2003 Ford Taurus Lighting Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the brake lights failed to actuate as needed. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift out of park(P) into gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake light switch or wiring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V106000 (Exterior Lighting). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 74,000.

BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED, HAS ADJUSTABLE PEDALS, AND WHEN I BOUGHT A SWITCH FROM FORD, THE INSERT MENTIONED A RECALL 04S12, LOCAL FORD DEALER DENIED THE RECALL.

ALL MY LIGHTS WORK EXCEPT MY BRAKE LIGHTS AND NOBODY CAN FIGURE IT OUT. ALSO KNOW I HAVE TO START IT IN NUMERAL ONLY. IT WAS STATIONARY I THINK I JUST KNOW IT HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME AND NO BODY KNOWS WHY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT WAS BEING SIGNALED BY OTHER DRIVERS THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ALL THE TIME UNTIL THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC NOTIFIED THE CONTACT OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED IN 2004 FOR THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 212,000. UPDATED 05/10/16*LJ *TR

VEHICLE EXHIBITS FAILURE STATE AS DETAILED IN FORD RECALL 04S12. VEHICLE HAS FAILED IN THE SAME MANNER MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE PAST, HOWEVER CANNOT DOCUMENT WHAT EXACT DAYS THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED IN SUCH A MANNER. THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH/WIRING HAS FAILED IN THE CLOSED POSITION ONCE, IN THE OPEN POSITION TWICE, INCLUDING TODAY, AND THE VEHICLE'S VIN WAS NEVER ENTERED AS PART OF RECALL 04S12. *TR

I WOKE UP ON 7/19/14 TO FIND MY 2003 FORD TAURUSES BATTERY DEAD. THIS SEEMED STRANGE SINCE THE BATTERY WAS NEW AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS IN GREAT SHAPE. NOT SURE WHY MY BATTERY WAS DEAD, I JUMPED THE CAR AND DROVE SOMEWHERE. WHEN I PARKED MY CAR, I NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AFTER SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF. I TRIED TAPPING ON THE BRAKES, BUT THE BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND FOUND A FORD RECALL (04S12) FOR 2003 FORD TAURUS THAT SAID BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD STAY ON ALL THE TIME. THE RECALL COVERED THE REPLACEMENT OF A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAID THAT MY VIN DID NOT QUALIFY UNDER THE RECALL. I HAD THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE THE SWITCH ANYWAYS AT MY COST. THE REPLACEMENT BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FIXED THE ISSUE. THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO COVER MY VIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE THE BRAKE AND THE EXTERIOR LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,118.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT FROM PARK INTO DRIVE UNLESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED REPEATEDLY. IN ADDITION, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING: BRAKE LIGHTS: SWITCH) HOWEVER THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000. UPDATED 6/4/12 *CN UPDATED 06/07/12 *JS

2003 FORD TAURUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A ROAD HAZARD CONCERNING PLASTIC LENS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT LENSES TURN YELLOW, NOT ALLOWING LIGHT TO BE RADIATED THROUGH THEM. *JB

THE INTERIOR GAUGE LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. SOME REMAIN ON BUT IT IS VERY HARD TO SEE THE SPEED, GASOLINE LEVEL, ETC. DUE TO THE BLOWN LIGHTS. THIS PRESENTS A HAZARD WHEN DRIVING AS YOU CANNOT SEE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. WHEN THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE INTO THE GARAGE HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WASNT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS ON BACK ORDER. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WASN'T INCLUDED IN RECALL 04V106000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING: BRAKE LIGHTS: SWITCH; THEREFORE THEY WILL NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 133,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED DESPITE IF THE VEHICLE WAS ON OR OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LOCATE A RECALL AND WHEN CONTACTING THE DEALER, WAS INFORMED HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED WITH THE RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING: BRAKE LIGHTS: SWITCH). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

I HAVING SO MUCH TROUBLE ISSUES ON THIS CAR I WANT REFUND MONEY FOR THIS WAS $1,900 REFUND BACK TO ME...UPDATED 11/13/15 *BF *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS REMAIN ON EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE ENTIRE REAR BRAKING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 72000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT WAS TURNING YELLOW ABNORMALLY AND CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE EXTREMELY FAINT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO UTILIZE THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS FOR ADEQUATE ILLUMINATION OF THE ROADWAY AT NIGHT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 110,000 UPDATED 3/14/11 *CN UPDATED 04/28/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PLASTIC COVERS FOR THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TURNING YELLOW. WHEN HE CLEANS THEM, THEY RETURN TO YELLOW WITHIN SIX DAYS. THE FAILURE CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,180.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED, WHICH CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DISCHARGE. THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH); THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. SHE IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 116,349. UPDATE 09/10/08*CW UPDATED 09/15/08*JB

AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTION. TURN OFF UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENT A FEW TIMES BROUGHT VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER CHARGED 50 DOLLARS TO REPAIR WITHIN 2 WEEKS SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. NOW TURN HEADLIGHTS ON MANUALLY. COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED ON TURNPIKE WHEN THEY MALFUNCTIONED DRIVE TOTALLY BLIND TILL LIGHT SWITCH WAS TURNED ON MANUALLY. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. A PROBLEM WITH THE MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH AND/OR ASSOCIATED WIRING HAS CAUSED THE STOP LAMPS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START UNLESS PLACED IN NEUTRAL. THERE IS AN NHTSA RECALL, # 04V106000, REGARDING THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING: BRAKE LIGHTS: SWITCH. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

OVER A YEAR AGO, I NOTICED THAT IT WAS HARD TO GET THE GEAR SHIFT TO MOVE FROM THE PARK POSITION TO DRIVE OR REVERSE IN THE 2003 FORD TAURUS. NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRIED I COULD NOT GET THE CAR INTO GEAR. FINALLY, SOMETHING TOLD ME TO PUSH DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL,HARD, AND THEN IT WOULD RELEASE. I WOULD DO THIS FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR MONTHS. EACH TIME THAT THIS OCCURRED IT WOULD TAKE LONGER AND LONGER TO GET THE CAR INTO GEAR, THEN AGAIN, IT WOULD DISAPPEAR FOR MONTHS, THEN START ALL OVER AGAIN. I FINALLY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPUTABLE REPAIR SHOP, AND IT WOULD NOT FAIL FOR THEM, BUT INTRIGUED, THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT BACK WHENEVER IT OCCURRED AGAIN. MONTHS LATER, YOU GUESSED IT, THE PROBLEM RETURNED WITH A VENGEANCE AND LASTED MORE THAN JUST A FEW DAYS. THE ONLY WAY IT WOULD RELEASE IS WHEN I REALLY STOMPED DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. BACK TO THE SHOP IT WENT BECAUSE MY BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT ALWAYS WORK , BUT THE TURN SIGNAL WOULD. THAT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS TIME THE MECHANICS CALLED FORD WHO TOLD THEM THAT THEY DID HAVE A PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN CARS AND ASKED FOR THE VIN #. FOR SOME REASON, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN, MY VIN # NUMBER DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THAT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS NOT AN EXPENSIVE JOB, I FEEL THAT FORD SHOULD REIMBURSE ME. AFTER ALL, I DID HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN THE MECHANICS RECEIVED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH TO INSTALL, THE PART HAD BEEN COMPLETELY REDESIGNED. THAT TELLS ME THAT FORD KNEW OF THE PROBLEM AND ADDRESSED IT, BUT ONLY FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES WITH SPECIFIC VIN NUMBERS. *AK