2000 Ford Taurus

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Problems owners report

Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.

AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.

Recalls

• NHTSA recall #04V332000July 15, 2004899,060 vehicles affected

  suspension: front: springs: coil springs

  On certain passenger vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia, the front coil springs could fracture due to corrosion associated with salt used on the roadways during the winter. A fractured spring could move past the spring seat and contact a front tire.

  If this occurs, the tire may rupture resulting in a rapid air loss, which could result in a crash.

  Remedy

  Dealers will install protective spring shields. In addition, Ford is extending the warranty coverage of the front coil springs in all other states, for fracture only, up to 10 years of service or 150,000 miles, whichever occurs first. If the vehicle has already accumulated more than 150,000 miles, this coverage will last until july 31, 2005. If either front coil spring fractures, dealers will replace both front springs at no charge to the owner. An interim notice was sent to owners on august 2, 2004. Parts are now available for the 2000-2001 my vehicles and owners were sent a letter on january 10, 2005, advising them to bring in their vehicles for repair parts are expected to be available for the 1999 my vehicles by the end of february 2005 and owners of these vehicles will be notified then. Owners should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.

• NHTSA recall #04V106000March 2, 2004938,789 vehicles affected

  exterior lighting: brake lights: switch

  Certain passenger vehicles are being recalled to correct a problem with a malfunctioning stop lamp switch and/or associated wiring. This malfunctioning could render the stop lamps inoperable or cause them to stay on all the time. This could cause confusion to a following driver, which could lead to a crash.

  In addition, if the switch and/or associated wiring fail in the open position, the brake lights will not actuate and the driver will not be able to shift the vehicle out of "park" if they fail in the closed position, the brake lights will remain on, which will not allow the speed control to be activated. This could also cause the battery to discharge.

  Remedy

  Dealers will remove the stop lamp switch and associated wiring assembly and install a newly designed stop lamp switch and wire assembly. Owner notification is expected to begin on april 5, 2004. Owners should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.

• NHTSA recall #02V266000October 2, 2002369,614 vehicles affected

  service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages

  Certain passenger vehicles equipped with adjustable padels are being recalled in order to adjust the brake and accelerator pedals to a minimum of 50 mm of lateral separation. Simultaneous application of both the brake and accelerator pedals could result in an increase in engine rpm.

  This could result in a customer experiencing an "unintended vehicle speed increase" or a perceived "unable to stop" condition.

  Remedy

  Owners will be instructed as to the proper way to set the position of the pedals and to take their vehicles to a dealer to have the spacing between the brake and accelerator pedals measured. If the spacing is found to be less than 50 mm, the dealer will adjust the pedals to increase the distance between them to greater than 50 mm. Owner notification began october 28, 2002. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

• NHTSA recall #01V258000August 8, 20011,083,000 vehicles affected

  visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor

  Vehicle description: passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, and light and medium duty pickup trucks. A switch located in the plastic cover of the wiper motor gear case could malfunction and overheat, potentially resulting in loss of intermittent wiper function, loss of wiper park function, complete loss of wiper function, or ignition of the plastic cover material. Switch malfunction is most likely to occur when the intermittent setting of the wipers is being used, or when snow or ice obstructs the blades from returning to the "parked" position at the bottom of the windshield. These vehicles were built at the following assembly plants: atlanta plant from 2/11/00 through 7/31/00; chicago plant from 2/14/00 through 8/4/00; kansas city plant from 2/26/00 to 9/4/00; kentucky truck plant from 2/18/00 to 8/31/00; michigan truck plant from 2/23/00 through 8/3/00; norfolk plant from 2/21/00 through 7/27/00; wayne stamping and assembly plant from 2/25/00 through 8/15/00; and wixom plant from 2/15/00 through 8/8/00.

  Loss of visibility while driving increases the risk of a crash.

  Remedy

  Dealers will inspect the date code on the wiper motor. Motors built with the suspect time frame will have the wiper motor gear case cover replaced. Owner notification began august 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

• NHTSA recall #01V075000March 12, 200174,000 vehicles affected

  exterior lighting: headlights: switch

  Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles. Due to the use of incorrect material by a supplier, the headlamp switch knob Can fracture and separate from the headlamp switch.

  This would cause difficulty for the driver to activate the headlamps, which could affect driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy

  Dealers will replace the headlamp switch knob. Owner notification began april 9, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.

• NHTSA recall #01V078000March 12, 2001157,000 vehicles affected

  exterior lighting: tail lights: switch

  Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with adjustable pedals. If the grease from the adjustable pedal assembly enters the stop lamp switch, it Can contaminate the contacts leading to carbon build up, and potentially, a short circuit.

  A short circuit could lead to either the brake lamps staying on, or to a loss of brake lamp function, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Remedy

  Dealers will replace the brake lamp switch and wipe down the adjustable pedal assembly to remove excess grease. Owner notification began march 22, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.

• NHTSA recall #01V048000February 28, 200128,000 vehicles affected

  exterior lighting: back up lights

  Vehicle description: passenger sedans with factory or dealer-installed deck lid spoilers with LED center high mounted stop lamps (chmsl). Vehicles produced with spoilers were manufactured from march 1 through october 31, 2000; and vehicles with spoilers installed by dealers were manufactured from january 1 thorough december 30, 2000. With the ignition switch in the start or run positions and the hazard warning lights operating, the chmsl Can illuminate (at reduced intensity) even though the service brakes have not been applied. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." also, in some cases the vehicle brake-shift interlock would not function properly, allowing the shift lever to be moved from park without applying the brake.

  Under the requirements of the standard, the chmsl shall be activated only upon appplication of the service brakes. Also, the vehicle could roll increasing the risk of a crash, if the shift lever Can be shifted out of park without depressing the brake pedal.

  Remedy

  Dealers will install a jumper/resistor assembly at the spoiler that provides an electrical resistor to ground and corrects the chmsl and brake-shift interlock conditions. Owner notification began march 19, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.

• NHTSA recall #00V242000August 24, 2000167,000 vehicles affected

  equipment: other: labels

  Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The "vehicle capacity weight" and "designated seating capacity" information was not printed on the safety certification labels affixed to these vehicles. On affected sable sedan vehicles, the "vehicles capacity weight" (and also the luggage load) information printed on this label is incorrect - sable wagon luggage load was incorrectly used for the sable sedan. These vehicles do not comply with the label requirements of FMVSS no. 110, "tire selection and rims."

  Excessive loading Can cause tire and vehicle damage that could result in a crash.

  Remedy

  Owners will be provided with a supplemental label with the correct information, along with instructions for affixing the label adjacent to the vehicle certification label. Owner notification began october 20, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.

Other model years

• 1986 101
• 1987 255
• 1988 333
• 1989 562
• 1990 381
• 1991 649
• 1992 681
• 1993 1,557
• 1994 923
• 1995 1,205
• 1996 825
• 1997 770
• 1998 545
• 1999 874
• 2000
• 2001 1,037
• 2002 1,426
• 2003 1,223
• 2004 375
• 2005 774
• 2006 318
• 2007 149
• 2008 175
• 2009 64
• 2010 204
• 2011 187
• 2012 79
• 2013 585
• 2014 229
• 2015 282
• 2016 87
• 2017 44
• 2018 52