Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE - BODY | |||||
| 04251 | 12/27/2004 | 10014165 | Aluminum corrosion - service tip. *tt | 04/28/2005 | |
| 16315 | 10/01/2002 | 10013080 | Headliner grab handles loosen. *tt | 04/07/2005 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | |||
| 09/23/2011 | 22000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that whenever it would rain, water would leak from the front passenger side of the vehicle and into the engine causing a short circuit to the blower motor. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated he had to replace the blower motor and the resistor. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 22,000. kmj | |||
| 06/15/2010 | 30000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that water was leaking into the passenger side of the vehicle when it rained. because of the leakage, the heating and air conditioning system stopped functioning. she was also concerned about mold forming when there was water on the floorboard. the contact called the manufacturer who took a complaint but offered no further assistance at the time of the complaint. the vehicle had not been repaired. the vin was unavailable when the complaint. the current mileage was 34,346. the failure mileage was approximately 30,000-bk | |||
| 02/01/2010 | 140586 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that when it rained, water made its way into the vehicle from the instrument panel and flooded the front passenger side. furthermore, the defroster did not work. the steering wheel vibrated and, interior light was always illuminated and the door locks did not engage automatically. the contact called the dealership and was advised to take the vehicle in for repair at his expense. the current and failure mileages were 140,586. | |||
| 03/08/2010 | 54900 | 1 | |
| I have a 2003 ford taurus and every time it's setting out in a moderate to heavy rain the right front floorboard gets saturated with water. i've had to replace the blower resistor twice and the blower motor once and the motor in it now is going out. why isn't ford being held responsible for the repairs and costs affiliated with this manufacturing defect and the costs incurred on those of us unfortunate enough to have purchased one of them? due to this issue i nearly had an accident on 03/08/10 when my windshield fogged during a rainstorm and i lost almost all visibility. if i hadn't known the area very well plus 25 years of law enforcement driving i very well could have been seriously injured or killed. nhtsa needs to act on this asap before someone is killed. my name is [xxx] and i can be contacted at [xxx], in mesa, arizona. my car is usually under cover and it flooded with water also in feb. 2009 &feb. 2010, when it was standing out in the rain, not being operated but just out in the rain. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr | |||
| 12/28/2009 | 111000 | 1 | |
| My taurus's blower motor stopped functioning in december 2009. i believe the cause is a water leak or blown a/c heater blower motor. i think the leak dumped water onto the passenger floor board also caused my ac blower motor to short out, needing a replacement. after browsing the internet to see if other ford taurus owners had the same or a similar problem, this seems to be a recurring issue with the 2003 ford taurus. *tr | |||
| 01/21/2010 | 40997 | 1 | |
| Due to a water leak problem, the ac blower motor failed (shorted out) and was unable to blow defrost air onto the windshield, causing poor visibility while driving. water soaked the passenger floorboard. there was a previous recall #03v087000. another person with the same problem has filed complaint #10184014. *tr | |||
| 11/07/2009 | 47000 | 1 | |
| [regarding taurus/sable for water leak and ac blower defect; silent recall; tsb 03-15-6; related recall existing under 03v087000, & possibly also compliance recall 03c03] - also see complaint #10184014 certified car, 2003 ford taurus ses, 47,000 miles have recently (11/7/09) gotten water on passenger floor, & now see that this is a common problem & design defect. now my blower mower has started an unusual sound as well, & this is obviously related. i was told that this sound is water sloshing around & will rust my blower motor, making that yet another repair. have been told that ford will not pay for repair - but have found many instances online where ford did indeed pay 80% of this exact same repair. this is a defect & there are hundreds of complaints about the taurus water problem all over online, yet ford chooses to ignore. *tr | |||
| 10/25/2009 | 1 | ||
| 2003 ford taurus, blower motor failing and leaking water onto the floorboard. from the looks of it i am not the only one with this problem. i think there should be a recall from ford to take care of this problem. *tr | |||
| 08/20/2009 | 43000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. water was leaking from the air conditioner vent on the right front passenger side of the vehicle. the floor was also wet each time it rained. the vehicle was purchased three days ago. the vehicle will be diagnosed by the dealer. the failure mileage was 43,000. | |||
| 06/30/2009 | 58556 | 1 | |
| A water leak from the firewall was discovered when the carpet became soaked after driving in a rain storm. the problem has existed for some time because there is mold under the carpet. *tr | |||
| 04/11/2009 | 35000 | 1 | |
| The passenger side front carpet, padding and floorboards become soaking wet every time it rains and it rains every 3 days in the chicago area. we have to wet vacuum the water out to try and keep the carpet & padding from molding and stinking up the interior. the dealer thinks that they can fix this problem, but will not guarantee any repair for this expensive problem. we and have heard of, and the dealers know of multitudes of ford taurus owners with this same problem and there does not seem to be a known cause and good fix to this problem and as wide spread of a major problem this is, especially for allergy sufferers like my wife, there should be a factory recall on this issue and ford should accept responsibility for this major design problem and fix this problem under warranty. *tr | |||
| 02/06/2009 | 1 | ||
