Problems with 2003 Ford Taurus EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Brake lights failed, has adjustable pedals, and when i bought a switch from ford, the insert mentioned a recall 04s12, local ford dealer denied the recall.

My interior light stays on while i'm driving, and will stay on 2-3 hours after the engine has stopped.

Brake lights came on would not turn off. brake switch needs to be replaced. battery died thanks .in motion on street

All my lights work except my brake lights and nobody can figure it out. also know i have to start it in numeral only. it was stationary i think i just know it happen at the same time and no body knows why

My car had caught on fire and the police officer and the firemen said it was a electric fire. my car was sitting in front of my apartment building at 8:30 p.m. and that between 3 and 4 a.m. a car that caught on fire and i was not even driving it was just sitting there park.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact was being signaled by other drivers that the rear brake lights were illuminated all the time until the brake pedal was depressed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection and the mechanic notified the contact of the failure. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the contact also stated that there was a recall issued in 2004 for the same type of failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 212,000. updated 05/10/16*lj *tr

Driving 6am today both my headlights turned off while driving. they turned back on 5 second later but that is the second time it has happened within the last 30 days. also dashboard lights turned off and on random times for the last year even this morning but different time then headlight issue.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that the vehicle was able to start after several attempts, but failed to shift out of park. in addition, the tail lights failed to function. the failure occurred on several occasions. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

The car was driving down the street and stopped. when i pressed to accel the transmission did'nt pull over 15 feet and stopped pulling. it was the torque converter that had gon out. and then i get a letter in the mail about other recalls but not on the transmissions. i worked for ford for 27 years as an engineer and built transmissions under recalls. i have no idea about these paople! but the 2004 has that recall.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that the brake lights failed to illuminate and the transmission would not shift out of park. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop who replaced the brake light switch and the wire assembly. the vehicle was repaired. the contact was not included in recall nhtsa campaign id number: 04v106000 (exterior lighting). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 128,000.

Vehicle exhibits failure state as detailed in ford recall 04s12. vehicle has failed in the same manner multiple times in the past, however cannot document what exact days the vehicle has failed in such a manner. the stop light switch/wiring has failed in the closed position once, in the open position twice, including today, and the vehicle's vin was never entered as part of recall 04s12. *tr

I woke up on 7/19/14 to find my 2003 ford tauruses battery dead. this seemed strange since the battery was new and the alternator was in great shape. not sure why my battery was dead, i jumped the car and drove somewhere. when i parked my car, i noticed the brake lights continued to illuminate after shutting the engine off. i tried tapping on the brakes, but the brake lights continued to illuminate. i researched the issue and found a ford recall (04s12) for 2003 ford taurus that said brake lights would stay on all the time. the recall covered the replacement of a brake light switch. the ford dealership said that my vin did not qualify under the recall. i had the dealership replace the switch anyways at my cost. the replacement brake light switch fixed the issue. the recall needs to be expanded to cover my vin. *tr

There is a recall on my car, but my vin was never entered. therefore a notice was never sent out to recall the vehicle. ford randall reed and reynolds ford in oklahoma city refused to do the recall repair. the ford customer service rep confirmed my car came from the plant that had the recall and that there was never a repair/notice because the vin hadn't been entered. they gave another phone number, but that number only speaks to dealerships. my car will not shift out of park. my mechanic is [xxx]at midas on nw 23rd phone: [xxx] ford has been giving him the run-around, but he is trying to resolve the issue of my vin not being reported. the recall went out in april 2004t he campaign # 04v106000. this defect can cause a crash. recall id # 41871 - exterior lighting:brake lights:switch hide details recall date: mar 02, 2004 model affected: 2003 ford taurus summary: 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. consequences: 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. . information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

There is a recall on my car, but my vin was never entered and notice was ever sent out to recall the vehicle.i had problems with insurance because of the vin, maybe the vin should be [xxx]. ford randall reed and reynolds ford in oklahoma city refused to do the recall repair. the ford customer service rep confirmed my car came from the plant that had the recall and that there was never a repair/notice because the vin hadn't been entered. they gave another phone number, but that number only speaks to dealerships. my car will not shift out of park. my mechanic is [xxx]at midas on nw 23rd phone: [xxx]ford has been giving him the run-around, but he is trying to resolve the issue of my vin not being reported. the recall went out in april 2004 the campaign # 04v106000. this defect can cause a crash. recall id # 41871 - exterior lighting:brake lights:switch hide details recall date: mar 02, 2004 model affected: 2003 ford taurus summary: 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. consequences: 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. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6), *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that while parked, she attempted to shift the gear into reverse but she was unable to move the gear shifter out of park. the contact was able to place the vehicle in reverse after applying excessive force to the brake pedal. additionally, the contact noticed the tail lights illuminated while the vehicle was shut off. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign number: 04v106000 (exterior lighting) that could have been related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 46,000. *tr

