AC & Heater complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 | 1% | 13,000 miles |
| 2007 | 3 | 2% | 55,000 miles |
| 2005 | 7 | 1% | 20,000 miles |
| 2004 | 3 | 1% | 65,000 miles |
| 2003 | 138 | 11% | 55,000 miles |
| 2002 | 42 | 3% | 52,000 miles |
| 2001 | 17 | 2% | 100,000 miles |
| 2000 | 7 | 1% | 103,000 miles |
| 1999 | 20 | 2% | 56,000 miles |
| 1998 | 12 | 2% | 106,000 miles |
| 1997 | 28 | 4% | 52,000 miles |
| 1996 | 35 | 4% | — |
| 1995 | 28 | 2% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (air conditioning, heater, defroster, HVAC controls).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Ford Taurus. Whenever it rained, the contact noticed a puddle of water on the passenger seat. In addition, the heater blower motor was leaking. There were no prior warnings. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was 55,000. The VIN was not provided.
Failure of the heater / ac / defroster blower motor due to water leakage through the firewall cowling. This problem has been known to Ford since at least 2003, yet they have not implemented their own TSB 04-15-3 on the production line as recently as 2007. Ford refuses to issue a recall claiming that there is no safety issue involved even though failure of the blower could cause reduced visibility in inclement weather due to failure of the defroster or defogger. There is also a strong possibility of fire should the blower short or seize due to water and rust build-up in the blower motor.
Dt*: the contact stated a rear mirror was attached to the back window of the vehicle by a suction cup. The back defroster system was in use when the aftermarket mirror caught on fire while attached to the window. The contact was able to extinguish the fire by pulling the mirror off the window. The window received minor damage.
We bought an 05 Ford Taurus in June of 05. The car has a poor ventilation system. You have to turn the control panel knob to max A/C to cut outside air from getting into the car. Otherwise if want heat or A/C you have to breathe polluted air into the cabin of the car. This a health hazard and design flaw in this vehicle. Their have been no accidents, deaths, crashes, fires, property damage, but possible health problems from breathing in outside vehicle exhaust which I think is very hazardous and should be addressed by Ford and it's design team. Please do something to make this company responsible to their customer's.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Ford Taurus se. While driving at 45 MPH with the rear window defroster activated, the contact smelled electrical smoke and found that the rear window defroster was on fire. The defroster was shut off and the rear window shattered. The contact proceeded to drive the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer advised the failure was one of a kind and advised him to replace the rear window before any repairs could be made to the defroster unit. The rear defrost connector was replaced on July 16, 2010. Updated 09/27/10
Tl contact owns a 2003 Ford Taurus. When it rains, water leaks into the passenger compartment, which May have caused the blower to malfunction. While driving 55 MPH, the air conditioner began to lose power and went from high to low; however, the control knob was still set on high. Once he arrived home, the air conditioner failed completely. The contact turned off and then turned the air conditioner back on and the power level went back to high. Approximately five minutes later, the power was reduced again to low. The air conditioner failed completely once again and the contact smelled burning wires. The air conditioner failed to come back on after this failure; however, all the other components still functioned properly. He took the vehicle to a local mechanic after several months and was informed that everything was working properly, except for the air conditioner blower motor. …
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.
10149646. How many more complaints need to be tallied in order for Ford to be addressed about the windshield leakage causing the blower motor failures? I see that there are over 20 complaints. Ford needs to be ask to extend its VIN list to include other cars. This is a safety issue. Water leakage into a car is a problem. Bad installation of a windshield is a safety problem. Water damaged blower motors that will not run other systems is a safety problem. People's floorboards that collect and 1" of so of water is a safety problem. This is not normal wear and tear.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Taurus years have ac & heater problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (138), 2002 (42), 1996 (35), 1995 (28) and 1997 (28) model years. AC & Heater complaints make up 11% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Ford Taurus ac & heater problems?
No. NHTSA lists no a/c & heater recall for any Ford Taurus model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Ford Taurus ac & heater problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 58,000 miles; 41% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the defroster/defogger/hvac system › fan/motor (134 mentions), followed by the appliance › air conditioner (94).
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.