2002 Ford TAURUS: complaints, problems and recalls

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE IT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY ACCELERATE WITH NO WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002184 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATED TOOK PURCHASED VEHICLE IN 2002. WITHIN THE FIRST 7 HOURS OF DRIVING CAR THE TIRES WERE CONSTANTLY LOSING AIR PRESSURE. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALER WHO ADVISED NO PROBLEM WITH TIRES OR RIMS. IN 10/02 WHILE DRIVING THE TIRE BECAME FLAT CAUSING CONSUMER TO CRASH INTO A DITCH RESULTING IN OVER $7000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. DEALER DIAGNOSED ACCIDENT DUE TO DEFECTIVE RIMS. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002325 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY SHIMMIED FOR ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS. DEALERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. TS *TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002374 at NHTSA ↗

CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. AFTER PASSING A CAR, MY CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE ACCELERATOR DID NOT DISENGAGE AFTER TAKING MY FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR. THE VEHICLE ACCELLERATED TO SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 80 MPH. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CARE SLOWED FROM 80 MPH TO 60 MPH. AFTER PRESSING ON THE BRAKES WITH AS MUCH FORCE AS POSSIBLE, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES AND SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO SLOW THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED DESPITE THE CONTINUED ACCELERATION. AS THE VEHICLE WAS ACCELLERATIN…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002901 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY.*TS ALSO THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN CONSUMER, WHICH CAUSED INJURIES. *JB *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004518 at NHTSA ↗

PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVERS AIR BAG. ALSO STATED THAT THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVEN AT 40 MPH AND HAD A FRONT COLLISION WHERE HER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY WAS CONTACTED AND HAS STATED THAT SINCE NO ONE WAS HURT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 12,764 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004837 at NHTSA ↗

CAR WAS DRIVEN FOR APPROX. 100 MILES, GAS WAS LOW, SO STOPPED TO REFILL. WHEN CAR WAS RESTARTED, THE CAR HESITATED THEN SOUNDED CHOKED LIKE IT WAS NOT GETTING GAS. REVVED CAR TO TRY TO 'CLEAR' SYSTEM. PROBLEM CONTINUED, AT WORST WHEN IDLING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SO I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND CALLED FORD DEALER. WRECKER DRIVER CAME OUT, REVVED CAR A FEW MORE TIMES (APPROX. 3000 RPM) SMALL BACKFIRE OUT OF MUFFLER EACH TIME. PROBLEM SEEMED TO GO AWAY. WRECKER DRIVER BLAMED 'BAFFLES' IN MUFFLER? DROVE CAR ANOTHER 200 MIL…

Owner-reported narrative. 21,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005363 at NHTSA ↗

THE WHEEL HUB RETAINER WAS DEFECTIVE ON THE FRONT AND REAR WHEEL. WHICH COULD CAUSE THE WHEEL TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10007502 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2002-10-02 (October 2, 2002)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ADJUSTABLE PADELS ARE BEING RECALLED IN ORDER TO ADJUST THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS TO A MINIMUM OF 50 MM OF LATERAL SEPARATION. SIMULTANEOUS APPLICATION OF BOTH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS COULD RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPM.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A CUSTOMER EXPERIENCING AN "UNINTENDED VEHICLE SPEED INCREASE" OR A PERCEIVED "UNABLE TO STOP" CONDITION.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED AS TO THE PROPER WAY TO SET THE POSITION OF THE PEDALS AND TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE SPACING BETWEEN THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS MEASURED. IF THE SPACING IS FOUND TO BE LESS THAN 50 MM, THE DEALER WILL ADJUST THE PEDALS TO INCREASE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM TO GREATER THAN 50 MM. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 28, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

Reported: 2003-03-10 (March 10, 2003)

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.

Consequence: POTENTIAL LOSS OF WINDSHIELD RETENTION MAY ALSO REDUCE OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2004-03-02 (March 2, 2004)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.