2003 FORD TAURUS Structure Problems

MY 2003 FORD TAURUS HAS HAD WATER LEAKING IN TO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD EVER SINCE I PURCHASED IT, NOT THINKING A WHOLE LOT ABOUT IT WHEN I RETURNED FROM OVER SEAS DUE TO A DEPLOYMENT THERE WAS RUST STAINS IN MY CARPET AND THE BLOWER THEN WOULD ONLY WORK ON HIGH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO THE BLOWER MOTOR QUIT WORKING SO I ASKED MY MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED BUT I HAVE 40,000 MILES ON MY CAR RIGHT NOW AND THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO FIX IT UNDER THE TSB'S OR UNDER ANY RECALLS. *TR

OUR 2003 FORD TAURUS STARTED TO LEAK FROM SOMEWHERE. THE FLOORS BECAME WET WHEN IT RAINED. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY FIXED"THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES EACH TIME THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. WE WERE LEFT WITHOUT A CAR FOR A WEEK THE LAST TIME ,AND STILL WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. THE WATER DAMAGE HAS LEFT MY CAR WITH A FOUL SMELL AND HAS SHORTED OUT OUR BLOWER FOR THE SECOND TIME. FORD IN WATERBURY CT HAS GIVEN UP ON THE CAR AND CLAIMED THAT THEY CANNOT FIND WHERE THE WATER IS COMING FROM. THIS HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT 1 1/2 YEARS. SINCE THIS TIME OUR WARRANTY HAS RAN OUT AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED. WE ARE AWARE OF RECALL # 03V087000, BUT WE ARE NOT SURE IF THIS IS PART OF IT. I HAVE RESEARCHED...

WATER WAS NOTICED IN THE FLOOR BOARD ON PASSENGER SIDE. A FEW DAYS LATER, 2/20/2007, MY BLOWER MOTOR WENT OUT. I CALLED LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN. TURNED OUT TO BE A WELL KNOWN WATER LEAK PROBLEM STEMMING FROM A DESIGN DEFECT LEAKS AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT ALLOWS WATER TO GET INTO THE BLOWER MOTOR AND THE REST IS HISTORY. I PAID $324 FOR THE REPAIRS AND THE REPLACEMENT COWL STILL BOWS SO THE WATER CAN CONTINUE TO ENTER WITH THE SAME RESULTS. I RETURNED MY CAR THIS MORNING 2 23 07, (THE DAY AFTER PICKED IT UP IN THE DARK) TO EXPRESS MY DISSATISFACTION AND WAS TOLD TO COME BACK MONDAY. HOW CAN A CAR MANUFACTURER OF 100 YEARS NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS GOING TO LEAK...AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD??!! FORD NEEDS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THANKS. *JB

WE NOTICED A PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR AND A BURNING RUBBER SMELL AFTER A VERY HEAVY RAIN STORM. WE COULD HEAR WATER IN THE HEATER SYSTEM. TOOK THE CAR TO A FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WHERE THEY CONFIRMED A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE COWLING WHICH ALLOWS RAIN WATER TO GET INTO THE BLOWER MOTOR & RESISTER COMPONENTS. THE MOTOR AND RESISTER HAD BOTH BEEN DAMAGED BY THE WATER AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (WHICH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, DUE TO THE DESIGN DEFECT). *NM

BLOWER MOTOR FAILURE DUE TO WATER LEAKING INTO BLOWER CASE ON MY 2003 FORD TAURUS, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE FORD DEALER TO GET THE BLOWER REPAIRED OR REPLACED. AFTER THEY REPLACED THE BLOWER, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER MY 6 YR/ 75000 MI. BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY BECAUSE OF WATER LEAKING INTO THE BLOWER CASE. I'M GOING TO FIGHT THIS BECAUSE FORD CO. KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH LEAKAGE INTO THE BLOWER CASE WHICH MEANS FORD SHOULD HAVE REPLACED MY BLOWER/MOTOR FOR FREE, INSTEAD I GOT A BILL FOR $508.00 AND I'M TAKING IT TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT. IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO GET ON THE BANDWAGON LET ME KNOW. MY EMAIL IS: [email protected]. I'M IN PITTSBURGH PA AND BY THE WAY MY CAR HAD 57,000 MILES ON IT. *NM

WATER LEAKED INTO FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BY WINDSHIELD AND SOAKED FRONT FLOOR AREA (AT LEAST 1 TO 2 QUARTS OF WATER) IT ALSO SHORTED OUT AND DESTROYED THE BLOWER MOTOR. DEALER INSTALLED NEW MOLDING AND AN ADDITIONAL RAIN HAT. CARE WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. SO DEALER WOULD NOT HELP WITH COST. I WONDER IF IT WILL TAKE A FIRE FOR FORD TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. IF NEEDED CONTACT ME FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *NM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

