2003 Ford Taurus
4 recalls and 1,223 owner complaints on record for this model year.
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This page describes the model. To see how one particular car is equipped, and whether its identifier is valid, decode its VIN.
Decode a VIN4 recalls and 1,223 owner complaints on record for this model year.
This page describes the model. To see how one particular car is equipped, and whether its identifier is valid, decode its VIN.
Decode a VINAlmost all of this describes the model year, not the individual car. Nothing here can tell you about this vehicle’s mileage, accidents or ownership — no identifier encodes those.
Bosch Brake Components LLC (Bosch) is recalling certain aftermarket replacement front brake pads, models Bosch QuietCast BC598 and BP765, Bosch Blue BE598 and BE598H, Prostop PD598 and PD765M, Duralast Gold DG598, Duralast MKD598, Stop Master ST598, UltraStop ULT598, UltraLife MX598 and MX765, BrakeBest MKD765, and Prostop Platinum PGD598. These brake pads, manufactured October 1, 2014, to October 31, 2015 are intended for use on 2001-2007 Ford Taurus, 2001-2005 Mercury Sable, 1995-1999 Ford Taurus SHO, 1995-2002 Lincoln Continental, and 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII vehicles. The brake pad shim may shift out of position causing the shim to contact the brake disc resulting in damage to the disc.
Remedy: Bosch will instruct the owners how to have the affected brake pads replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 26, 2016. Owners may contact Bosch customer service at 1-888-715-3616.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ARE BEING RECALLED TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH AND/OR ASSOCIATED WIRING. THIS MALFUNCTIONING COULD RENDER THE STOP LAMPS INOPERABLE OR CAUSE THEM TO STAY ON ALL THE TIME. THIS COULD CAUSE CONFUSION TO A FOLLOWING DRIVER, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH AND ASSOCIATED WIRING ASSEMBLY AND INSTALL A NEWLY DESIGNED STOP LAMP SWITCH AND WIRE ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON APRIL 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE AIR FILTER PAPER IN THESE VEHICLES CAN SMOLDER OR BURN.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR FILTER ELEMENT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 10, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, "WINDSHIELD MOUNTING." THE WINDSHIELDS MAY POTENTIALLY EXHIBIT INCREASED WIND NOISE, WATER LEAKAGE, AND SQUEAKS AND RATTLES.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE WINDSHIELDS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 31, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD/MERCURY AT 1-800-392-3673.
Published by model year, not by VIN — may not apply to this vehicle, or may already have been done. Confirm with a dealer.
VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND IN THE OUTSIDE LANE OF A 4 LANE HWY. VEHICLE CHANGED LANES ABRUPTLY AND WENT LEFT OF THE CENTER OF ROADWAY ENTERING INTO THE NOURTHBOUND LANES OF TRAFFIC, CONTINUING IN A SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION, THE VEHICLE DEPARTED THE EAST SIDE AND COLLIDED WITH THE END PORTION OF A GUARDRAIL. THE INSIDE PORTION OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE CAUGHT THE OUTSIDE OF GAURDRAIL CAUSING THE CAR TO STRADDLE THE TOP OF THE RAIL UNTIL THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR CAUGHT ON A POST OF THE RAIL CAUSING THE CAR TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS UNTIL THE LEFT SIDE TIRES DUG INTO THE GROUND AND FLIPPED THE CAR COMPLETELY OVER WHERE IT CONTINUED TO TRAVEL SOUTH, ROLLING OVER AGAIN, COLLIDING WITH A WOOD POST THEN FINALLY COMING TO REST ON IT'S TIRES FACING NORTHWEST. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT ANY POINT OF THE COLLISION. GEARSHIFT WAS BETWEEN NEUTRAL AND OVERDRIVE. *TR
