON 2-3 HOURS AFTER THE ENGINE HAS STOPPED.
NHTSA complaint #11307594 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #11290912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY BATTERY LIGHT GOES ON A FEW SECONDS AFTER THE ENGINE STARTS AND I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE. THE LIGHT STAYS ON TILL I TURN CAR OFF. REPLACED BATTERY, REPLACED STARTER, HAD THE ALTERNATOR CHECKED AND WAS TOLD ITS NUMBERS WERE GOOD BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHY THE BATTERY LIGHT GOES ON. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION FOUND THE WIRES ARE MELTING BECAUSE OF THEIR POSITION ON AND AROUND THE ALTERNATOR. THERE IS ONE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT SITS ACROSS ON TOP OF THE ALTERNATOR AND APPEARS TO BE MELTING AS THE UNIT GETS HOT. WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT THIS HAS BEEN A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM ON THESE CARS. FORD HAS CHANGED THE POSITIONING OF THEIR ALTERNATOR WIRES ON LATER MODELS. IT CONCERNS ME THAT THIS CAN CAUSE A FIRE OR CAN AFFECT OTHER CONNECTED COMPONENTS. THE BATTERY LIGHT REFUSES TO TURN OFF.
NHTSA complaint #11243017 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON WOULD NOT TURN OFF. BRAKE SWITCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. BATTERY DIED THANKS .IN MOTION ON STREET
NHTSA complaint #11054678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFTER DRIVING FOR AWHILE AND THE CAR IS STILL IN MOTION, THE PRESSING ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN, THE ENGINE STALL'S OUT.
NHTSA complaint #11001947 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY CAR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THE POLICE OFFICER AND THE FIREMEN SAID IT WAS A ELECTRIC FIRE. MY CAR WAS SITTING IN FRONT OF MY APARTMENT BUILDING AT 8:30 P.M. AND THAT BETWEEN 3 AND 4 A.M. A CAR THAT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND I WAS NOT EVEN DRIVING IT WAS JUST SITTING THERE PARK.
NHTSA complaint #10893337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #10860395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ANTI-THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE JUMPSTARTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALARM SYSTEM FAILED; HOWEVER, WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE FAILURE DUE TO NO FAILURE CODES. THE ALTERNATOR AND STARTER WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
NHTSA complaint #10850397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DRIVING 6AM TODAY BOTH MY HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING. THEY TURNED BACK ON 5 SECOND LATER BUT THAT IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST 30 DAYS. ALSO DASHBOARD LIGHTS TURNED OFF AND ON RANDOM TIMES FOR THE LAST YEAR EVEN THIS MORNING BUT DIFFERENT TIME THEN HEADLIGHT ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10811634 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FOR THE FIRST 6 YEARS THIS CAR WAS GARAGED, AS SOON AS IT WAS PARKED OUTSIDE, EXPOSED TO THE WEATHER, A VERY BAD WATER LEAK APPEARED. I CONSTANTLY GET WATER ON THE FLOOR OF THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS LEAK FRIED MY BLOWER MOTOR, RESULTING IN NO HEAT. THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS REPLACED, BUT THE LEAK IS STILL PRESENT. ONCE AGAIN, I FIND MYSELF WITH NO HEAT. THE BLOWER MOTOR WORKS, BUT IS NOT GETTING ANY POWER TO IT. THE RESISTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED, AND ALL FUSES AND RELAYS ARE FINE. DRIVING IN CONNECTICUT WITH NO HEAT IN THE WINTER IS A DIFFICULT TASK.
NHTSA complaint #10781255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
RIDING DOWN ROUTE 539 AT 5:00 PM WHEN THE THEFT ALARM CAME ON AND CAR CUT OFF AND JERKED AND RESTARTED AT THE TIME THE TRUCK ALMOST HIT ME IN THE REAR END WHICH I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED I MADE TO THE SHOPPING CENTER AND HAD IT TAKEN TO MY AUTO REPAIR SHOP WERE IT STILL IS. MY REPAIRMAN IS RUNNING ALL KINDS OF TEST TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND CORRECT IT. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THE CAR BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED AND CAR DEALER SHOULD ALSO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR SELLING A CAR THAT IS UNSAFE.
NHTSA complaint #10761997 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE PARK LAMP SWITCH SEEMS TO BE FAILING AND INTERMITTENTLY WILL STOP WORKING CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL AND THE VEHICLE TO NOT SWITCH OUT OF PARK. USING THE VIN NUMBER THE RECALL DOESN'T APPLY TO MY VEHICLE BUT OBVIOUSLY THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED. YOUR HELP WITH ADDRESSING THIS MATTER WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU
NHTSA complaint #10683686 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND THE WIRE ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.