BLOWER MOTOR SWITCH QUIT WORKING. IS DUE, AS I UNDERSTAND, TO A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING AND/OR DESIGN IN BLOWER MOTOR CASE WHICH ALLOWS WATER TO GET IN AND RUIN THE RESISTER SWITCH. EVENTUALLY BLOWER MOTOR SWITCH QUITS WORKING ALTOGETHER. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THERE IS NO DEFROST OR DEFOGGER WHICH AFFECTS VISIBILITY. THIS HAPPENS ACCORDING TO A GOOGLE SEARCH AND TSB# 031506 FREQUENTLY. FORD IN THE CASE OF THE 1996 CONTOUR GAVE A TEN YR. COVERAGE DUE TO SIMILAR PROBLEM. *NM

2003 TAURUS SES-WINDSHIELD LEAKS WATER INTO PASS. SIDE FLOOR. *NM

AS WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER 2003 TAURUS OWNERS, I ALSO HAVE WATER LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE COMPARTMENT FROM A DESIGN/MANUFACTURING FLAW. I ALSO REPLACED THE HEATER FAN WHICH I FOUND TO BE FULL OF WATER. I AM ALSO VERY, VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE IDEA THAT THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW AND FORD WON'T MAKE IT RIGHT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HAVING THEIR FEET HELD TO THE FIRE BY A GOVERNMENT AGENCY. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR HAS OCCASIONALLY DONE WHAT IS CALLED A "NEUTRAL DROP". WHILE STARTING OUT FROM A STOP IN "DRIVE", THE TRANSMISSION HAS (ON THREE OCCASIONS) NOT ENGAGED UNTIL THE ENGINE HAS REACHED ABOUT 2000 RPM. THE RESULTANT EFFECT FROM THIS SURPRISE ENGAGEMENT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS THE FEELING OF HAVING SOMEONE RUN INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED,...

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WATER LEAKED BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE HOOD, WHICH SHORTED OUT THE FAN TO THE COMPRESSOR. DUE TO THE FAN SHORTAGE, THE HEATER AND DEFROSTER DID NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE ALSO LEAKS BY THE PASSENGER FLOOR.

I HAVE A 1993 FORD TAURUS THAT LEAKED WATER FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE DASH. THEN MY AC SWITCH WENT OUT. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE SAID WATER HAD GOTTEN INTO THE BLOWER MOTOR AND SHORTED OUT. HE ALSO HAD A 1992 TAURUS THAT HE JUST REPAIED WITH THE EXACT PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WILL NEED A NEW BLOWER MOTOR AND RESISTOR. ALSO SOME KIND OF COWL IS NEEDED TO PREVENT THIS AGAIN. *JB

2003 FORD TAURUS BLOWER MOTOR STOPPED WORKING AND THE WINDSHIELD FOGGED UP WHILE DRIVING. THE PROBLEM WAS WATER GETTING INTO THE BLOWER MOTOR AREA FROM THE COWL AREA AT THE CABIN FILTER. FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAS A TSB FIX WITH A SHIELD AND WEATHERSTRIP. THEY TELL YOU ABOUT THE PROBLEM AFTER THE WATER HAS ALREADY CAUSED THE PROBLEM COSTING YOU $300 EXTRA BECAUSE NOW YOU NEED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS FIXED. *NM

THERE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE RIGHT COWL TRIM THAT ALLOWED WATER TO SEEP INTO THE BLOWER MOTOR WHICH CAUSED THE MOTOR TO RUST OUT AND STOP WORKING. IF THE FAILURE HAPPENED WITHIN THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY IT WAS FIXED FOR FREE BUT IF YOU WERE UNLUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE IT FAIL AFTERWARDS FORD SAYS YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE. THEY KNEW ABOUT THE ISSUE BUT DID NOT WARN THE CONSUMER. I BELIEVE THAT SINCE THEY KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM ALL ALONG THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. *NM

