There are 31 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 1996 Ford Taurusin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED VIOLENTLY AND CRASHED INTO A POLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CHEST AND HEAD INJURIES AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. UPDATED 3/13/13 *CN UPDATED 03/19/13 UPDATED 03/20/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK, AND SHE HIT SEVERAL CURBS AND TWO TIRES BURST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. SHE HIT A LAMP POST AND SOME SHRUBS, AS WELL AS AN ATM MACHINE. UPDATED 04/10/13
WHILE STOPPED IN A LINE OF TRAFFIC, MY 96 FORD TAURUS BEGAN TO ACCELERATE TO APPR. 40-50 M.P.H I LEFT RUBBER, THANKFULLY I DID HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHICH HELPED TO SOME DEGREE. ABOUT THREE WEEKS EARLIER SOMETHING SIMILAR HAD HAPPENED BUT AT FAR LESS A SPEED APPR. 5 MPH. *AK
WHILE DRIVING OUT OF A TOW BOOTH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND LURCHED AT HIGH SPEED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL, AND PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED AND TOOK OFF. VEHICLE WAS FORCED ONTO A CURB, AND FLATTENED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BEFORE THE ENGINE CUT OFF . NO INJURY WAS REPORTED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE SUFFERED BACK PROBLEMS DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. *TC
(1)THROTTLE WENT COMPLETELY TO FLOOR AND AUTO COULD NOT BE STOPPED (2)AUTO ACCIDENT SALEM POLICE REPORT #03-19963 NEAR FATAL INJURIES (3)NO REPAIR DONE. *NM
VEHICLE ACCELERATES FASTER THAN THE DESIRED SPEED. RPMS REV UP TO 2 1/2 -3 IN PARK. SENSORS WERE REPLACED, AND SET A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND IDLED DOWN VEHICLE. PROBLEM HAS COME BACK.
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE DRIVER PLACED CAR IN REVERSE, THE MOTOR REVVED THEN IT WAS PLACE IN DRIVE AND IT TOOK OFF. TRAVELED FOR 2.2 MILES BEFORE CATAPULTING IN THE AIR AND IMPACTING A UTILITY POLE ONLY AFTER CRASHING THROUGH AN IRON I BEAM GATE. BRAKING WOULD NOT EVEN SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. BLEW BOTH PASSENGER TIRES PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. ESTIMATED SPEED REACHED 50-70MPH ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AND DRIVER. *AK
ENGINE WILL REV AT A HIGH RPM OR STALL FOR NO APPARENT REASON.*AK
GAS PEDAL WAS STICKING OR BINDING:THROTTLE CABLE WAS FOUND TO HAVE A NOTCH OR DEFECT ON THE PLASTIC PORTION; CABLE, THROTTLE BODY AND GAS PEDAL WERE REPLACED; PAID 20% COPAYMENT. CONCERNED THAT THERE MAY BE OTHER CARS WITH DEFECTIVE THROTTLE CABLES. *AK
CAR WAS PUT INTO DRIVE FROM PARK WHILE ON A SLIGHT DOWNGRADE AND THE CAR TOOK OFF INTO A HOUSE. THE CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE (NOT THE DEALER MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS SECTION) A WEEK PRIOR TO INCIDENT WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *AK
THROTTLE BODY GOT STUCK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE, WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE AT A STOP OR IN PARK POSITION, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. BEEN TO DEALER, AND DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
IDLE AIR CONTROL OR AUXILIARYAIR CONTROL IS USED TO CONTROL RPMS OR TO ADJUST FOR A VARITY OF LOAD INTRODUCED FOR AIR CONDITIONS ,ELECTRICAL CHARGING AND NUMEROUS OTHER AUTO GOODIES.THE IDLE SPEED CONTROL FAILED AND KEPT THE ENGINE RUNNING WHEN NY WIFE WENT TO STOP THE CAR KEPT PUSHING AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP. I REACHED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL .THIS ACTION PERMITTED HER TO STOP THE CAR ,BUT WITH HIGH RPMS ON THE TACHOMETER. GOD ONLY KNOWNS IF I HAD NOT BEEN THERE SHE MAY HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
ENGINE INTERMITENTLY ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN. ENGINE SPEED OF 2500 RPM'S AT IDLE AND UNDER LOAD OBSERVED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS IDLING NEAR GARAGE. HAD OPENED DOOR WHEN VEHICLE LEAPED FORWARD. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER & NOTHING FOUND BY MECHANIC. THE 2ND TIME, EVERYTHING WAS IN GEAR (PARKED) & OWNER IN FRONT OF VEHICLE WHEN IT LEAPED FORWARD & BROKE GARAGE DOOR. VEHICLE PUSHED OWNER THROUGH THE DOOR. *AK
THROTTLE CABLE FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIUOS ACCIDENT IF IT HAD OCCURED ON THE INTERSTATE OR IN AN INTERCHANGE. THE DEALER SAID THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.
GAS PEDAL IS STICKING. PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED TO FORD AND REPAIRS WERE MAD., MANUFACTURER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED, MANUFACTURER FOUND PROBLEM. REPAIRS TO BE MADE AT OWNERS EXPENSE. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ON-GOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND CONSUMER HAS AN APPOINTMENT FOR INSPECTION OF VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE WILL NOT DECELERATE AND RPM STAYS AT 2100 WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP. THE IDLE CONTROL VALVE STICKS AND MAINTAINS HIGHS SPEED RPM.
THE THROTTLE CABLE SNAPPED WHEN ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED.
Showing 1–20 of 31 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026