Speed Control Cable problems of the 2004 Ford Taurus - part 1

My 2004 Ford Taurus suddenly started to accelerate on its own with foot off the gas pedal. Driving in city street at 30 mph, the car all by itself suddenly started to accelerate (with my foot off the gas pedal) at speeds in excess of 75 mph. After braking and parking car, I turned car off and noticed that one of the accelerator / throttle cables in engine compartment was completely disconnected . Apparently it is a a black plastic clip that was wearing out and slipping off the throttle linkage. The cable then can get stuck or tangled causing stuck acceleration. I called Ford on June 7, 2018 and they said they did not hear of this problem and that there was not any recalls attached to my VIN. Case # cas-14980128. I mentioned to them that I researched the problem and that they have recalled over 400,000 Ford Taurus and sable models with this same issue. Since my car did not come up as being recalled, they are not going to fix this dangerous problem. Apparently, other Ford models have the same issues with poorly designed throttle cables.

The problem is the cruise control cable can come a loose from the throttle body when the accelerator is pressed. When the driver releases the accelerator, if the cruise control cable has come loose, the fitting at the end of it can get jammed in the cam that rotates the throttle plate, and it won allow the throttle to close, causing the engine rpm to stay high. This can happen randomly. It may happen while driving, and it can be duplicated when the car is in park. Several other people have had this concern. I "googled" throttle sticking on 04 Taurus, and came back with several hits, including some shadetree fixes. I feel this should be a recall as it can lead to a crash if the brakes arent powerful enough to overcome the engine's power output or the driver doesnt think to turn the ignition off (or they turn the key too far and lock the steering too) and/or engine/transmission damage.

I am filing dual complaints pertaining to this issue, first with the national highway transportation safety authority and a second consumer complaint with mr. Patrick morrisey, attorney general west virginia. The attorney general has a consumer protection division to help residents in the event of a safety concern and a consumer complaint that brings a concern to the safety of others, as well as the safety of the public and the consumer. Under "speed control" as checked off, this includes systems and devices intended to control (accelerate) the speed of the vehicle to the driver's intent such as the accelerator pedal, throttle control cables, linkages, actuators, electronic control units and software, cruise control system actuators and deactivating systems, and other components and systems that may interfere with the speed control system (e. G. , floor mats). My 2004 Taurus has nearly 90,000 miles. It has been running well. On multiple incidents in 2017 my Taurus would without any warning or indications suddenly begin to accelerate on its own. I describe it to others as having to throttle stick. I was freaking out, because cars behind me did not understand what was happening and I was afraid they would easily become collateral damage. I put the car into nuetral and the engine on its own volition revved up to over 4000 rpm. A person on the side walk thought I was about to strike them as they jump out of the way. I learned 150 faulty speed control problem complaints, 6 injuries, and 1 death. This problem is a very common problem the NHTSA has known since 2004, people have been injured as a result and even death reported but strangely no safety recall has been issued about this terrible and tragic problem, which is another reason I am filing the dual complaint in the hopes that attorney general morrisey. He is responsible for public safety from such issue.

2004 Ford Taurus accelerating by itself to 4000 rpm. . . Throttle is sticking. . . Looking under hood. . . Throttle appears to be getting stuck on cruise control cable end that keeps falling off of throttle arm.

While attempting to stop, car continued to act as if the accelerator pedal was pressed, maintaining about 3000 rpm. Was able to stop using brakes, but would not go to idle. Tapping the accelerator resolved the issue. Happened again a few minutes later. Looks like plastic clip that attaches the speed control cable sheath to the throttle body bracket has broken, and the sheath catches on the bracket holding the throttle open.

This is crap, the same cable is used on the 2000-2003 Taurus as my 2004 has, numerous people have nearly wrecked, including myself because the throttle sticks open propelling you at excessive speeds. I was Smart enough to shut the key off to keep from rear ending someone, numerous times before I found the issue. The cruise control cable is the same junk design on previous models, and the internet is filled with thousands of Taurus owners like me in the 2004 and up model years nearly crashing, yet Ford has done nothing. Someone need to get killed before you all make them do something about this hung throttle issue???.