| I own a 2003 ford taurus with 40,000 miles on it. i have found out on the internet there is a design defect, water can get into the heater system and blows out the blower motor and resister. i am very upset about this and have read that many people that own ford's have the same problem. i should not be having any trouble with a car that has only 40,000 miles on it. *tr | |||
| 11/15/2008 | 29000 | 1 | |
| Failure of the a/c, heater, defroster fan. *tr | |||
| 07/01/2005 | 65000 | 1 | |
| I found water in the passenger side of the floor board after a rain storm in the summer of 2005. this began happening after most heavy rains. after several occurrences the blower motor of the heat / ac would only work on high. after taking it to a mechanic the blower resistor was changed. i have had this completed twice now. i have also had to have the blower motor replaced once (they found evidence of water in the motor). there is also a musty smell when i run the heater so i assume there is some mold growing in there now. this problem has been occurring for several years. the ford dealer said it would cost about $300 to fix. through my internet search this appears to be a leaky cowl problem on taurus's and not unique to my car. *tr | |||
| 01/17/2008 | 116765 | 1 | |
| Passenger floor board leak in my 2003 ford taurus. took car in last quarter of 2008. could not find cause of leak. was told there was mold under the carpet. lovely. blower motor not working on 1/17/09. took it in and was told i needed a new one. had it installed and heat/exhaust is not working at full capacity the very next day. it sounds like it is going to short out again. *tr | |||
| 12/06/2008 | 63000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact noticed a leakage in the dashboard during rainy conditions. the floor would become wet and the blower motor stopped functioning. she only noticed the failure when it rained and it only occurred on the passenger side of the vehicle. the manufacturer has not been notified. the current mileage was 64,724 and failure mileage was approximately 63,000. | |||
| 12/09/2008 | 50000 | 1 | |
| Water leak at front passenger side, replaced blower motor, resistor and cowl, still leaks. reference recall 03v087000 and many additional complaints from owners, specifically 10184014. there was water leaking at passenger dash area on and off since 07. it hadn't leaked in quite a while so i didn't worry about it. the dealer said it would cost about $250.00 to fix and i was waiting to see if it kept up or got worse. then the blower quit working. i spent $373.14 for a new blower motor, resistor assy, weatherstrip, cowl panel and sealant. on the 28th of december, 2008 my front passenger floor was again, full of water. note, this had not happened for many months and should have been fixed with the new cowl put on on december 9th. i asked the dealer if the previous water problem caused the blower motor to go bad. he said it was hard to say. evidently it was hard to say because it says right on the receipt water in blower case. i bought the car in october of 03 (as a used vehicle but still under warranty with only 18,408 miles on it) but was never notified of a recall for this problem. i understand there is a service bulletin out for this problem now. i have been going to the same dealer since april 9th, 04. can you tell me if the recall was in effect at this time or how long the recall was in effect? this is very discouraging. where are the ethics from ford for taking ownership of this problem? maybe i should file for my own bail out, with the amount of water leakage i've had, i'll probably need it. thank you for your consideration in this matter. jeanne acheson *tr | |||
| 12/13/2008 | 50000 | 1 | |
| 2003 ford taurus has water leaking in to blower motor. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2008 | 1 | ||
| I discovered earlier year that water was leaking into the floorboard of my car's passenger side front seat. i never noticed it before, since i am always the driver, and rarely have passengers. in researching the problem, i found that it was a design error, and i have tried to plug the holes where water is coming in. i still have periodic leaks. as a result of the water leak, my blower has now shorted out. this is design error and ford should have to rectify it. this is an ongoing complaint with ford, please see other complaints attached to recall number 03v087000 and complaint 10184014. please help!! *tr | |||
| 09/15/2008 | 57000 | 1 | |
| The fan on my heater has gone out on me three times since i purchased this care in august on 2006 - just a little over 2 years. i understand it has to do with a leak under the hood that ford is well aware of (recall 03v087000? - see complaint #10184014). i don't feel i should have to replace this blower every 8 months. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2008 | 86000 | 1 | |
| After a strong rain, a leaky cowl in my 2003 taurus let water into my blower motor and shorted it out. the fan only worked on high. i had it fixed once, and then after another storm it immediately shorted out again. then, in the last week (9/1/92008), it stopped working all together, even on high. ford has issued a related recall for a leaky windshield (03v087000), but will not fix this issue, even though it is a known problem. when i went in to talk with ford, they were aware of the problem, but said since it was not yet recalled, they would not fix it for free. i have not as of yet had this replaced again. *tr | |||
| 08/24/2008 | 60000 | 1 | |
| Water leaks into the passenger side front floor board. water also accumulates in the blower motor housing, causing it and the control resistor to short out. *tr | |||
| 08/15/2008 | 30000 | 1 | |
| Poor vehicle design allowed water to leak into hvac system causing damage to blower resistor and blower motor. now unable to defrost / defog front windshield. *tr | |||
| 08/24/2008 | 100000 | 1 | |
| Passenger side floor full of water after it rains, air only blow on high until it recently went completely out. worse this time radio and wiper blades were affected. a recall is needed to fix this problem. *tr | |||
| 06/15/2008 | 86500 | 1 | |
| 2003 ford taurus, water leaking in cabin on passenger side and flooded a/c unit. ac only works on high. repair of leak will cost $579 from dealer. ford is aware of problem in vehicles but will not repair. *tr | |||
