The car will sometimes stay at high rpms even when pressure is released on the accelerator pedal. This happened to me in 2018 when I first got the car and has happened recently in december 2020. In the first episode, I depressed the brake and the car did not slow down until I shifted to neutral. In the second, my wife had to throw it into park. The car was in motion on a city street in both instances going straight
2001 Ford Taurus acceleration problems
99 complaints (10% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 120,000. 17 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 99
- of this car's complaints
- 10%
- typical mileage
- 120,000
- crashes
- 17
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Accelerator pedal13
- Cruise control4
- Linkages3
- Cables1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Ford Taurus acceleration problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2001 Ford Taurus acceleration
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
Speed control cable damage
On June 21, 2013, Ford initiated Customer Satisfaction Program 13B04 to address a concern with Speed Control Cable damage in certain model year (MY) 2000 through 2003 Taurus and Sable vehicles equipped with 3.0L 4V Duratec engines and built at the Chicago assembly plant.In the dealer letter for the program, Ford indicates that the Speed Control Cables on affected vehicles may be susceptible to damage or becoming partially disconnected during under hood vehicle maintenance (e.g., replacing a battery or changing the air filter) and that a damaged Speed Control Cable could interfere with the throttle's full return to idle when the accelerator pedal is released.Ford's program instructs dealers to inspect the Speed Control Cables and replace any with any portion of either collar retention tab missing.Dealers will install a Collar Reinforcement Clip at the Speed Control Cable collar in all vehicles. Figure 1 shows the location of the Speed Control Cable in the engine compartment and the proximity of the battery and air filter.The failure mode of the cable assembly is associated with the plastic collar used to secure the cable to a bracket near the throttle body (Figure 2).Damage to one or both retention tabs used to secure the cable ferrule within the collar may allow the ferrule to become disconnected from the collar when the throttle is opened during accelerator pedal application.Additional examples of Speed Control Cables with damaged collar retention tabs and partial ferrule displacement are shown in Figures 3 through 5.If the displacement pulls the ferrule completely out of the collar, the ferrule end may contact the face of the collar when the accelerator pedal is released and the throttle is returning to idle (Figure 6).This results in a throttle stuck at approximately 26-29% open.Testing conducted at the federal safety agency's Vehicle Research and Test Center found that brake booster vacuum may become depleted, resulting in reduced brake effectiveness, if the brake is applied repeatedly when the throttle is stuck at this position.Drivers who experienced this condition have reported being surprised that the engine speed did not drop as expected and in some cases misjudged the degree of braking required to slow the vehicle.Some drivers reported difficulty in braking the vehicle and responded by shifting to neutral or turning the engine off.One minor crash occurred when the vehicle contacted a roadside fence post after the driver responded to the stuck throttle by shifting the car to neutral, turning the engine off and coasting to the side of a roadway with no shoulder, resulting in approximately $400 damage to the vehicle.There were four crashes reported which were attributed to increased stopping distance caused by the increased engine power and/or reduced brake effectiveness, including two of the complaints to ODI.In one crash reported to ODI (VOQ 10516101), the subject vehicle allegedly hit the back end of a truck at approximately 40 mph causing about $2000 damage.In the other crash complaint to ODI (VOQ 10501834), the subject vehicle side-swiped a vehicle as the driver was unable to stop in time and attempted to maneuver around a line of vehicles stopped at a traffic light.When the tow truck driver subsequently started the incident vehicle, the engine was still racing and it was verified that the Speed Control Cable ferrule was stuck on the collar.After further investigation, ODI does not consider the crashes reported in VOQs 10456249 and 10159399 to be related to the Speed Control Cable problem.
PE12033
What 2001 Ford Taurus owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My high beam light indicator is on but the low beams are on. When I push the switch to turn my high beams on they turn on but the light indicator turns off and when switch my high beams on my speedometer starts kinda working, otherwise it doesn't work at all.
The throttle cable housing does not stay in it's seat where it is mounted by the throttle body causing over acceleration when using moderate acceleration, very hard braking is necsesary to stop and putting the transmission in neutral causes major over reving of the engine.
Car suddenly accelerating when using cruise control. Cruise control actuator cable adjuster appears to be malfunctioning.
I was entering onto the freeway, and when I accelerated to reach 60mph, the vehicle continued to accelerate without my foot on the pedal, and had to use my brakes continuously to keep from crashing into other cars until I could get it safely pulled over to the emergency lane, and forcing the stop with all I had. The whole car was shaking. Quite scary. Had it towed to the dealership, and the diagnosis was that the cruise cable broke and got caught on the accelerator cable which caused sudden and unintended acceleration. While researching this issue, found others who experienced the same thing. Why there isn't a recall on this, I will never know. If there are numerous complaints of malfunctions resulting in possible crash, don't you think the manufacturer would put the consumer first, investigate it, and make it right? I will never buy another ford.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford taurus. While driving at low speeds, the vehicle accelerated independently without warning. The failure occurred intermittently. In addition, when the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact was able to avoid a crash by shifting the gear into neutral. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was operating as designed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 132,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford taurus. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle accelerated without warning while depressing the brake pedal. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 226,000.
My daughter had just left a stoplight and at approximately 35 miles an hour let off the throttle but vehicle continue to accelerate. Pushed as hard as possible on the brake to slow vehicle down and get off the road put in park throttle still high, shut the vehicle off. I investigated and found cruise control cable casing had come out of plastic retainer clip and end of cable housing caught on plastic retaining clip causing throttle to remain open approximately 1/2 inch off idle!
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford taurus. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and making a turn, the vehicle unexpectedly increased acceleration. In order to stop the vehicle, the gear lever was shifted into the neutral position and the brake pedal was engaged forcefully. The failure recurred four times after being repaired under a voluntary recall issued by the manufacturer. The remedy consisted of replacing the accelerator pedal cable clip. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford taurus. While driving approximately 40 MPH and attempting to engage the brakes, the vehicle continued to accelerate and failed to stop. As a result, the contact drove through a red light. In order to stop the vehicle, the shifter had to be switched to the park position and the engine was turned off. The contact indicated that the failure occurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician determined that the plastic ring on the end of the cruise control was defective due to damaged prongs that snapped. The failure caused the cruise control to become stuck when pressing the throttle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified, but no solution was offered. The failure mileage was 135,000.
Questions about the 2001 Ford Taurus acceleration
Does the 2001 Ford Taurus have acceleration problems?
Owners have filed 99 complaints about the acceleration of the 2001 Ford Taurus, 10% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford Taurus acceleration problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 120,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Ford Taurus acceleration?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Ford Taurus have the most acceleration problems?
The Ford Taurus model years with the most acceleration complaints are 2005 (529 complaints), 2006 (176 complaints) and 2004 (164 complaints).
Other 2001 Ford Taurus problems
Suspension 515Brakes 97Airbags 66Engine 66Transmission 57Visibility 39Body 38Electrical 37Tires 35Lights 30Seat belts 24Fuel system 23Steering 20Locks 10Wheels 7Seats 5Driver assistance 1
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