FORD TAURUS · model year

2005 FORD TAURUS

1005 NHTSA complaints, 62 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2005FORDTAURUS carries 1005 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 62 crashes, 13 fires, 40 injuries, and 2 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2005 TAURUS is vehicle speed control with 513 filings, followed by power train (75) and engine (68). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 6 investigation files overlapping the 2005 TAURUS. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

1005
Complaints
62
Crashes
13
Fires
40
Injuries
2
Deaths

Total Complaints

1005 filings

Crashes Reported

62 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL513
POWER TRAIN75
ENGINE68
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION44
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING33
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM29
SERVICE BRAKES26
UNKNOWN OR OTHER25
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM23
AIR BAGS17
STRUCTURE:BODY13
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL11
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES10
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE9
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL7

Recalls (1)

16E02600001/04/2016

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

Bosch Brake Components LLC (Bosch) is recalling certain aftermarket replacement front brake pads, models Bosch QuietCast BC598 and BP765, Bosch Blue BE598 and BE598H, Prostop PD598 and PD765M, Duralast Gold DG598, Duralast MKD598, Stop Master ST598, UltraStop ULT598, UltraLife MX598 and MX765, Brake

Recent Complaints

20231003ENGINE

I was on my way to work. When I came to the stop sign to turn on the main road. I felt my car jerk. I thought it was weird and kept driving anyways. Then I noticed the resistance was gone from the gas pedal and it went straight to the floor. So I came to the stop light and kept my foot on the brake. When the light turned green and I had let go of the brakes. My car was accelerating on its own. I had to keep pumping the brakes so I wouldn't crash or hurt anyone. I managed to pull into a mechanic's shop and asked for help. The mechanic told me that it was my cruise control and that it wasn't disengaging. So he had to disconnect it from my car.

20231003VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I was on my way to work. When I came to the stop sign to turn on the main road. I felt my car jerk. I thought it was weird and kept driving anyways. Then I noticed the resistance was gone from the gas pedal and it went straight to the floor. So I came to the stop light and kept my foot on the brake. When the light turned green and I had let go of the brakes. My car was accelerating on its own. I had to keep pumping the brakes so I wouldn't crash or hurt anyone. I managed to pull into a mechanic's shop and asked for help. The mechanic told me that it was my cruise control and that it wasn't disengaging. So he had to disconnect it from my car.

20231003FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

I was on my way to work. When I came to the stop sign to turn on the main road. I felt my car jerk. I thought it was weird and kept driving anyways. Then I noticed the resistance was gone from the gas pedal and it went straight to the floor. So I came to the stop light and kept my foot on the brake. When the light turned green and I had let go of the brakes. My car was accelerating on its own. I had to keep pumping the brakes so I wouldn't crash or hurt anyone. I managed to pull into a mechanic's shop and asked for help. The mechanic told me that it was my cruise control and that it wasn't disengaging. So he had to disconnect it from my car.

20221004VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

For a while now I have noticed that intermittently when barely stepping on the accelerator pedal, the car will accelerate but continue to speed up even with my foot off of the accelerator. I have to step on the break extremely hard to come to a stop, and car will still be doing around 40mph when at a complete stop or light. The check engine light has been on, and I have taken it to a mechanic twice, one of the times he had it for a month trying to figure out what that light is about, checking everything possible, but I am not sure if that light has anything to do with the accelerator.

20220210UNKNOWN OR OTHER

On December 10, 2020 I acquired tis particular automobile. In the calendar year following, I have been advised of and experience "sudden acceleration" and other anomalies . I have found further oil pan plug bolt, and today 02/10/2022 the Complaint of other owners. Particularly airbag sudden inflation and brake shift Interlock and no airbag operation. This is presumed to be a collision sensor relationship. I am in the process of restoration and replacement of the affected components. I have difficulty in data and trouble shoot information on the website and brand dealership. (Napa, Adv.auto parts, auto zone, orielly, salvage yards. I have spent $163.50 at Ford dealer charged me. I spent $269.70 at the American automobile association. No repairs have taken place by these people who have been advised that the manufacturer of the vehicle is alerts for further information and details of the job description and replacement parts for airbags components and sensors and clockspring set. I

20210803VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently from 45 mph to 65 mph. The contact stated the accelerator pedal was not being depressed during the failure. The brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle to a stop. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected under the hood. The contact noticed that the cruise control cable was jammed up into the accelerator cable which caused the accelerator cable to open. The contact moved the cruise control cable back into the correct position and drove back to their residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.

Mileage: 125,000

20210328UNKNOWN OR OTHER

DESIGN FLAW - STATION WAGON REAR TAILGATE OPENING LEVER AND ROD TO LOCK IS INOPERATIVE.

Mileage: 55,000

20210318VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

RANDOM AND SPORADIC ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET.

Mileage: 94,685

20201230AIR BAGS

THE CAR WAS STARTED THEN IT WAS BEING SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WENT OFF, BEFORE GETTING IT IN TO DRIVE (MADE IT TO NEUTRAL).THIS HAPPENED IN THE DRIVEWAY.