| 01/15/2007 | 48000 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact noticed water leaking onto the passenger side floorboard. more water was noticed when it rained or when the vehicle was wet. the failure caused two resistors to blow out, including the blower motor. a mechanic inspected the vehicle, but could not diagnose the cause of the failure. the dealer has not yet been notified. the current mileage is 62,000 and failure mileage was 48,000. updated 06/25/08.*lj | |||
| 05/01/2008 | 1 | ||
| The part in question is a transitor for the ford taurus 2003. the same problem exist with earlier model such as the 2001. a leak above the dash board allows water to fill the compartment and overflow onto the floorboard. the amount of water is enough to short out transitors and cause problems. when talking to a ford dealervancouver ford dealer, they acknowledge that they repair this problem quit often. could a previous recall for the same problem be extended to include 2003 models??? thx *tr | |||
| 05/15/2008 | 107000 | 1 | |
| Leaky cowl. causes floorboard to be constantly soaked. has already been reported with complaint # 10184014. the recall # is 03v087000. the recall needs to be extended to cover these cars no matter the mileage since it is a factory defect. *tr | |||
| 04/29/2008 | 53000 | 1 | |
| 2003 ford taurus several months ago the heater would not blow and then started working again. i also had water leaking onto the passenger side floor board. again yesterday, my heater and a/c will only blow on high. i see many people online have had the same symptoms. please refer to recall ref# 03v087000 and complaint #10184014. *tr | |||
| 04/20/2008 | 81000 | 1 | |
| 2003 ford taurus cabin air intake leak due to design defect allows rain water to enter interior of vehicle and causes heater/ac fan unit to short out disabling defroster as well as heat and airconditioning control. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2007 | 28500 | 1 | |
| 2003 ford taurus several months ago the a/c worked only on high for a few days then a/c went out completely. as i didn't have money nor the time to fix, i have left until now to look into the problem now i see many people online have had the same symptoms. since this originally occurred i've noted water leaking on the passenger floor after some rain storms. i think the blower fan has gone out and probably what ever caused the leak caused the blower to go out, too many coincidences and other people experiencing the same thing. refer to recall ref# 03v087000 and complaint #10184014. ford should step up and take responsibility for the problems they are causing due to design flaws. *tr | |||
| 03/28/2008 | 47800 | 1 | 08/10/2005 |
| 1. discovered water collecting in passenger side floorboard, following heavy rains. 2. blower motor resistor failed, causing blower motor to only operate on the highest speed. 3. located technical service bulletin #tsb 04-15-3 which described the problem i was having, the cause, and corrective action required. i took the vehicle to a ford dealership and had the corrective work performed as described in the tsb. *tr | |||
| 02/05/2008 | 1 | ||
| I was driving my 2003 ford taurus on february 5, 2008, when the blower motor ceased working. i also noticed that there was a water leak on the passenger floor board. *tr when i took my car to goodyear i was told that the water leak caused my blower motor to short out. i understand that this is a mechanical problem and the ford motor company should be responsible for the expense of time lost from work and the following costs: r/r blower motor, $88.00; new blower motor, $110.21; cabinet air filter gasket and blower weatherstrip $27.73; r/r/ cabin filter gasket $70.40 and the costs of installation of the air filter $29.66. the total is $362.82. i am referencing ford's existing recall number, 03v087000 and the complaint of william ford #10184014. | |||
| 02/04/2008 | 68700 | 1 | 06/03/2006 |
| Within the last month (early feb. 2008) i had noticed a small leak on the passenger side floor mat after a brief warming period (and melting of some snow). then just last week (feb. 18th, 2008) my 1-3 levels of my fan were no longer operating. then on feb. 23, 2008, the 4th and final still operating fan level stopped working as well. i checked all fuses applicable and it turns out that it is most likely the blower resistor that is no longer in operation. now i have no heat or defrost and it makes life more difficult when i need to leave promptly and i can't see out my windows. *tr | |||
| 02/12/2008 | 5 | 12/23/2007 | |
| My passenger floorboard is constantly damp as water has seemingly leaked through the exterior of the car. this has caused the blower motor to the a/c/heater to quit working. i would essentially have to find the source of the leak as well as buy a new blower motor to solve the problem, but it seems as if ford is aware of the issue yet is hesitant to offer any assistance whatsoever. this is also in reference to recall 03v087000 as well as nhtsa complaint 10184014. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2008 | 40000 | 1 | 11/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that water is leaking through the bottom of the windshield. the water leaked into the vents and traveled onto the passenger side floor. the dealer replaced a weather seal and cow panel. the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 03v087000 (visibility:windshield). the current and failure mileages were 40,000. updated 3/11/08 *cn updated 03/11/08 *tr | |||
| 02/07/2008 | 19000 | 3 | 04/06/2004 |
| Front passenger side water leak. this leak causes unhealthy mold to build up in carpeting etc. as well as destroys the air conditioning fan switch. this is the 3rd ford taurus i have had the same problem with. dealer wants $995.00 to repair while i am suffering from mold related allergies. *tr | |||
| 01/15/2008 | 1 | ||
| 03 ford taurus, the heat has quit working in the car first i lost low and the next two speed controls then i lost high speed altogether. doing research at other websites this is a very common problem. also there has been the occasional water leak on the passenger floor board. where is the recall. *tr | |||