My battery discharge light came on then the abs light, the brake light and others. i have taken it to a repair shop and neither he nor i can find the battery drain. the computer doesn't show anything. at times if its raining the wipers go as does the heat or air blower. i have also noticed the transmission not shifting correctly. my main concern is the engine stopping or the brakes not working and i have had my wipers not work in a rain storm . any advice? *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that after turning off the vehicle the brake and the exterior light remained illuminated. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 83,118.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact was unable to shift from park into drive unless the brake pedal was engaged repeatedly. in addition, the rear brake light failed to illuminate when applying the brake pedal. the failure recurred intermittently. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 04v106000 (exterior lighting: brake lights: switch) however the contact's vin was not included in the recall campaign. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the failure mileage was 128,000. updated 6/4/12 *cn updated 06/07/12 *js

2003 ford taurus. consumer writes in regards to a road hazard concerning plastic lens *tgw the consumer stated the plastic headlight lenses turn yellow, not allowing light to be radiated through them. *jb

On the above date the transaxle in this car quit working. the torque converter broke a gear. it is my understanding this is prevalent in the 2003 ford taurus and the 2003 windstar vans. ford recalled the windstars but not the taurus'. i had it ,the transaxle,rebuilt and put only 3000 to 3200 miles from the date of this repair. about 5 weeks ago the same thing happened. it is my understanding this is a prevalent problem with these vehicles. now in regards to the lighting, the manufacturers should take the responsibility of replacing those damned "yellowed" out headlight lens on just about 99% of the cars that have them. this should be a major recall due to the hazard they can cause while driving at night. we the american people cannot afford the cost to replace this dangerous unsafe features on almost all vehicles produced by all auto manufacturers since the 90's. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus ses. the contact stated that while driving at low speeds, the vehicle would no longer accelerate. after trying to restart it to no avail, it was undrivable and had to be towed. the vehicle has not been inspected nor repaired. the dealer was contacted and they advised him that the trans axle had possibly failed and needed to be replaced. the failure and current mileages were approximately 113,000. updated 08/05/11*lj the consumer also stated head light lenses turned yellow, not allowing much light to radiate out of them and it was very difficult to drive at night. updated 09/14/11. *jb updated 01/30/12. *jb

On the date above and then again on feb,2015 the transaxle quit working, it would not go anywhere. had it rollbacked to my house both times at a cost of $50 per tow. the cost to repair and or replace the transaxle was :2011: $1,400; 2015: $1,700. the car at the 2nd. rework/exchange (the trans shop replaced rather than rebuild mine) had only 125,000 miles. it is my understanding the transaxles in these generation ford tauruses were prone to transaxle failure, as were the ford windstars as both vehicles used the same transaxle. upon studying up on these problems it seems ford motor co. recalled the windstar and called it a bad torque converter causing the problems. why did they not recall the tauruses also, answer: amount of vehicles produced of each model and their feet were not "held to the fire" by ya'll and our gov.. now to get to the lighting problem: the most safety hazardous item which has been installed on vehicles in the last 15-20 years is those damned "plastic lensed headlights" that within 3 years will "fog over" to the extent they do not produce enough light to be usefull at night. oh they say you can clean them, of which i have tried on my taurus, to not much avail. i believe the auto manufacturers should be ordered thru a recall from you to replace them at no cost to us owners. if you will check, you will see a replacement of those "wunderfull" invention , known as bullcrap, lens will set an owner of the vehicles around $500 to $700 per pair installed. and must be adjusted by a dealers only equipment. i my self do not believe in todays world 125,000 - 129,000 miles is a lot. if the truth were known the "yellowed out" headlights have been the cause of a lot of nite time accidents. do your job and go after them and make them replace with new transaxles and torque converters and at the same time make them replace the yellowed out headlight lenses.