NHTSA complaint #10660476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2003 FORD TAURUS ACCELERATES BY ITSELF TO 35-45 MPH WITHOUT HAVING TO TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR (NOTE: THE CAR WILL ALSO ACCELERATE UPHILL WITHOUT HAVING TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR. ALSO, THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT WORKS, BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL ITSELF IS NOT ENGAGING.
NHTSA complaint #10620952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY BATTERY DISCHARGE LIGHT CAME ON THEN THE ABS LIGHT, THE BRAKE LIGHT AND OTHERS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND NEITHER HE NOR I CAN FIND THE BATTERY DRAIN. THE COMPUTER DOESN'T SHOW ANYTHING. AT TIMES IF ITS RAINING THE WIPERS GO AS DOES THE HEAT OR AIR BLOWER. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE ENGINE STOPPING OR THE BRAKES NOT WORKING AND I HAVE HAD MY WIPERS NOT WORK IN A RAIN STORM . ANY ADVICE?
NHTSA complaint #10585490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
OCT 2012 BOUGHT MY FORD TAURUS 2003. IN NOVEMBER AS I DROVE HOME AT 3 AM AT 55 MPH THE CARS DASHBOARD LIGHTS ALL FLASHED ACROSS MY DASH THEN THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AS I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE CAR STALLED. I SAT FOR APPROX 15 RESTARTED CAR AND GOT IT HOME. THE NEXT MORN THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. PURCHASED BATTERY. CAR RAN FINE FOR A YEAR THEN CHANGED COILS IN OCTOBER 2013. ION NOVEMBER I WAS DRIVING 55 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN DASH AND HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR INTO A DRIVEWAY BEFORE GETTIN HIT BY 2 CARS. CAR WAS TOWED TO MY HOUSE I CHARGED BATTERY CHECK THE ALTERNATOR. NEXT DAY CAR WAS STARTED 3 TIMES. THE FOURTH TIME NO GO. CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC. OR SHALL I SAY DEALERSHIP WHERE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY. THEY CALLED NEXT DAY TO TELL ME IT WAS A DEAD BATTERY THEY HAVE CHARGED IT FOR AN HOUR. I LET THE CAR SIT THERE FOR A FEW DAYS THEN CALLED BACK, THEY THEN SAID MY NEG TERM TO MY BATTERY WASN'T CONNECTED.. AND THE CAR IS NOW FIXED, THE CAR HAS SAT AT DEALERSHIP FOR THREE WEEKS. IM SCARED TO DRIVE IT AND DON'T WANT MY FOUR KIDS IN THAT DEATH TRAP.
NHTSA complaint #10554158 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY HUSBAND PICKED ME UP FROM SCHOOL AND HE WENT IN THE STORE AND THE CAR WHILE ME AND MY 1 YEAR OLD WERE IN THE CAR STARTED SMOKING LIKE FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER PART THE WHOLE FRONT PART OF THE CAR, MY HUSBAND RAN OUT OF STORE STATING CAR WAS ON FIRE HE PULLED CAR WAY FROM GAS STATION, I GOT OUT OF CAR AND GOT MY DAUGHTER OUT, FIRE WAS COMING OUT OF HOOD AND BOTTOM OF CAR HIGH WE CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT EVERYTHING IS ON CAMERA, THAN A POLICE OFFICER CAME OUT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT OUT THE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10537882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
A WATER LEAK WHICH DUMPED WATER ONTO THE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD ALSO CAUSED MY AC BLOWER MOTOR TO SHORT OUT. FORD WILL NOT HONOR A RECALL BUT WILL FIX IT FOR $550 REPLACING THE BLOWER MOTOR,BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR AND THE LEAK THAT THEY SAID WAS COMING FROM A "RAIN CAP" ON THE WINDSHIELD. I LOOKED ONLINE AND HAVE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10525594 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AC/HEATER BLOWER ONLY OPERATES ON HIGH - SPEEDS 1,2,3, NO AIR BLOWING. BLOWER RESISTOR PART (F6DZ-19A706-AA) HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES IN SIX YEARS. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS A DEFECT/KNOWN PROBLEM THAT FORD SHOULD BE ADDRESSING.
NHTSA complaint #10511995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WATER LEAKING IN FROM COWL PANEL...CAUSING HEATER MOTOR TO RUST OUT...COULD CAUSE A FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10510944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE IGNITION STARTER WAS REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE ORIGINAL STARTER THAT WAS INSTALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER WAS REPLACED IN AUGUST OF 2011. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND THE VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10499662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED, AT FIRST THE CAR WOULDN'T GO OUT OF PARK, AFTER SEVERAL TRIES IT FINALLY DID. AT THAT POINT IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULDN'T TURN OFF. I FOUND AN OLD RECALL THAT APPEARED TO MATCH THE VEHICLE (04S12) BUT THE FORD DEALER STATED MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THAT RECALL AND THEY WOULD NOT STATE WHETHER THE CAR HAD ALREADY HAD IT DONE OR NOT.