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. ONE OCCUPANT IN THE VEHICLE WAS KILLED AND ONE WAS INJURED. THIS WAS A RENTAL CAR. *NLM...*AK *CB *NLM *PH *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE'S SPEED RAPIDLY INCREASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, DROVE INTO A GRASS FIELD OVER A DIP IN THE FIELD WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER AND LAND UPSIDE DOWN. WHILE FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT AND TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED; YET, THERE WAS AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND CRASHED INTO FOUR UNOCCUPIED VEHICLES AND SMALL TREES. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NO PERSONAL INJURIES; HOWEVER, THERE WERE THREE BYSTANDERS THAT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING FOUR TIMES. THE CAR SEAT STRAP SNAPPED WHILE LATCHED. THE CHEST LOCKING CLIP WAS REPLACED WITH LOCKING MECHANISM WHICH ACTED AS A BACKUP RESTRAINT. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK.....ALSO, SHOULDER BELT FAILED. *AK
ON FEBRUARY 5, 2010 MY 2003 FORD TAURUS CAUGHT FIRE AT 1:00 P.M. PARKED UNDER OUR CAR PORCH AND THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE CAR AND NO ONE HAD DRIVEN THE CAR FOR 5 HOURS ON SATURDAY MORNING. THE SHREVEPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALL TO KEEP THE HOUSE FROM BURNING DOWN WITH THE CAR. THE CITY FIRE MARSHALL SAID THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. I TOLD HIM NO ONE USES THE CRUISE CONTROL IN THAT CAR BECAUSE WE JUST GO IN TOWN AND THERE IS A RED LIGHT AT EVERY CORNER. HE STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN TO MANY OTHER FIRES JUST LIKE THIS ONE AND IT WAS ALWAYS THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. MY HUSBAND IS EMOTIONALLY DISABLED AND I NEARLY HAD A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN JUST THE SIGHT THAT OUR INVESTMENT WAS BURNING UP AND THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO. I HAVE CALL THE FIRE MARSHALL FOR A WRITTEN COPY OF HIS REPORT. I HAVE TAKEN PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE AND THEIR IS SOME MINOR DAMAGES AND LOTS OF SMOKE DAMAGE TO DONE TO THE HOUSE. *TR
COMPLAINT AIR BAGS CONTACT OWNS 2003 FORD TAURUS SEL WITH 40,000 MILES AT TIME OF FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING ALONE AT EST. 35 MPH VEHICLE CONTACT LOOKED DOWN MOMENTARILY AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED THE DRIVERS SIDE DID NOT. THE EMPTY PASSENGER SEAT HAD A WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED THAT SAID AIRBAG NOT ON. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. CONTACT RECEIVED INJURY TO THUMB AND ABDOMEN FROM CONTACT WITH STEERING WHEEL. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *TR
DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT AWAY AT ABOUT 55 MPH., THE CAR SUDDENLY PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE DRIVER COULD NOT REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH RESULTED IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT. DRIVER AND PASSENGER DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING PRIOR TO THE SUDDEN PULL. THE CAR SPUN AROUND AND HIT THE GRAVEL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THEN CONTINUED TO ROLL DOWN THE HILL. AT LEAST 2 ROLLOVERS. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I'M CONCERNED THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM WITH SUSPENSION OR COIL SPRINGS SUDDENLY BLOWING OUT A TIRE. I WILL BE CONTACTING A MECHANIC ON MONDAY AND SCHEDULE AN INSPECTION. CAR IS TOTALED. INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER VEHICLE, BUT FORTUNATELY COVERS MEDICAL AND LIABILITY. FORTUNATELY THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER, AT THIS POINT, APPEAR TO HAVE WALKED AWAY RELATIVELY UNHARMED. *TR
HEAD ON COLLISION. BELTED DRIVER AND FRONT SEAT ADULT PASSENGERS SUFFERED SERIOUS AND PERMANENT INJURIES. *TR
