What 587 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Taurus

The contact's mother owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, several unknown warning lights illuminated when turning off the vehicle. The contact stated that there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the dashboard. In addition, the gear shifter had seized in park(P). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle had several previous ongoing failures. The contact stated that the failure started shortly after the vehicle was purchased in 2013. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

NHTSA ODI 11706565

Just recently, my power steering started to fail when it’s in ‘S’ gear (I just started using it a few weeks ago). The steering wheel gets catchy and can be difficult to control, especially going around corners. It’s intermittent and it didn’t start until I started to use the ‘S’ gear. I had the power steering checked by a mechanic and they said it’s functioning properly. I do believe my car should be included in this recall before the steering goes out and something catastrophic happens. By the way, now that I’ve stopped using the ‘S’ gear, the glitchy steering issue has subsided.

NHTSA ODI 11677833

Please allow submission of additional information regarding issues with my 2013 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor. As stated on the previous complaint filed on 1/9/2024, I got my car service at AutoNation Ford Service Center on 12/16/2023, and I brought it back to the service center on Saturday, 12/23/2023 because of the car’s poor performance and engine had laminated on 12/17/2023. I went to pick up the car on Thursday 12/28/2023 in the morning, the Ford representative said the car is fine, and there is nothing wrong with the car. I say thank you and drive off. So, I am driving the car for about 5 minutes, it feels sluggish. Then the engine light comes on, I make a U turn and return the car to AutoNation Ford for service. As things stand now, my car is still AutoNation Ford service center, due to the defects which are causing poor performance while driving the 2013 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor, issues such as: Rough Steering, Bad Ignition Switch, and braking issue. Per my previous statement, I drove the car for about on 12/28/2023, it felt extremely sluggish. The hard shifting in vehicle, and steering wheel was rough . The brakes have more issues than normal. The engine light came on.

NHTSA ODI 11565399

I have a check engine light on my dash. I have several codes. I have problems with the car like the fuel pump, catalytic converter not functioning efficiently, steering, etc. I know Ford has problems with its cars.

NHTSA ODI 11565376

2 different PTU's have burned up, waterpump blew up

NHTSA ODI 11543527

On 7/31/2022, and also about a month ago, my 2013 Ford Taurus Limited stalled out while driving and the wrench light came on. The car limped along until I could pull it over, but this could have been serious as I was on the highway doing 65mph just 2 minutes prior to it. It stalled coming up the upramp here in Phoenix. I got it into the parking lot, and gave it gas and nothing at all, the engine just sputtered as the wrench light was on. I turned it off for 2 minutes, and restarted and able to get home 4 minutes away. This is the 2nd time this has now happened, and this is a huge safety concern. Ford Taurus had recalls on the Powertrain Control Module for other years of the Taurus, but I do not want to pay for this fix as this is a Ford safety issue for my model year 2013. I could have caused an accident on the highway if this stalled like this. Who do I contact to get this looked at. I can almost guarantee it is the powertrain control module as I see it online recalled and exact same issues. This car onl has 70k miles on it and in great condition, serviced all the time. Please let me know whom I may contact to resolve this safety issue? Should I call my local Ford dealership, but I think they charge $200 for scan of the car. Thank yo for your time. Brian Maltese 480-577-1456

NHTSA ODI 11476787

Car keeps throwing wrench light on and looses all power while driving. Car has been back to dealership and they can not find any issues. Researching it seems to be a big on going issue with the 13 ford vehicles. I’m going to be in a major accident with this car and I’m still paying on it.

NHTSA ODI 11475626

While traveling down the highway and without warning, we lost the ability to accelerate. We had to coast over to the shoulder of the road and there was no response when pressing the gas pedal. The vehicle then began to sputter and the check engine light came on. We restarted the vehicle and the check engine light was off, and the car responded when the gas was pressed. Later on I was turning through an intersection and again the engine stopped responding. I coasted very slowly through the intersection, turned on the hazard lights and sat slightly off the road. I restarted the car several times and this time the check engine light stayed on. I checked the code and it showed "Throttle Actuator Control (TAC) system, actuator stuck open". I looked on the internet and saw that many of the 2009-13 Ford Escape owners had experienced these symptoms as well. This seems more like just a Ford problem and should be fixed by the manufacturer. Our car is a 2013 V6 Ford Taurus SEL, that has 60,000 miles on it. This so-called Limp-Mode that Ford has in place is dangerous. The engine should not completely stop responding to the pedal!