The vehicle accelerates on its on up to 4k plus rpms and drives itself with increasing speed. This is our 18 year olds car. I can't believe this is a known issue by the NHTSA and Ford and no recalls have been issued. How many deaths does there have to be before some one issues a recall for the accelerator cable/cruise control system. Ford had the same issue with there 90 models Taurus and a recall wasn't issued til 2008. Wow is all I can say. Ford should be held responsible for their known issues that they continue to have repeated issues with. The cruise control doesn't work and the car continues to accelerate without the gas pedal being touched. An the rpms shoot up, almost rearending other cars. This has been an ongoing issue but I thought my daughter was over exaggerating till we took the car out.

Vehicle throttle got stuck, daughter was drive had to put car in neutral to kick throttle down, found out that cruise control cable is coming off throttle body and jamming, been happening multiple times for last year.

Today I noticed my cruise control would not engage. Later as I pulled up to a stop sign, my car revved forward and I had difficulty stopping it with the brakes. When I proceeded, it accelerated quickly with no gas applied, until I stopped it. It continued to rev after putting it in park. I troubleshot it with a coworker who saw a few other friends with this problem, and he showed me what it was: my cruise control cable disconnected from the throttle, and then stuck in front of the throttle so that it would not close. The clip locking the cruise cable to the throttle is defective. Very dangerous! I can't believe there hasn't been a recall for this.

My 2004 Ford Taurus accelerated on its own quite a few times. After goggling the problem I saw that there had been a recall. I called Ford & was told my car wasn't included in the recall. They also told me to get it fixed because it could be dangerous. I know that because I was almost in a few accidents because of the sudden acceleration. I'd have to pull over, if not at a red light or stop sign, put the car in park & hit the accelerator a few times. I actually had to turn the car off & back on once to get the rpms down. I had the cruise control cable totally removed. The cruise hadn't worked in yrs. My mom owned the car before I did. I'd like to know why my Taurus wasn't in the recall.

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Taurus. While driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently. When the brake pedal was depressed, the throttle would continue to rev intermittently. The failure occurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the mechanic stated that the control cables detached from the throttle body and subsequently interfered with the throttle fully closing to the idle position. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while she drove up an incline the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The local mechanic performed a diagnostic which located the failure at the cruise control clip attached to the throttle body failed. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer disconnected the cruise control cable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 166,000.

Vehicle unexpectedly gained speed while backing out of driveway causing collision with mailbox before car could be braked to stop. Prior to this the vehicle speed would remain constant when foot was removed from accelerator pedal while driving at approximately 35mph then the car gained speed on its own. Vehicle was able to be brought under control by braking even as the idle surged. Vehicle was taken to autonation Ford of katy where they diagnosed "rolling idle from proportioning valve leaking at back of intake" as the cause. Work was not performed because our son who happened to be in town saw that the cruise control cable had become detached from the throttle. My son reattached the cable and there have not been any further issues with a stuck idle or unattended acceleration.

Have owned this car for 1 week. While replacing the spark plugs, found the cruise control cable was not connected to the throttle, which explained why the cruise didn't work. Reconnected the cable. On a test-drive, had the cruise set at 50. In testing the 3 right-side cruise buttons (resume, set, coast) the car accelerated past 65 on its own. "off" button and brake pedal did not disconnect cruise system. Rode the brakes to a stop and shut the engine off. Started the engine and it revved up to 3,000 without my foot on the pedal. Engine returned to normal idle speed after a blip or two on the gas pedal. Carefully drove home and checked - the cruise cable had come undone from the throttle again. Unintended acceleration of this model should be a recall issue before someone gets hurt.

Vehicle suddenly began to accelerate after I had taken my foot off the gas pedal. It reached approximately 50 mph before I applied the brakes. It responded to the brakes, but was difficult to hold at a stop for a stoplight. Putting the car in park or neutral caused the engine to rev to 3,00 - 4,000 rpms. The problem reoccurred several times on a 4 -5 mile drive. Car was taken to a dealership where the problem was diagnosed as a faulty cruse control cable holding the throttle open. Cruise control cable assembly was replaced and problem has not reoccurred. I have contacted Ford to discuss the issue and mentioned the high number of similar complaints seen on this site.

