NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
318 reports59,900 miles · Aug 3, 2012
Seat Belts
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG WAS DEACTIVATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG WAS DEACTIVATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,900. UPDATED 09/06/12*LJ
NHTSA ODI #10469085
100,000 miles · Jul 27, 2012
Vehicle Speed Control
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND ACCELERATED CONSTANTLY. THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED AT ALL TIMES PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND ACCELERATED CONSTANTLY. THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED AT ALL TIMES PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
NHTSA ODI #10468018
58,531 miles · Jul 27, 2012
Engine And Engine Cooling
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE; HOWEVER NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000. T…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE; HOWEVER NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,531. UPDATED 09/05/12*LJ UPDATED 09/10/2012 *JS
NHTSA ODI #10467947
125,000 miles · Jul 16, 2012
Vehicle Speed Control
WHILE MERGING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE STARTED TO REV, AND SPEED DROPPED. WE HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO AVOID ON COMING TRAFFIC TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10465891
81,430 miles · Jul 6, 2012
Vehicle Speed Control
MY 2006 FORD TAURUS SE HAS A PROBLEM ACCELERATING UNEXPECTEDLY. I CAN FEEL THE GAS PEDAL DEPRESS AND THE CAR ACCELERATES UNEXPECTEDLY. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN AND THEN SLOWING DOWN TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT. THE CAR WAS STILL TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND I HAD TO PRESS HARDER ON THE BRAKE…
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MY 2006 FORD TAURUS SE HAS A PROBLEM ACCELERATING UNEXPECTEDLY. I CAN FEEL THE GAS PEDAL DEPRESS AND THE CAR ACCELERATES UNEXPECTEDLY. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN AND THEN SLOWING DOWN TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT. THE CAR WAS STILL TRYING TO ACCELERATE AND I HAD TO PRESS HARDER ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN. I THEN SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND TAPPED THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR IDLED BACK DOWN FROM ALMOST 3000 RPM TO AROUND 1000, AS IT SHOULD BE. IT THEN ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY 2 MORE TIMES ON MY WAY HOME THAT EVENING. MY CRUISE CONTROL NO LONGER WORKS EITHER. I CAN TURN IT ON AND SET THE CRUISE. THE LIGHT EVEN WORKS ON THE DASH SAYING THE CRUISE IS SET. BUT, THE CAR JUST DECELERATES WHEN I LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CRUISE TURNS OFF AFTER IT SLOWS DOWN 5-7 MPH FROM WHERE IT WAS SET. I'M REALLY GLAD THAT IT WASN'T ONE OF MY TEENAGE DRIVERS IN THE DRIVERS SEAT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I WILL NOT LET THEM DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN UNTIL IT'S FIXED. I'M SURE FORD WILL DO THE RIGHT THING AND FIX THE ISSUE. I'M CALLING THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TONIGHT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10464479
72,000 miles · Jul 4, 2012
Vehicle Speed Control
5 MINUTES INTO A TRIP THROUGH TOWN I NOTICED THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO USE MY BRAKES, I HAD TO FORCE THEM DOWN AND HOLD THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I RELEASED THE BRAKES MY CAR SHOT FORWARD WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER ON THE FREEWAY I REALIZED MY CRUISE CONTROL WASN'T WO…
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5 MINUTES INTO A TRIP THROUGH TOWN I NOTICED THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO USE MY BRAKES, I HAD TO FORCE THEM DOWN AND HOLD THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I RELEASED THE BRAKES MY CAR SHOT FORWARD WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER ON THE FREEWAY I REALIZED MY CRUISE CONTROL WASN'T WORKING. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10464198
100,000 miles · Jul 2, 2012
Vehicle Speed Control
THE CRUISE CONTROL ON MY FORD TAURUS STOPPED WORKING APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO (THOUGH IT COULD BE LONGER) AND SINCE THAT TIME MY CAR WILL PERIODICALLY SPEED UP ON ITS OWN! IT OCCURRED AGAIN THIS MORNING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC!!! LUCKILY, I TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR SEVERAL TIMES AND MANAGED TO GET IT UNSTUCK BUT THIS IS DANGEROUS A…
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THE CRUISE CONTROL ON MY FORD TAURUS STOPPED WORKING APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO (THOUGH IT COULD BE LONGER) AND SINCE THAT TIME MY CAR WILL PERIODICALLY SPEED UP ON ITS OWN! IT OCCURRED AGAIN THIS MORNING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC!!! LUCKILY, I TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR SEVERAL TIMES AND MANAGED TO GET IT UNSTUCK BUT THIS IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR (HEAVEN FORBID) KILLED. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10463927
75,000 miles · Jun 4, 2012
EngineVehicle Speed Control
VEHICLE ACCELERATES BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING AND HARD TO BRAKE, NEED TO TAP THE GAS PEDAL, NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE.. ALSO VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING AROUND 40 MPH HARD TO CONTROL VEHICLE... SCARE TO DRIVE VEHICLE SPECIALLY WITH MY KIDS.... *TR
NHTSA ODI #10460436
88,000 miles · May 26, 2012
Power Train
AFTER STOPPING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT I TRIED TO PROCEED AND, AFTER REACHING ROUGHLY 25 MILES PER HOUR, FORWARD PROGRESS STOPPED AND THE ENGINE REVVED FREELY. THE TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY FAILED WITH NO ABILITY TO MOVE THE CAR. LUCKILY I WAS AT A LOW SPEED AND COULD SAFELY GET OUT OF THE WAY OF UNSUSPECTING TRAFFIC. THIS IS A VE…
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AFTER STOPPING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT I TRIED TO PROCEED AND, AFTER REACHING ROUGHLY 25 MILES PER HOUR, FORWARD PROGRESS STOPPED AND THE ENGINE REVVED FREELY. THE TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY FAILED WITH NO ABILITY TO MOVE THE CAR. LUCKILY I WAS AT A LOW SPEED AND COULD SAFELY GET OUT OF THE WAY OF UNSUSPECTING TRAFFIC. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. IF THIS HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, OR ANY OTHER NUMBER OF DANGEROUS DRIVING INSTANCES, THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WOULD MOST DEFINITELY BE PLACED IN A SITUATION WHERE INJURY OR EVEN DEATH WERE POSSIBLE. FORD NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE TO PROBLEM AND OFFER TO REIMBURSE (FULLY OR PARTIALLY) THEIR CUSTOMERS. THERE IS A DEFINITE ELEMENT OF SAFETY TO THIS FAILURE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10459749
106,000 miles · May 25, 2012
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGIN TO ABNORMALLY ACCELERATE TO 65 MPH. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE RPMS INCREASED TO 4000. HE THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND AS THE VEHICLE DECELERATED, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE. THE FAILURE RECURRED …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGIN TO ABNORMALLY ACCELERATE TO 65 MPH. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE RPMS INCREASED TO 4000. HE THEN DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND AS THE VEHICLE DECELERATED, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVEN TIMES WITHIN ONE MILE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT HAD NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE BACK AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.
NHTSA ODI #10459689
NHTSA investigations
1PE12005 · 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
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
Vehicle Speed Control
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
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