2002 FORD TAURUS Electrical System Problems

TAKATA RECALL: I BOUGHT A CAR FROM A MAN LESS THAN 5 MONTHS AGO AND I SLOWLY STARTED TO NOTICE SOME THINGS. I STARTED OUT WITH 3 WINDOWS WORKING INSTEAD OF FOUR WHICH I WAS NOT TOLD. MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DOESN'T EVEN WORK AND IT STOPPED ABOUT A MOTH AGO. A WEEK BEFORE THAT MY AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON, MY BROTHER WAS ACTUALLLY THE ONE DRIVING WHEN THAT HAPPENED. ALSO, I FOUND OUT THAT I HAD THE WRONG BATTERY IN THE CAR SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER DAMAGE THAT HAS DONE. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION.

MY 2002 FORD TAURUS SUDDENLY WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. MY BACK DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT WON'T WORK. I LOOK IT UP AND SAW A RECALL BUT WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THERE WASN'T A RECALL ON MY CAR. PLEASE HELP

WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 FORD TAURUS, IT STARTED TO STALL AND AND NOT PICK UP SPEED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. IT STARTED SHAKING AND CUT OFF SEVERAL TIMES. I WAS ABLE TO START IT BACK UP TWICE THEN IT STOPPED IN FRONT OF MY JOB. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THEY STATED THE COMPUTER WENT OUT IN THE CAR. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO ABOUT THAT. CAN FORD GIVE ME ANY ANSWERS. NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE.

WATER LEAKS INTO FRONT PASSENGER FIREWALL/FLOORBOARD AREA WHICH CAUSES FAN BLOWER MOTOR, HEATER COIL AND ALL RELATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS/COMPONENTS ATTACHED. HAPPENS ALL THE TIME STATIC OR IN MOTION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS ON OR OFF, THE BRAKE LAMPS ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V755000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,606 UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FUEL PUMP WIRES HAD MELTED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WIRES WERE ALSO MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

CAR INTERMITTENTLY LOSES POWER TO POWER WINDOWS AND DASH BOARD LIGHTS. SOMETIMES IT TAKES ABOUT 30 MINUTES TO COME BACK OR NOT AT ALL, UNTIL NEXT START. TRY TO RESTART SAME OUTCOME, AT LEAST IT DRIVES. PROBLEM IS IF YOUR WINDOWS ARE DOWN CAN'T RAISED THEM. LIVE IN CALIFORNIA FORTUNATELY VERY LITTLE RAIN. *TR

I LOOKED UP MY CAR RECALLS AND THERE WHERE 3 AND WHEN I CALLED FORD THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS WEBSITE IS WRONG AND THERE IS NO RECALLS. EVEN WHEN EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG WITH MY CAR IS ON THE RECALLS. I JUST NEED TO KNOWN WHAT TO DO NOW. *TR

THIS IS AN APPARENT PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THE FORD TAURUSES WHERE THE HEATER JUST STOPS WORKING. EACH TIME IT STOPS WORKING IT SEEMS TO COST OVER 2,000.00 TO FIX THE ISSUE. THE ACTUATOR MOTOR, THE HEATER CORE, AND THE BLOWER DOOR ALL CONTINUE TO BE AFFECTED. EVEN AFTER REPAIR IT SEEMS THAT IT WILL ONLY WORK FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR BEFORE IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED AGAIN. JUST OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. WE HAVE REPLACED THE HEATER SYSTEM 3 TIMES AND IT JUST DID IT AGAIN. RESEARCH ON LINE SHOWS THAT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE WITH MANY OF THE FORD PRODUCTS THAT USE THE HEATER SET UP LIKE THE TAURUS. IT MAY ALSO INCLUDE THE FOR F150 TRUCK WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM. *TR

BEGINNING SHORTLY AFTER MY CAR WAS OUT OF ITS 3,000 MILE USED CAR WARRANTY, WHEN CAR WAS PARKED AND LOCKED THE HORN BEGAN TO GO OFF ANYTIME ANYWHERE - UP TO 5-6 TIMES A DAY. WHY IS THIS A SAFETY CONCERN? BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID WAKING OURSELVES AND NEIGHBORS UP AT NIGHT OR HAVING CAR ALARM GO OFF MULTIPLE TIMES DURING DAY AT WORK WAS TO HAVE A FORD TECH DISCONNECT THE HORN! I DID SO AFTER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED FOR MANY MONTHS - AND NOW, WITH HORN OFF, IT STILL CONTINUES (LIGHTS BLINK AND FLASH), JUST NOISELESSLY. INCREDIBLE! ONLY WORKAROUND BESIDES DISCONNECTING HORN WAS TO LEAVE THE CAR UNLOCKED - NOT AN OPTION. *TR

COMING OFF AN ON RAMP ONTO THE INTERSTATE, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND THE BRAKE WOULD NOT DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. IT REACHED 85 MPH BEFORE I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, COASTED TO THE SHOULDER, AND SHUT OFF THE IGNITION. I STARTED THE CAR AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP AGAIN, SO I SHUT IT OFF AND CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE, AT TIMES, WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. SM.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE ANTI THEFT DEVICE ACTIVATED ON FIVE OCCASIONS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART UNTIL THE ANTI THEFT DEVICE DE-ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