THIS IS IN REGARDS TO A 2003 FORD SES TAURUS AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE CAR WAS IN A DIRECT HIT IN FRONT AND TOTALED WITH 12,000 OF DAMAGE INCLUDING BLOCK CRACKED ON ENGINE. VIN # [XXX]. NOTE THIS CAR WE REQUESTED TO HAVE REPLACED UNDER THE LEMON LAW AND WENT ALL THE WAY AND COULDN'T GET ANY HELP FROM ANYONE TO GET ANYTHING DONE. PLEASE HELP US IN RESOLVE FOR OUR NEEDS RESOLVE BUT NOT TO LET ANOTHER PERSON GET HURT AND OR ABUSED AS SUCH. THERE WAS INJURIES IN THIS CASE AND I DO HAVE A FULL SENT OF PHOTOS TO FAX. SINCERELY ITS TIME TO STOP THIS TYPE OF IRRESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. *JB UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH VEHICLE HIT A TIRE IN THE ROAD, LOST CONTROL, AND HIT A GUARD RAIL. UPON IMPACT, FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. *AK *PH
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WELL AREA WAS IMPACTED YET THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED INJURIES. *MR *CB *NLM
DEFROST BLOWER MOTOR QUIT IN MY 2003 TAURUS. BEGAN BY ACTING SLUGGISH, WHEN WETNESS APPEARED ON FLOOR ASSUMED IT WAS DUE TO THE RAINY WEATHER BUT HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED THIS IS AN ONGOING DESIGN DEFECT WHICH FORD HAS YET TO ADDRESS. HAVE RECEIVED 1 ESTIMATE ON COST TO REPLACE BLOWER FAN ONLY $264.00 RESISTOR ANOTHER $75.00 LOSS OF CAR FOR MINIMUM OF 3 HOURS. HAVE NOT HAD REPAIRED YET BUT WILL REQUEST THAT OLD PARTS BE RETURNED TO ME. *JB
I HAVE A CONCERN OF REGARDING A SAFETY ISSUE ON MY 2003 FORD TAURUS. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE TO LODGE A COMPLAINT, BUT WOULD DIRECT ME TO THE RIGHT SOURCE IF NOT.*AK SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2004, I CHANGED OIL ON MY 2003 FORD TAURUS. LIKE MANY VEHICLES I HAVE CHANGED OIL ON, I WAS NOT VERY PLEASED WITH THE LOCATION OF THE OIL FILTER. IT IS LOCATED BENEATH THE MANIFOLD (EXTREME HEAT) AND ABOVE THE SOLENOID FOR THE STARTER. IT WAS THE SOLENOID THAT I WAS SUSPICIOUS ABOUT AND THAT SUSPICION CAME TRUE SUNDAY EVENING. WHEN YOU TAKE OFF THE OIL FILTER, OIL DRIPS ONTO THE SOLENOID. I CANNOT IMAGINE WHY AN ENGINEER WOULD ALLOW A LOCATION FOR A FLAMMABLE LIQUID TO DRIP ONTO A POWER SOURCE. WHEN I USED A FILTER WRENCH TO GET THE OIL FILTER OFF, THE WRENCH KNOCKED OFF THE PROTECTIVE CAP THAT COVERS THE POWER LEADS AND GROUND TO THE SOLENOID. WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT WAS NOT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. THE OIL WRENCH AND THE POWER LEADS MADE CONTACT AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED SPARKING. THE SPARKS IN TURN STARTED A FIRE IN MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND MELTED THE METAL BAND THAT SURROUNDS THE OIL FILTER WRENCH. AS QUICKLY AS I COULD, I GRABBED SOME RAGS AND DOUSED THE FIRE. AS FAR AS I COULD SEE, NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRES. ASIDE FROM GETTING SHOCKED FROM THE SOLENOID AND GETTING MINOR BURNS I AM OKAY. HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE. WHAT IF I HAD NOT PUT THE FIRE OUT? WOULD THE CAR AND POSSIBLY MY GARAGE BEEN ENGULFED IN FIRE? I CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE I PURCHASED THE FORD TAURUS (VALLEY FORD, FARGO) AND VOICED MY CONCERN. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN AGREED THAT THIS SOLENOID WAS IN AN AWFUL PLACE. HE ALSO SAID TO MAKE SURE THE PROTECTIVE CAP WAS PLACED OVER THE TERMINAL LEADS OF THE SOLENOID AGAIN. PLEASE ADVISE ME AS TO WHAT MY NEXT STEP IS. OR, IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT I AM OVERREACTING TO? I ANXIOUSLY AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE.
Vehicle was involved in a collision with major front end damage and no airbags deployed. The brakes have been soft or spongy. I have not seen any leaks for the brake issue. I have bled the brakes several times the master was replaced by the original owner.
Filed by owners of this model year and unverified by NHTSA — one person’s account, not an established fact.