PURCHASED USED '03 TAURUS SES FROM NON-FORD DEALER, ON 3/2/06. APRIL 22, AFTER HEAVY RAIN NOTICED PUDDLE OF WATER ON PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. FOLLOWING MONDAY MORNING DURING DRIVE TO WORK...STILL RAINING AND MISTY...WINDOWS FOGGING UP...TURN ON HEATER/DEFOGGER/AC...NOT WORKING! CALL DEALER TO ADVISE OF THE WATER AND HEATER/AC NOT FUNCTIONING...ADVISED STILL COVERED UNDER 3/36 FACTORY WARRANTY...HOWEVER, FORD ADVISED WARRANTY EXPIRED 3/31/06. DEALER THEN HAD THEIR MECHANIC TAKE A LOOK...ADVISED THERE'S A LEAK BEHIND FIREWALL CAUSING WATER TO GET IN...AND ALSO CAUSE OF MOTOR BLOWER NOT WORKING...EST. $500-600 TO REPAIR...NOT INCLUDING PART FOR MOTOR BLOWER! THEY WOULD NEED TO CONTACT FORD ABOUT PRICE ON MOTOR BLOWER...I DECIDE TO CHECK PRICING ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CONSUMERS! CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS ASKING IF THEY COULD MAKE AN EXCEPTION ON HAVING COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS IT WAS NOT QUITE 30 DAYS BEYOND EXPIRING. THEY CONTACTED SERVICE MGR. AT FORD DEALER CLOSEST...

DUE TO A DESIGN DEFECT IN FORD TAURUS, WATER GETS INTO THE HEATER SYSTEM CAUSING THE HEATER/AIR BLOWER TO FAIL. ALSO, PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR CAUSING CARPET TO SMELL. *NM

2003 TAURUS BLOWER MOTOR BLEW OUT PER MECHANIC. THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW THAT CAUSED WATER TO ENTER INTO THE AIR INTAKE OF THE VEHICLE, ENTERING THE BLOWER MOTOR. *TS *JB

JUST LIKE EVERY ONE ELSE. MY HEATER BLOWER QUIT WORKING ON ALL MODES EXCEPT HIGH. THEN WITHIN A COUPLE DAYS HIGH WENT OUT. I TESTED IT AND FOUND THE RESISTOR TO BE BAD, BUT WHEN I BY-PASSED IT, THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS ALSO BAD. THAT'S WHEN I KNEW THERE WAS MORE TO THE STORY THAN WHAT I WAS SEEING. I NOTICED THAT THE RESISTOR HAD RUST ON IT. THIS WAS NOT GOOD, WHEN I OPENED THE FAN MOTOR CASING I FOUND WATER IN IT. THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. THE SEAL IS FAULTY (DEFECTIVE) . I RESEARCHED AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A BULLETIN OUT ON THIS AT FORD DEALERSHIPS SO FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT NOT OBLIGATED TO TELL CUSTOMERS. SO IF YOU STILL HAVE A WARRANTY IT'S COVERED ONLY IF YOU CONTACT FORD. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A WARRANTY NO LONGER THAN YOU...

I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN SPRING OF 2005 TO BUY AMERICAN. I STILL WILL. WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE I NOTICED A LEAK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. ALTHOUGH UNDER WARRANTY, I PAID DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR. IT SEEMED OK FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. WHEN I GO TO THE POST OFFICE I KEEP IMPORTANT MAIL TEMPORARILY ON THE FLOOR. AFTER A LONG RAIN. I FOUND MY IMPORTANT MAIL SITTING IN A PUDDLE, NOW MY BLOWER SWITCH IS NOT FUNCTIONING, PROBABLY DUE TO THIS LEAK. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. THIS WAS A NEW CAR TO ME. I WANT IT PERMANENTLY REPAIRED FOR NO CHARGE. THANK YOU. FORD KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM. *NM

THE HEATER IN MY CAR FAILED. WE CALLED THE FORD PARTS DEPARTMENT AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT THE COWL, RELAY AND BLOWER FAILED DUE TO WATER LEAKAGE. WE TOOK THE CAR IN THEY SAID THE COST WOULD BE 400.00 WHICH I COULD NOT AFFORD AT THAT TIME. NOW I HAVE NO CHOICE WINTER IS HERE AND I NEED MY HEATER WORKING. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ITS TIME FORD FIXES THE PROBLEM AT THEIR COST NOT OURS! I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT I NEED FRONT BALL JOINTS MY CAR FAILED INSPECTION. THIS CAR IS ONLY TWO YEARS OLD I SHOUDN'T BE HAVING THESE MAJOR PROBLEMS. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT MONTH OR DAY I TOOK THE CAR INTO WESTBROOK FORD DEALER BUT COST US 40.00 TO TELL ME WHAT I ALREADY KNEW THE THE BLOWER DIDN'T WORK BECAUSE OF WATER LEAKAGE. *NM

