Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Ford Taurus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My car had caught on fire and the police officer and the firemen said it was a electric fire. My car was sitting in front of my apartment building at 8:30 p.m. And that between 3 and 4 a.m. A car that caught on fire and I was not even driving it was just sitting there park.
Intermittent hesitation during aceleration. North bound, two lane ct 85. Clear, dry pm. Resevoir to my right, trees, signaled for a left turn, no oncomming traffic. I slowed to make turn, then accelerated. I saw a vehicle pull out to pass, several cars behind. My car started to gain speed, then hesitated, the RPM started to build up. The SUV struck my right rear light, and bumper. The accident scene was rual, over a mile to nearest dweling. No phone. Other driver returned to scene. No witnesses stopped. After the body repair work was complete, the service department at simon Ford could not find any proble. Probleb manifested itself 5 or 6 times on the way home. It also showed up driving back to simon Ford. Did not recur while mechanic was with me, for test drive. Problem has occured about 12 times since. The 2003 Ford turus currently has 482 miles on it. …
On February 5, 2010 my 2003 Ford Taurus caught fire at 1:00 p.m. Parked under our car porch and there was no one in the car and no one had driven the car for 5 hours on Saturday morning. The shreveport fire department was call to keep the house from burning down with the car. The city fire marshall said the fire was caused by the cruise control switch. I told him no one uses the cruise control in that car because we just go in town and there is a red light at every corner. He stated that he had been to many other fires just like this one and it was always the cruise control switch. My husband is emotionally disabled and I nearly had a nervous breakdown just the sight that our investment was burning up and there was nothing we could do. I have call the fire marshall for a written copy of his report. …
My battery light goes on a few seconds after the engine starts and I put the car in drive. The light stays on till I turn car off. Replaced battery, replaced starter, had the alternator checked and was told its numbers were good but no one knows why the battery light goes on. Upon further inspection found the wires are melting because of their position on and around the alternator. There is one, for example, that sits across on top of the alternator and appears to be melting as the unit gets hot. Was told by several mechanics that this has been a manufacturing problem on these cars. Ford has changed the positioning of their alternator wires on later models. It concerns me that this can cause a fire or can affect other connected components. The battery light refuses to turn off.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Taurus. While driving at any speed, the blower motor emitted smoke from under the dashboard on the passenger side of the vehicle. The failure recurred three times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the resister blower motor was getting damaged with water from the crow and under the air cabin filter where the installation of the cabin air filter. The technician informed the contact that the vehicle need to be taken to a dealer to have the installation replaced. The vehicle was repaired twice; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 132,000.
For the first 6 years this car was garaged, as soon as it was parked outside, exposed to the weather, a very bad water leak appeared. I constantly get water on the floor of the passenger side. This leak fried my blower motor, resulting in no heat. The blower motor was replaced, but the leak is still present. Once again, I find myself with no heat. The blower motor works, but is not getting any power to it. The resistor has been replaced, and all fuses and relays are fine. Driving in connecticut with no heat in the winter is a difficult task.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Taurus. While driving at various speeds, the anti-theft warning light illuminated and the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle had to be jumpstarted. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the alarm system failed; however, was unable to identify the exact cause of the failure due to no failure codes. The alternator and starter were replaced, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
Riding down route 539 at 5:00 pm when the theft alarm came on and car cut off and jerked and restarted at the time the truck almost hit me in the rear end which I could have been killed I made to the shopping center and had it taken to my auto repair shop were it still is. My repairman is running all kinds of test to find the problem and correct it. Ford needs to recall the car before someone gets killed and car dealer should also be held accountable for selling a car that is unsafe.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Ford Taurus. The vehicle burst into flames while parked and was destroyed. A police report was filed. The contact's insurance company informed him that the fire originated from the steering column or under the dashboard. He has pictures, if needed. The purchase date, VIN, and engine size were unknown. The current and failure mileages were 23,000.
The park lamp switch seems to be failing and intermittently will stop working causing the brake lights to fail and the vehicle to not switch out of park. Using the VIN number the recall doesn't apply to my vehicle but obviously the recall needs to be expanded. Your help with addressing this matter would be appreciated. Thank you
Electrical complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2003 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 97 complaints about the electrical system of the 2003 Ford Taurus, 8% of the model year's 1,223 complaints. The component named most often is wiring › interior/under dash (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Taurus electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2003 Ford Taurus, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2003 Ford Taurus electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 7 fires and 4 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.