2003 Ford Taurus visibility problems

Apr 19, 2016 · failed Jul 8, 2014 · 132,000 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. While driving at any speed, the blower motor emitted smoke from under the dashboard on the passenger side of the vehicle. The failure recurred three times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the resister blower motor was getting damaged with water from the crow and under the air cabin filter where the installation of the cabin air filter. The technician informed the contact that the vehicle need to be taken to a dealer to have the installation replaced. The vehicle was repaired twice; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 132,000.

Nov 6, 2014 · failed Oct 16, 2014 · 150,069 miles · CO

The floor board on passenger side is wet and heater blower only blows on setting 4. Mechanic said water shorted out blower motor. Did some searching and found I wasn't the only one. Please see the following; reference recall number 03V087000 and other complaint 10184014. This will show a continuing trend. *tr

Apr 29, 2014 · failed May 1, 2013 · 120,000 miles · OH

My battery discharge light came on then the ABS light, the brake light and others. I have taken it to a repair shop and neither he nor I can find the battery drain. The computer doesn't show anything. At times if its raining the wipers go as does the heat or air blower. I have also noticed the transmission not shifting correctly. My main concern is the engine stopping or the brakes not working and I have had my wipers not work in a rain storm . Any advice? *js

Dec 30, 2013 · failed Dec 17, 2012 · 95,213 miles · OH

The heater blower motor has stopped working in my vehicle. I have had it replaced once and it worked for about 2 months before failing again. Ford has issues a bulletin on this issue and it is a known problem, but they will not fix the problem if the car is no longer under warranty. *tr

May 14, 2013 · failed May 1, 2007 · 56,000 miles · CA

Ac/heater blower only operates on high - speeds 1,2,3, no air blowing. Blower resistor part (f6dz-19A706-aa) has been replaced three times in six years. Obviously, there is a defect/known problem that ford should be addressing. *tr

Aug 28, 2012 · failed Jul 11, 2012 · 31,000 miles · OH

Failure of blower motor. My research shows that water leaking into the blower motor compartment and shorting-out the blower motor/resistor is chronic in the 2003 ford taurus, evidenced by the presence of water on the floor passenger side-front, and necessitates replacement of the blower motor and/or ballast resistor from water damage, at owner expense! A recall is in order to compel ford to address this design issue, at their expense. *tr

Apr 18, 2012 · failed Apr 17, 2012 · 120,000 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. The contact was driving 25 MPH with the defroster activated when she smelled an abnormal odor. The contact then discovered that the rear window had become discolored. The defroster was turned off and the odor diminished. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and the current mileage was 120,000.

Jan 26, 2012 · failed Jan 1, 2010 · 82,555 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. The contact stated that both the blower motor and the interior lights experienced failures. As a result, hot air would not blow from the vents and the windshield could not be defrosted. The interior lights illuminated constantly and drained the battery prematurely. The dealer reprogrammed the electrical system computer and corrected the interior light failure. The blower motor failure was not corrected. The failure mileage was 82,555 and the current mileage 85,754. Updated 03/05/12*lj updated 03/06/12

Dec 15, 2011 · failed Dec 1, 2011 · 114,000 miles · NH

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. The contact stated that the windshield separated from the vehicle, causing water leaks and increased wind noise. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and advised the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number: 03V087000 (visibility:windshield). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 114,000 and the current mileage was 114,200.

Dec 6, 2011 · failed Nov 23, 2011 · 119,000 miles · WA

Water leak on passenger floor,shorted blower motor. *tr

Nov 1, 2011 · failed Oct 24, 2011 · 58,000 miles · VA

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. The contact stated that the defroster was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they advised him that the blower motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure and the current mileages were approximately 58,000.