I was driving through a parking lot on March 17, 2014 in the late evening. My foot was not on the gas or the brake as I was trying to let my car slow itself down when I realized my car was not slowing; it was speeding up. I looked at my speedometer and I was cruising through a parking lot at 45 mph. I then applied the brakes and realized the rpm's were staying above 2,500. At this point I started to panic a little since I felt like I was fighting my car as it wanted to accelerate and as I was getting closer to lots of parked cars and a building which screamed accident. I drove it around the parking lot with the brakes on hard and I decided to park it far away from other cars. Once in park the car revved up to over 3,000 rpms. After it did this I decided to shut it off. Thinking that maybe it would reset itself I turned it back on and it revved up once again past 3,000 rpms. I decided I shouldn't drive it anymore. The next day, March 18th, I had my car towed and taken to an auto shop, where they told me that it was the cruise control cable that became detached. They reattached it which hopefully fixes the problem. When I returned home, I found online that I was not alone other Tauruses were having this issue and that a recall could be possible. I searched on Ford's website and nothing on my car had been recalled. I am sending a letter to Ford to see what they have to say about this issue. Hopefully this issue is resolved because I would not want this to happen to anyone else or to me again.

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the throttle seized. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was found that the throttle cable was off track. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. The VIN was unavailable.

When accelerating at about 40 mph the cruise control would not work when I tried to engage it, however the car began speeding up quickly while my foot was off the gas peddle. I tried to engage/disengage the cruise control but got no response, except the engine rpm and car was still speeding up, the car was getting close to 60mph and I began putting on the brakes the car was still trying to accelerate and rpm still going up as I was stopping the car. This car continues to accelerate faster on it's own when driven and today 5/19/14 again from about 35 to 50 in about a mile, this was not as severe as the first time but is troubling and a waste of my gas and brakes. This is a Taurus sel with automatic trans. And a 3. 9l v6 engine. I found the cruise control cable off of the lever it connects to near the intake manifold( after reading about other Taurus models/years with the same problem). I will be contacting a Ford dealer to see if they have a fix as cable is still very loose after I tried to reconnect it.

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal failed and became stuck to the floor board. The contact was able to release the accelerator pedal from the floor board by switching gears to neutral and then tapping the accelerator pedal several times. The failure was experienced numerous times. The contact stated he was a private mechanic where he diagnosed that the cruise control cable needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 76,000.

The plastic bracket that attaches the cruise control cable assembly to the throttle is defective it slips off the throttle and gets caught causing the throttle to stay open. . This has caused my car to continue accelerating with my foot on the gas pedal to speeds in excess of 50 mph. . . Braking is difficult because the car is continuing to accelerate. . This is causing stress on my braking system. . . I had a brother who was nearly killed in an accident because of a similar issue on a different vehicle . . The Ford reps I have talked to are aware of the issue yet Ford refuses to issue a safety recall. . Are the waiting to be the next "gm" in the news. . Waiting until people are killed instead of being proactive. . .

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed and became stuck with a rapid increase in the rpms. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road where the engine was turned off. The contact stated the fractured support housing caused the throttle cable to become detached. The contact reconnected the cable in order to resume driving; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle failure had not been diagnosed nor was it repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 165,000.

While traveling on the highway, auto speed increased to 70 miles per hour with foot removed from the gas pedal. Application of brakes slowed the auto but the brakes were working against the engine. Auto returned to 70 miles per hour without applying gas, when the brakes were release. Pulled off the highway. Shifted into neutral and engine revved up to 4,000 rpm. Applied brakes to a stop. Turned off the auto. Checked that the floor mat was not restricting the gas pedal. Opened the auto hood operated throttle by hand and the throttle seemed to release. Continued to destination without problems. Checked throttle at destination and noted that the cruise control cable was disconnected.

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph, he attempted to decelerate but the vehicle erroneously accelerated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the speed control cable had detached from the throttle body. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileage was 29,953.

Went out one morning, cranked the car and the engine was racing and would not slow down. The engine sounds like it is going to blow up. It is revving up around 3000 rpm and will not slow down. I have to constantly use the brakes to keep the car from going too fast. I tried to tap the gas pedal but it does nothing except rev higher. Some kind of cable had fallen off and a friend of mine put it back on, but now I think it is off again. The car has made me feel very unsafe while driving it and I do not have the money to get another car.