Mileage: 84,600

20201216ENGINE

MY CAR WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ME PRESSING THE GAS. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST 4 TIMES A WEEK WHILE I AM DRIVING AND HAPPENS WHEN I AM DRIVING BETWEEN 20 AND 50 MPH. I CAN MAKE THE ENGINE REV/ACCELERATION STOP BY QUICKLY TAPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. I HAVE HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL DISCONNECTED BECAUSE MY MECHANIC THOUGHT THIS WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM BUT THE RANDOM SEF-ACCELERATION HAS CONTINUED AND SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE FREQUENT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON OFF AND ON FOR A FEW YEARS BUT HAS INCREASED IN FREQUENCY OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.

Mileage: 120,000

20201216FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

MY CAR WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ME PRESSING THE GAS. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST 4 TIMES A WEEK WHILE I AM DRIVING AND HAPPENS WHEN I AM DRIVING BETWEEN 20 AND 50 MPH. I CAN MAKE THE ENGINE REV/ACCELERATION STOP BY QUICKLY TAPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. I HAVE HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL DISCONNECTED BECAUSE MY MECHANIC THOUGHT THIS WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM BUT THE RANDOM SEF-ACCELERATION HAS CONTINUED AND SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE FREQUENT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON OFF AND ON FOR A FEW YEARS BUT HAS INCREASED IN FREQUENCY OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.

Mileage: 120,000

20201216VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

MY CAR WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ME PRESSING THE GAS. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST 4 TIMES A WEEK WHILE I AM DRIVING AND HAPPENS WHEN I AM DRIVING BETWEEN 20 AND 50 MPH. I CAN MAKE THE ENGINE REV/ACCELERATION STOP BY QUICKLY TAPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. I HAVE HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL DISCONNECTED BECAUSE MY MECHANIC THOUGHT THIS WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM BUT THE RANDOM SEF-ACCELERATION HAS CONTINUED AND SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE FREQUENT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON OFF AND ON FOR A FEW YEARS BUT HAS INCREASED IN FREQUENCY OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.

Mileage: 120,000

20201208CrashSERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR SERVICE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHILE IN SERVICE WITH THE CONTACT INSIDE THE VEHICLE, THE TECHNICIAN ASKED THE CONTACT TO SHIFT THE GEAR INTO REVERSED TO CHECK THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE SHIFTED INTO REVERSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN REVERSED, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE BRAKE FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WENT THROUGH THE BUSINESS FRONT GLASS DOOR AND CAME TO A STOP ON A STREET. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAINED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE CONTACTED THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR THE VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 164,000.

Mileage: 164,000

20201208CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR SERVICE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHILE IN SERVICE WITH THE CONTACT INSIDE THE VEHICLE, THE TECHNICIAN ASKED THE CONTACT TO SHIFT THE GEAR INTO REVERSED TO CHECK THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE SHIFTED INTO REVERSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN REVERSED, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE BRAKE FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WENT THROUGH THE BUSINESS FRONT GLASS DOOR AND CAME TO A STOP ON A STREET. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAINED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE CONTACTED THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR THE VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 164,000.

Mileage: 164,000

20200625UNKNOWN OR OTHER

STARTED RECENTLY, WHEN I START THE CAR THE RPMS REV WAY UP. PAST 3000. WHILE DRIVING I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO RIDE THE BREAK OR PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. I LITERALLY CAN DRIVE MILES AT 45 MPH AND NEVER TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IT WOULD SHOOT UP PAST 3000 RPMS . THIS CAR'S GOING TO KILL SOMEONE. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

20200113SERVICE BRAKES

[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 71,000

20200113ENGINE

[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 71,000

20200113VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 71,000

20191230VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2 TIMES SINCE SEPT. 2018 THE CABLE UNDER HOOD TO ACCELERATOR CAME OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP. THE FIRST TIME I WAS DRIVING ON A STATE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH. THE MOST RECENT I WAS DRIVING IN A SUBDIVISION AT 10 MPH.THE RPM'S INCREASED DRASTICALLY. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS ISSUE AND FORD NEEDS TO FIX IT. I GOT THIS FROM MY ELDERLY MOTHER AND I AM JUST THANKFUL IT DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING.

Mileage: 61,000

20191204VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION AND CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING THE SAME DAY. ENGINE ACCELERATES WITH RPM CLIMBING WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE BEING APPLIED TO THE GAS PEDAL. THE FIX FOR ME IS TO PUT INTO NEUTRAL AND TAP THE GAS PEDAL WHICH GETS THE ENGINE TO BRING THE RPM'S BACK DOWN. THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING AND IN GEAR USUALLY AT LESS THAN 50 MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVERYDAY FOR A FEW WEEKS. GOING TO BRING IT IN TO BE REPAIRED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP.

Mileage: 146,000

Compare 2005FORDTAURUS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2005 FORD TAURUS have?
The 2005 FORD TAURUS has 1005 NHTSA complaints, 62 crashes, 13 fires, 40 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2005 FORD TAURUS?
Yes, the 2005 FORD TAURUS has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 FORD TAURUS?
The most-complained component for the 2005 FORD TAURUS is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 513 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and ENGINE.
Is the 2005 FORD TAURUS safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.