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2004 Ford Taurus
The 2004 Ford Taurus appears in 1 NHTSA recall campaign (seats) and in 365 consumer complaints filed with the agency.
The component named most often is vehicle speed control: 354.8 of every 1,000 component mentions for this year, above the 42.3 per 1,000 across all 2004 model-year vehicles and against 92 per 1,000 for the Ford Taurus line as a whole.
That is about the same as the average of 438.0 complaints per model year across the 39 Ford Taurus model years on this register; 34 complaints reported a crash and 13 a fire.
Complaints were received in the largest number in 2012 (89); the most recent in the file is dated 8 May 2019.
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has opened 2 investigations naming this model year.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA. Recall text is the manufacturer's Part 573 report as filed with NHTSA. Complaint file through 15 May 2019; recall file through 24 Sep 2026.
Recalls by model year:
Recall campaigns
Defect, as filed: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with power adjustable seats may have been inadequately welded.
Consequence: The seat may not perform as intended during a crash which could increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the upper support assembly on the power seats. The recall began on july 20, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Filed by FORD MOTOR COMPANY (manufacturer campaign 04S18).
Each entry links to the NHTSA record. NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are free of charge at an authorised dealer; check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Component mentions per 1,000 for the 2004 Ford Taurus (black) against all 2004 model-year vehicles in the file (yellow). A complaint can name more than one component.
| Per 1,000 component mentions | 2004 | Taurus line | All 2004 vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 354.8 | 92 | 42.3 |
| Power Train | 154.8 | 131.5 | 116.1 |
| Electrical System | 55.9 | 70.8 | 130.9 |
| Engine | 49.5 | 14.1 | 35.2 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 40.9 | 144.3 | 63.7 |
| Air Bags | 38.7 | 37.6 | 77.9 |
| Component | Mentions | Per 1,000 | Line | All 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 165 | 354.8 | 92 | 42.3 |
| Power Train | 72 | 154.8 | 131.5 | 116.1 |
| Electrical System | 26 | 55.9 | 70.8 | 130.9 |
| Engine | 23 | 49.5 | 14.1 | 35.2 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 19 | 40.9 | 144.3 | 63.7 |
| Air Bags | 18 | 38.7 | 37.6 | 77.9 |
| Structure | 17 | 36.6 | 46.5 | 71.1 |
| Service Brakes | 16 | 34.4 | 7.2 | 26.9 |
| Visibility | 13 | 28 | 45.8 | 41.4 |
| Steering | 12 | 25.8 | 49 | 71.4 |
| Unknown or Other | 12 | 25.8 | 17.9 | 20.9 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 9 | 19.4 | 23.1 | 28.8 |
| Suspension | 9 | 19.4 | 146 | 49.3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 17.2 | 54.8 | 46.2 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 7 | 15.1 | 5.4 | 15.5 |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 15.1 | 27.2 | 33.1 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 7 | 15.1 | 8.5 | 20.2 |
| Wheels | 5 | 10.8 | 4.8 | 10.5 |
| Tires | 5 | 10.8 | 17.4 | 22.4 |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 8.6 | 24 | 13.1 |
| Seats | 3 | 6.5 | 5.9 | 18.4 |
| Equipment | 3 | 6.5 | 14.2 | 14.1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | 3 | 6.5 | 1.9 | 8.5 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 0.6 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 2.2 | 1 | 0.9 |
365 unique complaints, 465 component mentions; 22 injuries and 1 deaths reported by complainants. Complaint narratives are not republished.
Complaints by year received
Investigations
| Action | Type | Subject | Component | Opened | Closed | Recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE12005 | Preliminary evaluation | Stuck throttle | vehicle speed control:cables | 7 Mar 2012 | 22 Oct 2012 | — |
| DP06005 | Defect petition | ENGINE STALLING FFV | fuel system, gasoline:delivery | 4 Dec 2006 | 28 Dec 2007 | — |
Other Ford Taurus model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 NHTSA | 0 | 2 | — |
| 1981 NHTSA | 0 | 2 | — |
| 1983 NHTSA | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1984 NHTSA | 0 | 4 | — |
| 1985 NHTSA | 0 | 2 | — |
| 1986 | 8 | 101 | 8,923,200 |
| 1987 | 8 | 255 | 8,919,345 |
| 1988 | 5 | 333 | 5,564,000 |
| 1989 | 5 | 562 | 4,519,000 |
| 1990 | 6 | 381 | 4,245,112 |
| 1991 | 4 | 649 | 3,888,700 |
| 1992 | 5 | 681 | 3,640,200 |
| 1993 | 6 | 1,557 | 3,772,112 |
| 1994 | 4 | 923 | 3,490,900 |
| 1995 | 5 | 1,205 | 3,681,660 |
| 1996 | 6 | 825 | 561,600 |
| 1997 | 3 | 769 | 711,800 |
| 1998 | 2 | 544 | 578,800 |
| 1999 | 5 | 871 | 939,166 |
| 2000 | 8 | 1,189 | 3,716,463 |
| 2001 | 9 | 1,030 | 3,980,991 |
| 2002 | 3 | 1,421 | 1,376,297 |
| 2003 | 3 | 1,205 | 1,406,609 |
| 2004 | 1 | 365 | 24,277 |
| 2005 | 0 | 752 | — |
| 2006 | 2 | 304 | 199,961 |
| 2007 | 0 | 140 | — |
| 2008 | 1 | 158 | 695 |
| 2009 | 0 | 56 | — |
| 2010 | 3 | 163 | 379,009 |
| 2011 | 4 | 133 | 772,632 |
| 2012 | 5 | 54 | 775,669 |
| 2013 | 9 | 258 | 1,548,116 |
| 2014 | 5 | 98 | 570,971 |
| 2015 | 6 | 63 | 1,760,319 |
| 2016 | 4 | 11 | 1,762,969 |
| 2017 | 4 | 10 | 315,504 |
| 2018 | 4 | 4 | 1,763,906 |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | 1,550,599 |
Model years with a single campaign and fewer than 25 complaints have no page here; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record for that year.
All Ford Taurus model years · Ford: 201 model lines
Questions and answers
How many recalls does the 2004 Ford Taurus have?
1 NHTSA recall campaign name this model year; the most recent, 04V330000, was reported to NHTSA on 8 Jul 2004 and concerns seats:front assembly:power adjust. Across all model years the Ford Taurus line has 69 campaigns.
Is there an open NHTSA investigation into the 2004 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA's investigation file lists 2 actions naming this model year; the table above shows each action's opening and closing dates. An action with no closing date was still open when the file was produced.
What component do owners of the 2004 Ford Taurus complain about most?
Vehicle Speed Control: 165 of 465 component mentions (354.8 per 1,000). Next is power train with 72. Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
How do I get a recall repaired?
NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by the manufacturer's authorised dealers. Each campaign's remedy text above is the manufacturer's statement as filed with NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, downloaded 24 Sep 2026. Complaint counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; component figures count each component a complaint names. The NHTSA record linked from each campaign is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation flat files (recalls, complaints, investigations), public domain, files dated 24 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints). Complaints since 1 Jan 1995. Counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; per-1,000 rates divide a component's mentions by all mentions for the same group. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections and the methodology.