Oct 21, 2011 · failed Oct 21, 2011 · NC

A water leak which dumped water onto the passenger floor board also caused my AC blower motor to short out. I am not sure if this is related to recall 03V087000 but I know it is the same problem as complaint #10184014. *tr

Oct 18, 2011 · failed Oct 5, 2011 · ID

A water leak, possibly from a faulty seal, onto the passenger interior floor board also caused my AC/heater blower motor to short out. My heater switch will only work in the maximum position. From what I have read it is due to a heater motor resistor, which has caused similar problems for other taurus owners. I could not get ford to act even though a related recall existed under 03V087000. *tr

Oct 18, 2011 · failed Oct 5, 2011 · ID

A water leak, possibly from a faulty seal, onto the passenger interior floor board also caused my AC/heater blower motor to short out. My heater switch will only work in the maximum position. From what I have read it is due to a heater motor resistor, which has caused similar problems for other taurus owners. I could not get ford to act even though a related recall existed under 03V087000. *tr

May 25, 2011 · failed May 24, 2011 · 75,743 miles · OH

I own a 2003 ford taurus that began having water leaks that kept shorting out the vehicles blower motor resistor. These events occurred between 12/10/2010 to 05/24/2011 during which at my expense two resistors were installed. After a short period they continued to fail as did the blower motor. I took the vehicle to a ford dealership and was told that I had water damage that caused the blower motor to fail. A new blower motor plus new cowl insulation was in stalled at a cost of $468.42.the two resistors I previously had installed cost $80.00 parts and labor. I did an internet search and found this to be a common problem with my automotive model and ford should had a recall and fixed this factory defect. I feel I should be reimbursed by ford motor company. I have heard that this repair should fall under ford recall 03V087000 but the dealership says no. It is my understanding that another complaint is on file with you concerning this matter (10184014). I would appreciate your investigation in this matter. *tr

May 25, 2011 · failed May 24, 2011 · 75,743 miles · OH

I own a 2003 ford taurus that began having water leaks that kept shorting out the vehicles blower motor resistor. These events occurred between 12/10/2010 to 05/24/2011 during which at my expense two resistors were installed. After a short period they continued to fail as did the blower motor. I took the vehicle to a ford dealership and was told that I had water damage that caused the blower motor to fail. A new blower motor plus new cowl insulation was in stalled at a cost of $468.42.the two resistors I previously had installed cost $80.00 parts and labor. I did an internet search and found this to be a common problem with my automotive model and ford should had a recall and fixed this factory defect. I feel I should be reimbursed by ford motor company. I have heard that this repair should fall under ford recall 03V087000 but the dealership says no. It is my understanding that another complaint is on file with you concerning this matter (10184014). I would appreciate your investigation in this matter. *tr

Apr 7, 2011 · failed Mar 1, 2011 · 114,000 miles · OR

2003 ford taurus sec wagon with a leaky windshield. Water got into my A/C blower fan housing and shorted out the A/C blower fan, caused the blower fan to fail, the automatic temperature resister switch and the 40 amp fuse in the same system due to water entering into the car from the windshield and cowl design flaw. The result is a loss of defroster and anti-fog capability resulting in a severe loss of visibility due to a loss of said capability and/or functionality. *tr

Feb 25, 2011 · failed Mar 7, 2009 · 28,000 miles · MI

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. The contact stated that as the vehicle was started, he attempted to activate the defroster but the blower fan failed to operate. In addition, the front passenger floorboard would periodically exhibit water retention. The failure occurred more frequently in rainy and snowy weather conditions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and they informed the contact that there was water within the blower fan motor relay. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

Feb 23, 2011 · failed Dec 20, 2010 · 49,152 miles · MI

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. The contact stated that the heater blower had malfunctioned. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to have a the blower resistor replaced yet the repair did not correct the failure. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the dealer discovered water damage around the heater blower. The dealer created a shield around and replaced the heater blower. The failure mileage was 49,152.

