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9.3

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,130
Average Mileage:
102,500 miles
Total Complaints:
9 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (3 reports)
  2. new transmission (2 reports)
  3. rebuild transmission (2 reports)
  4. rebuilt tranny with updated parts. working fine now. 24k war (1 reports)
  5. replace torque converter (1 reports)
2005 Ford Taurus transmission problems

transmission problem

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2005 Ford Taurus Owner Comments

problem #9

May 092016

Taurus SE V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 131,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2005 Taurus given as a present to my son for traveling to high school and work. Transmission slipping, no drive when on a load going up a hill.

At 131000 miles, I can't believe that others have had issues way sooner than me under 100k. This is the second ford that we have owned with same transmission issues. the other was a ford explorer 2003. All of them a piece of sh*t. How does ford stay in business? they suck.

Update from May 24, 2016: ok just had this fixed $2300 later. Torque Converter trashed and as described would be like when I put a load on it or going up hill the vehicle acts as if just thrown into neutral. No warnings;nothing.

- hhughes0320, Cincinnati, OH, US

problem #8

Jul 142013

Taurus LES 3.0L Vulcan

  • Automatic transmission
  • 159,447 miles

It all started with a dead battery and a p0353 code. Changed battery, plugs, and coil pack. Ran good for a while and then started missing. Missing lead to transmission slippage. I also cleaned MAF sensor, IAC valve, and changed the throttle position sensor after car accelerated several times without me touching the gas pedal. This is very hard on a good tyranny let alone something Ford made. All the while my check engine light never came on and a scanner couldn't connect to my pcm for whatever reason. I took every fuse out, checked, and reinserted them as there were no bad ones. I drove a half a block and massive slippage forced me to go home. My check engine light came on en route to my house. (A half of a block) I don't need a diagnostics report to tell me my car is done. I can't afford to have it fixed. I know this. What I don't know but am starting to theorize is that Ford had to have seen this domino effect when they designed this. If everything from the engine missing to the air conditioners to the radiator to the frail wires they have on all the sensors to the goddanged electrical system would negatively effect the transmission, why not beef it up. Ford if you read this, you owe me! I don't care about recalls and lawsuits. You got me pretty good. 4 grand I didn't have and probably that much in repairs that I don't have. I make a staggering $13 dollars an hour and saved and borrowed from my father for this car. I have a kid and a woman who depend on me.....and if I can't get to work, I can't earn the money to even pay off my dad. (Who borrowed money to loan to me. We are not high payed C.E.O.'s or Ford assembly workers, we are your customers. "The working family men" you target.) I have no recourse. What would you do? I worked my ass off all last year out of state and away from family to finally be able to own a car that didn't make me look like poor white trash. I was so happy. I could finally go home, pay all my debts, get a job in town and be with my family....and own a semi-new "used car". That's all I needed to make this dream sustain. You owe me a good car or four grand. This was supposed to be my year with the family at the lake on the weekends. Instead its been work on the car in all your spare time and spend your spare money on parts. Not what I had planned. I payed my dues, and fixed problems I created. Its the American way. I did it because it was the right thing to do. Are you exempt from these ideals. If so, tell us, sh*t! Then we'll know. Quit saying there isn't a problem. But more importantly, quit biting the calloused hands that feed you. This is wrong. We arent rich. Your target audience isnt rich. You owe an explanation. If it "f*ck you, we dont care" fine. But do something. But You owe me ford, I'll sell it back to you. I can't afford to like your vehicles anymore. I'm too danged poor.4,000 dollars to make it right. That's not much to guys like you but it's the difference between home and "homeless" to guys like me. Enjoy the rest of your summer.

