There are 50 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2003 Ford Taurusin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
At times the vehicle accelerates by itself albeit I am not touching the gas pedal. While driving the vehicle at 45 mph, I take my foot off of the accelerator and the vehicle maintains the 45 mph speed or increases speed if I am driving down a hill or any downward gradient regardless of the angle of decent. When I try to stop the vehicle using the foot brake it continues to maintain speed and if I put the shift lever in neutral, while trying to stop, the RPM's increase from approximately 1500 rpm's to 3200 rpm's until the vehicle comes to a complete stop, and then, only after approximately five seconds do the RPM's begin to drop to 1000 rpm's. If I am driving the vehicle with cruise control and cancel the cruise control, the vehicle maintains the cruise control speed indefinitely, literally for miles thereafter. I wanted to give this vehicle to my daughter who has multiple sclerosis but it's too dangerous for her to drive with this acceleration problem. Do you have any recommendations for me???
THE ACCELERATOR CABLE GETS STUCK. WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO REV AT 2000 RPMS EVEN WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE CAR IS TRYING TO TAKE OFF WHEN WAITING AT A RED LIGHT OR IN MOTION.
MY CAR SUDDENLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING, ACCELERATED AND THE BRAKE PEDDLE DROPPED TO THE FLOOR. THE CAR MAT WAS NOT ON THE PEDDLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE BECAME STUCK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER PLACED EXCESSIVE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ASSISTED THE DRIVER WITH RELEASING THE STUCK CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE CONTACT CALLED AVIS FORD INC AT 248-355-7500 (29200 TELEGRAPH RD, SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN 48034) AND WAS INFORMED THAT AN UNKNOWN RECALL REPAIR WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AND WOULD NOT BE DONE AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.
DRIVING IN INTERMITTENT RAIN SHOWERS AT 60-70MPH I HAD THE ENGINE CUT OUT AND DROPPED OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL. SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER BOUNCING UP AND DOWN. THEFT AND ENGINE LIGHT WERE FLASHING ON AND OFF AT THE SAME TIME AS ENGINE WAS STALLING. THEN THE ENGINE REENGAGED AT 50-55 MPH AND CONTINUED ON NOW RESPONSIVE TO GAS PEDAL AND ACCELERATION. THIS REPEATED 5 - 8X IN THE SPAN OF 15 MILES AND SEVERAL TIMES PULLING OVER. WEATHER CLEARED AND DROVE ANOTHER 100 MILES WITH NO EVENTS. NEXT MORNING DRIVING KIDS TO SCHOOL AFTER 10 MINUTES OF RUNNING 25-40MPH THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRED BUT ENGINE DID NOT RECOVER AND COMPLETELY STALLED 3X IN 1 MILE. RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY EACH TIME. READING THROUGH POTENTIAL CAUSES THERE WERE NO LESS THAN 30 OTHER INDIVIDUALS DESCRIBING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THEFT LIGHT ON AND ENGINE STALLING WHILE DRIVING. VARIOUS SOLUTIONS PROPOSED FROM ELECTRICAL GROUNDS, BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, FUSE. MEGA FUSE, DPFE (DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE FUEL EXHAUST?) SENSOR, EGR (EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION) SYSTEM, PCM, ICR, AND SEVERAL OTHERS. NOT SURE WHICH IT MIGHT BE. GIVEN THERE ARE SO MANY AND THAT IT OCCURS IN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS - AT HIGH SPEED AND NO WARNING - THIS SEEMS TO BE WORTHY OF AN INVESTIGATION OR RECALL.
I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR REVVED THE ENGINE WHICH MADE IT FEEL LIKE THE CAR WAS GOING TO TAKE OFF.THE CAR DID JERK FORWARD. AND ANOTHER TIME, I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR REVVED LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO GO, EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE WAS BEING HELD DOWN. THE GRAY CAP THAT HOLDS THE THROTTLE CABLE IN HAS BROKEN ON ONE SIDE AND THE CABLE IS SLIPPING OUT. IS THIS A RECALL PART?
CAR ACCELERATED ITSELF AFTER RELEASING GAS PEDAL ON HIGHWAY. ENGINE RPM HIT ABOUT 4000. IT WAS VERY HARD TO STOP THE CAR BY BRAKE. I CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND FOUND THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE HAD PROBLEM. A PLASTIC PART ON THE CABLE WAS BROKEN AND CAUSED THE THROTTLE BODY TO STUCK. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PICTURE FOR REFERENCE.
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND THE MORE I TRIED TO PUT ON MY BRAKES IT CONTINUES ON A BUSY 4 LANE STREET. I WAS ABLE TO TURN AT A TURN IN SLAMMING IN ON MY BRAKES AND THROWING MY SHAFT INTO PARK. IT WAS STILL SHAKING LIKE IT WANTED TO GO. I GOT IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. THE CRUISE CONTROL THROTTLE CABLE INSERT SPLIT AND GOT CAUGHT ON THE THROTTLE BRACKET. IT COULD HAVE KILLED ME AND HURT A LOT OF PEOPLE. I CAN'T SELL THIS CAR LIKE THIS. I WANT FORD TO RECALL AND REIMBURSE ME FOR THIS TERRIBLE TRAUMATIC INCIDENT.
