U.S. public vehicle records

2004 Ford TAURUS problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

375 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

94,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 315 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 159 of 375 complaints (42.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	120	32.0%
Transmission and shifting	69	18.4%
Steering behavior	20	5.3%
Electrical and battery issues	13	3.5%
Engine operation	12	3.2%
Fuel system concerns	6	1.6%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Vehicle Speed Control

159

Power Train

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Engine

Electrical System

Service Brakes

Unknown Or Other

Engine And Engine Cooling

Vehicle Speed Control: 159; Power Train: 43; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 26; Engine: 25; Electrical System: 23; Service Brakes: 18; Unknown Or Other: 14; Engine And Engine Cooling: 13

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

103

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 34; 25,000 to 49,999: 22; 50,000 to 74,999: 55; 75,000 to 99,999: 59; 100,000 to 149,999: 103; 150,000 and above: 42

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (103). 60 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2024

2026

2004: 15; 2005: 22; 2006: 11; 2007: 15; 2008: 9; 2009: 14; 2010: 24; 2011: 25; 2012: 89; 2013: 40; 2014: 44; 2015: 16; 2016: 21; 2017: 8; 2018: 10; 2019: 6; 2020: 4; 2024: 1; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 120 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 69 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 20 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10080828 · 2004-07-12 (July 12, 2004)

I PURCHASED A NEW 2004 TAURUS WAGON WITH ABS AND OPTIONAL TRACTION CONTROL IN MARCH,2004. I HAVE HAD THREE INSTANCES WHEREIN AT LOW SPEED (5-10 MPH) AND ON EITHER WET ROAD , GRAVEL OR OTHER ROUGH SURFACE, AND ON ATTEMPT TO BRAKE, I HAVE EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE AND/OR THE ENGINE SIMULTANEOUSLY ACCELERATES. I HAVE HAD TO PLACE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO OVERCOME THE FORWARD SURGE. ON ONE OCCASION I FAILED TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN. I HAD PRESENTED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IN APRIL, 2004. AT THAT TIME THE DEALER (SMITH CAIRNS FORD,YONKERS,NY) CLAI…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10080828 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10103161 · 2005-02-07 (February 7, 2005)

VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING IT TO GO OUT OF CONTROL AND A STRIKING A BUILDING.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE WAS PARKING THE VEHICLE WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN IT ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE JUMPED A CONCRETE RETAINER AND LEFT TIRE MARKS ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE CRASHED THROUGH A GLASS WINDOW OF A VIDEO STORE AND LEFT TIRE MARKS ON THE CARPET. THE CONSUMER PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND IT CAME TO A STOP. THE SERVICE DEALER DID NOT KNOW THE CAUSE THEREFORE DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO FIX. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE SHOW…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,550 miles reported. Look up ODI 10103161 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10066234 · 2004-04-15 (April 15, 2004)

MY 2003 FORD TAURUS SE; HAS HAD A ROUGH IDLE AND ROUGH RUNNING WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO STOP AND WHEN STOPPED. THE ENGINE WILL ACT LIKE IT IS RUNNING OUT OF FUEL, SOME TIMES IT WILL JUST SHUTDOWN WITH NO WARNING. USUALLY HAPPENS UNDER 40 MPH.*AK VEHICLE IS MAINTAINED BY A FORD DEALER, AND HAS ALL FILTERS CHANGED BEFORE THE SCHEDULED TIME. ALSO HAS HAD TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED TWICE IN 60,000 MILES ALONG WITH COOLANT CHANGE AS DIRECTED BY FORD. DEALER SAYS THAT ROUGH IDLE AND HESITATION IS NORMAL FOR THIS V6 ENGINE. BUT I SEE THAT OTHER FORD AND…

Owner-reported narrative. 60,902 miles reported. Look up ODI 10066234 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10113187 · 2005-03-14 (March 14, 2005)

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS VEHICLE COMMENCED TO ACCELERATE WHILE IN GEAR, BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND SHIFT. ALSO THE CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT COMES ON. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE COSSING A RAILROAD TRACK THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND THE TRANSMISSION NEUTRALED OUT AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. DEALER REPLACED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY AND OTHER POWER TRAIN-RELATED COMPONENTS. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 6,610 miles reported. Look up ODI 10113187 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10080928 · 2004-07-13 (July 13, 2004)

I BOUGHT A 2004 FORD TAURUS SE BRAND NEW. AFTER ABOUT TWO WEEKS I STARTED TO GET VIBRATION FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BETWEEN 42-45 MILES PH. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND A MFG WARNING CAME ON FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THE DIRECTIVE WAS FOLLOWED BY THE DEALER SO I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS OVER. WITHIN TWO DAYS LATER THE PROBLEM GOT MORE SEVERE AND IN ADDITION TO THE VIBRATING GAS PEDAL AND STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO SHAKE. I MADE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AT THE DEALER AND AFTER WAITING TWO HOURS FOR MY CAR THE DE…

Owner-reported narrative. 42 miles reported. Look up ODI 10080928 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10120952 · 2005-05-15 (May 15, 2005)

REAR ENDED A VEHICHLE, SHOWED AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, STEERING WHEEL OPEND UP BUT BAG DID NOT DEPLOY OR INFLATE, CHARGE BUT DID NOT DEPLOY

Owner-reported narrative. 45,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10120952 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10253838 · 2009-01-05 (January 5, 2009)

WIRING IN DASHBOARD CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10253838 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10145418 · 2005-12-15 (December 15, 2005)

2004 TAURES SES SPUTTERS, LOSES POWER AND STALLS AND HIGHER SPEEDS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 19,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10145418 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10160752 · 2006-06-26 (June 26, 2006)

2004 FORD TAURUS FFV. 1) THE CAR TAKES TWO OR MORE ATTEMPTS TO START THE ENGINE AFTER SITTING FOR 6+ HOURS ("COLD" ENGINE). VEHICLE IS RUNNING E85 ONLY. 2) AFTER IT STARTS, THE ENGINE CANNOT FIND AN IDLE AND CAN STALL OR REV UP UNEXPECTEDLY. 3) SO FAR TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP WITH NO CHNAGE IN STATUS. ADDITIONALLY, ONE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN PLAYING AROUND WITH THE COMPUTER PROGRAMMING. THIS HAS NOT SOVLED THE PROBLEM. FORD'S ONLY SOLUTION TO DATE IS TO NOT USE E85 EVEN THOUGH THIS VEHICLE IS A FFV. *JB…

Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160752 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10182604 · 2007-02-15 (February 15, 2007)

VEHICLE STARTED STALLING AT EXPRESSWAY SPEEDS, MOST NOTABLY WHEN PULLING A HILL OR DURING ACCELERATION. THIS PROGRESSED TO STALLING AT IDLE AND LOW RPM SPEEDS, AND EVENTUALLY LED TO SURGING AND THE INABILITY TO KEEP THE VEHICLE RUNNING. THIS PROBLEM LED TO THE VACUUM BOOST FOR THE POWER BRAKES FAILING WHICH CAUSED THE POWER BRAKES TO FAIL UNEXPECTEDLY AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, HIT MY GARAGE AND CAUSED $3000 DAMAGE TO MY HOME, AND $1000 WORTH OF BODY DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO 2 DIFFERENT FORD DEALERS. FIRST…

Owner-reported narrative. 133,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10182604 at NHTSA ↗