Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 176 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

19 crash reports4 fire reports8 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

176 reports

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141,000 miles · Jul 22, 2014

Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

CAR HAS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. HAVE HAD TO TAKE CAR AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER. LOCAL FORD DEALERS KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE ARTICLE ONLINE REGARDING THIS ISSUE. I AM AT A LOSS OF WHAT TO DO WITH THIS CAR. WILL ACCEL. UP TO 70MPH AND IS NOT STOPPABLE. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME …

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NHTSA ODI #10615328

74,170 miles · Jul 21, 2014

EngineVehicle Speed Control

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I WAS DRIVING THROUGH DOWNTOWN WHEN I NOTICED INCREASES ACCELERATION AND TROUBLE WITH STOPPING. WHEN I PUT MY CAR IN PARK, IT WOULD REV UP TO 2500 PM. I WOULD STOMP ON ACCELERATOR AND IT BROUGHT IT DOWN TO NORMAL BELOW 1000 RPM IN PARK. THANKFULLY I AVOIDED HAVING 3 ACCIDENTS. I WAS ABOUT TO CALL FOR A TRUCK BUT DID NOT. I MANAGED TO DRIVE MY CAR BACK TO WORK. MY CO-WORKER LOOKED AT IT AND SAW THE THROTTLE WAS STICKING AND CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CAME OFF. HE WAS ABLE TO REATTACH IT AND FIX THE THROTTLE. A WEEK AFTER HE FIXED IT I STARTED TO HAVE SOME ACCELERATION ISSUES BUT MINOR AND TODAY IT FINALLY GOT WORSE. I LOOKED ON HERE TO SEE IF OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND YES I DID FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH SAME ISSUES. I DO AGREE WITH A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. I CAN'T AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED BY A PROFESSIONAL OR A NEW CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10615039

130,000 miles · Jul 20, 2014

EngineVehicle Speed Control

ABOUT A YEAR AGO OUR TAURUS STARTED TO EXPERIENCE SUDDEN ACCELERATIONS. IT WOULD GO FROM 40 TO 70 WITH YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS. HAD TO PULL OVER, PUT IN NEUTRAL, AND STOMP ON GAS PEDDLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WITH THE LAST OCCURRENCE JULY 15, 2014. MECHANICS CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT. CAR IS TOO DANGEROUS TO OPERATE. THI…

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NHTSA ODI #10614803

119,200 miles · Jul 19, 2014

Vehicle Speed Control

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WHEN DRIVING, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATES TO HIGH SPEED, CAUSING ME TO CONSTANTLY PUT THE BRAKES ON. THE CAR ACCELERATES WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE GAS. THIS HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN. THE CAR WAS LOOKED AT BY A DEALER ON 10/2013 AND THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THIS HAPPENS PERIODICALLY ONE TO SEVERAL TIMES PER MONTH. WHEN THIS SUDDEN ACCELERATION HAPPENS, I AM FORCED TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THEN TURN THE CAR OFF. THIS HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING SITUATION BECAUSE IT OCCURS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AREAS AND ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10614697

135,000 miles · Jun 24, 2014

Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR, STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN THEN WHEN HE PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO GO ON THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. IT SEEMED THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL BUT IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION SIMPLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, NOISE, LEAKS, ANYTHING. HE WAS LEFT STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD/TRAFFIC WITH A CAR THAT WOULDN'T M…

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NHTSA ODI #10605573

69,874 miles · Jun 12, 2014

EngineService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

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THE CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP. I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AFTER I GOT TO A PLACE WHERE I COULD PARK. THE ENGINE ACCELERATED TO 3000 RPM AND I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND ENGINE AGAIN ROSE TO 3000 RPM. I CHECKED TO SEE THAT THE ACCELERATOR WAS NOT STUCK TO THE FLOORBOARD. THEN STARTED THE ENGINE AGAIN. AGAIN IT REVVED TO OVER 3000 RPM SO I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL AND THEN THE IDLE RETURNED TO NORMAL. ONCE I GOT ON THE FREEWAY TO RETURN HOME THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE. I CALLED THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY RECALLS ON 2006 FORD TAURUS FOR ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10597985