Feb 22, 2011 · failed Feb 20, 2011 · 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. *tr

Dec 1, 2010 · failed Nov 20, 2008 · 75,000 miles · TN

Heat/AC fan blows only on high. Replaced cowl panel and installed rain hat and blower resistor 11/08; blower motor resistor found defective 7/10 and replaced. Heat/AC fan blows only on high today 12/10. *tr

Sep 2, 2010 · failed Mar 9, 2008 · 47,000 miles · MA

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. The contact stated that recall 03V087000, visibility windshield was related to the failure. The contact stated that he experienced the identical failure related to the recall. Ford advised him that his VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was filing a safety complaint due to the water entering into the vehicle causing corrosion that shorts out the air conditioner. The vehicle was previously repaired but the failure recurred. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000. The current mileage was 66,000. Updated 12/22/10*lj

Aug 23, 2010 · failed Feb 14, 2009 · 105,000 miles · IL

In line with numerous other reports about the 2003 ford taurus, my blower motor and resister have failed due to a water leak on the front passenger side. As a consequence, I cannot defog the windshield while driving. The result lack of visibility is dangerous for my passengers and for nearby cars. Correcting this problem is not a simple matter of replacing the blower motor, but also requires a complicated repair of the causative leak. I request NHTSA to look into the numerous complaints like mine and work with ford in issuing a recall for this issue. *tr

Aug 23, 2010 · failed Jun 3, 2010 · 84,000 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. The contact stated that whenever the air conditioner was activated, the front passenger side floorboard would become wet. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that motor blower would need to be replaced. There were no prior warnings of the failure. The failure mileage was 84,000 and the current mileage was 86,000.

Jun 17, 2010 · failed Jun 2, 2010 · 86,395 miles · NE

I have just purchased a 03 taurus which leaked water onto the passenger floor board also causing my AC blower motor to short out. When it is raining, humid or later when it gets cold there will be no way to keep the windshield clear of interior condensation or frost. This will make driving dangerous if caught in a storm. I have been able to get ford to act even though a related recall existed under 03V087000. I have found many others with this problem. I have read the descriptions related to recall number 03V087000 and ford tsb 04-15-3. I also see there is an existing complaint number to NHTSA: 10184014. The water leaks during storms regardless of whether the car is driving or sitting still. The fan first would only run on high speed and now won't run at all. This is an known design defect and I am frustrated that I can't get it remedied by ford. *tr

Jun 17, 2010 · failed Jun 2, 2010 · 86,395 miles · NE

I have just purchased a 03 taurus which leaked water onto the passenger floor board also causing my AC blower motor to short out. When it is raining, humid or later when it gets cold there will be no way to keep the windshield clear of interior condensation or frost. This will make driving dangerous if caught in a storm. I have been able to get ford to act even though a related recall existed under 03V087000. I have found many others with this problem. I have read the descriptions related to recall number 03V087000 and ford tsb 04-15-3. I also see there is an existing complaint number to NHTSA: 10184014. The water leaks during storms regardless of whether the car is driving or sitting still. The fan first would only run on high speed and now won't run at all. This is an known design defect and I am frustrated that I can't get it remedied by ford. *tr

Apr 14, 2010 · failed Apr 1, 2008 · 75,000 miles · PA

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. The contact stated when turning on the air conditioner, heater, defroster or any one or combination of these components, the vehicle would stall. The failure would occur only when the vehicle was in the drive position. When the vehicle was parked with the engine running, the failure would not occur. The vehicle had not yet been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000 and the current was 100,000. The VIN was not available.

Mar 15, 2010 · failed Mar 8, 2010 · 54,900 miles · AZ

I have a 2003 ford taurus and every time it's setting out in a moderate to heavy rain the right front floorboard gets saturated with water. I've had to replace the blower resistor twice and the blower motor once and the motor in it now is going out. Why isn't ford being held responsible for the repairs and costs affiliated with this manufacturing defect and the costs incurred on those of US unfortunate enough to have purchased one of them? Due to this issue I nearly had an accident on 03/08/10 when my windshield fogged during a rainstorm and I lost almost all visibility. If I hadn't known the area very well plus 25 years of law enforcement driving I very well could have been seriously injured or killed. Nhtsa needs to act on this asap before someone is killed. My name is [xxx] and I can be contacted at [xxx], in mesa, arizona. My car is usually under cover and it flooded with water also in feb. 2009 &feb. 2010, when it was standing out in the rain, not being operated but just out in the rain. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Feb 9, 2010 · failed Dec 28, 2009 · 111,000 miles · VA

