One problem related to manual transmission column shift has been reported for the 2003 Ford Taurus. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2003 Ford Taurus based on all problems reported for the 2003 Taurus.
The transmission is defective in this car. It has been flushed and is full of fluid. From the beginning I could actually put the column shift between gears. Not what it's supposed to do. The salesman assured me that it was not a problem. The transmission overheats and shifts rough when hot. Last month after driving on the highway for 1/2 hour to get to work, I got off the exit and had to wait at a light. The car refused to shift for several minutes after the light changed. I was almost rear-ended. Two weeks ago the same thing happened. A car came around the corner and just missed me as I was stuck in the middle of the road. There have been numerous complaints about this transmission and it is so bad it even has its own facebook page. I work part-time and have a long commute. I now can only drive backroads at low speeds to make sure my car will shift. And I do not have money for a new transmission. I can't drive to other cities for job interviews. I understand Ford was aware of the problems with this transmission and did nothing to rectify the problem. The car needs a recall.