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8.6

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$1,450
Average Mileage:
101,950 miles
Total Complaints:
18 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (9 reports)
  2. replace torque converter and input shaft (9 reports)
2005 Ford Taurus transmission problems

transmission problem

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2005 Ford Taurus Owner Comments

problem #18

Nov 112019

Taurus SE 3.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 79,234 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I got a used 2005 Ford Taurus from a car dealer. I've had it three months and two days. I drive it to a friends house and had no trouble and no noise, nothing. But when I get ready to leave, the car started but wouldn't move forward. It just goes backwards and now I have to pay for a car I can't use. I'm stuck with their 15 day or 500 mile warranty ECT. I can't pay to fix it and it's no good to me just sitting. I just don't know what to do about it (HELP).

- Jeanmarie G., Kingman, AZ, US

problem #17

Jul 312018

Taurus V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles

Car was running pretty good, then one day it just wouldn't go into any gear. Luckily we were at home. The engine starts fine, just won't move. I don't want to spend a lot of money getting a car this old fixed, so it's just sitting there at the moment.

- Mary R., Elbert, CO, US

problem #16

May 222017

Taurus SE 3.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 150,000 miles

I'm posting about my son's 2005 Taurus SE. It's been a pretty good runner but has now also succumbed to the notorious torque converter failure. I am in direct contact with a member of the Dahl Ford dealership in Onalaska, WI who reports that there are no recalls on this issue currently, but since I have his ear, I have tasked him with seeing if the dealership will repair the car or seeing what he can do to initiate a recall. If he can't initiate a recall then I propose that everyone on this site with a Taurus torque converter issue procure competent counsel and launch a class action lawsuit against the Ford Motor Company to reimburse you for repairs. I'll monitor my post and respond to all interested parties. If there is sufficient interest we can exchange emails at a later time.

- Randy F., La Crescent, MN, US

problem #15

Aug 222015

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 105,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I just bought the car. Car looked nice, motor great... Drove it just over 100 miles and was on my way home... (First day I was driving it) and the torque converter failed I was in heavy higher speed traffic when it failed with out any warning... I was lucky to get off on the side of the interstate. Extremely hot hot day, and It took over 90 minutes before I could get any help.

I was not aware of the problem with the torque converter in the 2005 Ford Taurus. Or believe me, I would not have bought this crap. It's being towed to a repair shop today and will cost me, (including all the towing I've been stuck with) over $1300 to replace the torque converter. I am pissed.

I understand there is a class action law suit against Ford and they are aware of this problem and have refused to accept any responsibility for it.

Living on SS and in retirement, this puts a real bind on us. I am hoping that class action law suit goes thru and not only results in a recall, but also provides some reimbursement to the owners who have already been "taken advantage of"... This is wrong...

I am thinking this will be my last Ford.

- onefineseamstres, Hopewell, VA, US

problem #14

Jan 072015

Taurus SE 3.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 144,000 miles

On January 7th, 2014, Driving home with 2 kids in the car, all of the sudden, my 2005 Ford Taurus became erratic with the speed and gear shifting, especially from 1st to 2nd gear (automatic transmission), so I carefully and barely drove the car home. I immediately checked the transmission oil fluid and it is clean and new...no burnt smell or like that nature. With the car idling in park, engine sounds NORMAL. I did some research on internet and I suspect that it is the failure of the TORQUE CONVERTER. Most people report that the splines of the torque converter are the WRONG size. Currently they are .160 but mechanically it should be .320. Obviously Ford either honestly or "deliberately" made bad splines for the car.

Now I just hope to find a Tranny mechanic who is trustworthy and reliable!!!

- adewey33, Rocklin, CA, US

problem #13

Oct 102009

Taurus SE V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 81,000 miles

This was the worst time of my life. I was inconveniently stranded at a supermarket with no idea of what was going on with vehicle. I was not financially able to repair this problem, had to get a loan and was very disgruntled about this matter. This problem almost jeopardized my job. I absolutely, positively without a doubt, HATE the Ford Taurus. I will never purchase one again.

- john.williams551jw, Albany, GA, US

problem #12

Dec 012013

Taurus 3.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 115,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Drove to the store, everything's cool. Try to leave, transmission won't engage into gear, shifter moves but car acts like it's in neutral. Come to find out the torque converter/input shaft went bad. Dealer wanted about 3 grand for labor to repair. Found a local guy to do it for a third of that in his garage. Ordered a rebuilt FM71 torque converter for $130.00.