NHTSA ODI 11430102

15V340000 14V393000 20V072000 15V812000 16V621000 13V270000 15V040000 13V227000

NHTSA ODI 11403030

VEHICLE SHOT THE WRENCH SIGN AND LOST ALL ACCELERATION ON MAJOR HIGHWAY WITH NO SHOULDER... THROTTLE BODY IS BAD IN MOTION GOING STRAIGHT , 77 MILES PER HOUR , MAJOR HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11353371

POWER STEERING IN MY VEHICLE WENT OUT IN MY VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I DID A BUNCH OF RESEARCH ON 2013 FORD TAURUS AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER TUER BUT MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED. I READ IN SEVERAL FORUMS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO HUNDREDS OF OTHER WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL, ALL TYPICALLY HAPPENING IN THE 80K -100K MILEAGE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BY MYSELF AND THE DEALER TO DOING THE REPAIR TO GET ASSISTANCE AND I WAS JUST GIVEN THE RUN AROUND OVER AND OVER, EVERY PERSON I SPOKE TO HAD A DIFFERENT ANSWER OR INFORMATION. THE DEALER NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER, SO I PAID THE $3100 IN FULL. I CONFIRMED WITH THE DEALER THIS WAS THE EXACT PART THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN RECALL 15V340000 THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THEY MISSED A LARGE SECTION OF VIN'S THAT WERE AFFECTED AND WE ARE HAVING TO PAY TO REPLACE THE PARTS OR OUR VEHICLES ARE JUST LEFT UN ABLE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11307388

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING OVER 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 2 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY AND PCM WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,951.

NHTSA ODI 11280895

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD TAURUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE'S GEAR WAS IN PARK, THE CONTACT WENT TO THE TRUNK TO LOOK THROUGH HER BELONGINGS. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO GET HALFWAY INSIDE THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS DRAGGED AS THE VEHICLE STRUCK A CURB AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V393000 (POWER TRAIN). JACK SCHMITT FORD (1820 VANDALIA ST, COLLINSVILLE, IL 62234, (618) 477-8126) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL AND WAS NOT MANUFACTURED AT THEIR LOCATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 86,000.

NHTSA ODI 11279573

ON NIGHT OF OCTOBER 8,2019 I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE (2013 TAURUS) AND IT JUST LOST ACCELERATION. WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON AND I WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD DUE LIMITED TRAFFIC AT THAT TIME OF NIGHT. ONCE ON ROADSIDE I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND IT RESTARTED AND NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THE SHORT DISTANCE TO MY HOME WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. THE FOLLOWING MORNING I TOOK VEHICLE TO NEARBY SERVICE CENTER. THEY CHECKED FOR CODES BUT NOTHING SHOWED UP. THEY STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY APPEARED DIRTY AND SUBSTANTIALLY HAD THEM CLEAN IT. ON OCTOBER 10 THIS TIME WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGH AT APPROXIMATELY 55/60MPH THE VEHICLE JUST DIED AGAIN/ LOSING ALL POWER TO THE ACCELERATOR. HOW AN ACCIDENT DIDN'T OCCUR IS BEYOND ME. VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE CENTER AND WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED THERE NO WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ALTHOUGH A SUBSEQUENT CHECK OF CODES THIS TIME REVEALED THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM. UPON RESEARCHING ISSUE THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH VARIED IDEAS (POWERTRAIN SENSOR / THROTTLE BODY) AS TO THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. BUT WHEN TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY AND THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOSES ACCELERATION AND GOES IN TO CREEP MODE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE

NHTSA ODI 11267845

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED, STALLED, AND THE MAINTENANCE VEHICLE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ACADEMY FORD (13401 BALTIMORE AVE, LAUREL, MD 20707, (800) 658-7794), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE NUMBER WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11252400

VEHICLE LOSES POWER SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA ODI 11240238

WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WILL JUST SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND SHOW A WRENCH LIGHT ON THE DASH. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES (TWICE IN THE LAST WEEK) ON MY 2013 FORD TAURUS LIMITED. I CAN START THE CAR AGAIN AFTER ABOUT 20 SECONDS BUT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT THAT HAS MANY COMPLAINTS. I'M LUCKY NO ONE HAS CRASHED INTO THE BACK OF ME. THIS IS MY FIRST AND LAST FORD.

