2004 Ford Taurus: jerking or lurching

Filed Dec 3, 2020 · Acceleration, Brakes · 200,000 miles · WA

I was driving down a county road going 50 MPH when I tried to brake the car kept accelerating and the rpms were high. I tried to brake but it was as if my brakes were out but I know they were fine. I kept speeding up so I hit the emergency brake and pushed brake put it in neitral but the rpms seemed to go higher. I quickly just put it in park while still moving n rpms high. Csar made a loud sound and jerked to a stop gave me whip lash there was no casrs on the road I was in the country. But as I stopped I just parked tryiung to figure out what to do . Was very shaken up so I had to park for awhile. After about 30 minutes of parking and calling everyone about my near death experience I started it up and drove 10 MPH hoime. Had it looked at by a self employed mechanic I know.

Filed Apr 8, 2014 · Acceleration, Brakes · 87,000 miles · ME

Driving down a side street going approximately 15 MPH. The vehicle started racing and speeding up. I applied the brakes and could feel the jerking of the car fighting to speed up. I pulled over and put the car in neutral which caused the RPM meter to race. I pushed hard on the hard accelerator and let off and that stopped the RPM's from racing. This has been happening more and more over the past few months. One time, I had to turn the car off and when I started it up it was still racing. A combination of pressing hard on the accelerator (in n) and turning the car off seems to help. There is not always a place to pull over, this is an accident waiting to happen. My mechanic had no ideas why this is happening so I researching solutions myself.

Filed Apr 4, 2012 · Acceleration · 55,000 miles · NY

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford taurus. While driving approximately 15 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes would not respond. There was an increase in rpms and the vehicle lurched forward while the engine continued to race. The contact continued to apply excessive force to the brake pedal, placed the vehicle in neutral and was able to stop the vehicle. The failure recurred three times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics. The technician was unable to determine the cause of the failure. There was an investigation under the federal safety agency action number: pe12005 (vehicle speed control:cables) that may be related to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

Filed Mar 19, 2012 · Acceleration · 69,500 miles · PA

On the afternoon of february 14th, 2012 I was driving my vehicle in a residential area of west philadelphia when the car began to lurch forward when I applied the brake. When I took my foot of the brake, the car proceeded to accelerate at a speed of approximately 30 MPH without my foot being on the accelerator. I went down one city block with the car still moving without me pushing the accelerator. I then pulled the car over and put the car in park and the engine continued to rev at approx 3000-4000 RPM. I then turned the car completely off and let it sit for about 5 minutes. I then turned it back on and the car continued to rev at 3000-4000 RPM while still in park. I then turned the car off and called for someone to pick me up as I believed the car was unsafe to drive. When my friend arrived, he attempted to start the car, and it started normally. He then drove the car back to my residence without incident. Then on the afternoon of march 14th, 2012 I was again driving through a residential area at around 30 MPH. I pushed on the brake when approaching a stop light and the car continued to lurch forward. I became very afraid as I was close to the car in front of me and it appeared as though the car would not completely stop. After pressing down hard on the brake, it did come to a complete stop, but was jerky and shaky when idle. When the light turned green, I proceeded down the street as I could not find a safe place to pull over because there were children in the area and I feared the car may keep going if I again attempted to stop. As it did on 2/14, the car coasted down the street at approximately 30-40 MPH without me putting my foot on the accelerator. This time, I drove into a street without much traffic and after approximately 700 ft, the car began to drive normally. *tr

Filed Mar 15, 2012 · Acceleration, Electrical · 115,000 miles · CT

While in a residential area, my car began to accelerate on its own and did not give way when I hit the breaks. The car started accelerating on its own at 40mph, and kept going to 50 MPH, and then at 60 MPH I began to panic. The traffic on the road I was traveling on was busy and cars were going in and out of businesses. When trying to hit the breaks the car slightly jerked and did not slow down the car. I was quickly approaching a line of cars waiting at a red light and there was no break down lane. Luckily, I was able to move into a small parking area and nearly hit a storefront by 3 feet. I quickly put the car in park, while it continued to accelerate on its own. Thinking I would reset something, I turned off the car and started it again. The car kept accelerating and created a lot of smoke in the back. $500 to fix at a ford dealership later and I am still anxious that the same issue will happen again but I will not be so lucky - what if it happened on the highway? When a pedestrian was crossing the road? What if I hit someone? Ford needs to recall this part - and I want my money back!

Filed Feb 15, 2011 · Transmission · 125,000 miles · TN

I was driving my 2004 ford taurus and suddenly it jerked and made a noise. I was on my way home not far away and did manage to get to my house into my driveway but then it would not pull at all , the transmission went out completely. We are still making payments on this car that is even worse and it could have been dangerous if it had quit in traffic on the road.

Filed Feb 11, 2011 · Acceleration · MN

Gas pedal sticks at take off but will free after jerking it a little.

Filed Sep 28, 2010 · Transmission · FL

When I bought first bought my 2004 ford taurus it would shift with a jerk and make a brief noise. Ford serviced it and it was better. But it still would occasionally shift hard. About 2 years ago was the first time that when I put it in drive it did not engage in gear, I went back to park and then shifted to drive again and it did not go in gear again. So I shifted to low to finally get it go. Then it finally went to drive when I shifted again. It has been doing this off and on since then, only lately it has started to do it more and is shifting with a jerk sometimes also. I have been keeping up with the preventative maintenance, filters, fluids, belts, plugs, etc.

Filed Mar 22, 2007 · Engine · 77,000 miles · CA

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford taurus. The vehicle jerked forward and a loud noisewas produced when in the idle position. The check engine light illuminated intermittently. After three visits to a repair shop a sensor was replaced. The contact has the repair orders for the vehicle. The current and failure mileage were 77000.