| 01/12/2006 | 80000 | 15 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact noticed a leak underneath the dashboard on the passenger side floorboard. she also detected smoke and then the air conditioner failed. the mechanic stated that blower motor was leaking and it was replaced. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 91,000 and failure mileage was approximately 80,000. updated 3/5/08 *cn the consumer stated the mechanic replaced the blower motor but the blower resistor was not repaired but the mechanic stated both were rusted from water damage. updated 03/05/08 *tr | |||
| 12/10/2007 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2003 ford taurus. i have found water in the passenger floor board. over time, the blower fan has stopped working. during research on the internet, i have found that many consumers have had the same problem, and that ford motor company will not repair this obvious defect. *tr | |||
| 11/24/2007 | 77000 | 1 | 03/16/2005 |
| Heater/ac blower only worked on high, water would leak into the passenger side floorboard, now it does not work. there are alot of reports about this for a 2003 ford taurus, please have them recall these and fix them. *tr | |||
| 12/23/2006 | 32500 | 1 | 06/11/2004 |
| Water leaks onto passenger side floor resulting in interior damage and damage to heater box and blower motor. dealer replaced cowel at my expense, within 3 months leak returned and dealer wants to remove dash and check heater box, at a minimum expense of $850. ford has a recall, 03v08700 and tsb 04-15-3 regarding these problems, but wants me to pay for the repairs. i also paid $375 to have the interior cleaned and disinfected after the first repair. i would also like to reference complaint 10184014. *tr | |||
| 03/30/2007 | 1 | 03/03/2006 | |
| My wife noticed water poring out in the passenger floorboard of her 2003 ford taurus. she was aggravated by this, but had no mechanical failures and did not worry too much about it. then she had her defroster fail while driving. this caused an issue, because she was not able to get home immediately and had to use a rag to clear the windshield to drive home. she told me about it and refused to drive anywhere with our children until the problem was resolved. i found water in the vent and had to replace the blower motor. the fan now runs, but only runs on high because another component failed that controls the fan speed. when i contacted the ford dealership, they stated they were well aware of this issue, but no recall had been filed. i looked up recall info on the ford site by vin and it stated none were active. a quick search on the web will show i am not the only one with this issue. i believe this is a major safety hazard an inability to clear the windshield impairs the ability to see where you are going and recognize any hazards. *tr | |||
| 04/01/2007 | 42000 | 1 | 02/07/2005 |
| My 2003 ford taurus has had water leaking in to the passenger side floor board ever since i purchased it, not thinking a whole lot about it when i returned from over seas due to a deployment there was rust stains in my carpet and the blower then would only work on high, about a month ago the blower motor quit working so i asked my mechanic and he told me that it should be covered but i have 40,000 miles on my car right now and the dealership is refusing to fix it under the tsb's or under any recalls. *tr | |||
| 12/09/2005 | 31471 | 3 | 07/06/2005 |
| Our 2003 ford taurus started to leak from somewhere. the floors became wet when it rained. we took the car to the ford dealership and they fixedthe problem. this happened 3 more times each time they claimed to have fixed the problem. we were left without a car for a week the last time ,and still we have problems with the car. the water damage has left my car with a foul smell and has shorted out our blower for the second time. ford in waterbury ct has given up on the car and claimed that they cannot find where the water is coming from. this happened over the course of about 1 1/2 years. since this time our warranty has ran out and the problem is not fixed. we are aware of recall # 03v087000, but we are not sure if this is part of it. i have researched the internet to find many descriptions of ford models 2001-2003 with this same problem. at this point the value of my taurus has dropped significantly, and i cannot trade in this car knowing that this problem has not been resolved. i'm not sure anyone would even want this car at this point. we are very frustrated and feel ripped off by ford. this was a beautiful car when we bought it but is now plagued by water damaged carpets and unhealthy mold. the heater/ac/blower does not work and on very cold, icy, or hot days it cannot be driven due to safety hazards.*ak please help us to resolve this problem we have nowhere left to turn. ford taurus 4 dr sedan tan. *ak | |||
| 02/20/2007 | 27450 | 1 | 01/20/2007 |
| Water was noticed in the floor board on passenger side. a few days later, 2/20/2007, my blower motor went out. i called local ford dealership and was told to bring it in. turned out to be a well known water leak problem stemming from a design defect leaks at the base of the windshield. it allows water to get into the blower motor and the rest is history. i paid $324 for the repairs and the replacement cowl still bows so the water can continue to enter with the same results. i returned my car this morning 2 23 07, (the day after picked it up in the dark) to express my dissatisfaction and was told to come back monday. how can a car manufacturer of 100 years not know what it is going to leak...at the base of the windshield??!! ford needs to correct this problem. thanks. *jb | |||
| 02/17/2007 | 20211 | 1 | 10/04/2003 |
| We noticed a puddle of water on the passenger side floor and a burning rubber smell after a very heavy rain storm. we could hear water in the heater system. took the car to a ford service department, where they confirmed a design defect in the cowling which allows rain water to get into the blower motor & resister components. the motor and resister had both been damaged by the water and needed to be replaced (which was not covered under warranty but should have been, due to the design defect). *nm | |||
| 01/19/2007 | 57123 | 1 | 08/03/2003 |
