Problems with 2005 Ford Taurus VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact was traveling 35 mph when vehicle abnormally accelerated after the accelerator pedal was no longer being depressed. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the mechanic confirmed that the cruise control caused the acceleration failure. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired and the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 85,000 and the current mileage was 110,000.

I was driving off a heavy traveled roadway, turning a exit ramp suddenly my 2005 taurus wagon suddenly accelerated without me placing my foot on the gas pedal. i had to slow the car down, putting it in neutral, hopping the car would stop. i nearly ran into the car in front of me and the car stopped. in discussing this with several family members in the family, they too experienced the same thing with the car quickly accelerating on its own. several weeks ago i attended a seminar in atlantic city, it began to snow and i traveled approximately 50 miles home in the ice and snow. i am surely glad that the car did not accelerate on its own at that time. a very serious safety feature. someone could have been killed. *tr updated 11/01/11

1. sudden unintended acceleration caused by speed control cable detaching from shaft on throttle body due to wear, 2. occurs every few days, can cause crash 3. temporary fix is to drill a hole and place a cotter pin thru the speed control cable end to retain the cable end to the shaft. *tr

I have a 2005 ford taurus with a little over 68,000 miles. while i was driving the car began to speed up on its own and became very difficult to stop. i would apply the brake but the car would not slow down very easily and i was almost in an accident because of this. i managed to pull the car off to the side of the road and placed it into park. even as the car was idling in park the rpms continued to go up. the car had to be towed to a local certified mechanic, who determined the problem to be the idle control solenoid. this incident was terrifying and i do not feel the car is safe anymore. *tr

My car began to try to rev up and try to go really fast . i had to slam on brakes and turn the motor off. after doing this i took it to a mechanics and was told my switch for the cruise control had popes off and stuck in my ignition and caused my car to accelerate. i almost killed myself several times. this also damaged my transmission. i have not been able to drive my car for years. i know nothing will be done but you should know. [xxx] . i will never buy another ford. i called in a complaint to your president year's ago and never got a response. if anyone cares my number is [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. while driving approximately 30 mph the vehicle accelerated up to 55-65 mph without her engaging the accelerator pedal. she engaged the brakes and turned the vehicle off in order to stop it. she restarted the vehicle and it began to function normally. the failure occurred 3 to 4 times in the past couple of days. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and she was advised that the cable for the cruise control needed to be replaced; however, the dealer had to order the parts. the approximate failure mileage was 48,800 and the current mileage was 48,843.

I have a 2005 ford taurus - we started having problems with the engine accelerating without touching the gas and having to slam on the break while getting it into neutral so we do not run into someone. my wife almost could not control the vehicle. we have heard throttle body, cruise control cable, etc. could be the cause. after finding many complaints, one where someone has died, i am surprised this is not a recall. someone needs to investigate or do more people need to die or do we need the media to get involved? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. while driving approximately 25 mph, the engine rpms began to increase abnormally as the vehicle independently accelerated. the contact applied the brakes and was able to come to a stop. the failure recurred when driving at various speeds intermittently. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing however, the mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure. there was a concurrent investigation under nhtsa action number: pe12033 (vehicle speed control:cruise control vehicle speed control:cables) that could have been related to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000. updated 01/15/13*lj the consumer stated at times the issue would resolve itself. other times the ignition had to be quickly shut off. the failure would occur in motion and at stopped. updated 1/23/2013*js

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. while driving approximately 30 mph, the driver disengaged the accelerator pedal but noticed that the vehicle would not decelerate. the vehicle eventually decelerated on its own. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a diagnostic test. the mechanic stated that the end of the cruise control cable became loose from the throttle and caused the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact disconnected the cable to avoid a recurrence of the failure. there was an investigation under nhtsa action number pe12005 (vehicle speed control:cables) that may be related to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 68,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the cruise control engaged independently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the cruise control cable was fractured and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 71,152 and the current mileage was 83,915.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact was driving 40 mph when the acceleration pedal became stuck in open throttle position. the contact had to abruptly stomp on the pedal in order for it to release. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that the throttle or the vehicle speed control cable failed and caused the failure. the dealer advised that the cables would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 110,000 and the current mileage was 126,000. the consumer stated sudden acceleration caused the transmission to fail, due to the strain of trying to slow the vehicle down. updated 08/22/12

