2004 Ford Taurus Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe unintended or unwanted acceleration and elevated idle, usually traced in complaints to the cruise-control or throttle cable and linkage at the throttle body. Transmission problems — sometimes sudden loss of drive — and a handful of body, brake-switch and cooling concerns appear next. Many reports come in well past 60,000 miles, though several acceleration complaints were filed under 60,000.

1. 1
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended acceleration / racing idle (throttle and cruise

   • 166 complaints (44%)
   • median 104,000 mi at 8.9 yrs old (155 state mileage)
   • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,400 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2004–2020

   Owners describe the car gaining speed with the foot off the accelerator, or the engine revving to 2,500-4,000 rpm at a stop, in park, or after restarting. In many complaints the cruise-control cable or its plastic bracket is described as coming loose and holding the throttle open; some owners say pressing the brake does not stop the speed from rising and that they had to shift to neutral or shut the engine off. Where dealers were involved, complaints mention replacing the cruise-control cable or the throttle body, and some owners report being told no recall applied to their vehicle. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 19,000 to over 150,000 miles, in everyday driving, at stops and after startup.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: With the engine off, check that the cruise-control cable and its bracket are seated on the throttle linkage and move freely; have a shop confirm the throttle returns to idle on its own. Ask whether the throttle body or cruise cable has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car began accelerating on its own. It was traveling around 65 MPH without touching the gas pedal. I had to drive with the brakes depressed to keep the car from accelerating even more. When I turned the car off and then restarted it, the engine was going very fast and if I put it in drive, it accelerated on its own. ' however, today it seems okay.”

   NHTSA complaint #10543522, filed 2013-09, 132,000 miles

   “The car will try to accelerate when coming to a stop as well as when you foot is off the accelerator. In the instances that this has happened my wife or I has shifted the car to neutral at a stop and the engine will rev to 3,000 rpms and stay there. Please note when this happens the car will try to move forward and accelerate in drive even when your foot is on the brake.”

   NHTSA complaint #10452855, filed 2012-03, 109,131 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission loss of drive or delayed engagement

   • 65 complaints (17%)
   • median 108,962 mi at 8.3 yrs old (56 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,450 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2005–2020

   Complaints describe the car slipping out of gear, refusing to move in any gear, or revving without pulling away, sometimes after a check-transmission light or a bang or shudder on acceleration. Several owners report being told the torque converter or the transmission itself had to be replaced, and one describes a shop quoting diagnostic time before any repair. Others mention the shifter locking in park and the car not coming out of gear. Mostly reported between roughly 60,000 and 160,000 miles, often during highway driving or when pulling away from a stop.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive from cold and check that every gear engages promptly without a delay or bang; look at the transaxle fluid level and condition and ask whether the transmission or torque converter has been serviced or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was accelerating from a stop light, when all of a sudden the engine speed increased and the car slowed down. As the car was slowing down in heavy traffic I attempted to accelerate but all that happened is the engine revved higher. I was in heavy 2 way traffic and was lucky enough to notice a turn off into a parking lot before the car came to a complete stop. I proceeded to try the car in all gears but no movement occurred. It is like it is like the car is stuck in neutral. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10471291, filed 2012-08, 97,000 miles

   “Was driving along missouri hwy 92 at about 35 MPH in my 2004 Ford Taurus when I turned off and the car seemed to slip out of gear. Depressed accelerator and the tachometer revved but car decelerated and began rolling backwards back into the highway (I was on an incline). No dashboard warning lights came on nor was there any unusual auto noises. Was able to stop the vehicle before it rolled completely into the highway. Shifted through all gears and it would not engage in any gear. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10340893, filed 2010-07, 162,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine stalling or misfire with poor running

   • 57 complaints (15%)
   • median 97,800 mi at 8.9 yrs old (55 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2019

   Owners describe stalling at low speed without warning, rough running and hesitation, and hard starting on the flex-fuel version when running E85. Complaints mention fuel pump replacement and computer reprogramming that did not resolve the problem, and one describes being told the engine needed rebuilding. Reported from roughly 21,000 to 100,000 miles, with the E85 starting complaints at low mileage.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for a cold start and listen for rough idle or hesitation, and check whether the car has been run on E85; a scan for stored codes and misfire counters is worth doing before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving and coming to a complete stop, when the car began to accelerate itself. I brake, that didn't help much. It stopped the car, but did not stop the engine from abnormally revving itself up. I pushed the gas and it was okay, but still at a higher RPM than normal. Again, 5 mins later, while sitting in traffic it revved up again. It was at about 2500 RPM, coming from a dead stop. I freaked out and tried to put the car in park thinking that would help. When I put it in park, it revved itself to about 4000rpm. I turned it off. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10567055, filed 2014-03, 160,000 miles

   “Purchased car as fourth owner (according to carfax report) on saturday 31 may 2008. The following thursday the car began to act as though it was going to cut out and the ABS and brake system lights flashed and sounded. The lights and A/C were typically surging. Car was inspected that friday by dealers mechanic of choice. He put the computer to the car and it read all 6 stator coils were bad. He reset the computer and drove it trying to get the car to act up again and it did not. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10231009, filed 2008-06, 80,710 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Shifter stuck in park / brake lights stay on

   • 51 complaints (14%)
   • median 102,500 mi at 10.5 yrs old (46 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2020

   Owners report the gearshift staying locked in park after the car is started, and in some cases brake lights or headlights that stay lit and drain the battery. Complaints link these to the brake stoplight switch, and some owners note that a related recall covered earlier model years but not their vehicle. Reported mostly above 100,000 miles, typically noticed at startup after the car has been parked.

   What to check: Start the car and confirm the shifter moves out of park with the brake pressed, and check whether the brake lights go out with the pedal released. Ask whether the brake switch has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Brake switch, no recall for 2004 model, but recall for 2001. My 2004 Taurus is doing the exact same thing as the 2001 brake switch, which causes the inability to move your car out of park and your brake lights do not work.”

   NHTSA complaint #10984354, filed 2017-05, 125,000 miles

   “Gearshift stays in park . Once you pull into a parking space and park vehicle, put gearshift in park, turn off ignition. . .next time you start your engine the gearshift stays in park. V”

   NHTSA complaint #11252283, filed 2019-08, 20,450 miles

Buying note. Acceleration and idle complaints are the most common theme for this model year, so inspect the throttle and cruise-control cable linkage carefully and confirm the car returns to idle on its own. Also test the transmission through all gears and the shifter out of park, and budget for possible cable, brake-switch or latch repairs on a car of this age.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.