Ford taurus 2003 ses, engine 3.0l car was purchased on may 28, 2011. left side electrical along with components of the turn signal snap back when attempting to use this safety feature made for vehicles. on 06/15/2011 the front right brakes of the vehicle went out and required the vehicle to be towed to a local repair shop. during the drive home which was from a distance of about 20 miles i experienced uncontrollable steering and almost lost control of the vehicle. the replaced brake caliper bolt came loose and was lost along the highway. on 07/19/2011 after the vehicle was towed back to the repair shop the a/c compressor had failed again along with the transmission as the transmission was slipping roughly during normal driving conditions. the vehicle was towed and was blowing hot, brakes grinding, transmission flare shifting 2-3 shift. repair shop stated slipping at 30mph and stated rebuilt transmission. during a week period around 07/22/2011 the brakes were grinding again and the lower ball joints were installed. transmission slipping around 30mph and ac was still blowing hot. transmission was rebuilt during this time frame due to flare shift 2-3 shift. vehicle was towed back to the shop each time. 08/17/2011 check engine light on, transmission does not shift, grinding noise when accelerate and brake, a/c blows hot. on 08/31/2011 the transmission would not shift, stated need to replace all electronics in transmission, one or more solenoids are defect. 09/12/2011 odometer 112377 out o. on 09/20/2012 mil 140,768. balanced 55 series and above rear right wheels balanced parts for flat with plug. vehicle was inspected for power steering fluid and it was normal. the vehicle jumps when put in reverse and into gear and seems to want to stay on cruise control. i will post further comments to my complaint as there is not enough space for facts. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated while driving 20 mph, the exterior lights and the instrument panel lights failed simutaneously. the light would remain off for approximatley five to ten seconds before re-illuminating. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were contacted to report the failure. the failure mileage was 55,000.

The interior gauge lights have gone out. some remain on but it is very hard to see the speed, gasoline level, etc. due to the blown lights. this presents a hazard when driving as you cannot see the instrument cluster. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. when the contact drove the vehicle into the garage he noticed that the brake lights remained illuminated. the contact also noticed that he was not able to engage the cruise control at any speed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed the failure and confirmed that it was the brake light switch. the vehicle wasnt repaired because the brake light switch was on back order. the manufacturer advised the contact that the vin wasn't included in recall 04v106000 exterior lighting: brake lights: switch; therefore they will not assist with the repair. the failure and the current mileages were 133,000.

Power windows will not roll up or down, mirrors do not work, inside lights are out. ford replaced gem module a couple of years before for the same problem costing me money at that time. when the windows would not roll up or down, ford would replace fuse and in a few minutes the fuse would blow, again and again they did this and now they are not interested in fixing the problems since the vehicle is older and not under warranty and they claim fixing it would cost more than the vehicle is worth. i have a very good vehicle and would like to use the windows and mirrors and especially the lights inside and i feel this is definitely a safety hazard to me since i travel alone a lot each year. i have contacted ford and they repeatly state that they do not have any recalls and are not aware of such problems. i even sent them websites from people who are having these problems with the windows. all you have to do is goggle: taurus window problems and there are numerous owners with this problem. hope you can help with this matter as ford is not listening to us..... *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated the exterior brake lights would remain illuminated despite if the vehicle was on or off. the contact was able to locate a recall and when contacting the dealer, was informed his vin was not included with the recall (nhtsa campaign id number 04v106000 (exterior lighting: brake lights: switch). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were unknown.

I having so much trouble issues on this car i want refund money for this was $1,900 refund back to me...updated 11/13/15 *bf *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the rear brake lights remain on even after the vehicle was turned off. the vehicle was taken to the dealership and a technician concluded that the entire rear braking electrical system needed to be replaced. no repairs were made. the current and failure mileages were 72000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that the plastic headlight was turning yellow abnormally and causing the lights to illuminate extremely faint. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer but the vehicle was not repaired. the contact stated that he would have to utilize the high beam lights for adequate illumination of the roadway at night. the failure mileage was 85,000 and the current mileage is 110,000 updated 3/14/11 *cn updated 04/28/11

I have an issues.