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact stated that his wife was involved in an accident which resulted in her death. the vehicle was totaled. there was no one else in the vehicle. the police report stated that the driver ran a stop sign and was hit on the driver side by another vehicle which caused the fatality. the contact stated that before the incident, the accelerator pedal had occasionally stuck and the contact believed that to be the cause of the accident. the contact spoke with a local dealer who stated that they had heard of no such failures with the model. the current and failure mileages were approximately 260,000. updated 01/11/2011*lj updated 02/28/11

The accelerator would continue to race after i remove my foot from the pedal. i have to pump the pedal for it to stop accelerating. the cruise also would stop working about the same time. what was happening was the cruise cable was getting in the way of the throttle and making it stick. i just had this repaired at a dealership. *tr

2005 ford taurus - we have begun experiencing problems with surging rpm's/acceleration, which recently almost caused my wife to get into an accident. replacing the throttle control sensor did not resolve. the cruise control also stopped working. this needs to be investigated and a recall initiated before deaths result. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact stated while driving 40 mph, the vehicle accelerated on its own. the contact then applied the brakes with extreme pressure and the vehicle failed to slow down. she then shifted into neutral when the vehicle finally stopped. the rpms increased to 5000. the dealer was informed about the failure and advised the contact to bring the vehicle in for diagnostic testing. the failure occurred one additional time. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 72,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the accelerator pedal became stuck. the contact shifted into neutral in order to tap the pedal until it became dislodged. this failure recurred twice and the dealer was contacted who advised that the vehicle had previously been inspected for the same failure with lubrication to the cruise control cable. the vehicle was not further repaired. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 94,000.

I was in the process of parking my car and when i put it into park the engine revved up and had to turn off the car as it would not throttle down. the second time i was driving, was applying brakes and started to drive and engine revved up, had to brake and then turn car off. third time i was starting vehicle and engine revved up, had to turn off. the cruise control cable was replaced on the vehicle less than a year after i purchased. *tr

2005 ford taurus sel. 91,00 miles. the gas pedal sticks and the car accelerates without depressing the gas pedal. the mechanics i have spoke with are blaming anything from the throttle body to a defective cruise control cable. i am not driving the car due to the dangerous condition. i have researched other complaints on the internet regarding this problem wit the 2005 taurus. i am concerned. is there anything the dot can do to determine if this is a defective issue with the ford taurus? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact stated that while driving uphill at 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and did not stop when the brakes were depressed. the contact shifted into neutral which was followed by an increase in the engine rpms. the engine had to be shut off to stop the failure. after waiting a few moments, the vehicle was driven home and then to a dealer. the dealer inspected the vehicle and stated that the vehicle speed control experienced a shortage and needed to be replaced. the contact informed the dealer to disconnect the vehicle speed control and she did not plan on replacing it. the manufacturer was notified and stated that there were no recalls. no further assistance was provided. the failure mileage was 123,410 and the current mileage is 143,000. updated 05/21/12 *bf updated 05/23/12

Just purchased a 2005 ford taurus and noticed immediately that the car was accelerating faster than other cars do, possibly the engine? however after searching the database and finding there is obviously an issue with the vehicle speed control. why has this vehicle not been recalled, and why was i sold a vehicle with defects that an auto dealership should be more aware of because they are mechanics? *tr

You would accelerate up to speed, then after taking your foot off the accelerator the car kept at that speed.the cruise control was not on. this happened multiple times,i would put the car in neutral and press the accelerator to bring it back to normal. had it fixed by independent mechanic and was told the cruise control was getting caught. i just called ford motor co because it is happening again at 194000 miles.was told they know nothing about the problem.very dangerous when this occurs. *tr

While driving decelerating to a stoplight, the engine would rev upto 5k rpm. i would have to jam on the brakes and place the car into park and turn off engine. another incident was to step on the gas pedal to stop the revving. took it to a local mechanic, couldn't find any problems until the mechanic took a test drive and it happened to him. he claims there was carbon in the manifold intake and cleaned it up. only happen once since then (last month 2/2012). *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact's wife was driving approximately 40 to 45 mph when the rpms increased excessively. the brakes were engaged several times before the vehicle came to a stop. the identical failure occurred twice. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, the technician stated that the failure was related to the cruise control cable interference with the accelerator pedal. the cruise system needed to be replaced for $600.00. the vehicle was taken to the dealer twice and was informed that the repair cost was $180. the vehicle was being repaired when the complaint was filed. the failure mileage was approximately 62,000. updated 9/13/10 *cn the consumer stated while his wife was driving, the engine went into a high acceleration mode and locked up. she removed her foot from the accelerator pedal and applied the brakes. the consumer stated he banged on the accelerator pedal which finally broke loose. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer and upon inspection, it was determined the vehicle had a faulty cruise control cable that needed to be replaced at a cost of $600.00. updated 09/15/10*jb updated 09/10/12. *jb