127,000 miles · Jun 10, 2014

Vehicle Speed Control

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SUDDEN ACCELERATION MANY TIMES AT RANDOM (I COULD NOT REMEMBER THE FIRST DATE OF THE INCIDENT SO I PUT THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT DATE, WHICH IS TODAY 6/9/14): FORD TAURUS 2006 ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN AT RANDOM TIMES WHILE DRIVING. RPM WILL GO OVER 3,000 AND CONTINUES. I HAVE PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AS I DRIVE BUT THE CAR STILL PUSHES AS I DO AND ACCELERATES. ONCE I PUT IT IN PARK, IT ACCELERATES OVER 3,000 RPM GOING UP TO 5,000 RPM AND NOT STOPPING UNTIL I TURN OFF THE CAR. THEN WHEN I TURN ON THE CAR AGAIN IT WILL GO UP TO 4,000 RPM. IT ONLY WOULD TAKE ONCE OR TWICE FOR IT TO TURN ON NORMALLY WITHOUT ANY SUDDEN ACCELERATION. BUT TODAY, AFTER ANOTHER INCIDENT OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION AS I WAS GOING ABOUT 27 MPH, EVEN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE CAR REVVED ON IT'S OWN AND IT BEGAN ACCELERATING. I PUT IT IN PARK FAST AND TURNED OFF THE CAR; BUT, EVERY TIME I TURNED IT ON, THE CAR STILL WOULDN'T STOP ACCELERATING. I HAD TO TOW THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND IT'S STILL BOGGLING US WHAT COULD BE WRONG WITH THE CAR, WE MIGHT END UP REPLACING THE WHOLE COMPUTER SYSTEM. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES ALREADY. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC MANY TIMES FOR THIS INCIDENT AND THEY HAVE DONE WHAT THEY COULD BUT THE PROBLEM NEVER SEEMS TO GET FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10597479

148,000 miles · Jun 10, 2014

Vehicle Speed Control

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED SEVERAL TIMES IN AN ATTEMPT TO RELEASE THE PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE PROBLEM RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.

NHTSA ODI #10597293

Mileage unknown · May 19, 2014

Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 25MPH WITH MY LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER IN THE CAR AND I FELT IT START TO GO FASTER. IT KEPT ON ACCELERATING AND WOULDN'T STOP. WHEN I GOT TO A STOP SIGN AND WAS PRESSING ON THE BREAK THE RPM SHOT UP. EVEN WHEN I PUT IT IN PARK IT KEPT ON ACCELERATING. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRON…

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NHTSA ODI #10592586

122,500 miles · Apr 21, 2014

EngineVehicle Speed Control

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MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2006 FORD TAURUS AND SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING OUT OF CONTROL. SHE WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN BY BRAKING FIRMLY AND EVENTUALLY THE CAR STOPPED DOING IT. WE DID NOT DRIVE IT THE NEXT DAY. TWO DAYS LATER, I WAS DRIVING AND BRAKING FOR A RED LIGHT WHEN THE CAR AGGRESSIVELY ACCELERATED AGAIN. ONLY BY SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES DID I AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF AND ON AGAIN, BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING OUT OF CONTROL. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR QUICKLY UP AND DOWN AND THIS STOPPED THE ENGINE FROM RACING. SINCE THAT TIME, THE CAR HAS ACCELERATED MORE GENTLY (WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL) TWICE, BOTH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. BOTH TIMES, MASHING THE ACCELERATOR SEEMED TO TEMPORARILY RELIEVE THE SYMPTOMS. I AM GOING TO CALL FORD, ALTHOUGH I DOUBT THEY WILL DO ANYTHING FOR ME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10584031

Official recalls

06V119000 · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel

Apr 10, 2006

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT FOR ONE SPECIFIC FLEET CUSTOMER WERE MODIFIED FOR OPTIONAL HANDS-FREE CELLULAR PHONE OPERATING CAPABILITY. TO PROVIDE THIS FUNCTIONALITY, A SPECIAL OVERLAY WIRE HARNESS WAS INSTALLED THAT INADVERTENTLY DID NOT INCLUDE THE CIRCUITS FOR PASSENGER AIR BAG DEACTIVATION INDICATOR (PADI) LAMP FUNCTION. AS A RESULT, THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.'

