This car was kept in a garage its whole life very low mileage 46,000. I just got off the freeway interstate 295 in Portland, Maine drove down from Winthrop, Maine. turned into first intersection and I heard a ting-ting then a clunk then nothing at all just rev up the motor and nothing in any of the gears. So I pushed thru an intersection jumping out as did my daughter - she fell and rolled over, jumped up and started pushing the car into a near-by hotel (clairion) parking lot. It did go in park and when shifted it was always in neutral or park. Had it towed back to Winthrop 90 miles - had to take apart frame to get engine and trainy out. Took apart and found failed torque converter. :-( WTF Ford you make a piece of sh*t for a car. I will never buy a ford again-you suck ford!!!! and im going to tell all my friends and rant on the internet about it. I hope your company fails because in the torque converter the splinze were all stripped and ford has not even addressed the problem selling same cheap ass tourque converter. there is an after market one that is more heavy duty cost more and its not made by ford.

I was driving on a busy 3 lane road in Greenville SC when the transmission completely failed. Luckily a gap in the traffic came by and I was able to pull over without incident. The car was towed to the local Ford dealership and three days later was quoted a price of $3400 to put in a rebuilt "Quality Ford" transmission. I told the service rep I had zero confidence in his transmission and took it a well known transmission shop in Mauldin SC (Advance Transmissions). They replaced the transmission for $1825 in less time than it took the Ford dealership to tell me what the obvious problem was. Total costs were right at $2,000 for this problem. When I called several other Ford dealerships in the area to get prices for the transmission they are were all quite aware of the problem with the 2003 Taurus transmission. Ford needs to recall this car. I am sending letters to the Attorney general and voicing my complaint where ever I am able until Ford does the right thing!

We have owned the car since 2004 and it was a really great car until saturday. Went out to the car and started it and found out there were no gears! Car just revs up. NO WARNING JUST QUIT WORKING!!!!! I have been a fan of Ford for years but I'm not so sure anymore. I have read thousands of complaints for the very same problem. Our Taurus only has 103,000 miles and now it needs a transmission thats costs more than the car is worth!

Now it's a lawn ornament. Ford should recall this POS transmission.

My college student granddaughter was coming home from her apartment at Huntington, WV (Marshall University) for the 4th. of July and the car transmission dis-engaged like it was put in neutral, she luckily was able to coast to the side of the road...got towed (which was not cheap) to my home. The car starts & runs but won't move when it is in ANY GEAR. Googled 2003 Ford SES Transmission failure and found this site with the same complaints as with my vehicle...I thought oh, SH*T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm screwed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My First and Last Ford and that's a PROMISE Ford Motor Company. No recalls for this on going failure of this type transmission is my complaint. And we wonder why our jobs are going across the waters???? And why buying AMERICAN is not such a good thing... I find it hard that I just said these words. Damn I'm pissed! No recalls! And did I mention...Damn I'm pissed!

Drove home from work...no problems...went out on 6/24/11...stopped at a red light...everything was fine...went about 50 feet...Transmission dis-engaged and coasted to the side of the road...got towed home for $148.00...have no friggen Idea what to do now...car does not respond in ANY gear...no reverse...no drives...nothing....sits in the driveway right now...Damn you Ford Motor Company!!!!....DO SOMETHING!!!!!....I PAID YOU GOOD MONEY for this car....I trusted your company....no wonder the car companies are in trouble....you screw the customer...will NEVER buy another Ford product AGAIN!!!!!

Up until June 21, 2011 I have not had problems with my Taurus. I bought it used a year and a half ago and it has always run good. Then on the 21st I was sitting at a light on the main highway in Kokomo waiting to turn left and when the light turned green the car went about four or five feet into the busy intersection and then just wouldn't move anymore. The car was still running, but nothing happened in any gear. Cars were going around me from all directions and I had to try to push my car out of the intersection by myself. Finally some young kid stopped and helped me push it out of the intersection. It was very scary and dangerous. There was no warning, no fluids leaking, nothing. It just suddenly happened. I had the car towed to the shop and was told the transmission needed to be replaced and it would cost $2700 (for a rebuilt transmission). I don't have that kind of money just laying around, so I can't even afford to get the car fixed! It's ridiculous that Ford knows there is a problem with the transmissions on 2003 Taurus's and they won't fix it! I will never buy another Ford product because of this experience.