I OWN A 2002 FORD TAURUS SES, IT HAS 69,400 MILES. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE NEW, IT IS GARAGED 90% OF THE TIME. A COUPLE YEARS AGO I NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER CARPET WAS SOAK AND WET, AND I NEVER THOUGHT ANYTHING OF IT, I ASSUMED THAT MAYBE WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN, I HAD CRACKEDTHE WINDOW OPEN AND RAIN GOT INSIDE ON PASSENGER CARPET. IN MARCH OF 2010, I HAD A HOUSE SITTER, WHILE I WENT ON VACATION. I MOVED MY CAR OUTSIDE, SO THAT SHE COULD USE MY GARAGE. THE CAR SAT OUTSIDE FOR 3 WEEKS, THE NORTHEAST HAD TORRENTIAL RAINS EVERYDAY, AND AREA FLOODING ON STREETS. I HAD COME HOME FROM VACATION, DROVE MY CAR AND HEARD A NOISE CLANKING UNDER DASHBOARD. I TOOK CAR TO MECHANIC, HE SAID IT WAS MY HEATER. I HAD MY HUSBAND REMOVE AND REPLACE WITH A NEW ONE. WHEN...

WATER LEAK INTO PASSENGER SIDE OF PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, RESULTING IN FAILURE OF MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, INCLUDING BLOWER MOTOR. REFERENCE NTSB ITEM # 10011149 / SERVICE BULLETIN NBR 031506. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER LEAKS INTO THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH SHORTENS THE CIRCUIT IN THE FLOORBOARD. SECONDLY, SHE DISCOVERED THAT THE HEATING SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE. SHE HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER IN REFERENCE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V087000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD). FINALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE BALL JOINTS AND THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE TO FAIL. THE SPRINGS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE HER WITH ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. WATER HAS BEEN ENTERING INTO THE BLOWER MOTOR FROM THE COWL UNDERNEATH THE WINDSHIELD. THE FAILURE CAUSES THE MOTOR TO SHORT OUT AND STOP RUNNING. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE DEALER WAS AWARE OF TSB NUMBER 0415-3 FOR THE SAME FAILURE; HOWEVER, NOTHING COULD BE DONE BESIDES SELL THE CONTACT A NEW MOTOR. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 68,000. UPDATED 01/14/09. *JB

MY 2002 FORD TAURUS HAD A WATER LEAK IN THE AC/HEATER BLOWER DURING RAIN STORMS. THE DEALER FIXED THE LEAK BUT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BLOWER MOTOR AND BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR TWICE. MY BLOWER QUIT RUNNING AGAIN TODAY. MOTOR AND RESISTOR NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *TR

FORD ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS SWITCHING DEVICES CONTINUE TO BE UNDER RATED WHICH RESULTS IN RANDOM VOLTAGE DROPS AND ENGINE STALLS. THE UNDERRATED SWITCHING DEVICE CONTACTS OVERHEAT WHICH RESULTS IN HIGH RESISTANCE WHICH RESULTS IN HIGHER HEAT WITH RESULTS IN HIGH RESISTANCE UNTIL EVENTUALLY THE RESULTS DROPS VOLTAGES BELOW WHAT IS REQUIRED TO OPERATE THE DOWNSTREAM LOAD. THESE DOWN STREAM LOAD TYPICALLY ARE THE HEAD LIGHTS AND COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED WITH SUPPLYING POWER TO THE SPARK PLUGS. ONCE THE DOWNSTREAM DEVICE TURN OFF FROM LOW VOLTAGE THE SWITCHING DEVICE COOLS AND RESUPPLIES THE DOWNSTREAM LOAD WITH ENOUGH VOLTAGE AN CURRENT TO REACTIVE THE DEVICE IN VARYING AMOUNTS OF TIME RANGING FROM INSTANTANEOUSLY TO SEVER MINUTES. I FIST NOTICED THE PROBLEM YEARS AGO IN A 1987 MUSTANG AND THEN SAW IT AGAIN TONIGHT IN A 2002 TAURUS DRIVEN BY MY WIFE. UNTIL THE FAILED SWITCHING DEVICE IS REPLACED THE FREQUENCY OF FAILS AND THE...

MY 2002 FORD TAURUS HAS A LEAK THAT COMES FROM THE FIRE WALL TO THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTER. IT ALSO LEAKS TO THE FLOOR OF MY VEHICLE. AT ONE POINT I THOUGHT I FELT A SHOCK! I DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE WATER WAS COMING FROM UNTIL MY BLOWER WENT OUT AND RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM. IT SEEMS I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS DEFECT. I DID GO TO THE DEALERSHIP TO PURCHASE A RESISTER PART. THE BLOWER AND OTHER PARTS RAN THE BILL UP TO $400. PLEASE CAN SOMETHING BE DONE. *TR

I'VE NOTICED ON A FEW OCCASIONS THAT MY PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD WOULD BE WET; MY FAN BLOWER MOTOR STOPPED WORKING; I WENT TO A LOCAL GARAGE TO HAVE IT FIXED AND WHEN I LEFT I REALIZED THAT THE FAN ONLY WORKED ON HIGH. I CALLED THE GARAGE AND WAS ADVISED THAT I WILL NOW NEED A RESISTOR REPLACEMENT.