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE PADI LAMP WILL FAIL TO ILLUMINATE AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP IN THE CLUSTER WILL STAY ILLUMINATED.

Remedy: THE FLEET CUSTOMER WAS NOTIFIED AND ALL VEHICLES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 28, 2006.

05V520000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor

Nov 9, 2005

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, PASSENGER CARS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITHOUT GREASE BEING APPLIED TO THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AFTER A PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS USE ON THE HIGH SPEED SETTING, LACK OF GREASE ON THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR MAY CAUSE THE GEAR TO DISTORT OR FRACTURE DURING OPERATION RESULTING IN A LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION. INOPERATIVE WIPERS UNDER INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE A CRASH DUE TO IMPAIRED VISIBILITY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WIPER MOTOR FOR THE PRESENCE OF GREASE AND GREASE THE WIPER MOTOR GEARS IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 22, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673 OR LINCOLN/MERCURY AT 1-800-521-4140.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

PE12005 · Stuck Throttle

Opened Mar 7, 2012 · Closed Oct 22, 2012

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control; Vehicle Speed Control:cables

Preliminary Evaluation (PE)12-005 was opened to investigate allegations of speed control cables detaching from the throttle body and subsequently interfering with the throttle closing fully to the idle position in model year (MY) 2005 and 2006 Ford Taurus vehicles.The speed control cable, throttle body attachment arm (?nail head?) for the speed control cable, cable mounting bracket and cable routing for the MY 2005 and 2006 Ford Taurus are common to all MY 2004 through 2006 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable vehicles equipped with either the 155 HP 3.0L 2-valve Vulcan engine or the 200 HP 3.0L 4-valve Duratec engine (the ?subject vehicles?). Figures 1 and 2 show the throttle body cam and speed control cable installed and a cable interference condition caused by contact between a detached cable and the ?nail head.?Ford?s assessment of the condition in incident vehicles noted that the interference conditions produced tended to be short in duration as the cable end tended to dislodge itself from the throttle body due to vibration, road loads or engine roll in addition to tapping the acceleration pedal.Ford inspected three incident vehicles and measured maximum throttle openings of 5.8% to 14.9%, resulting in engine speeds ranging from 1600 to 2200 rpm with the transmission selector in Drive.A Ford stack-up analysis of the speed control cable length from the attachment bracket to the throttle body indicated a maximum theoretical throttle opening of 16.4% that could result from the alleged defect. Engineers at the NHTSA Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC) inspected an incident vehicle to evaluate throttle positions and engine speeds that could result from the alleged defect and performed brake testing of a vehicle with the throttle stuck at the worst case throttle opening that could result from the condition.The VRTC vehicle inspection noted that, depending on the orientation of the detached cable end, the amount of throttle opening that could result from interference by a detached speed control cable end varied from 4.8% to 11.3%.VRTC brake testing of a MY 2006 Taurus with a Vulcan engine and the throttle held open at 16% found that, even with multiple brake applications, sufficient vacuum was available for the brake booster assist and the brake pedal efforts required to stop the vehicle did not increase significantly from normal operating conditions. ODI?s analysis of 100 complaints related to the alleged defect found that drivers were generally able to free the interference condition or safely brake to a stop without incident.Approximately one-third (32) reported that the stuck throttle condition was corrected with no action or by tapping the accelerator pedal while the vehicle was still moving, another third (34) reported braking to a stop with the vehicle in Drive prior to correcting the condition, and the remaining third (34) reported that the driver responded to the incident by shifting to Neutral before stopping the vehicle.One complaint alleged that stuck-throttle type symptoms caused the vehicle to pass partially through a traffic light and into an intersection before stopping, however,ODI was unable to contact the owner to verify the cause or relationship to the alleged defect condition.ODI has not identified any crashes related to the alleged defect. Tables 1 and 2 provide a breakdown of complaints and warranty claims related to the alleged defect by engine and model year.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation do

Additional source detail variants (2)

Vehicle Speed Control:cables

Vehicle Speed Control