Ford ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO RECALL! Its happened to way way too many people! Its not anything we are doing wrong its Fords fault for building a faulty car! Im so mad I cant even contain it. I was driving 70mph down a busy freeway and I had my cruise tried to keep up with the speed I set it but it couldn't so my rpms went up to 6 or so and my gas pedal went to the floor. IT SCARED THE CRAP out of me! And because I was scared I almost rammed a flippen car next to me trying to get off the road because there was a semi right behind me. This IS ABSOLUTELY DANGEROUS! Ford doesn't want to recall because its not classified as a "safety issue", UM YES IT IS a safety issue! To sideswipe another car or get rammed in the tail of your car is a safety issue. I dont have the money to fix this problem, So there fore I cant get to work and when I cant get to work Im not making the money I need to get it fixed... I find it funny I started antidepressants the day this happened because I would prolly be sent to a hospital for stressing too much over it. Thanks Ford for all the help fixing your bad, not. I used to be a die hard Ford fan before this and I found out they wont recall, Ill be switching to a different car company next time I buy a car unless they see that too many people are having this issue and do recall.

Beyond some other problems I had in the past with my Taurus, it finally happened to me..my transmission failed while I was driving 75pmh on a very busy highway coming home from work at 9:30pm. Without any warning lights or any strange noises driving at 75mph, my rpm Guage and engine suddenly revved high and I couldn't accelerate my car anymore in drive. It was like having the car in neutral in the drive position in 5 lane highway. As my car slowed down and was only coasting, I had to dodge cars coming from the rear at 70-80mph just so I can get over 4 lanes to the closest shoulder on the road. Luckily I managed and the car did well coasting far along to reach an exit and finally stopped on the side of the road where I was towed later.

It was a very frightening experience and with all these similar complaints you would think ford would do somthing about it. I could've easily been in an major accident that night, but was fortunate thank God! What is Ford waiting for...DEATH due to faulty defective transmissions! Just replaced Transmission in my wife's 2003 Winstar. Same issue and she was driving with our 1 year old baby when it happened on road..luckily nothing happened to them either!

The transmission failed without warning, like most of these reports. Luckily it happened in light traffic. I was towed to the nearest Ford dealership, and three days later, the famous failed torque converter was diagnosed. However, the further the mechanic dug, the more problems found; pump shaft sheared off, shift rod worn, seals, gaskets, etc. I did report this to Transport Canada, Road Safety, and I was the first Taurus in Canada to report it! Lots of Windstars though. Ford Customer Service was sympathetic, but the repair was not covered under any warranty or Customer Satisfaction Program; I was on the hook for the full cost (+ the 2 weeks of rental car).

Ford likely doesn't consider this as a safety issue. The driver still has power steering and brakes so has control of the vehicle. I must say that the Taurus does coast very well in Neutral, but I wouldn't want to try it across four lanes of heavy traffic. I would recommend anyone who has experienced this failure to report it to your national transportation safety organization. It's the only way that Ford might listen.

I bought my Taurus used about 6 months ago after a car accident totaled my Ford Escort. I liked the escprt, bt wanted something larger to accomdate my growing Family. Taurus was it, great storage space in the trunk, and roomy inside. It was inspected by a mechanic to ensure it was in top condition. I was a loyal Ford owner until now. Only after my trasnmission failed without warning, no slippage, noise, or fluid issues... I located this site and never again will I buy a Ford. I was told by my shop that Ford changed transmissions in the Taurus after 2003, but where does that leave us? The middle class american that loved to buy American cars for a good value??? Most of us dont have an extra $2000 laying around. great Job Ford, you blew it.

This is the second time I am having to replace my transmission. The first time was on October 7, 2010 my vehicle had 87,119 miles on it and had been maintained on a preventive maintenance plan, by the book, from day one. This time it happened on January 27, 2011, same problem, shift the lever into drive and it will not budge. The car has 88,779 miles on it (that is 1,660 miles between transmissions). The car is still in the shop, today is April 14, 2011. How can your transmission go out twice and there not be a problem with the transmissions used in 2003 Ford Taurus?