| Blower motor failure due to water leaking into blower case on my 2003 ford taurus, i took my car to the ford dealer to get the blower repaired or replaced. after they replaced the blower, they told me that it wasn't covered under my 6 yr/ 75000 mi. bumper to bumper warranty because of water leaking into the blower case. i'm going to fight this because ford co. knew there was a problem with leakage into the blower case which means ford should have replaced my blower/motor for free, instead i got a bill for $508.00 and i'm taking it to small claims court. if anyone else wants to get on the bandwagon let me know. my email is: dbgoode1@hotmail.com. i'm in pittsburgh pa and by the way my car had 57,000 miles on it. *nm | |||
| 10/30/2006 | 34101 | 1 | 07/27/2003 |
| Water leaked into front passenger side by windshield and soaked front floor area (at least 1 to 2 quarts of water) it also shorted out and destroyed the blower motor. dealer installed new molding and an additional rain hat. care was just out of warranty. so dealer would not help with cost. i wonder if it will take a fire for ford to address this issue. if needed contact me for additional information. thank you, bill. *nm | |||
| 11/06/2006 | 79000 | 1 | |
| Blower motor switch quit working. is due, as i understand, to a defect in manufacturing and/or design in blower motor case which allows water to get in and ruin the resister switch. eventually blower motor switch quits working altogether. when this happens there is no defrost or defogger which affects visibility. this happens according to a google search and tsb# 031506 frequently. ford in the case of the 1996 contour gave a ten yr. coverage due to similar problem. *nm | |||
| 09/23/2006 | 54000 | 1 | |
| 2003 taurus ses-windshield leaks water into pass. side floor. *nm | |||
| 10/11/2006 | 43000 | 2 | 08/31/2005 |
| As with thousands of other 2003 taurus owners, i also have water leaking into the passenger side compartment from a design/manufacturing flaw. i also replaced the heater fan which i found to be full of water. i am also very, very unhappy with the idea that this is obviously a design flaw and ford won't make it right because they're not having their feet held to the fire by a government agency. but wait, there's more. the automatic transmission on this car has occasionally done what is called a neutral drop. while starting out from a stop in drive, the transmission has (on three occasions) not engaged until the engine has reached about 2000 rpm. the resultant effect from this surprise engagement can only be described as the feeling of having someone run into the back of the car. the car was taken to the dealer where it was purchased, tests were run with no error codes found for any transmission malfunctions. apparently the computer's memory is selective. i used to have a wife like that. i've purchased five fords since 1994 and have had serious design/manufacturer problems with all of them. do you think i'll buy another one? i have a long memory, and that's it for me. *nm | |||
| 09/01/2005 | 36000 | 1 | 03/01/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated water leaked between the windshield and the hood, which shorted out the fan to the compressor. due to the fan shortage, the heater and defroster did not work. the vehicle also leaks by the passenger floor. | |||
| 06/23/2006 | 32514 | 1 | 03/09/2003 |
| I have a 1993 ford taurus that leaked water from under the passenger side dash. then my ac switch went out. i took it to a mechanic and he said water had gotten into the blower motor and shorted out. he also had a 1992 taurus that he just repaied with the exact problem. the mechanic said it will need a new blower motor and resistor. also some kind of cowl is needed to prevent this again. *jb | |||
| 09/09/2006 | 24300 | 1 | 05/10/2005 |
| 2003 ford taurus blower motor stopped working and the windshield fogged up while driving. the problem was water getting into the blower motor area from the cowl area at the cabin filter. ford knows about this problem and has a tsb fix with a shield and weatherstrip. they tell you about the problem after the water has already caused the problem costing you $300 extra because now you need electrical problems fixed. *nm | |||
| 06/27/2006 | 45250 | 1 | 04/22/2003 |
| There was a known issue with the right cowl trim that allowed water to seep into the blower motor which caused the motor to rust out and stop working. if the failure happened within the 36,000 mile warranty it was fixed for free but if you were unlucky enough to have it fail afterwards ford says you are responsible. they knew about the issue but did not warn the consumer. i believe that since they knew about the problem all along they should be responsible for the repair. *nm | |||
| 04/23/2006 | 1 | 03/02/2006 | |
| Purchased used '03 taurus ses from non-ford dealer, on 3/2/06. april 22, after heavy rain noticed puddle of water on passenger side floor. following monday morning during drive to work...still raining and misty...windows fogging up...turn on heater/defogger/ac...not working! call dealer to advise of the water and heater/ac not functioning...advised still covered under 3/36 factory warranty...however, ford advised warranty expired 3/31/06. dealer then had their mechanic take a look...advised there's a leak behind firewall causing water to get in...and also cause of motor blower not working...est. $500-600 to repair...not including part for motor blower! they would need to contact ford about price on motor blower...i decide to check pricing online and discovered the numerous complaints from other consumers! contacted ford customer relations asking if they could make an exception on having covered under warranty as it was not quite 30 days beyond expiring. they contacted service mgr. at ford dealer closest to me...told that they would agree to repair work according to ford's guidelines and discount repair cost...i dropped car off today for them to asses the problem which will cost $80 on top of the $109 paid to other dealers mechanic. i'd left several messages with service mgr...to discuss...never called back! i put $4k down payment on this vehicle and only about to make 2nd car note...i'm certain that i, like many others who've complained, will be responsible for the costly repair. *nm | |||
| 04/21/2006 | 63000 | 10 | |
| Due to a design defect in ford taurus, water gets into the heater system causing the heater/air blower to fail. also, puddle of water on the passenger side of car causing carpet to smell. *nm | |||
