There are 141 stored owner reports matching the speed control & cruise leading-label group for the 2004 Ford Taurus in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 50 of 141 matching reports. This is a limited sample of up to 50 reports, ordered by incident date when available, not the complete group. The list controls page through the loaded reports only.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)I WAS DRIVING DOWN A COUNTY ROAD GOING 50 MPH WHEN I TRIED TO BRAKE THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING AND THE RPMS WERE HIGH. I TRIED TO BRAKE BUT IT WAS AS IF MY BRAKES WERE OUT BUT I KNOW THEY WERE FINE. I KEPT SPEEDING UP SO I HIT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND PUSHED BRAKE PUT IT IN NEITRAL BUT THE RPMS SEEMED TO GO HIGHER. I QUICKLY JUST PUT IT IN PARK WHILE STILL MOVING N RPMS HIGH. CSAR MADE A LOUD SOUND AND JERKED TO A STOP GAVE ME WHIP LASH THERE WAS NO CASRS ON THE ROAD I WAS IN THE COUNTRY. BUT AS I STOPPED I JUST PARKED TRYIUNG TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO . WAS VERY SHAKEN UP SO I HAD TO PARK FOR AWHILE. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF PARKING AND CALLING EVERYONE ABOUT MY NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE I STARTED IT UP AND DROVE 10 MPH HOIME. HAD IT LOOKED AT BY A SELF EMPLOYED MECHANIC I KNOW.
WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND TRYING TO PULL INTO AN ALLEY THAT LEADS THE MAIN ROAD; MY VEHICLES RPM WENT FROM JUST ABOVE IDLE TO ALMOST 4000. IT CAUSED ME TO FLY THROUGH A STOP SIGN, AS MY BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING. AFTER SOME TUGGING I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT IT INTO NEUTRAL AND GET IT TO A FULL STOP. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, THEN BACK ON AGAIN, WHILE IN PARK THE RPMS WERE GRADUALLY INCREASING. I STEPPED ON THE GAS WHILE IN PARK, AND IT CORRECTED THE ISSUE. SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE GOING FIFTY FIVE MPH DOWN A COUNTY ROAD. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND THE RPMS CONTINUED INCREASING AGAIN. I GOT TO ALMOST SEVENTY MPH. I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AGAIN . I CAME TO A FULL STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. IT STARTED BACK UP WITHOUT INCIDENT. I WILL BE HAVING THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT FIRST THING MONDAY.
MY 2004 FORD TAURUS SUDDENLY STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITH FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL. DRIVING IN CITY STREET AT 30 MPH, THE CAR ALL BY ITSELF SUDDENLY STARTED TO ACCELERATE (WITH MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL) AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 75 MPH. AFTER BRAKING AND PARKING CAR, I TURNED CAR OFF AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE ACCELERATOR / THROTTLE CABLES IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED . APPARENTLY IT IS A A BLACK PLASTIC CLIP THAT WAS WEARING OUT AND SLIPPING OFF THE THROTTLE LINKAGE. THE CABLE THEN CAN GET STUCK OR TANGLED CAUSING STUCK ACCELERATION. I CALLED FORD ON JUNE 7, 2018 AND THEY SAID THEY DID NOT HEAR OF THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THERE WAS NOT ANY RECALLS ATTACHED TO MY VIN. CASE # CAS-14980128. I MENTIONED TO THEM THAT I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND THAT THEY HAVE RECALLED OVER 400,000 FORD TAURUS AND SABLE MODELS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. SINCE MY CAR DID NOT COME UP AS BEING RECALLED, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, OTHER FORD MODELS HAVE THE SAME ISSUES WITH POORLY DESIGNED THROTTLE CABLES.
TAKATA RECALL - WHILE DRIVING TAURUS ACCELERATES WITHOUT TOUCHING FUEL PEDAL. ALSO RETAINS SPEED FOR A WHILE AFTER RELEASING FUEL PEDAL. FUEL PEDAL DOES NOT SEEM TO BE STUCK AS WHEN I TAP FUEL PEDAL CAR DOES DOT SLOW DOWN UNTIL I APPLY BRAKE. WHEN FIRST STARTING IN MORNING ENGINE REVS TO 3,000 RPMS AND FALLS GRADUALLY.TAURUS HAS 139,600 MILES.