NHTSA complaint #10489477 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AFFECTED PART: STARTER...CAR WOULD NOT START. I GOT IT JUMPED AND DROVE TO AUTOZONE TO TEST. STARTER WAS DEAD. REPLACED STARTER. AFFECTED PART: NOT SURE WHAT PART BUT I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS/DASHLIGHTS AND AIR, ALL WEAKENING AS I AM DRIVING. VEHICLES THINK I AM FLASHING MY HEADLIGHTS AT THEM.
NHTSA complaint #10485091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FAILURE OF BLOWER MOTOR. MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WATER LEAKING INTO THE BLOWER MOTOR COMPARTMENT AND SHORTING-OUT THE BLOWER MOTOR/RESISTOR IS CHRONIC IN THE 2003 FORD TAURUS, EVIDENCED BY THE PRESENCE OF WATER ON THE FLOOR PASSENGER SIDE-FRONT, AND NECESSITATES REPLACEMENT OF THE BLOWER MOTOR AND/OR BALLAST RESISTOR FROM WATER DAMAGE, AT OWNER EXPENSE! A RECALL IS IN ORDER TO COMPEL FORD TO ADDRESS THIS DESIGN ISSUE, AT THEIR EXPENSE.
NHTSA complaint #10472741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE OUT OF NO WHERE. MULTIPLE OTHER PHANTOM ENGINE FAILURES/ENGINE INEXPLICABLY DIES.
NHTSA complaint #10465746 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY SON WAS DRIVING ALONG WHEN THE RADIO STOPPED WORKING AND THAN THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. HE PULLED OVER AND IT STALLED AND HE SAW FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE POLICE OFFICER SUSPECTS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THE CAR BURNT FROM FRONT TO REAR..A TOTAL LOSS.
NHTSA complaint #10451183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH THE BLOWER MOTOR AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS EXPERIENCED FAILURES. AS A RESULT, HOT AIR WOULD NOT BLOW FROM THE VENTS AND THE WINDSHIELD COULD NOT BE DEFROSTED. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY AND DRAINED THE BATTERY PREMATURELY. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPUTER AND CORRECTED THE INTERIOR LIGHT FAILURE. THE BLOWER MOTOR FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,555 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 85,754. UPDATED 03/05/12*LJ UPDATED 03/06/12
NHTSA complaint #10445499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WATER LEAK ON PASSENGER FLOOR,SHORTED BLOWER MOTOR.
NHTSA complaint #10438762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
A WATER LEAK, POSSIBLY FROM A FAULTY SEAL, ONTO THE PASSENGER INTERIOR FLOOR BOARD ALSO CAUSED MY AC/HEATER BLOWER MOTOR TO SHORT OUT. MY HEATER SWITCH WILL ONLY WORK IN THE MAXIMUM POSITION. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ IT IS DUE TO A HEATER MOTOR RESISTOR, WHICH HAS CAUSED SIMILAR PROBLEMS FOR OTHER TAURUS OWNERS. I COULD NOT GET FORD TO ACT EVEN THOUGH A RELATED RECALL EXISTED UNDER 03V087000.
NHTSA complaint #10430636 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
POWER WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN, MIRRORS DO NOT WORK, INSIDE LIGHTS ARE OUT. FORD REPLACED GEM MODULE A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM COSTING ME MONEY AT THAT TIME. WHEN THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN, FORD WOULD REPLACE FUSE AND IN A FEW MINUTES THE FUSE WOULD BLOW, AGAIN AND AGAIN THEY DID THIS AND NOW THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN FIXING THE PROBLEMS SINCE THE VEHICLE IS OLDER AND NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY CLAIM FIXING IT WOULD COST MORE THAN THE VEHICLE IS WORTH. I HAVE A VERY GOOD VEHICLE AND WOULD LIKE TO USE THE WINDOWS AND MIRRORS AND ESPECIALLY THE LIGHTS INSIDE AND I FEEL THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD TO ME SINCE I TRAVEL ALONE A LOT EACH YEAR. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD AND THEY REPEATLY STATE THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY RECALLS AND ARE NOT AWARE OF SUCH PROBLEMS. I EVEN SENT THEM WEBSITES FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDOWS. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GOGGLE: TAURUS WINDOW PROBLEMS AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. HOPE YOU CAN HELP WITH THIS MATTER AS FORD IS NOT LISTENING TO US.....
NHTSA complaint #10425815 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.