Most common 2005 Ford Taurus problems
Share of the 774 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Taurus complaints by model year
Best Taurus years: 2019, 2017, 2016. Years to avoid: 2005, 2013, 2002, 1995, 2000. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2005 Ford Taurus:
Stuck throttle
Preliminary Evaluation (PE)12-005 was opened to investigate allegations of speed control cables detaching from the throttle body and subsequently interfering with the throttle closing fully to the idle position in model year (MY) 2005 and 2006 Ford Taurus vehicles.The speed control cable, throttle body attachment arm (?nail head?) for the speed control cable, cable mounting bracket and cable routing for the MY 2005…
Engine stalling ffv
On October 11, 2006, public citizen petitioned odi to investigate reports of engine stalls caused by e85 fuel in certain model year (my) 2003 - 2005 Ford taurus flex-fuel vehicles (ffv). Odi's review of the petition and other available data found a low stall rate attributable to e-85 fueling and that the main concerns,prolonged engine start and rough idle during cold engine startup at winter temperatures, were…
What 2005 Ford Taurus owners say
Speed control & acceleration all 529 →
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently from 45 mph to 65 mph. The contact stated the accelerator pedal was not being depressed during the failure. The brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle to a stop. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected under the hood. The contact noticed that the cruise control cable was jammed up into the accelerator cable which caused the accelerator cable to open. The contact moved the cruise control cable back into the correct position and drove back to their residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.
I was on my way to work. When I came to the stop sign to turn on the main road. I felt my car jerk. I thought it was weird and kept driving anyways. Then I noticed the resistance was gone from the gas pedal and it went straight to the floor. So I came to the stop light and kept my foot on the brake. When the light turned green and I had let go of the brakes. My car was accelerating on its own. I had to keep pumping the brakes so I wouldn't crash or hurt anyone. I managed to pull into a mechanic's shop and asked for help. The mechanic told me that it was my cruise control and that it wasn't disengaging. So he had to disconnect it from my car.
Transmission & drivetrain all 123 →
I own a 2005 Ford Taurus sel. It's been a piece of junk since the day I bought it.when I first bought it,it was burning off front tires every 2000 miles,it was aligned by the dealer twice,ended up having to take it to a friends tire shop,we [I'm a motorcycle builer/welder..] ended up cutting the welds on the shock mount and moved it.the gas mileage is aweful,but now,after 96,000 miles,the transmission started acting up.it was changed every 30,000 miles,always looked like mud.two weeks after it started slipping,my wife was coming home late from work on a secluded,dark,really busy highway,out of the blue,the transmission just completely stopped working,she had to drive it into a ditch,or get killed,luckily,the car wasn't damaged badly otherwise. …
My 2005 Ford Taurus has a stripped torque converter spline after I inspected it closely. I believe this to be a design flaw because it seems to be a very common problem with this year, make and model of this vehicle. It is also common in other similar Ford models. It is a safety hazard because the torque converter spline can strip out without warning, leaving the vehicle without any power to the drive wheels. This can be especially hazard in an intersection when a light turns red, on at high speed on a highway, which would risk a high-speed rear end collision. Ford has not issued a recall for this common defect. There are many instances of this same failure on the internet by other owners.the vehicle lost all power to the wheels as I was in an intersection making a left turn at low speed on a city street. …
Engine & cooling all 107 →
I was on my way to work. When I came to the stop sign to turn on the main road. I felt my car jerk. I thought it was weird and kept driving anyways. Then I noticed the resistance was gone from the gas pedal and it went straight to the floor. So I came to the stop light and kept my foot on the brake. When the light turned green and I had let go of the brakes. My car was accelerating on its own. I had to keep pumping the brakes so I wouldn't crash or hurt anyone. I managed to pull into a mechanic's shop and asked for help. The mechanic told me that it was my cruise control and that it wasn't disengaging. So he had to disconnect it from my car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Taurus. While driving 25 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated as the rpms increased. The contact was able to move out of traffic, stop the vehicle, and shift into park; however, the rpms were still high. The contact turned off the engine and restarted the vehicle, but the rpms remained high. The contact repeated the steps three times before driving the vehicle while slightly depressing the brake pedal. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a cruise control cable failure that was causing the throttle to stay open and inadvertently accelerating the vehicle. The contact stated that the repairs were unknown, but the independent mechanic informed her that he placed an unknown substance on the cable to keep it in place. …
2005 Ford Taurus engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Ford Taurus a good car?
Based on 774 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Taurus rates avoid: 2.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Taurus at the same age. It is one of the Taurus years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Ford Taurus?
The speed control & acceleration — 529 complaints, 68% of all complaints for this model year, most often about accelerator pedal. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (123) and engine & cooling (107).
How many recalls does the 2005 Ford Taurus have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2005 Ford Taurus. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Taurus?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2019, 2017 and 2016. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 2013, 2002, 1995 and 2000. See the full Ford Taurus years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Ford Taurus problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 90,000 miles; 11% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.