I HAVE A 2002 FORD TAURUS AND AS I WAS DRIVING TODAY I SUDDENLY SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING (ELECTRIC WIRES ETC.) THEN THE BLOWER MOTER STARTTED RATTALING AND RUNNING AT VERY LOW SPEED. THEN I TURNED OFF THE AC BLOWER MOTOR. I HAVE HEARD FROM OTHERS THAT WATER LEAK IN THE DASH BOARD HAVE CAUSED OTHER MOTOR BLOWERS TO GO BAD. I SUSPECT THE SAME ISSUE. I HAVEN'T CHECKED IT FURTHER YET. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS COULD CASUE FIRE. BUT I AM KEEPING MY BLOWER MOTOR TURN OFF. BURNING SMELL WAS VERY STRONG. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON 01/022/07 WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING WARMING UP WITH A BLOCK HEATER, THE CONTACT HEARD POPPING NOISES, WENT TO CHECK ON THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS ON FIRE AND BURNED THE CAR PORT, HIS MOBILE HOME AND ALL THE CONTENTS. *AK

I BOUGHT A 2002 FORD TAURUS SPORT EDITION USED IN JULY OF 2005. SEVERAL TIMES THE DOME LIGHTS AND PUDDLE LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF BECAUSE THE CAR THOUGHT THAT A DOOR WAS OPEN. THERE WERE NO DOORS OPEN. THE CAR IS DESIGNED TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF AFTER 20 MINUTES, BUT THIS IS A PROBLEM. IF IT HAPPENS OFTEN ENOUGH IT COULD RUN DOWN MY BATTERY. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IT HAS HAPPENED AND THIS TIME I STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE AROUND FOR A MINUTE AND THE DOME LIGHTS FINALLY WENT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. HOWEVER THE DOOR AJAR WARNING WAS STILL ON. SO I GOT HOME AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AND GOT OUT AND THEN THE DOME AND PUDDLE LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON NOW AT ALL. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THEM TO COME ON IS TO UNLOCK THE DOORS USING THE KEYLESS...

HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR BLEW FROM WATER INJECTION FROM COWL CAUSING BLOWER MOTOR TO ONLY WORK ON HIGH SPEED. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. CONTACT'S WIFE WAS PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY ON OCTOBER 1, 2005. AS SOON AS SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE .NO SIGNS OF ANYTHING GOING TO CATCH VEHICLE ON FIRE. TURNED ON THE DEFROST AND THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE, AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. NO INJURIES. POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS FILED REPORTS.*AK

DT: THE INSIDE DASH LIGHTS AND POWER WINDOWS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, THE CONSUMER TOOK IT IN AND HAD THE BATTERY AND STARTER TESTED. THE MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER THEY WERE FINE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY REPROGRAMMED THE KEY, REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE STARTER AND THEY ALL SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM AT ALL, WHICH LEAD THE CONSUMER TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. *JB

THE BLOWER MOTOR FAILED. REPLACED BLOWER MOTOR FOR $200.00

ALL WARNING LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD WOULD TURN ON SPONTANEOUSLY, CAR WOULD STALL FOR A FRACTION OF A SECOND. SOMETIMES THAT VEHICLE WOULD JUST DIE, SOMETIMES IT WOULD JUST SLOW DOWN FOR A FRACTION OF A SECOND, THEN PICK UP SPEED AGAIN LIKE NOTHINNG HAPPENED. THIS IS REGARDLESS OF HOW FAST YOU'RE GOING. YOU COULD BE GOING 20MPH ON A SCHOOL ZONE, OR 60MPH ON A HIGHWAY. WE'VE BROUGHT THE CAR IN ON (4) DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE LAST 12 MONTHS. ON THE 3RD TIME WE BROUGHT IT IN (SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY/MARCH), CARMAX CHANGED THE FORCE AIR VALVE WHICH WE THOUGHT FIXED THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN UNTIL AFTER A MONTH LATER. THE CONDITION HAS GOTTEN WORSE. IT USED TO HAPPEN LIKE THIS WHEN THE CAR IS AT A SLOW DOWN PHASE IN TRAFFIC. BUT NOW, IT EVEN HAPPENS WHILE YOU'RE RUNNING 60MPH ON A HIGHWAY. BOTH CARMAX AND...

MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP ABOUT 3 TIMES FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM. TWO TIMES FOR THE SAME EXACT THING. I GO OUT TO START THE CAR AND IT DOESN'T START, THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE HAS PUT IN A STARTER AND A STARTER RELAY AND IT STILL DON'T WANT TO START. THEY SAY THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNLESS IT HAPPENS WHEN THEY HAVE THE CAR. *JB

WATER WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE MOLDING OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK

AUGUST 6, 2004 WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE VEHICLE (30,750 MILES) EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER. THIS INCLUDED THE FOUR-WAY FLASHERS. TOWED TO DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE AS A WEAK BATTERY WHICH WAS REPLACED.