- Brandon B., Topeka, KS, US

problem #7

Oct 032012

Taurus SE 3.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 113,000 miles

I babied this car for 6 years by garaging it, washing it regularly and waxing it at least twice a year--in spring and fall. After 3 years, the doors started to rust. My Ford dealer cut me a deal to sand and repaint the bottoms of the doors for $150 because it was no longer covered. The rust returned within a year! At 100,000 miles, the transmission began to shift roughly between 2nd and 3rd gears. As I later discovered when I took the car to the dealer, the car had no 3rd gear. Oh, the dealership charged me about $100 to test the transmission, which I didn't get back, which I think sucks! I will copy my dealership on a complaint letter to Ford Motor Company indicating that I think it is a shame that an American automobile company would not do right by its customers and recall these vehicles or refund those who have paid thousands to repair a vehicle transmission that should not have gone bad through no fault of the owners. These transmissions apparently have a problem with self-lubrication (as I've read online). The transmission shop that rebuilt my transmission said they had fixed 4 Tauruses during the past two weeks. The other three cars had to be towed in. Fortunately, I didn't have to have mine towed, I was still able to drive it. Unfortunately, I can't afford to spend a couple thousand dollars to fix a car that shouldn't have broken. My next vehicle will not be a Ford.

- imrandy, Cleveland, OH, US

problem #6

Oct 272011

Taurus SEL

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Ok so here we are a second time, the car is once again not shiffting! Really, I am a true Ford fan and have to say after this experience may never buy a ford again. We have put 50,000 miles on the new transmission that was replaced in 2009, and once again in the same predictiment.

STAY AWAY FROM THIS YEAR FORD TAURUS. Ford should be made to replace these transmission or come up with a fix. Unbelieveable. I can't believe how many people are having the same problems!!!!

- Melissa K., Rising Sun, MD, US

problem #5

Aug 152011

Taurus SEL

  • Automatic transmission
  • 76,000 miles

As I started to research the cars symptoms, I realized that this transmission problem is frequent in the Taurus and in other Ford vehicles. When I it took to the shop for diagnosis and repair there were at least 10 cars in the transmission shop and 7 were Fords. The transmission mechanic said this is a problem in the 2004-2005 Taurus and Windstars (they use the same transmission). $1500.00 later the car is fixed and I was told the defected parts were replaced with upgraded parts and they guarantee their work for a year. If I had taken the car to the dealer, I am told the same defected parts would have been put in. I have bought Ford vehicles for most of my driving life but I am so disappointed in this vehicle I will think twice when trade in time arrives.

- deedee44, Crown Point, IN, US

problem #4

Jun 182011

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 61,000 miles

61,000 miles on a car that is a 2005... I have previously had nissans, toyotas and a subaru...all driven until the engine died well over 100,000 miles... my 2005 taurus has needed a new catalytic converter at 55,000 miles as well as a new/rebuilt transmission on my taurus at 61,000 miles... unbelievable....I will never again buy a ford...fix or repair daily...Money is tight...and unfortunately I can not afford to support the employees at Ford....I always had thought that my Taurus would always start...at least up to a reasonable 75,000 miles...Never would I have expected my car to have a transmission problem at 61,000 miles... once again... never again a Ford...

- lilya, Ridgefield Park, NJ, US

problem #3

Nov 132010

Taurus SE 3.0

  • Automatic transmission
  • 73,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Just driving to the office to print something off, was supposed to just get there and go right home. The car suddenly was no longer in gear. I pulled over and tried to get it into gear and it just revved. I pushed it into a gas station parking lot and checked fluids, hoses, wires, fuses and everything. It is just no going into gear. After I called my mechanic, he said it sounded like the torque converter and it would be $1100.00 to fix. The worst part is, I just bought this car less than a month ago and have yet to even make the first payment on it.

GRRRRR!!!!!

- Michael P., Peoria Heights, IL, US

problem #2

Sep 012010

Taurus SE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 69,000 miles

I have a 2005 Taurus and about a year and a half ago my car wouldn't start one morning. took it to a shop and found out something was wrong with my transmission. After $1,250 later it was fixed. Now once again my car is slipping gears and i'm told its the second drum inside the trans and will cost me around $2,000. This is extremely frustrating cause I don't want to put anymore $ into a car that keeps breaking on me!!!!! I need a new car!!!! And reading all of these complaints on here, it looks like i'm not the only one who is having these problems. Wish Ford would recognize these problems and try to help all of us out.

- Kim S., Eastpointe, MI, US

problem #1

Nov 112009

Taurus V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 130,000 miles

car was driving fine and without warning just quite moving.No matter what direction transmission just quit.Took it to aamco and was told that Ford knows they have a faulty part in transmission but has yet to recall it.Fixin to add another complaint as my 2004 Taurus today just had the same thing happen except it only has 57k miles.

- Curtis R., Trenton, SC, US

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