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING OUR 2003 FORD TAURUS WAGON, WE NOTICED EXTENSIVE WATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. WE TOOK CAR TO NEWPORT FORD, AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER. WE WERE INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A DESIGN DEFECT WHICH ALLOWED WATER TO OVERFLOW THE RAINHAT AND TRAVEL THROUGH THE HEATER SYSTEM TO THE FLOOR. THEY "FIXED" THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, STILL UNDER WARRANTY, WE NOTICED WATER ON THE PASSENGER FLOOR AGAIN. HAVING MOVED, WE TOOK THE CAR TO HOWELL MOTORS OF WRIGHT'S CORNERS, NY. THEY TOO WERE AWARE OF THE DESIGN DEFECT, AND WERE IN POSSESSION OF TSB # 04-15-3 WHICH CLEARLY INDICATES THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL LEAD TO THE FAILURE OF THE BLOWER MOTOR, AND/OR BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR. WE NOT BEING AUTOMOBILE MECHANICS, WERE NOT AWARE OF THE CERTAINTY OF A DEFROST SYSTEM FAILURE. NOT KNOWING THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, WE DID NOT INSIST THAT THEY...

CONSUMER DISCOVERED WATER LEAKING INTO VEHICLE. *TS *JB

WATER GATHERING ON PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD, TOLD BY FORD THAT THE COWLING WAS SIMPLY "PLUGGED UP" BY PINENEEDLES AND SUCH. TURNS OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AMONG THESE VEHICLES, IN SOME CAUSING BLOWER MOTOR FAILURE AND DANGEROUS CONDITIONS (UNCONTROLLABLE FOGGING OF WINDOWS). CARPET IS HEAVILY DAMAGED DUE TO THIS FLAW.

DT: CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS SES. IT IS LEAKING IN THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE LEAK SEEMS TO BE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT SAID THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT IT KEPT LEAKING. THE FIRST TIME SHE HAD IT FIXED WAS ON 3-31-04. THEN ON 5-27-04 SHE HAD IT FIXED AGAIN. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE COWL LEAK FROM MONDAY. ON 8-30-05 SHE HAD IT REPAIRED AGAIN. *AK

2003 FORD TAURUS DEVELOPED WATER SEEPAGE FROM THE BLOWER IN THE MOTOR COMPARTMENT ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR.*MR WATER LEAKED ONTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR FORM THE BLOWER MOTOR AREA. WHEN THE MOTOR FAILED IT DID NOT BLOW OUT THE FUSE IN THAT CIRCUIT. THE CONSUMER WONDERS IF THIS FAILURE COULD CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE. *NM

THE CONSUMER NOTICED WATER LEAKING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE EVERY TIME IT RAINS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY, AND THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE PASSENGERS FLOOR, FUMES AND OR ODORS FROM THE WATER LEAKAGE, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD STALL OUT WHILE IN MOTION, THE OVERDRIVE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, THE BLOWER MOTOR MADE NOISES AND WAS NOT BLOWING PROPERLY AND THE TRANSMISSION JERKED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A REFUND. *SC *JB

WATER LEAKS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE EVERYTIME IT RAINS. THE HARDER IT RAINS, THE MORE WATER ENDS UP IN THE CAR. THE DEALER PUT THE KIT IN LAST SAT TO FIX PROBLEM, HOWEVER LAST NITE I HAD MORE WATER IN THE CAR THAN ON ANY OTHER PREVIOUS LEAKS. THE CAR MAT WAS FULL OF WATER, AND WHEN I TOOK THAT OUT THE CARPET UNDERNEATH WAS UNDER WATER. AND NOW WHEN YOU TURN ON THE FAN IN THE CAR IT SQUEALS. CALLED DEALER, CAN'T DO A DRY OUT OF THE CARPET OR A REPAIR FOR ANOTHER WEEK OR 2 DUE TO NO COURTESY CAR BEING AVAILABLE. AND WHEN THEY DO THE REPAIR IT WILL TAKE 2 DAYS BECAUSE THE DASH HAS TO BE REMOVED AND IT'S EITHER SOMETHING IN/BEHIND THE DASH OR IT'S THE WINDSHIELD (OR BOTH).*AK

WATER LEAKED THROUGH THE SEAMS IN THE ROOF WHENEVER IT RAINED OR SNOWED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

THERE WA CA CONTINUOUS WATER LEAK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE LEAK CAUSED ALL THE WINDOWS TO FOG UP AND OBSTRUCTED THE DRIVER'S VISION. THE DEALER TRIED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM FIVE TIMES BUT WITH NO SUCCESS. *AK *NM

RUST WAS FOUND ON THE ENGINE, WHEEL SUSPENSIONS AND PIPES OF A 2003 FORD TAURUS. *MR THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE NEW VEHICLE HAD RUST ON THE WHEEL SUSPENSION, THE ENGINE, AND PIPES. *SCC *JB