| 03/03/2006 | 1 | ||
| 2003 taurus blower motor blew out per mechanic. this was a design flaw that caused water to enter into the air intake of the vehicle, entering the blower motor. *ts *jb | |||
| 01/22/2006 | 1 | 09/01/2003 | |
| Just like every one else. my heater blower quit working on all modes except high. then within a couple days high went out. i tested it and found the resistor to be bad, but when i by-passed it, the blower motor was also bad. that's when i knew there was more to the story than what i was seeing. i noticed that the resistor had rust on it. this was not good, when i opened the fan motor casing i found water in it. this is not supposed to happen. the seal is faulty (defective) . i researched and found out that there is a bulletin out on this at ford dealerships so ford is aware of this problem, but not obligated to tell customers. so if you still have a warranty it's covered only if you contact ford. if you do not have a warranty no longer than you are responsible to pay the bill. they have not put out a recall because not enough people have complained. most take it in to service and ford repairs and charges them, usually without telling them about the defective seal. i am currently fighting with the ford dealership and have called and made complaints. my vehicle is not fixed at the moment, but i am determined. they knew about this defective seal, but yet did not have the common courtesy to inform their customers and have the problem fixed before it cost approximately $400-$500 for those without warranty instead of saving the $300-$400 . something needs to be done about ripping off customers, and making them pay the price for another's knowing mistake. this leads to electrical problems and is a fire hazard lourie. *nm | |||
| 01/10/2006 | 50086 | 1 | 06/03/2003 |
| I purchased this car in spring of 2005 to buy american. i still will. weeks after purchase i noticed a leak on the passenger side. although under warranty, i paid dealership to repair. it seemed ok for a couple of months. when i go to the post office i keep important mail temporarily on the floor. after a long rain. i found my important mail sitting in a puddle, now my blower switch is not functioning, probably due to this leak. i am very disappointed. this was a new car to me. i want it permanently repaired for no charge. thank you. ford knows this is a problem. *nm | |||
| 04/10/2003 | 55000 | 1 | 02/28/2003 |
| The heater in my car failed. we called the ford parts department and they told me it was a known problem that the cowl, relay and blower failed due to water leakage. we took the car in they said the cost would be 400.00 which i could not afford at that time. now i have no choice winter is here and i need my heater working. there are numerous complaints about this problem its time ford fixes the problem at their cost not ours! i've also been told that i need front ball joints my car failed inspection. this car is only two years old i shoudn't be having these major problems. i can't remember the exact month or day i took the car into westbrook ford dealer but cost us 40.00 to tell me what i already knew the the blower didn't work because of water leakage. *nm | |||
| 12/06/2005 | 2000 | 3 | 06/10/2003 |
| Shortly after purchasing our 2003 ford taurus wagon, we noticed extensive water on the passenger side floor. we took car to newport ford, an authorized ford dealer. we were informed that there was a design defect which allowed water to overflow the rainhat and travel through the heater system to the floor. they fixed the problem under warranty. several months later, still under warranty, we noticed water on the passenger floor again. having moved, we took the car to howell motors of wright's corners, ny. they too were aware of the design defect, and were in possession of tsb # 04-15-3 which clearly indicates that this problem will lead to the failure of the blower motor, and/or blower motor resistor. we not being automobile mechanics, were not aware of the certainty of a defrost system failure. not knowing that this was a safety issue, we did not insist that they replace all the damaged components. last week, the defroster blower suddenly failed during the first snowstorm of the year. water and slush from passing traffic froze to the windshield reducing visibility to zero. was forced to limp home, stopping at gas stations to scrape and clean windshield. researched on internet, and learned that ford has issued a service bulletin for the exact problem we took the car in for twice while under warranty. took the car back to dealer and were informed that this was no longer a warranty issue, and were charged $ 267.26 for a new blower motor, to replace the one destroyed by the water pooling in the heater system. we argued that this should be covered by the warranty, as the car had been in twice previously, while under warranty, for the exact same problem. as the car was clearly unsafe to drive in upstate new york in the winter, we paid the dealer. ford is trying to pass this off as a comfort issue, while in reality, having zero visibility from the windshield is not only unsafe, but illegal in ny state. *nm | |||
| 11/01/2005 | 1 | 03/30/2005 | |
| Consumer discovered water leaking into vehicle. *ts *jb | |||
| 11/03/2005 | 46586 | 0 | 08/18/2004 |
| Water gathering on passenger side floorboard, told by ford that the cowling was simply plugged up by pineneedles and such. turns out that this problem is widespread among these vehicles, in some causing blower motor failure and dangerous conditions (uncontrollable fogging of windows). carpet is heavily damaged due to this flaw. | |||
| 08/30/2005 | 1 | 05/19/2004 | |
| Dt: contact owns a 2003 ford taurus ses. it is leaking in the front right passenger's side. the leak seems to be coming from under the dashboard. the contact said the problem has been fixed a couple of times, but it kept leaking. the first time she had it fixed was on 3-31-04. then on 5-27-04 she had it fixed again. the dealer repaired the cowl leak from monday. on 8-30-05 she had it repaired again. *ak | |||
| 05/01/2005 | 1 | 04/21/2003 | |
| 2003 ford taurus developed water seepage from the blower in the motor compartment onto the passenger side floor.*mr water leaked onto the front passenger side floor form the blower motor area. when the motor failed it did not blow out the fuse in that circuit. the consumer wonders if this failure could cause an engine fire. *nm | |||