- jsimmo12, Leroy, IL, US

problem #11

Jan 142005

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 9,000 miles

Hello bought this car from the showroom.Traded in a 1998 Buick century because the head went bad I thought buying this car would solve my car dilemma ha ha joke was on me. Barely had the car two months and transmission started slipping asked dealership to take a look. They had it two weeks and I had a rental car working two jobs kept waiting for them to call never heard from them so I called them and jokingly said did the trans go bad the tech said wait a minute and later came back on the phone and said we rebuilt your transmission which I never said gave permission to repair. 1700 dollars to repair I wanted them to take it back dealership said NO. Now the story gets better this car not the same I take it back and tell them they tell me to bad we fixed the problem go away. So I continue to drive my car and one on my way home from Cleveland the transmission fails again this time at 69000 miles so I call the dealership and they say it out of warranty so I have towed to Amico and they replace the torque converter for 862.00 which I had to paying myself. I called Ford's headquarters in Detroit Michigan and they told me that my experience was unfortunate and that there was nothing they could do for me. December 14 2012 guess what transmission fails again. This time I have to find another trans because this one has blown apart. I AM GOING TO START A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT after the first of the year. I WANT MY MONEY BACK TO BUY A HONDA CRV. Taurus sav

ed this company in the 80's but poor quality and the lack of concern about this problem everyome is having should bankrupt a company that use say ford quality no#1 Be ashamed ford motor to destroy a company Henry Ford built to help people own quality build cars that are no longer being built!

- Dee R., Grafton, OH, US

problem #10

Jul 302013

Taurus SE 3.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 182,500 miles

I traded a 2003 Ford Taurus for a 2005 Ford Taurus in June of 2005. I have had a few problems with this care but not this bad. When I say problems I mean the starter going out. I was driving home from school which is 26 miles from my home one way, on July 30,2013 when I started loosing power and if I tried to give it gas it kinda revved the motor. I decided to pull over to the side of a four lane highway to check the car and when I got back in the car it would not go in any gear. I had to have the car towed back to the ford dealership in my town. They said it was the torque converter and it would be $1850 plus tax for a new one and that I probably need to have the transmission replaced. I CANNOT AFFORD this, as I am about to finish school and I am broke. I have drove fords for years and they use to be good cars, but now I don't think so. I will have to get my car fixed and I will get out of town as fast as I can to trade it for a Nissan, or maybe a Toyota.

Carol J. TN

- Carol J., Sparta, TN, US

problem #9

Apr 132013

Taurus SE 3.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 97,469 miles

I was driving back from taking a disabled person to the Doctors and transmission just quilt working. No noise or anything just quit. We sat on on busy highway for two hours waiting for a freind to tow the car. Just like the recalled vehicles. My car has same transmission but was not recalled. WHY? Now I have no car. Can't afford to get it fixed. And have no way to take the disabled person I take care of to the doctors.

- Tamara C., Paulden, AZ, US

problem #8

Sep 122012

Taurus SE 3.0L W/O Dohc

  • Automatic transmission
  • 117,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This vehicle acts as if the vehicle is wanting to pull when your holding the brakes at a red light or stop sign. The only way to keep it from wanting to pull is to put it in neutral. All symptoms are showing that the torque converter is in the process of failing. We have also had multiple accelerator issues with this Sore-AS (Taurus) from it being hard to push to the pedal sticking.

- Brian S., Rising Fawn, GA, US

problem #7

Aug 062012

Taurus SE 3.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 49,117 miles

With as many people that are having this same problem you would think Ford would acknowledge the issue but instead ignore it. Simply shameful. Ford lacks integrity and I will buy no more of their trash. I've been researching trouble vehicles lately and have found the majority to be fords but am no longer surprised. I can picture their proud engineers now, sitting in their cubicles playing with legos, GED's hanging on the wall, probably wearing velcro sneakers. I'm not gonna fix my garbage Taurus, the replacement parts won't last any longer than the poorly designed original. Instead I'm gonna tow it to the shooting range, turn it into a lead trap, and then scrap it as junk metal.

- Kenneth M., West Chazy, NY, US

problem #6

Oct 292009

Taurus SEL 3.0L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 73,000 miles

Our transmission went out with no warning whatsoever!! My husband went around a corner right in town and it just stopped moving. Had to have a rebuilt transmission put in. That was 2009. It cost $2100!! NOW, 32 months later the same thing has happened again!! No warning....stopped at a stop light, car wouldn't go when light changed. Another transmission failure in 32 months and only 16,000 miles on the first rebuilt transmission! I We are getting a $300 discount on this rebuilt transmission. Whoopee! $2100 is our whole months retirement check!! We had to borrow money to fix it and now have to borrow money to have it fixed again!

I contacted Ford Company and they claim they have no knowledge of transmission problems in the 2005 Taurus. So, I am asking every one of you to bombard them with emails telling of your experiences with transmission failure in the 2005 Taurus's.