My taurus's blower motor stopped functioning in december 2009. I believe the cause is a water leak or blown A/C heater blower motor. I think the leak dumped water onto the passenger floor board also caused my AC blower motor to short out, needing a replacement. After browsing the internet to see if other ford taurus owners had the same or a similar problem, this seems to be a recurring issue with the 2003 ford taurus. *tr

Jan 25, 2010 · failed Jan 21, 2010 · 40,997 miles · CA

Due to a water leak problem, the AC blower motor failed (shorted out) and was unable to blow defrost air onto the windshield, causing poor visibility while driving. Water soaked the passenger floorboard. There was a previous recall #03V087000. Another person with the same problem has filed complaint #10184014. *tr

Jan 13, 2010 · failed Jan 8, 2010 · 127,779 miles · NY

My blower in my 2003 ford taurus has been intermittently failing for a month or so. On friday jan. 8 it quit and will not go. The heat is fine and trickles out, but the blower will not come on at all. It was fine at 8:30PM when I picked a friend up at the airport, but was dead at 10:30PM when I picked up my granddaughter at a friends house. It appears that there has been water in the housing that has shorted out the motor. I understand that ford knows this is a problem with these cars but is reluctant to do a recall to fix it. *tr

Dec 15, 2009 · failed Dec 15, 2009 · 84,480 miles · IA

Water in the blower case or on the passenger side floor, and the blower motor only works on high speed. Contacted dealer and was told that it was a service bulletin. Asked if it was covered under recall number 03V087000 and was told no. *tr

Dec 15, 2009 · failed Dec 15, 2009 · 84,480 miles · IA

Water in the blower case or on the passenger side floor, and the blower motor only works on high speed. Contacted dealer and was told that it was a service bulletin. Asked if it was covered under recall number 03V087000 and was told no. *tr

Dec 8, 2009 · failed Mar 25, 2008 · 94,000 miles · GA

Taurus with a water leak or blown A/C heater blower motor. The blower on my 2003 ford taurus quit working all together. I have water draining onto the passenger side floor in rain storms. The blower would only work on high speed before it stop working completely. Refer to ford recall number: 03V087000. *tr

Dec 8, 2009 · failed Mar 25, 2008 · 94,000 miles · GA

Taurus with a water leak or blown A/C heater blower motor. The blower on my 2003 ford taurus quit working all together. I have water draining onto the passenger side floor in rain storms. The blower would only work on high speed before it stop working completely. Refer to ford recall number: 03V087000. *tr

Dec 2, 2009 · failed Nov 7, 2009 · 47,000 miles · WI

[regarding taurus/sable for water leak and AC blower defect; silent recall; tsb 03-15-6; related recall existing under 03V087000, & possibly also compliance recall 03C03] - also see complaint #10184014 certified car, 2003 ford taurus ses, 47,000 miles have recently (11/7/09) gotten water on passenger floor, & now see that this is a common problem & design defect. Now my blower mower has started an unusual sound as well, & this is obviously related. I was told that this sound is water sloshing around & will rust my blower motor, making that yet another repair. Have been told that ford will not pay for repair - but have found many instances online where ford did indeed pay 80% of this exact same repair. This is a defect & there are hundreds of complaints about the taurus water problem all over online, yet ford chooses to ignore. *tr

Nov 30, 2009 · failed Jun 1, 2009 · 26,000 miles · MI

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. The dealer replaced the fan motor resistor four times. After the fourth repair, the dealer realized that water was leaking into the fan motor which caused the resistor to fail. The dealer also replaced the fan motor and the windshield for $500. He notified the manufacturer; however, they will not admit that the part was defected and they didn't offer to assist with the repair cost. The VIN was not available. The failure and the current mileages were 26,000.

