2003 Ford Taurus Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Taurus years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 25 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 1,223 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Ford Taurus. That ranks 2nd out of 25 Taurus model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (316 complaints, 26%), typically at around 86,753 miles. Complaints mention 56 crashes, 12 fires, 59 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
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- 1,223owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 56complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Ford Taurus problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 316 | 26% | 86,753 | “torque converter” (21%) | $2,900 |
| Suspension problems | 313 | 26% | 85,000 | “coil spring” (61%) | $1,050 |
| Visibility problems | 191 | 16% | 56,700 | “blower motor” (60%) | $680 |
| Structure problems | 111 | 9% | 57,123 | “blower motor” (40%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 97 | 8% | 75,000 | “blower motor” (28%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 88 | 7% | 103,716 | “control cable” (15%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 67 | 5% | 73,000 | “blower motor” (13%) | — |
| Air Bags | 46 | 4% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 46 | 4% | 98,488 | — | — |
| Equipment | 30 | 2% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 23 | 2% | 95,423 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 23 | 2% | 83,863 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 21 | 2% | 121,757 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 21 | 2% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 18 | 1% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 14 | 1% | 71,674 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 1% | 87,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 8 | 1% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 0% | 131,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 5 | 0% | 78,500 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 5 | 0% | 101,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 0% | 75,599 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 0% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 0% | 153,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 0% | 33,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 0% | 12,550 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 99,999 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 100,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Ford Taurus recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: On certain vehicles, the air filter paper in these vehicles can smolder or burn.
Risk: This can lead to damage to the air induction system on these vehicles and/or an underhood fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the air filter element. Owner notification began on march 10, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: 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.
Risk: In addition, if the switch and/or associated wiring fail in the open position, the brake lights will not actuate and the driver will not be able to shift the vehicle out of "park" if they fail in the closed position, the brake lights will remain on, which will not allow the speed control to be activated. This could also cause the battery to discharge.
Fix: 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.
Visibility:windshield
Problem: 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.
Risk: Potential loss of windshield retention may also reduce occupant protection in the event of a crash.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Speed control cable damage (PE12033) — opened Oct 24, 2012, closed Jun 26, 2013.
- Front Suspension Coil Spring Fracture (EA08018) — opened Aug 28, 2008, closed Jun 30, 2011.
- Engine stalling ffv (DP06005) — opened Dec 4, 2006, closed Dec 28, 2007.
- Brake light switch failure (RQ03008) — opened Oct 23, 2003, closed Mar 5, 2004, led to recall 04V106000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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.
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…
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that when taking the vehicle out of the park(P) after starting the vehicle, which required the brake pedal to be depressed, the contact could not depress the shifter button out of the park. The contact stated that the shift button would not…
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…
Windshield
Other Ford Taurus years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Taurus | 18 | 2 |
| 2018 Taurus | 50 | 4 |
| 2017 Taurus | 44 | 4 |
| 2016 Taurus | 83 | 4 |
| 2015 Taurus | 279 | 6 |
| 2014 Taurus | 229 | 5 |
| 2013 Taurus | 585 | 9 |
| 2012 Taurus | 79 | 5 |
| 2011 Taurus | 187 | 4 |
| 2010 Taurus | 204 | 3 |
| 2009 Taurus | 64 | 0 |
| 2008 Taurus | 175 | 1 |
| 2007 Taurus | 149 | 0 |
| 2006 Taurus | 318 | 2 |
| 2005 Taurus | 774 | 0 |
| 2004 Taurus | 375 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1,223 | 3 |
| 2002 Taurus | 1,426 | 3 |
| 2001 Taurus | 1,037 | 9 |
| 2000 Taurus | 1,195 | 8 |
| 1999 Taurus | 874 | 5 |
| 1998 Taurus | 545 | 2 |
| 1997 Taurus | 770 | 3 |
| 1996 Taurus | 825 | 6 |
| 1995 Taurus | 1,205 | 5 |
See all Ford Taurus problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Ford Taurus?
Owners most often report power train, suspension, visibility problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 316 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford Taurus?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Ford Taurus a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Taurus model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.