Dash lights won't work except for hazard lights which stay on at all times when light switch activated. all other interior and exterior lights work. started during cold months but would resolve when car warmed up. now the lights are totally out. this is a safety hazard since i cannot see the gauges as i am driving to and from work in the dark. it seems to be a crossed wire or circuit board malfunction. tried to explain problem to local dealership, had appointment and then they wanted it to sit there for 3 days while technician who started the work was off!! it will be going to a new dealership on monday! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that the plastic covers for the headlights were turning yellow. when he cleans them, they return to yellow within six days. the failure causes poor visibility while driving at night. the dealer and manufacturer were not notified. the failure mileage was 92,180.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. after the vehicle was turned off, the contact noticed that the brake lights remained illuminated, which caused the battery to discharge. the dealer stated that her vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 04v106000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch); therefore, the contact would be liable for the repair costs. she is in the process of having the vehicle repaired. the failure and current mileages were 116,349. update 09/10/08*cw updated 09/15/08*jb

Transmission failed in "park" and unagble to shift to any gear. car towed to ford dealership where the brake light switch and connector harness was replaced, part # 3f1z-13480. *tr

Automatic headlights malfunction. turn off unexpectedly while driving the vehicle. nearly caused accident a few times brought vehicle back to dealer charged 50 dollars to repair within 2 weeks same thing happened again. now turn headlights on manually. could have been seriously injured on turnpike when they malfunctioned drive totally blind till light switch was turned on manually. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the brake lights do not work properly. a problem with the malfunctioning stop lamp switch and/or associated wiring has caused the stop lamps to become inoperable. the vehicle will not start unless placed in neutral. there is an nhtsa recall, # 04v106000, regarding the exterior lighting: brake lights: switch. the vin was not included in the recall.

Over a year ago, i noticed that it was hard to get the gear shift to move from the park position to drive or reverse in the 2003 ford taurus. no matter how hard i tried i could not get the car into gear. finally, something told me to push down on the brake pedal,hard, and then it would release. i would do this for a few days and then it would not happen again for months. each time that this occurred it would take longer and longer to get the car into gear, then again, it would disappear for months, then start all over again. i finally took the vehicle to a reputable repair shop, and it would not fail for them, but intrigued, they told me to bring it back whenever it occurred again. months later, you guessed it, the problem returned with a vengeance and lasted more than just a few days. the only way it would release is when i really stomped down on the brake pedal. back to the shop it went because my brake lights would not always work , but the turn signal would. that is a dangerous situation. this time the mechanics called ford who told them that they did have a problem with certain cars and asked for the vin #. for some reason, even though there was a technical bulletin, my vin # number did not fall under the recall, even though it was having the same problem. that makes no sense to me. even though this was not an expensive job, i feel that ford should reimburse me. after all, i did have the same problem. when the mechanics received the brake light switch to install, the part had been completely redesigned. that tells me that ford knew of the problem and addressed it, but only for certain vehicles with specific vin numbers. *ak

Dt*: the contact stated the brake lights do not work properly. while depressing the brake pedal, the brake lights flash. after starting the vehicle it would not shift from the drive position. additionally, there are times when the vehicle will not start it must be turned off and restarted. there is an nhtsa recall, # 04v106000, regarding the exterior lighting: brake lights: switch. the vin was not included in the recall.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. while the vehicle was in park, the gear shifter became stuck. the dealer and manufacturer stated that it could be an indication that a new battery is needed. the contact stated that this has been recalled; however, her vehicle was not included although she has experienced the same failure. the manufacturer stated that nothing could be done because the vin was not included and the warranty expired. nhtsa campaign id number 04v106000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch) was referenced. the recall number was unknown. the failure mileage was 35,000 and current mileage was 46,000. updated 03-05-08 *bf

The headlights are not providing adequate lighting while driving at night. this causes poor visibility, and obstruct the consumer's vision while driving. the vehicle was taken to two separate dealers, and on one separate occasion they replaced the headlight bulb, and realigned the headlights on two other occasions, but the problem was not resolved. *ak *sc *jb

While backing out the back up lights failed. consumer had another driver place the vehicle in reverse and noticed that the lights failed to come on their own. consumer was able to drive vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that it could not be fixed at the dealership. *ak

Recall 04v106000. no parts available. consumer is still having problems with t tail light failure. dealership was notifed, but has not resolved the problem. locus ford, 609-386-3100. *ak

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. the contact stated that while attempting to shift the vehicle out of park, the gear shifter failed to shift. on several occasions, the brake lights remained illuminated even after the vehicle was turned off causing the battery to discharge. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. a dealer was not contacted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired, but the contact spoke to an independent mechanic who advised that there was a recall on the likely issue. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v106000 (exterior lighting). the approximate failure mileage was 3,000.