Nov 18, 2009 · failed Oct 25, 2009 · LA

2003 ford taurus, blower motor failing and leaking water onto the floorboard. From the looks of it I am not the only one with this problem. I think there should be a recall from ford to take care of this problem. *tr

Jul 28, 2009 · failed Jul 8, 2009 · 127,600 miles · MN

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. While driving 65 MPH in rainy conditions, there was excessive condensation on the windows. The air conditioner was activated, but then suddenly failed without warning. The windshield was unable to defrost, which resulted in reduced visibility. The driver pulled over to the side of the road and cleared off the windows. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and they stated that the blower motor possibly failed due to water leakage as rust was present. The vehicle was repaired. The failure was mileage 127,600 and current mileage was 127,800. Updated 08/21/09. *lj updated 08/26/09. *jb

Jul 6, 2009 · failed Jul 1, 2009 · 47,148 miles · AL

Heater A/C fan on my 2003 for taurus has stopped working seems ford knows there is a problem but has not issued a recall. This is a safety issue since this particular car will fog up front window unless defroster is run. Problem is leaking water into fan area, funny ford has a repair kit for this problem. *tr

Jun 11, 2009 · failed Apr 18, 2009 · 45,000 miles · TX

Windshield of 2003 taurus exhibits leaks, wind noise, squeaks and rattles and may reduce protection in the event of a crash or accident. *tr

May 28, 2009 · failed May 25, 2009 · 60,000 miles · VA

I just discovered water in my blower motor on my 2003 ford taurus. Recently my blower stopped working all together and it will not work at all now. I am currently going to replace the blower motor resistor and see if this repairs the problem. It seems several people have had this issue. *tr

May 26, 2009 · failed Apr 17, 2003 · 80,120 miles · PA

Blower motor in my 2003 taurus only runs on high. This has been an ongoing issue with year and model. Water leaks in and burns the blower out. Recently had to drive with no defroster ond ue to no blower. Had the blower replaced now it only runs on high,it apparently needs a new resistor. There have been many complaints and nothing has been done about it. *tr

May 14, 2009 · failed May 14, 2009 · 75,000 miles · IL

I own a 2003 ford taurus that the blower is bad and apparently due to water damage through the vent area, I see where on the internet this may be a recurring issue that ford has not issued a recall on. What course of action should I take to get this resolved so I don't have to continue to buy blower motors. The car is very reliable other than this. *tr

May 12, 2009 · failed May 10, 2009 · 129,500 miles · OK

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. While the vehicle was parked, the passenger side floorboard became filled with water during a rainstorm. The manufacturer could not assist with any repairs since the vehicle was not under warranty. Through online research, the contact found numerous complaints regarding the windshield and water filling up in the vehicle. The contact feels that the water entered through the windshield and is a safety hazard. The current and failure mileages were 129,500.

May 7, 2009 · failed May 6, 2009 · 51,000 miles · DE

2003 ford taurus - water leakage through the heater box caused a failure of the ventilation fan, resulting in inability to defrost/defog the windshield for safe operation of the vehicle. *tr

Mar 27, 2009 · failed Mar 25, 2009 · 76,000 miles · TN

2003 ford taurus. Fan blower motor (for heat and air system) failed due to cowl leak on passenger side of vehicle. Known issue for ford. Can create hazardous driving conditions if failure occurs during rain or cold weather. (lack of heat or AC to clear windshield). *tr

Mar 19, 2009 · failed Mar 16, 2009 · 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. *tr

Mar 15, 2009 · failed Jan 3, 2008 · 110,000 miles · OH

About 3 months ago, my windshield wipers began turning themselves on and off for various lengths of time, while switched off. Now they run almost non stop. Dealer suggests multifunction switch (I changed it -didn't work), or a gem module. A search at taurus car club sites shows this to be a common problem. Consumer reports identifies overall electrical problems in all taurus' to be a common issue. *tr

Mar 9, 2009 · failed Nov 10, 2008 · 81,699 miles · WA

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford taurus. The contact stated that water was pouring into the passenger side window of the vehicle and leaking into the heater blower. Currently, the blower only works on the high switch and shorting out the wiring switch. The dealer has not been notified, but the contact will call the dealer soon. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 81,699.