I have been in the automobile service industry for the past 40+ years as a technician, technician trainer, service manager, and shop owner. in my present capacity i manage a service department for a franchise which supplies used vehicles to the supreme credit market. the number one selling vehicle for us is the 2000 - 2006 ford taurus. in the last 6 months i have had two complaints of sudden vehicle acceleration for no apparent reasons. after test driving the vehicles and duplicating the complaints i found that the cruise control cable end which connects to the throttle linkage becomes unable to remain connected to the throttle lever tab on the throttle body linkage due to wear over time. when it becomes disconnected it will catch on the throttle linkage tab during deceleration at times and cause the idle speed to stay elevated even the accelerator pedal is not applied, the increase in rpm causes intake manifold vacuum to decrease which decreases the power brake booster assist, this coupled with the increased rpm makes the vehicle extremely difficult to stop. i am aware of one possible occurrence which may have resulted in an accident. i believe it would be in the interest of a multitude of motorists to look into this potential safety issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact stated that when driving 35 mph and above, the vehicle would accelerate abnormally. the failure would occur intermittently and the accelerator pedal would become stuck in the open throttle position. the contact would have to apply constant, heavy pressure to the pedal before it would release. when the contact was able to stop the unintended acceleration, the engine would continue to exhibit an unusual increase in engine rpms. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the a diagnostic was not performed, and the throttle was cleaned at the contact's expense. the failure recurred within two weeks. the manufacturer advised the contact to have a diagnostic performed on the vehicle, but would provide no further assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 107,000.

When driving along between 30-40 miles per hour in my 2005 ford taurus, my car will accelerate when my foot is off the gas pedal. i have to press hard on the brake and put it in neutral, at which time the engine revs up. i then jazz the gas pedal a few times and this stops the speeding. i have had it to the shop 3 times. first time they said it was a carbon buildup and cleaned this carbon. second time they said it was the floor mat and removed the mat. it is now in for the third time and continues with the same problem. very dangerous. i have a 16 and 18 year old that drive this vehicle and just want it fixed and safe to drive. *tr

Highway driving at 55-65 mph sometimes the accelerator sticks on my 2005 fort tarus sel. this happens about once or twice a week, but more frequent over the last week. nothing has been done as of date to correct it. i researched on line if anyone else is having the problem and what they did. i found quite a few people with ford are having the same problem.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. while driving approximately 5 mph, the brake pedal was engaged repeatedly and the vehicle continued to accelerate. the contact shifted into neural in order to slow down into a complete stop. the failure occurred on three different occasions. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. there was an open investigation associated with the failure under nhtsa action number: pe12005 (vehicle speed control: cables). the manufacturer had been notified of the malfunction. updated 04/06/12*lj updated 04/13/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the vehicle suddenly acceleration up to 7,000 rpms. the contact quickly applied the brakes and shifted into neutral. the high engine rpms continued as the brakes were depressed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who stated that the vehicle speed control needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 140,000 and the current mileage was 149,000.

On numerous occasions since purchasing the car in 2006 i have experienced the engine accelerating without any application of pressure to the gas pedal. there is no specific speed at which this happens. it has happened while idling at a stop light and traveling at 60 mph. "punching" the accelerator has caused the racing to stop but on other occasions it has not and i have had to pull off to the side of the road in neutral and wait for it to stop. *tr

My car accelerated starting at 30 mph and kept climbing. i got it stopped with much effort in the middle of the road. when i restarted it, the engine raced uncontrollably. it was checked by my boyfriend (a auto service manager for 20 years) and found the cruise cable was loose but holding the accelerator. he disconnected the cable to the side and drove it ok. then the cable slide back into place and it did it again. it you check the chat rooms you will find that many people have had the same problem!!!. the cost of repair has kept me from getting it repaired and the dealers refuse to even goodwill repair it, knowing that it was a common problem. i am afraid to drive the car, but it is the only vehicle i have. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle unintendedly increased acceleration. the contact shifted into the park position in order to reduce the speed to a complete stop. the engine was turned off and restarted twice before the vehicle was able to resume normally. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the throttle body control module; however the failure continued to occur after the repair was performed. the vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic for a second time and the cruise control cable was disconnected. there was currently an open investigation associated with nhtsa action number pe12005 (vehicle speed control:cables). the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 25,000.