While driving at 25 mph I brake forcefully to avoid another car coming out of a strip mall at excessive speed. As I gradually released the brake the car began to accelerate without my having touched the gas pedal. I was able to turn with a great deal of trouble onto a side road where there was little traffic. The car continued to accelerate on its own up to about 40-50 mph. The rpm's were up to 4000. I was pressing on the brake, car was bucking and not stopping. Eventually I was able to stop the car. Car had to be towed to my mechanic. I will not know until tomorrow what he plans on doing. However after some online research I plan on telling him to replace the cruise control cable and the pin. Ford should at least tell people how to fix the problem since it seems they are not taking responsibility and recalling these cars.

Cables for throttle and cruise control are routed in such a way that they are rubbing against other parts and their insulation is wearing out. I spotted this just as the sheath was being bit into and have rerouted. It is likely that both cables would have eventually have been cut through. . Read more...

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Taurus. The contact was driving approximately 35 mph when the vehicle abnormally accelerated without warning. The contact was able to stop the vehicle by applying the brakes. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The technician detected that the end of the cruise control cable was flared and had contributed to the acceleration malfunction. The vehicle had not been repaired. There was currently an open investigation for model years 2005-2006 under NHTSA action number pe12005 (vehicle speed control). The manufacturer was not notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

The car just picked up speed and was difficult to slow down. I was able to maneuver the car off the expressway and turn the car off which allowed the car to slow down and stop. My brakes and tires were smoking (lucky no fire) but brand new brake pads gone. I discovered it was my cruise control cable Ford denies any problem with the cable I will be replacing it and brakes this weekend.

Vehicle did not slow down when foot removed from gas pedal. Engine ran at high rate of speed even with brake on. When vehicle was shifted to neutral, rpm gauge showed engine running at 3500 to 4000 rpm. Mechanic found cruise control cable had disconnected from throttle and prevented throttle from moving properly, causing it to be stuck open.

The car experienced sudden acceleration. Driving at ~40 mph, I noticed when I stepped on the brake to turn the car did not slow down that much and the tachometer was over 2000 rpm. When I pulled over and put the car in park the tachometer went to over 4000 rpm. I shutoff the engine tapped the gas pedal and restarted the engine. Once again the tachometer was over 4000 rpm. I put the car in drive and the car took off. I rode the brakes the ~1000 ft to my home. I once again shutoff the and then restarted this time it was idling at ~800 rpm (normal). Since I rode the brakes to keep the car under some control, all four wheels were very very hot. I went on line and found others have this problem when the cruise control cable becomes detached from the throttle cam. I inspected the cruise control cable and found it was in fact detached. Needless to this sudden acceleration could have led to a serious accident. At a minimum it did some wear to the braking system and possibly wheel bearing damage as a result of the excessive heat.

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Taurus. While driving approximately 30 mph, the contact removed his foot from the accelerator pedal and noticed that the vehicle erroneously accelerated. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics where the technician advised that the cruise control cable would have to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 88,700. Updated 8/24/12.

Accelerator on 2004 Ford Taurus ses sticks when accelerating onto highway or other high-speed roadway. Have to throw the transmission into neutral and then press on gas pedal to halt the acceleration. Seems to happen when accelerating. It may be connected to the car's cruise control, which recently stopped working. A cable that attached to throttle comes off and won't stay on the nipple where it normally attaches (have a photo of the cable).

Was exiting from an access controlled highway, and after braking to a safe speed on the off ramp, released the brake and the car sped back up. I had the speed control set to 55 mph while on the highway. Found the speed control to still be engaged and was able to brake to a safe, off the road stop. Disconnected the speed control cable and was able to make it home. For further details, just search google for Ford Taurus speed control problems and you will find many with the same story.

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Taurus. The contact was driving 50 mph when the acceleration pedal was released in an attempt to reduce speed. The vehicle suddenly accelerated abnormally. The brake was applied with extreme force in order to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where a diagnostic was performed, which located the failure at the cruise control cable and the throttle body. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 19,350.

The contact owns a 2004 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle unintendedly increased acceleration and the rpms increased up to 4,000. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road cautiously. The vehicle was able to slow down to a stop after shifting into the neutral position and engaging the brake pedal. The contact resumed driving. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, where the cruise control cable was replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 139,000.