THE PROBLEM IS THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CAN COME A LOOSE FROM THE THROTTLE BODY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED. WHEN THE DRIVER RELEASES THE ACCELERATOR, IF THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE HAS COME LOOSE, THE FITTING AT THE END OF IT CAN GET JAMMED IN THE CAM THAT ROTATES THE THROTTLE PLATE, AND IT WON ALLOW THE THROTTLE TO CLOSE, CAUSING THE ENGINE RPM TO STAY HIGH. THIS CAN HAPPEN RANDOMLY. IT MAY HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING, AND IT CAN BE DUPLICATED WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK. SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS CONCERN. I "GOOGLED" THROTTLE STICKING ON 04 TAURUS, AND CAME BACK WITH SEVERAL HITS, INCLUDING SOME SHADETREE FIXES. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS IT CAN LEAD TO A CRASH IF THE BRAKES ARENT POWERFUL ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE ENGINE'S POWER OUTPUT OR THE DRIVER DOESNT THINK TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF (OR THEY TURN THE KEY TOO FAR AND LOCK THE STEERING TOO) AND/OR ENGINE/TRANSMISSION DAMAGE.
THROTTLE STUCK OPEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AT 40 MPH. THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN WITH THE FOOT OFF OF THE GAS, SLOWLY INCREASED SPEED INSTEAD. THE CRUISE CONTROL LINKAGE BECAME DETACHED AND GOT STUCK IN THE THROTTLE. HAD TO PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE CAR FROM ACCELERATING. THE CAR REVVED OTHER 4000 WHILE IDLING.
THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO GAIN SPEED WITHOUT THE FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, REGARDLESS IF WE ARE ON FLAT GROUND OR MOVING UP A SMALL HILL. IF I TAKE MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE THE CAR GAINS SPEED IMMEDIATELY AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH MY CAR. THE ONLY WAY IT DOES NOT CONTINUE TO GAIN SPEED IS BY PUTTING THE CAR INTO NUETRAL, BRAKING AND TURNING IT OFF. I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH OTHER FORD TAURUS'S CLOSE IN THE SAME YEARS PROXIMITY. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY HAZARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES AND I NOW HAVE MY VEHICLE PARKED FOR SAFETY REASONS.
2004 FORD TAURUS ACCELERATING BY ITSELF TO 4000 RPM...THROTTLE IS STICKING...LOOKING UNDER HOOD... THROTTLE APPEARS TO BE GETTING STUCK ON CRUISE CONTROL CABLE END THAT KEEPS FALLING OFF OF THROTTLE ARM.
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP, CAR CONTINUED TO ACT AS IF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS PRESSED, MAINTAINING ABOUT 3000 RPM. WAS ABLE TO STOP USING BRAKES, BUT WOULD NOT GO TO IDLE. TAPPING THE ACCELERATOR RESOLVED THE ISSUE. HAPPENED AGAIN A FEW MINUTES LATER. LOOKS LIKE PLASTIC CLIP THAT ATTACHES THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE SHEATH TO THE THROTTLE BODY BRACKET HAS BROKEN, AND THE SHEATH CATCHES ON THE BRACKET HOLDING THE THROTTLE OPEN.
THIS IS CRAP, THE SAME CABLE IS USED ON THE 2000-2003 TAURUS AS MY 2004 HAS, NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE NEARLY WRECKED, INCLUDING MYSELF BECAUSE THE THROTTLE STICKS OPEN PROPELLING YOU AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS. I WAS SMART ENOUGH TO SHUT THE KEY OFF TO KEEP FROM REAR ENDING SOMEONE, NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE I FOUND THE ISSUE. THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE IS THE SAME JUNK DESIGN ON PREVIOUS MODELS, AND THE INTERNET IS FILLED WITH THOUSANDS OF TAURUS OWNERS LIKE ME IN THE 2004 AND UP MODEL YEARS NEARLY CRASHING, YET FORD HAS DONE NOTHING. SOMEONE NEED TO GET KILLED BEFORE YOU ALL MAKE THEM DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS HUNG THROTTLE ISSUE???
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000.
THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES ON ITS ON UP TO 4K PLUS RPMS AND DRIVES ITSELF WITH INCREASING SPEED. THIS IS OUR 18 YEAR OLDS CAR. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BY THE NHTSA AND FORD AND NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. HOW MANY DEATHS DOES THERE HAVE TO BE BEFORE SOME ONE ISSUES A RECALL FOR THE ACCELERATOR CABLE/CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM. FORD HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THERE 90 MODELS TAURUS AND A RECALL WASN'T ISSUED TIL 2008. WOW IS ALL I CAN SAY. FORD SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR KNOWN ISSUES THAT THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE REPEATED ISSUES WITH. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK AND THE CAR CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT THE GAS PEDAL BEING TOUCHED. AN THE RPMS SHOOT UP, ALMOST REARENDING OTHER CARS.THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE BUT I THOUGHT MY DAUGHTER WAS OVER EXAGGERATING TILL WE TOOK THE CAR OUT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 11/01/16*LJ
CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATES BY ITSELF I WILL NOT BE TOUCHING THE GAS AND THE CAR WILL SPEEDILY AND CONSISTENTLY ACCELERATING BY ITSELF WITHOUT HITTING THE GAS WHATSOEVER. THE CAR WILL BE IN PARK AND ITS STILL TRYING TO GO BY ITSELF GETTING UP TO 3000 4000 RPMS WHILE ITS IN PARK. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND VERY DANGEROUS. THE CAR NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR WORSE !
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
SITTING AT STOP LIGHT FOOT ON BRAKE VEHICAL ACCELERATES ON ITS ON. THIS IS A PROBLEMI HAVE EXPERIANCED BEFORE ON A 1976 MECURY WAGON. ITS THE CRUISE CONTROL. FORD WAS TOLD THEN AND DID NOTHING BUT CHARGE ME FOR THE INSPECTION SAYING NOTHING WAS WRONG. IT HAPPENED AGAIN SO I DISCONECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL. NOW ITS HAPPENING ON A 2004 TAURUS. IF I WAS THE ONE DRIVING IT WOULDNT CONCERN ME BUT MY X-WIFE PANICS EASY SO WILL DISCONECT HER CRUISE CONTROL. FORD NEEDS TO FIX THIS BEFORE SOMEONE DIES
VEHICLE THROTTLE GOT STUCK, DAUGHTER WAS DRIVE HAD TO PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL TO KICK THROTTLE DOWN, FOUND OUT THAT CRUISE CONTROL CABLE IS COMING OFF THROTTLE BODY AND JAMMING, BEEN HAPPENING MULTIPLE TIMES FOR LAST YEAR
TODAY I NOTICED MY CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE. LATER AS I PULLED UP TO A STOP SIGN, MY CAR REVVED FORWARD AND I HAD DIFFICULTY STOPPING IT WITH THE BRAKES. WHEN I PROCEEDED, IT ACCELERATED QUICKLY WITH NO GAS APPLIED, UNTIL I STOPPED IT. IT CONTINUED TO REV AFTER PUTTING IT IN PARK. I TROUBLESHOT IT WITH A COWORKER WHO SAW A FEW OTHER FRIENDS WITH THIS PROBLEM, AND HE SHOWED ME WHAT IT WAS: MY CRUISE CONTROL CABLE DISCONNECTED FROM THE THROTTLE, AND THEN STUCK IN FRONT OF THE THROTTLE SO THAT IT WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE CLIP LOCKING THE CRUISE CABLE TO THE THROTTLE IS DEFECTIVE. VERY DANGEROUS! I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 FORD TAURUS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CRASH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES; HOWEVER, THEY FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE SIDESWIPED ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BEFORE CRASHING INTO AN EMBANKMENT AND TREE STUMPS. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,728. UPDATED 03/24/17*LJ *CN
THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER THE PAST TWO DAYS. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT A FREEWAY SPEED OF 65 MPH AND THE SECOND TIME HAPPENED ON A SIDE STREET AT A SPEED OF 40 MPH. AS I RELEASED THE GAS PEDDLE THE CAR MAINTAINED THE SPEED OR ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN. UPDATED 12/08/2017*CN
Showing 1-20 of 50 loaded 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.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: May 4, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.