| 05/20/2004 | 7 | 05/11/2004 | |
| The consumer noticed water leaking in the front passenger side every time it rains. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, but the mechanic could not duplicate the problem. also, while driving 40 mph, the vehicle vibrated uncontrollably, and the consumer was unable to shift the gears. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, however, the mechanic was not able to duplicate the problem. *ak there was a leak in the passengers floor, fumes and or odors from the water leakage, the transmission would stall out while in motion, the overdrive was not working properly, the blower motor made noises and was not blowing properly and the transmission jerked. the consumer requested a refund. *sc *jb | |||
| 07/07/2004 | 12 | 03/15/2004 | |
| Water leaks in the front passenger side everytime it rains. the harder it rains, the more water ends up in the car. the dealer put the kit in last sat to fix problem, however last nite i had more water in the car than on any other previous leaks. the car mat was full of water, and when i took that out the carpet underneath was under water. and now when you turn on the fan in the car it squeals. called dealer, can't do a dry out of the carpet or a repair for another week or 2 due to no courtesy car being available. and when they do the repair it will take 2 days because the dash has to be removed and it's either something in/behind the dash or it's the windshield (or both).*ak | |||
| 1 | 02/15/2003 | ||
| Water leaked through the seams in the roof whenever it rained or snowed. please provide any additional information. *nm | |||
| 09/23/2003 | 7200 | 5 | 05/01/2003 |
| There wa ca continuous water leak on the passenger side of the vehicle. the leak caused all the windows to fog up and obstructed the driver's vision. the dealer tried to repair the problem five times but with no success. *ak *nm | |||
| 01/02/2003 | 1 | 12/29/2002 | |
| Rust was found on the engine, wheel suspensions and pipes of a 2003 ford taurus. *mr the consumer found that the new vehicle had rust on the wheel suspension, the engine, and pipes. *scc *jb | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY | |||
| 11/23/2011 | 119000 | ||
| Water leak on passenger floor,shorted blower motor | |||
| 09/07/2011 | 98000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that there was a water leak on the front passenger side floorboard. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they advised him that they were unable to diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 98,000. the vin was unavailable. kmj | |||
| 09/07/2011 | 98000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that there was a water leak on the front passenger side floor board. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and they advised him that they were unable to diagnose the failure. the vehicle has not been repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 98,000. the vin was unavailable. tb | |||
| 05/10/2009 | 65000 | 1 | |
| I own a 03 ford taurus se, and on my car, and every other taurus i have seen on the roads around here, all have the same body defect leading to rust on both rear quarter-panels. *tr | |||
| 03/20/2003 | 0 | 1 | |
| The front driver-side door does not shut correctly, never has. it leaks rain water, and is loud do to air whisping through the weak seal while driving. i investigated the situation and found this to be a common defect in this make, year and model. i would have submitted this complaint in previous years but i was not aware of this website. *tr | |||
| 06/09/2008 | 48102 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. whenever it rains on the vehicle, the passenger side floorboard becomes wet. as a result, the engine shorts out. the contact did not notice any differences in the vehicle prior to the failure. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current and failure mileages were 48,102. | |||
| 10/18/2006 | 40000 | 2 | |
| Rain water is seeping onto the front passenger floor. apparently this water is rain water that somehow leaks from the front into the blower motor & then makes it way into the passenger floor. there is no prior accidental damage to the car causing this. this is a manufacturing defect that ford has published into in its technical bulletins. this is the second time it is happening to my 2003 ford taurus. the first time it happened, the blower motor & resistor had to be replaced. this also can cause short circuit & potentially electric fire in the car. ford should fix this manufacturing defect! other folks have reported the same problem also. *nm | |||
| 03/12/2006 | 15 | ||
| In 2004 i had the ford dealer repair a water leak that caused the passenger floor to fill with water in rain and car washes. i still have this problem today. my family also had this very same problem in 1995 on a ford contour. *nm | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR | |||
| 02/12/2008 | 73348 | 4 | |
| I purchased the car on 2/11/08 and then took it back to the dealer the next day because the door panel broke off and the car was idling high when i drive it. they knocked $1,000 off of the sales price and took off the ford warranty for this exchange and they wrote out another sales contract. a month later, the starter went out and i paid $200.00 to fix it (out of my pocket). then, on 4/7/08 when i was on my way to work, the car broke down again and i called raceway ford. the car dealer whom sold me the car told me that he don't know if they can help me and if they did fix it, he said he wouldn't know when it'll be ready because he's not a mechanic (in a very sarcastic tone). he told me to just call back when the manager arrive at 3 p.m. today. i had to get my car repaired the same day so i took my car to general automotive shop in moreno valley and paid $688.00 (out of my pocket) to get it repaired. after my car was repaired, on 4/7/08, i went to raceway ford and waited 15 minutes to talk to the sales manager, even though he was in his office, only 20ft away from where i was waiting, he sent his assistant manager to come out to talk to me because the assistant manager said the manager was too busy to handle the situation at this time. so, i explained all the problems i?ve had with the vehicle, which i purchased from them. the assistant manager made copies of my repair bills and told me that he promise he'll try to help me as best as he can and he'll call me back tomorrow (on 04/08/08). today is 4/10/08 and i haven?t heard from the manager or the assistant manager in regards to this dilemma. neither one of them has tried to contact me. i strongly believe that if they would have did a diagnostic on the vehicle before they sold it to me, this problem wouldn't even exist. *tr | |||