PUT VEHICLE IN SHOP VEHICLE HAD ROUGH IDLE, MISFIRING ON #2 CYLINDER. SHOP REMOVED AND REPLACED SPARK PLUG, AIR FILTER, FUEL FILTER, AND IGNITION COIL. GOT VEHICLE FROM SHOP. VEHICLE IDLE TOO HIGH-SPEEDS UP ON ITS OWN. TOOK BACK TO SHOP SHOP REMOVED AND REPLACED IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE GOT VEHICLE OUT OF SHOP. VEHICLE STILL IDLE TOO HIGH AND STILL SPEEDS UP ON ITS OWN. WHEN STOPPED AT STOP LIGHT, WHEN THE BREAKS ARE RELEASED, CAR JUMPS FORWARD. WHEN BACKING UP OUT OF GARAGE, CAR BACK-UP TOO FAST; MUST HOLD BREAKS AT ALL TIMES.
MY VEHICLE WITH [XXX]. I CAN NOT SHIFT MY CAR FROM PARK, OR IF I PRESS ON THE BRAKE A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND GET THE BRAKE LIGHT TO COME ON, THEY SAY ON. EVEN WHEN FOOT IS NOT ON BRAKE. MY VEHICLE IN NOT APART OF A RECALL, IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN AN ATLANTA PLANT. I AM BEING OUT OF MONEY AND TIME WITH REPAIRS THAT I HAVE HAD DONE, AND ITS NOT SOLVING THE ISSUE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK WITHOUT WARNING AND THERE WAS A SUDDEN INCREASE OF ENGINE RPMS. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHERE IT WAS TURNED OFF AND TOWED TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER SERVICE CAMPAIGN DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
MY CAR WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WHEN DRIVING.AND IN THE MORNING IT WILL BE IN PARK BUT THE RPM NOZZLE WILL GO UP LIKE SOMEBODY'S PUSHING ON THE GAS PEDAL.WHEN IM PULLING OFF I HAVE TO HOLD THE BRAKES DOWN HARD BECAUSE THE CAR WILL TRY TO TAKE OFF BEFORE ME.IT HAS SERIOUS ACCELERATION ISSUES. *TR
THE CAR DOES NOT SLOW DOWN (INTERMITTENT) SOMETIMES. TRAVELING AT BOUT 55 OR 60 I WILL TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE PEDAL AND THE CAR WILL NOT SLOW DOWN. WHEN I FINALLY COME TO A STOP (WHICH IS HARD ON THE BRAKES) MY RPM'S ARE 1000. IF I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL MY RPM'S WILL CLIMB TO 4000. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND HAS NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. *TT
WHEN DRIVING THE CAR THE CAR WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITH OUT PUSHING THE GAS. EVEN WHEN YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE RPM WILL NOT GO DOWN TO 0 IT WILL STAY ABOVE THE 1. THE CAR NEVER COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR IS ALWAYS ACCELERATING EVEN WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP. *TR
I WAS PULLING INTO A GAS STATION, GOING TO A GAS PUMP, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE RPMS REVVED UP AND THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE GAS PUMP AND INSTEAD WENT OVER A RAMP WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO GO AIRBORNE. I WENT THROUGH A FENCE AND HIT A POLE. THE IMPACT CAUSED ENOUGH DAMAGE ON THE CAR FOR THE CAR TO COME TO AN ABRUPT AND COMPLETE STOP. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED. I HAVE SEEN OTHER REPORTS ON 2003 FORD TAURUS REGARDING ACCELERATION PROBLEMS/ISSUES. I WOULD LIKE FOR MY INCIDENT TO BE PART OF THE INVESTIGATION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO ACCELERATE AFTER SHE HAD REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 159,100.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, IF I RELEASE THE GAS PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN SPEED. WHEN I AM COMPLETELY STOPPED AT STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT, I HAVE TO PRESSED ON THE BRAKES REALLY HARD TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM SURGING FORWARD
AFTER DISENGAGING THE CRUISE CONTROL BY TAPPING THE BRAKE (THE CRUISE CONTROL INDICATION TURNED OFF), THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STAY AT THE PREVIOUSLY SET SPEED. I THEN TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH, WHICH HAD NO EFFECT. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED APPLYING HEAVY BRAKING UNTIL THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 5 MILES AN HOUR AND PUT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO PARK AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE IGNITION. ALL THE WHILE THE CAR WAS ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE BACK UP TO 55 MPH (THE PREVIOUSLY SET CRUISE CONTROL SPEED). THIS HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES AND I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND THAT TEMPORARILY FIXED THE ISSUE. I ALSO LATER LEARNED TO BRIEFLY PRESS AND RELEASE THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR WHICH WORKED EVERY TIME. *TR
CAR WOULD NOT STOP IT SEEM ADS IF THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK. *TR
WHEN ACCELERATING TO GO UP A SLIGHT INCLINE, THE VEHICLE "SURGED" AND LOST ALL GEARS. I LET MY VEHICLE COAST TO A STOP AND PUT IT IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WILL GO INTO AND OUT OF PARK, BUT WHEN PLACED IN ANY GEAR IS MOTIONLESS....WILL NOT MOVE IN REVERSE, OR DRIVE. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 52000 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT! *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026