I have a 2005 ford taurus with 85,000 miles. within the last week the throttle would stick when the vehicle was in motion causing an increase in speed without applying any pressure to the accelerator. i had to apply pressure to the brake to regain control of the speed of the vehicle but the engine would still idle high. due to the sudden increase in speed on a couple of occasions i almost lost complete control of the vehicle and would have hit the vehicle in front had i not veered off to the side of the road and place the vehicle in park while it was still running and idling high. i called my local dealer who advised me that they had seen a sudden increase of this type of issue and that they were cleaning or decarbing the throttle but if it had to be replaced they would let me know. on the way to the dealer, the vehicle again started to accelerate on it's own and i had to get off the highway and try and control the vehicle speed by applying pressure on the brakes. i dropped off my vehicle on 2-12-2010. according to the dealer, not only did they have to clean the throttle but i had to have my injectors cleaned as well as replace the cruise control cable. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the accelerator pedal became stuck while driving 55 mph and the vehicle failed to stop. the contact was able to safely drive into a parking lot turn the vehicle off and back on. a local mechanic replaced the entire throttle body for $300. the ford manufacturer was called and stated since there were no existing recalls the contact would assume responsibility for the repair costs. the failure mileage was 103,989.

I own a 2005 ford taurus. in january 2010, the gas pedal started to stick. in order to slow the car, i have to stand on the brake pedal and put the car in neutral. when i have regained control of the car while it is in neutral, i jazz the gas pedal and it pops up audibly. this has been happening with increasing frequency. the car has been to the ford dealer 4 times for this problem and it remains unresolved. i am requesting a safety recall on this vehicle before a serious accident occurs. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact stated that the vehicle experienced a failure with the cruise control cable that caused the vehicle to accelerate unexpectedly. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the cruise control actuator, cruise control cable and the throttle valve were replaced. the failure mileage was 71,796 and the current mileage was 77,000. updated 4/2/12 *cn the consumer stated the throttle was sticking. updated 04/16/12

Throttle sticks and the engine idles as high as 2,500 rpm without applying any pressure to gas, causing the car to increase its speed without touching the gas. even when applying the brakes, the car is difficult to stop and i must allow additional room to stop because the car is accelerating on its own while i'm applying the brakes. this occurs at random and approximately 1-3 times daily. the severity of the unwarranted acceleration seems to become more obtrusive as the mileage increases. i'm disappointed and frankly shocked that ford has not issued a recall for this potentially dangerous faulty accelerator, especially considering they have been notified by many other concerned consumes such as myself. until then, i can only hope the brakes can continue to overpower the accelerator that seems to have a mind of its own. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. while driving approximately 30 mph, the contact removed his foot from the brake pedal and the vehicle suddenly accelerated. after placing the vehicle in neutral and depressing the accelerator pedal continuously, the vehicle came to a stop. the failure recurred at various speeds. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics. the technicians stated that the cruise control cable and torque converter would have to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred two years later. there was an investigation under nhtsa action number: pe12005 (vehicle speed control:cables) that could possibly have been related to the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact stated that the vehicle would exhibit relatively high engine rpms and would accelerate without driver intent at intervals of ten minutes. in addition, the brake pedal would become unusually hard and resistant when the vehicle would accelerate. the contact confirmed on one occasion while driving at speeds of 30 mph, he crashed into the rear of another vehicle due to the unintended acceleration. the vehicle was inspected by an engineer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. the failure mileage was 102,296 and the current mileage was 103,296.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. while driving between 50-55 mph there was an unintended acceleration without application of the accelerator pedal. after several minutes, she was able to resume normal vehicle operation. the failure and current mileages were 160,000. the vin was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. while driving 30 mph the accelerator pedal became stuck. after repeated brake application he was able to decelerate. the vehicle was taken to a local repair facility, and a mechanic cleaned the throttle body. the failure resurfaced, so the vehicle was taken back to the repair facility. the mechanic noticed that the detent cable was disconnected from its anchor on the throttle body. it was repaired temporarily until the cable part was ordered. the failure and current mileage was 50000. updated 04/13/10.*lj updated 10/07/10

