2003 Ford Taurus Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 316 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2003 Ford Taurus, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 86,753 miles. The words owners use most often: “torque converter” (21% of reports).
- 316power train complaints
- 86,753median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $2,900typical repair cost reported by owners
- 34%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Torque converter: mentioned in 65 of 316 complaints (21%)
- Transmission failed: mentioned in 49 of 316 complaints (16%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2003 Ford Taurus at $2,900, and half of them between $2,350 and $3,500.
Based on 40 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2007–2018), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 289 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 316 complaints, 2 mention a crash.
Ford Taurus power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Taurus | 7 | 14% | 67,500 |
| 2017 Taurus | 1 | 2% | 48,000 |
| 2016 Taurus | 3 | 4% | 56,965 |
| 2015 Taurus | 18 | 6% | 9,800 |
| 2014 Taurus | 12 | 5% | 89,555 |
| 2013 Taurus | 44 | 8% | 72,000 |
| 2012 Taurus | 2 | 3% | 5,012 |
| 2011 Taurus | 18 | 10% | 45,500 |
| 2010 Taurus | 36 | 18% | 13,431 |
| 2009 Taurus | 5 | 8% | 21,050 |
| 2008 Taurus | 44 | 25% | 81,500 |
| 2007 Taurus | 16 | 11% | 61,700 |
| 2006 Taurus | 32 | 10% | 87,000 |
| 2005 Taurus | 123 | 16% | 84,000 |
| 2004 Taurus | 72 | 19% | 104,500 |
| 2003 Taurus | 316 | 26% | 86,753 |
| 2002 Taurus | 39 | 3% | 79,000 |
| 2001 Taurus | 58 | 6% | 86,000 |
| 2000 Taurus | 99 | 8% | 53,844 |
| 1999 Taurus | 91 | 10% | 80,000 |
| 1998 Taurus | 69 | 13% | 94,500 |
| 1997 Taurus | 214 | 28% | 72,000 |
| 1996 Taurus | 182 | 22% | 97,500 |
| 1995 Taurus | 394 | 33% | 91,400 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2003 Ford Taurus. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. The contact stated that while slowing down would not accelerate when pressing the accelerator pedal and while switching gears the vehicle would lunge forward. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and the local dealer forsom lake…
I was driving on the freeway at posted speeds when my car began to slow with the accelerator still pressed, almost getting rear ended i was able to get to the shoulder of the freeway. I realized the car was running but would not go forward or reverse. I had to call a tow truck. I waited three hours…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2003 Ford Tauruss have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 316 owner complaints about power train for the 2003 Ford Taurus (26% of the 1,223 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Ford Taurus power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 86,753 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2003 Ford Taurus?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,900 (half paid between $2,350 and $3,500), from 40 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2003 Ford Taurus?
The most frequent phrase is “torque converter”, in 65 of 316 complaints, followed by “transmission failed” (49).
Other 2003 Ford Taurus problems
See all 2003 Ford Taurus problems or power train problems across all Taurus years.