Email your complaints to :

crcfmc@ford.com

When emailing please include the following information:

Registered Vehicle Owner's First and Last Name: Daytime Phone Number: Home Phone Number: Vehicle Identification Number: Odometer Reading: Has the vehicle been diagnosed by a Ford or Lincoln Dealership for the current issue.

Please take the time to let them know of your complaints! Maybe then they will do something about it! They acted like I am the only one who ever made that complaint!!

I'm also going to contact the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), since they said I can't go by complaint sites such as this...and that the NHTSA has to issue any recalls on vehicles! Grrrrrrrrrr

http://www.nhtsa.gov/Vehicle+Safety/Recalls+&+Defects

Please report your problem to Ford and to the NHTSA and spread the word!!

Thank You L. Cross

- lcross, Havana, IL, US

problem #5

May 142012

Taurus SE 3.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 109,000 miles

click to see larger images

torque converter failed torque converter failed torque converter failed

Ok, it all started about 2 months ago. I noticed that when you first started the car up and drove it, that it would shift fine, but as the fluid heated up it would start shuttering into 3-4 gear. When i had my ac on the car would surge like every 30 seconds, and that got really annoying real quick. One morning i went to the doctor for a super painful tooth ache, and he prescribed me some meds, so i went to Walmart to get the meds filled. Once the meds were filled, i was pulling out of walmart, and the car shifted good into 1st gear and then 2nd gear,m but when it shifted into 3rd it went clunk, and the rpm's shot up and the car went nowhere. I coasted into a parking lot and proceeded to check all the other gears.........Nope nothing. I called a wrecker and had it towed to Mr Transmission where they told me exactly what the problem was. He showed me and my mother 3 other Taurus's in the shop for the same reasons as mine. That's 4 Taurus's in 1 transmission shop. That should tell Ford something. They checked it out and sure enough It was the torque coverter and the spline shaft. The total cost of repairs were well over $2000, but i was a repeat customer at this location so he gave me a discount. I only had to pay $1500. I will get the car back tomorrow (Monday) and will let ya know how it turns out. Im currently working on a Facebook page for Taurus owners with the same problem, so i can get as many people as possible that has had problems to sign a petition, and we will try and get ford to take resposibility for the poor craftsmanship of the transmissions. I hate to say it, but every american car i have owned has been trash. Next vehicle will be a Toyota or Honda. I will let ya know when i get the Facebook site up and running, so everyone can sign up.

- Chad S., Houston, TX, US

problem #4

Apr 162012

Taurus SEL 3.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 97,336 miles

As many of these same Trans AX4N torque converter poblems ford is having they should recall them.

- Larry S., Neodesha, KS, US

problem #3

Jan 152012

Taurus

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,000 miles

Our 2005 Ford Taurus stopped running in the middle of a busy intersection, without warning or any previous problem or indication. It has 58,000 miles and the extended warranty expired in May 2011. Had traffic been heavier, this could have caused a serious accident. Two mechanics diagnosed the problem as a failed torque converter and recommend replacing the entire transaxle. We are trying to save the money for repairs, but it will take awhile to do so. from reading of all the similar complaints of transmission failures in this model year, it appears that the breakdown is due to a design or manufacturing flaw. I believe this should be addressed with a recall. As I write this, a new article just came out on Yahoo News regarding apparent problems with acceleration/de-acceleration with this same model year. I'm wondering if there could be a connection with these issues.

- Joseph P., Indialantic, FL, US

problem #2

Feb 012012

Taurus SE V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 102,000 miles

Since i've bought this ford all i have done is fix it...first the car would suddenly start accelerating by itself ($900) to fix it, then less than a year letter the alternator breaks ($450), a month later the entire air condition system had to be replaced plus more ($1500)...now three months later the car starts, but won't engage. we are hoping it is not the whole transmission, and only the torque converter that's messed up. It's going to the shop today so we'll have an estimate...

Bottom line the Worst car...I WILL NEVER buy another ford...our 2000 Honda Civic has had 600 dollars of work (tires, maintenance) and we purchased both cars at the same time in 2006.

There needs to be some kind of recall!

- Lisa D., Williamsburg, VA, US

problem #1

Sep 072011

Taurus SE V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 156,000 miles

Ok, I found this website & wanted to post my complaint as well with Ford not taking care of a problem they are well aware of, this is the 2nd time my torque converter has went out on my 2005 Ford Taurus, the 1st time the car had 42,000 miles on it, I called the manufacture and got no where, a couple of weeks ago same thing happened again, l will NEVER buy another Ford, they will not stand behind their products once the warranty runs out. I was on the interstate going to work the 1st time the torque converter went out, luckily I was able to coast off to the side of the road without getting rear ended by another car doing 80, the 2nd time it went out in my driveway while putting my car in reverse, it acted like the others, it quit pulling with no warning, Please Ford take care of your customers!!!

- Penny B., Lewisburg, tn, US

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