While driving my daughter to school this morning, my car began to accelerate. my foot was not on the gas pedal and my car was going 60 mph. i slowed down by using the brake, but as soon as my foot was off the brake my car began to quickly accelerate again. i put my car in neutral and the rpm's went up to 5. i had to put it in park and shut it off. this happened a total of 4 times in about 30 minutes. had the same problem a few months ago and the ford dealership said it was something with the cruise control. they disconnected the cable and ordered a new one. it helped for a few months. i was surprised to see numerous complaints about the same thing on your website. i don't understand why there has not been a recall. although i have not seen any accidents or crashes associated with these complaints, rest assured it is only a matter of time. citizens are expected to act responsibly by following the laws, paying their taxes, carrying automobile insurance, etc. why are the automobile makers not being held to the same standards of responsibility? *tr

Have a 2005 ford taurus flex fuel. when stopped at a stop sign it accelerated like the gas pedal was to the floor! had to put it in neutral to stop it. now all of a sudden my steering wheel is making a strange sound like marbles rolling around in it and my cruise control won't engage. the light on the dash board lights up as though it is working but you take your foot off the gas and it slows down. i have seen recalls for the taurus before and after the 2005 model for fire hazard with the cruise control going out but not for the 2005. they need to recall it and fix before a class action lawsuit is filed or someone dies! *tr

On two separate occasions that i remember i experienced excessive speed due to the cruise control cable coming detached and catching on the throttle cable. one instance occurred on the highway while driving at 65 mph, and the car accelerated to over 85 mph without warning. the brakes could not slow the car, nor could lifting up the gas pedal. the second instance occurred while on an off-ramp from a highway and through an intersection. i was driving at 35 mph when the car sped to 45 mph. braking only slowed the car minimally. on both occasions i was able to have the car stop accelerating by actually pushing on the gas pedal and unknowingly causing the cruise control cable to unhook itself from the throttle cable. i took a look under the hood after the incidents and noticed the issue, i zip-tied the cruise control cable in place but would appreciate this matter taken care of before someone gets hurt. *tr

2005 ford taurus continued to accelerate after taking foot off gas to begin to brake as traffic started to slow. i began to apply full pressure to the brake to slow the vehicle, but the car was still trying to accelerate. i was able to get the car to stop in traffic and i parked the car, turned it off and restarted it. after this the acceleration was normal. however, my wife and i have had this same problem on numerous occasions and had once had ford check the vehicle, but they stated that they found nothing wrong it. i have noticed that if i tap the gas pedal during acceleration, the car might stop surging and a loud pop can be heard. the most recent occurrence was 3/12/12. *tr

During warmer months vehicle will accelerate on its own. the speed is about 30 mph up pass 60mph. you have to push the gas pedal to floor to stop the acceleration. we have taken to ford dealership several times. they find nothing . we have almost had several accidents. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford taurus. the contact stated that when the vehicle was stopped, the rpms would increase excessively. the dealer was notified of the failure who advised the contact that there were no recalls for the vehicle. the contact had previously experienced the failure and the dealer replaced the throttle cable. the manufacturer was notified of the recurring failure who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 62,000.

Our company has 2 of the 2005 ford taurus. both bought new from ford dealer. within weeks of each other in year 2009, we experienced major problem with both. the vehicles would accelerate while driving and if cruise control was on at the time, the driver could not brake or turn cruise off to get vehicle to slow down. this first happen on the highway. then it happened on city street at stop, both vehicles would rev rpms when at a stop to the point that the driver would have to keep both feet on the brake described as "with as much force as they could" and put car in neutral to keep vehicle still. these were both taken to the dealership at which they bought and no recall had shown up for the service dept. after two attempts to fix what they thought was wrong, to no avail, the service dept finally experienced it first hand while bringing vehicle in to service dept. not sure what the fix finally entailed. i have recently read an article speaking of the investigation into stuck throttle on the 2005 models and wanted to make sure these incidents were reported. we still have these vehicles in our fleet. *tr

Our company has 2 of the 2005 ford taurus. both bought new from ford dealer. within weeks of each other in year 2009 both experienced major problem. the vehicle would accelerate while driving and while at stop. driver could not brake to deactivate cruise or put car in neutral to slow down. rpms revved very high. driver had to keep both feet on brake to keep car from moving when at stop. both taken to ford dealership for work. different things were done to prevent. i have recently read an article on investigation into this same problem. i felt it important to relay this information. *tr

I took my car in to maroone ford in delray beach fl for an oil change and the service advisor suggested i get an induction flush,since that time my car has surged now and then without any notice. i will be driving and the car takes off like the throttle is stuck and i usually have to turn off the car engine to fix it. *tr