| 11/12/2005 | 19000 | 1 | 08/16/2003 |
| Front passenger side door had a sharp metal edge on bottom outer corner. the sharp edge sliced the passenger's leg, requiring 25 stitches to close the wound. *nm | |||
| 1 | 05/30/2003 | ||
| There is no key lock on the passenger side of vehicle. *mr the consumer realized she did not have a key lock on the passenger side door. the consumer had a remote control operated opener installed. ford informed the consumer they would not be responsible for the extra charge since that factor was part of the design. *scc *jb | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | |||
| 02/15/2004 | 1 | ||
| Driver was stopping at a traffic light and without warning passenger's door came ajar. passenger was able to shut the door. consumer took the vehicle to the dealership. *ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - HOOD | |||
| 10/08/2005 | 41100 | 1 | 07/29/2005 |
| Dt: the contact stated while driving at 55 mph her hood flew up and broke the windshield. this happened without warning. she was able to get vehicle off the road. it was towed to a wrecking yard, and someone would pick it up the next day. dealer said there was nothing they could do because it was a used car, and to call the manufacturer, who has not been contacted yet. the police came and a report was taken.*ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - TRUNK LID | |||
| 06/01/2005 | 42000 | 2 | 05/01/2005 |
| Dt: the contact states there is a nhtsa recall campaign 04v330000 concerning power adjustable seat.. this vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall, but it is not included in the recall due to vin. no repairs have been made. also, the power trunk lid lock. malfunctioned. the trunk will lock intermittently. the vehicle has not been seen by a dealer. *ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS | |||
| 08/17/2011 | 131000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. while driving at approximately 40 mph the steering wheel became difficult maneuver and control. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. the mechanic stated the front sub frame was corroded, causing the lower control arm to detach from the subframe. the vehicle had not been repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 131,000. vf | |||
| 08/17/2011 | 131000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. while driving at approximately 40 mph the steering wheel became difficult maneuver and control. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. the mechanic stated the front sub frame was corroded causing the lower control arm to detach from the subframe. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 131,000. ds | |||
| 02/15/2011 | 91000 | ||
| Sub frame rusted out on this 2003 ford taurus. 91000 miles on car. will not pass state inspection. | |||
| 02/16/2011 | 94000 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that while the vehicle was being inspected for a regular maintenance, the mechanic noticed that the sub frame was corroded. the dealer advised not to drive the vehicle and to have the sub frame replaced immediately. the manufacturer was contacted who did not offered any assistance do to the vehicle being out of warranty. the vehicle was not repaired. the vehicle identification number was not available. the failure and current mileage was 94,000. pm | |||
| 02/15/2011 | 91000 | ||
| Sub frame rusted out on this 2003 ford taurus. 91000 miles on car. will not pass state inspection. | |||
| 02/16/2011 | 94000 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that while the vehicle was being inspected for a regular maintenance, the mechanic noticed that the sub frame was corroded. the dealer advised not to drive the vehicle and to have the sub frame replaced immediately. the manufacturer was contacted who did not offered any assistance do to the vehicle being out of warranty. the vehicle was not repaired. the vehicle identification number was not available. the failure and current mileage was 94,000. pm | |||
| 04/11/2010 | |||
| The front driver side spring coil broke causing a large gash in the tire and instant deflation. had been parked in the driveway and shifted into reverse. pressed the gas pedal and the tire seemed to explode with a loud sound and debris. i understand that earlier models of the ford taurus have been recalled (breaking coil springs recall no. 04v332000) and fixed but the recall has not been extended to newer models. the problem still exists, the danger still exists and the cost to fix the problem still exists. | |||
| 04/28/2007 | 133000 | 100 | 02/09/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. while inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the subframe was loose. the contact stated that the vehicle and the steering wheel shake when driving at speeds of 60 mph or greater. the vehicle is experiencing the same failure as noted in nhtsa recall # 98v323000 (structure:frame and members). the manufacturer stated that the recall repair was previously remedied. the contact took the vehicle to the ford dealer who stated that the recall repair was not remedied. the engine size was unknown. the current mileage is 136,000 and failure mileage was 133,000. | |||
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS - UNDERBODY SHIELDS | |||
| 10/14/2004 | 1 | 08/09/2003 | |
| The fan on my 2003 ford taurus stopped working and when i took it to the garage they found that the fan and the resistor had shorted out because there was a crack in the cowl near the fire wall-i had to have a new fan,resistor, and the crack sealed. | |||
| 1 | |||
| While driving, something hit the underside of the car causing a hole in the floor pan. *la *scc *jb | |||