NHTSA ODI 11231820

TAKATA RECALLI AM THE OWNER OF A 2013 FORD TAURUS THAT I BOUGHT IN 2016. IT WAS A 1 OWNER NO ACCIDENTS AND 36000 MILES ON IT. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF ANY RECALLS BY FORD OR THE DEALERSHIP. YOUR WEBSITE SAYS IT WAS FIXED SO I CANNOT SEE WHAT RECALL OUT OF THE EIGHT IT HAS. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ONE MORNING DOING MAYBE 15MPH AROUND A RIGHT HAND TURN, WHEN MY PASSENGER SIDE TIRE ALMOST FELL OFF FROM BEING DISCONNECTED AT THE HALF SHAFT AND LINK SHAFT. MY TRACTION STABILITY LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST CALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I ENDED UP HITTING A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I HAD MINIMAL COSMETIC DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. BUT DUE TO ALL OF THE POWERTRAIN WORK NEEDING TO BE DONE FROM THIS THE BILL WAS OVER 5000$. I HAD TO CLAIM IT ON INSURANCE AND NOW I'VE BEEN PAYING 5000$ A YEAR OR INSURANCE ON A CAR WORTH MAYBE 8000. I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THESE RECALLS UNTIL RECENTLY AND I AM UPSET I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BECAUSE IF I WAS DOING THE SPEED LIMIT AT 55. I WOULD BE DEAD. THIS IS A HIDE SAFETY CONCERN OF MINE. I STILL HAVE THE REPAIR BILLS AND FOR HITTING A STOPLIGHT AT ROUGHLY 5MPH COULD NOT HAVE CAUSE THAT MUCH DAMAGE.

NHTSA ODI 11222029

80,200 MILES - DURING A 2 HOUR DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 80MPH, MY TRANSMISSION LOST THE LOW GEARS. AS I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN IN CONSTRUCTION, MY CAR EXPERENCED LOUD HARD JOLTING SHIFTS WHEN IT ATTEMPTED TO DOWNSHIFT, BOUNCING MY MOTHER'S HEAD OFF THE DASH. IT WAS SUPER SLUGGISH LIKE FOLLOWING AND HARD TO BRING IT TO A STOP. WHEN STOPPED AND SHIFTING THROUGH THE GEARS YOU COULD HEAR IT SLAM INTO GEAR A FEW SECONDS AFTER SHIFTING INTO DRIVE. RESULTED IN A COSTLY TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ODI 11190146

TAKATA RECALLS. WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES THE STEERING STIFFEN UP MAKING THE CAR HARD TO CONTROL WHILE DRIVING AND PARKING THEN VEHICLE ,THEN THE RACK AND PINON WENT OUT, MAKING LOUD NOISES . MAKING THE VEHICLE IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE. THERE IS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH TRANSFER CASE TO THE AWD THE SEALS ARE EASILY BREAKING MAKING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING EVERYWHERE.

NHTSA ODI 11184494

DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AND WITHOUT WARNING, VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND SHUDDERS. SLOWS DRAMATICALLY. WRENCH INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW, LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OUT OF TRAFFIC AND TURN VEHICLE OFF. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS IT WILL START AND THE LIGHT IS OFF. BOTH TIMES SPEED WAS 50-60 MPH. WIFE IS NOW SCARED TO DRIVE IT. IT HAS 52,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11155919

VEHICLE QUIT ACCELERATING WHILE DRIVING DOWN A PAVED 45 MPH ROAD, WRENCH SYMBOL APPEARED ON THE DASH AND ENGINE RAN ROUGH. ACCORDING TO THE OWNERS MANUAL THE WRENCH SYMBOL INDICATES THAT THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REDUCED POWER MODE. HAD IT TOWED TO THE SHOP AND IT STARTED AND RAN NORMAL FOR HIM. THERE WERE NO ACTIVE, PENDING,OR MEMORY CODES IN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. IT WAS DRIVEN 50 MILES WITH NO OTHER PROBLEM OCCURRING DURING THE TEST DRIVES. THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE MANY DOCUMENTED CASES OF THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11128483

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER WHILE GOING INTO LIMP MODE. IN ADDITION, THE POWER TRAIN FAULT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 101,000.

NHTSA ODI 11120646

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT START WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC CALLED GWINNETT FORD AT (404) 418-6877 (3230 SATELLITE BLVD, DULUTH, GA 30096) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 98,000.

NHTSA ODI 11058253

VEHICLE STALLS AND HIGH SPEEDS AND GOES INTO "LIMP MODE" WHERE VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER AND ACCELERATION. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY BEGINS TO DECELERATE IN TRAFFIC CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS AND HAZARDOUS SITUATION FOR THE DRIVER AND OTHER VEHICLES. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED 8 TIMES IN MY TAURUS 5 OF WHICH WAS IN THE INTERSTATE IN EXCESS OF 70MPH. *TT CONSUMER STATED ISSUE WAS NOT RELATED TO THE FUEL PUMP, ISSUE WAS CAUSED BY THE FAULTY THROTTLE BODY. WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE PART AND CONSUMER ENDED UP PAYING OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR. UPDATED 7/25/18*JB *TR

NHTSA ODI 11031881