CarComplaints.com Notes: Most people need a car that shifts gears & coil springs that don't shred tires. The Taurus fails in that respect.
The 2003 Ford Taurus has major issues with the transmission failing. Typically the 2003 Taurus transmission failure costs $2,000 to fix by about 90k-100k miles. Not good.
Adding insult to injury, the 1999-2003 Taurus also has a huge problem with coil springs breaking which can puncture or even shred tires while driving.
The US government spent THREE YEARS (2008-2011) investigating the 2002-2003 Taurus coil springs. Although Taurus/Sable from earlier years were recalled, ultimately the NHTSA did not force a recall. They determined that because there had been no deaths & very few bad crashes & injuries, the broken coil springs defect was no big deal & not a safety defect. Tell that to all the owners who had close calls...
The "Check Engine" light came on in my 2003 Ford Taurus. I took the vehicle for service at the Ford Dealership that sold me the car. I was told the "Check Engine" light was the result of a cracked fuel filler neck. My repair invoice states that "filler necks are usually cracked when fuel fill nozzles are inserted improperly or negigently."
I live in New Jersey where it is illegal to pump your own gasoline. This car has been filled at the same gas station at every fill-up. There is nothing to suggest that the gas station attendant did anything differently at the last fueling of the vehicle, but I have been told by multiple Ford service advisors that this damage had to occur at my last fill-up. There was no sign that the nozzle was forced into the filler neck, nor was there anything that suggested any unusual force or torque was being applied to the nozzle.
I was told by the service manager that he has seen multiple failures of these parts and Ford takes the position that unless the crack is along the seam of the plastic casting that it is the result of damage, not a manufacturer's defect repairable under warranty. I feel that a component this critical should be able to handle the force of a gasoline pump nozzle being inserted into it, and should have sufficient additional strength to withstand the upper limit of forces that can be applied with that nozzle. Anything less is an under-engineered part, and with Ford's experience with gas tanks and their component parts (does anyone in Dearborn recall the Pinto?) they should know that.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
The "Check Engine" light came on in my 2003 Ford Taurus. I took the vehicle for service at the Ford Dealership that sold me the car. I was told the "Check Engine" light was the result of a cracked fuel filler neck. My repair invoice states that "filler necks are usually cracked when fuel fill nozzles are inserted improperly or negigently."
I live in New Jersey where it is illegal to pump your own gasoline. This car has been filled at the same gas station at every fill-up. There is nothing to suggest that the gas station attendant did anything differently at the last fueling of the vehicle, but I have been told by multiple Ford service advisors that this damage had to occur at my last fill-up. There was no sign that the nozzle was forced into the filler neck, nor was there anything that suggested any unusual force or torque was being applied to the nozzle.
I was told by the service manager that he has seen multiple failures of these parts and Ford takes the position that unless the crack is along the seam of the plastic casting that it is the result of damage, not a manufacturer's defect repairable under warranty. I feel that a component this critical should be able to handle the force of a gasoline pump nozzle being inserted into it, and should have sufficient additional strength to withstand the upper limit of forces that can be applied with that nozzle. Anything less is an under-engineered part, and with Ford's experience with gas tanks and their component parts (does anyone in Dearborn recall the Pinto?) they should know that.
- Wayne O., Marlton, NJ, US