2004 Ford Taurus Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Taurus years
- More complaints than other years 12th of 25 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 375 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Ford Taurus. That ranks 12th out of 25 Taurus model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is vehicle speed control (164 complaints, 44%), typically at around 100,000 miles. Complaints mention 36 crashes, 13 fires, 25 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 375owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 36complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 164 | 44% | 100,000 | “cruise control” (39%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 72 | 19% | 104,500 | “torque converter” (15%) | $2,250 |
| Electrical System | 26 | 7% | 104,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 25 | 7% | 106,100 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 21 | 6% | 57,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 19 | 5% | 73,750 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 18 | 5% | 104,192 | — | — |
| Structure | 17 | 5% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 14 | 4% | 132,876 | — | — |
| Steering | 13 | 3% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 12 | 3% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 10 | 3% | 104,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 9 | 2% | 108,617 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 2% | 121,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 2% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 7 | 2% | 111,550 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 7 | 2% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 1% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 1% | 45,450 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | 22,052 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 1% | 17,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 1% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 1% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 0% | 17,200 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 Ford Taurus recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seats:front assembly:power adjust
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with power adjustable seats may have been inadequately welded.
Risk: The seat may not perform as intended during a crash which could increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the upper support assembly on the power seats. The recall began on july 20, 2004. Owners should contact ford 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
- Stuck throttle (PE12005) — opened Mar 7, 2012, closed Oct 22, 2012.
- Engine stalling ffv (DP06005) — opened Dec 4, 2006, closed Dec 28, 2007.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Airbags seats and seatbelts useless for 6'8" 375lbs adult man. I sit within 6" of the steering wheel airbag the seatbelt goes across my bicep not my shoulder and the seat itself only goes up to the middle of my back, the head rest is between my shoulders. Why is there no exemption for giants and…
On June 23, 2024 this 2004 Ford Taurus was in a front end collision at freeway speeds of 60 mph or higher. The driver airbag did not deploy and the driver died as a result of severe trauma to head and chest.
I was driving down a county road going 50 mph when i tried to brake the car kept accelerating and the rpms were high. I tried to brake but it was as if my brakes were out but i know they were fine. I kept speeding up so i hit the emergency brake and pushed brake put it in neitral but the rpms…
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford taurus. The contact stated that the gear shifter ceased in the park position without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where they replaced the steering column tube assembly however, the failure persisted. Neither the dealer nor…
At times when driving car in street car will automatically drive up to 50 mph on its own with your foot off gas pedal. And when you use brakes to stop u can feel the car still straining to accelerate and go .
Other Ford Taurus years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Taurus | 17 | 2 |
| 2018 Taurus | 50 | 4 |
| 2017 Taurus | 44 | 4 |
| 2016 Taurus | 83 | 4 |
| 2015 Taurus | 278 | 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 | 375 | 1 |
| 2003 Taurus | 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 2004 Ford Taurus?
Owners most often report vehicle speed control, power train, electrical system problems. The top one, vehicle speed control, accounts for 164 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Ford Taurus?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2004 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 2004 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.