Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
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).
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 depress. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact turned the vehicle off and turned the vehicle back on but had to pump the brake pedal to shift the vehicle out of the park. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V106000 (Exterior Lighting). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000.
While my vehicle was in cruise control at 68 MPH on a 3 lane highway, the vehicle without any warning began to quickly loose speed and the ability to keep pace with surrounding traffic. The transmission became unresponsive and the vehicle lost the ability to accelerate and function in a safe manner. I quickly and unknowingly dropped below the safe driving speed for the highway and posed a safety risk to myself and of the drivers on the road around me. In the course of rapid deceleration I was almost struck in the rear by a vehicle that was not made aware of my loss of speed, as I did not apply the brakes. As soon as possible and as to not further endanger those around me; I turned on my hazard lights and relied on evasive driving to coast the vehicle to the safety of the shoulder. Once off the highway, motor responded but none of the gears (reverse, overdrive, 1st, or 2nd) would engage. …
On the above date the transaxle in this car quit working. The torque converter broke a gear. It is my understanding this is prevalent in the 2003 Ford Taurus and the 2003 windstar vans. Ford recalled the windstars but not the Taurus'. I had it ,the transaxle,rebuilt and put only 3000 to 3200 miles from the date of this repair. About 5 weeks ago the same thing happened. It is my understanding this is a prevalent problem with these vehicles. Now in regards to the lighting, the manufacturers should take the responsibility of replacing those damned "yellowed" out headlight lens on just about 99% of the cars that have them. This should be a major recall due to the hazard they can cause while driving at night. We the American people cannot afford the cost to replace this dangerous unsafe features on almost all vehicles produced by all auto manufacturers since the 90's.
I was coming home the car just lost.power and thank goodness. There. Was no one behind me was able to.pull in middle lane and the car would.not.move it went into drive all gears but nothing I was terrified and once I gather myself I called for help.snd I had car towed to Ford & they are saying I need new transmissions. Are you.kidding me no warning no noise nothing just stopped.while driving I have read many complaints on the Ford 2003 Taurus and was in shock again how.many have same.problem this car.belongs to my dad who is 89 years.old.thank goodness he was.not driving. He or I could be killed.how many more have to die or get hurt by something Ford is awarw of. Please dp something. The Ford place wants over $2800 for s transmissions ! This.is crazy I love Ford.but not when they put lives in danger thank you
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 for the tow truck to show up and then had it towed 80 miles to my house. I did some research and found that the torque converter splines would fail with no warning. I also did some test to confirm it was the torque converter. There are so many complaints with the same issue and Ford motor company has done nothing to recall and fix the problem. Does it take someone getting killed first? Ford needs to step up and recall to fix this problem before people are killed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while attempting to shift the vehicle out of park, the gear shifter failed to shift. On several occasions, the brake lights remained illuminated even after the vehicle was turned off causing the battery to discharge. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired, but the contact spoke to an independent mechanic who advised that there was a recall on the likely issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 04V106000 (exterior lighting). The approximate failure mileage was 3,000.
I was departing from parking lot and the car suddenly had some noise in the hood then lost all the power. After starting engine again, I can shift the gear into d or r, engine works OK but the car won't move at all. Before it happened, the transmission works fine, no delayed engagement, no slips, no jolts, smooth gear-changing...the transmission just stopped with no warning signs at all. The car is regularly and well maintained. No check engine light on when it happened. Later it turned out to be the stripped torque converter splines. It is a very common problem among Ford early 2000's vehicles, the splines are only 0.16" thick by Ford's defect designs, which can be easily stripped.
My wife was driving the car with one of our grandkids in the back seat. She pulled off a main road to a side street, she went about 50 yards and the car stopped going forward. The engine was running fine, but there was no drive from the transmission no mater which gear she put it into. Evidently the transmission failed without any prior indication such as leaked transmission fluid, a trouble light indication and no sound.this is indeed a safety issue because if it had failed in the intersection there was a possibility of an accident.I am extremely upset and disappointed with Ford's handling of this failure of there product.
While getting off the freeway on the drive home from work (at 6:40 pm on dec 1st, 2016) the transmission no longer engaged. I had to coast over to a field and park while avoiding on-going traffic. I lost all engagement with the gears (rd21), and it is like being in perpetual neutral. The splines of the torque converter are stripped. Ford made them too small, so they strip. The car has 126,000 miles on it, and is only used to go to and from work. Thousands upon thousands of people have had this exact problem, yet Ford has done nothing to correct the situation.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift out of the park position. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The contact stated that an independent mechanic diagnosed that the failure was a result of a stop lamp failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 04V106000 (exterior lighting); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 283,000.
Transmission complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2003 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 316 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2003 Ford Taurus, 26% of the model year's 1,223 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (136 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Taurus transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain 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 transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 87,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.