2003 Ford Taurus: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Aug 5, 2016 · Electrical, Engine · 168,357 miles · MO · fire

My car had caught on fire and the police officer and the firemen said it was a electric fire. My car was sitting in front of my apartment building at 8:30 p.m. And that between 3 and 4 a.m. A car that caught on fire and I was not even driving it was just sitting there park.

Filed Aug 29, 2013 · Body, Electrical · LA · fire

My husband picked me up from school and he went in the store and the car while me and my 1 year old were in the car started smoking like from the air conditioner part the whole front part of the car, my husband ran out of store stating car was on fire he pulled car way from gas station, I got out of car and got my daughter out, fire was coming out of hood and bottom of car high we called fire department everything is on camera, than a police officer came out. The fire department put out the fire.

Filed Apr 25, 2013 · Suspension · 88,823 miles · IL

While driving the car noticed a clunking feeling in front end. After approx one mile saw smoke and smelled burning rubber. Turned around to get car home, and while sitting at stop light, front driver side tire exploded like a gun shot. Car was towed to ford dealership and found "front left coil spring broke causing it to rub on tire causing burning rubber smell, smoke and tire to blow out". Repair bill is approx $925. Owner is 83 year old woman, and this is a very costly expense. Recall 04v332000 does not extend to this VIN although it is clearly the same issue.

Filed Feb 22, 2011 · Visibility · 60,000 miles · SD

Purchased 2003 ford taurus with 49k miles 8 months ago. Blower motor and resistor have failed twice. Water is coming into the blower housing through the air intake. Recent failure at 60k happened in cold weather while on the road, causing fan to stop working and windshield rapidly fogged over, making it impossible to see. Failure was accompanied by strong electrical burning smell.

Filed Nov 11, 2010 · Fuel system, Transmission · 198,000 miles · AL

The 2003 ford taurus while stopped at a light or applying brakes will surge and lunge forward. Very dangerous, because it surges with people walking in front of it and cars in front of the car. The car then feels like it is hit from the rear end and smells like it is about to catch on fire. Very scary situation, my children are very scared and we already have an evacuation plan if the car catches on fire. It is defintely not safe. A similar problem has been addressed with the 2006 ford freestyle. It also goes dead while backing up. Even when brakes are applied to the floor, it surges and moves forward. The enginge jerking is a very hard jolt. We hope this will be addressed.

Filed Jun 9, 2010 · Suspension · 26,837 miles · PA

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. While driving at 10 MPH, the contact noticed a rubber burning smell. He then noticed that rear left tire had become flat and that the cause of the flat was a coil spring that broke. The contact spoke with the dealer who stated that it would be easy if the contact purchased the part himself and repair it. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The failure and current mileages were 26,837.

Filed Feb 19, 2010 · Acceleration, Electrical · 130,000 miles · LA · fire · 2 injuries

On february 5, 2010 my 2003 ford taurus caught fire at 1:00 p.m. Parked under our car porch and there was no one in the car and no one had driven the car for 5 hours on saturday morning. The shreveport fire department was call to keep the house from burning down with the car. The city fire marshall said the fire was caused by the cruise control switch. I told him no one uses the cruise control in that car because we just go in town and there is a red light at every corner. He stated that he had been to many other fires just like this one and it was always the cruise control switch. My husband is emotionally disabled and I nearly had a nervous breakdown just the sight that our investment was burning up and there was nothing we could do. I have call the fire marshall for a written copy of his report. I have taken pictures of the vehicle and their is some minor damages and lots of smoke damage to done to the house.

Filed Jan 11, 2010 · Suspension · 120,000 miles · MI

Was making a turn onto a street when I noticed loud noise coming from the front of the vehicle and smell of burning rubber. Stopped and noticed front left tire was flat. After removal of tire, noticed that inside of tired had been ripped open as a result of the breaking of the front left spring that encompasses the shock.

Filed Sep 4, 2009 · Engine · 93,063 miles · CA

I was driving on the freeway when the car started to overheat. I exited the freeway, when I came to a complete stop the oil light came on. I drove the car slowly and I started to smell burning oil and the engine started to make a knocking sound when I accelerated. I stopped the car and oil smoke was coming out of the hood.

Filed Mar 19, 2009 · Electrical, Visibility · 78,000 miles · MA · fire

2003 ford taurus wagon. There are serious safety issues that need to be addressed by a recall: water leaking through the cabin air filter area into cabin compartment and seizing and overheating heating resistor and heater blower motor. My ford dealer told me there were no recalls for these problems on my car which is no longer under warranty the water leaking through the cabin air filter area into the cabin compartment in many 2001-3 taurus's have caused their heater blower motors to bind or seize which also burns out the blower resistor. It also eventually causes mold to form in the heater area and under the dampened carpeting. After noting a burning smell several times in my car's cabin after starting my heater fan, my heater defroster blower at first would not work- only to work a bit later-until it finally ceased to work completely. On at least 3 occasions when this happened my vision while driving was severely impeded due to the windshield fogging or icing up, as the dead blower could not defrost it. When I pulled the heater motor and resistor out (still wired) I discovered the cause of the burning smell. When I turned the ignition and fan switch on, the motor seized which caused the resistor to overheat to the point that literally flames were shooting out of the resistor! Luckily I shut the fan off completely when I smelled the burning resistor but it is fortunate the car did not catch on fire. Ford is well are of this problem and has issued a technical service bulletin # 04-15-3 to resolve it. The heater blower motor and resistor must be replaced along with the passenger side windshield cowl (which apparently warps from the sun and heat) and an additional piece of rubber molding installed on the rain hat over the cabin air filter. Additionally an area near the over the cabin air filter must be silicone caulked and some foam insulation removed for proper drainage. I repeat the above are serious safety issues that need to be addressed by a recall.

Filed Dec 14, 2008 · Suspension · 132,000 miles · MI

Left front spring failure at 70mph on us hwy 127. There was a loud band, smell of burning rubber as the front corner of the vehicle dropped down. Was able to get the vehicle to the side of the road. Upon closer inspection, the spring had broken, and was lodged against the tire/wheel. Saved a small piece of the spring. It was clean and free of rust at the breakpoint. Vehicle was towed to local ford dealer. Will contact them on monday.

Filed Jul 7, 2008 · 80,000 miles · TX · fire

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. When it rains, water leaks into the passenger compartment, which may have caused the blower to malfunction. While driving 55 MPH, the air conditioner began to lose power and went from high to low; however, the control knob was still set on high. Once he arrived home, the air conditioner failed completely. The contact turned off and then turned the air conditioner back on and the power level went back to high. Approximately five minutes later, the power was reduced again to low. The air conditioner failed completely once again and the contact smelled burning wires. The air conditioner failed to come back on after this failure; however, all the other components still functioned properly. He took the vehicle to a local mechanic after several months and was informed that everything was working properly, except for the air conditioner blower motor. The mechanic located a recall and instructed the contact to call the federal safety agency. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was 80,000 and current mileage was 96,295.