Owners have filed 14,634 complaints on the Ford Taurus, covering 1986–2019. The system named most often is Vehicle Speed Control (757 reports). Worst years by volume: 1993, 2002, 2003; cleanest: 2019, 2017, 2018. 869 reports describe a crash, 415 a fire, 32 a death. On average the car was 5.8 years old when the problem happened.
What breaks on Ford Taurus
Grouped by the system owners named — percentages are shares of all 14,634 Taurus complaints. Open any row for the full reports in owners' own words.
Vehicle Speed Control 757 Read
Traveling at about 30 mph on a drizzly road my 06 ford taurus se brakes were applied and the taurus slowed down a little but then hydroplaned/slid into the rear of a grand prix. Airbags deployed as the taurus hit the grand prix. Taurus engine was still on and the driver moved it to the side of road and shut off. After…
My 2004 taurus was in an accident-while checking the ford website and reading previous recalls on the taurus model 2 or 3 recalls sounded very similar to the problem-brakes failed, there was a fire. Ford's web site lists' 2/1/2008 & 6/26/2008 (later date more detailed) as the reseason for the recall being safety…
When we come to a stop (not moving at all) and ease up on the brake the car moves forward. This has happened three times causing accidents. One time the car moved into the house causing damage to the car, garage door and knocking bricks off the front on the house. Two other times, at stop signs, the car moved forward…
Steering 603 Read
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving up a ramp at 65 mph, the transmission, brakes, steering, and engine became inoperable, and the vehicle shut down and crashed into the side railing. The vehicle tipped on its side. There were no warning lights illuminated. The child passenger…
I turned left after stopping at a four-way stop sign intersection. I crashed into a parked car waiting its turn but I did not see until I was upon it and it was too late to swerve away. My car's air bags inflated. My wrist was broken. My car was declared totaled by my insurer although I could not have been speeding…
Steering didn't work correctly which led to brakes not doing what I needed which led to slamming into a cement edge at a freeway exit or entrance. Seat belts locked up. Air bags did not deploy. Front passenger tire flat. Car towed next day. Ford dealership did NOTHING even when it was discovered Ford sold us a car…
Air Bags 418 Read
Dt: the airbags did not deploy during an automobile accident. They deployed after impacting, and consumer hit the steering wheel. The impact was on the front end of the car. The accident had been over for 6 seconds before the airbags deployed. Then the airbag deployed and threw the consumer backwards. This was the…
While driving 30-35 mph vehicle crashed into a tree head on, caught on fire, causing injuries. Upon impact, air bags did not deploy. *ak
No deployment of air bag during vehicle collision
Electrical System 389 Read
While traveling at highway speed with cruise control engaged. Suddenly vehicle commenced to accelerate and smoke was coming from under hood, hot plastic from the dash was falling on the leg of the driver, also, driver's shoe and sock caught on fire; vehicle left road into a field and struck a tree. State patrol…
Ignition switch fire. *ak consumer stated a puff of smoke from steering column and engine would not start again there was just a clicking noise ignition switch, plug and radiator fan had to be replaced, also had to get a new starter solenoid
My fuel system went off all kinds of error coming on car stops while running on the highway
Power Train 318 Read
I took my car into the service department due to a strong smell of propane/natural gas. The service writer informed me that the smell was really bad but that it should be safe to drive and that she couldn't get me in until tuesday. I buckled my 2 year old in the car seat and left the dealership/service department. The…
Upon shutting off engine by front passenger, car popped out of park, rolled backwards down a hill, crashing into a tree, pinning front passenger under door sill. No one in driver's seat
This vehicle is used as a fleet vehicle. The vehicle was sitting in a parked driveway at a residence. The vehicle was in park, and turned off. The vehicle broke free, rolled down an embankment, over the edge of the embankment striking the shoulder of the roadway. This impact caused severe damage to this vehicle.…
Engine And Engine Cooling 239 Read
While driving in the rain the driver lost control of the vehicle and hit a tree. After impact the consumer heard a pop and the vehicle caught on fire. *mr *scc
Vehicle experiences stalling, fuel filter, spark plugs, and the multi function relay switch have been replaced. General tire (p205/65r15) experienced tread separation, causing vehicle into a side ditch and through a barbed wire fence, there were no injuries, but a lot of damage to vehicle, consumer indicates fire,…
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the vehicle was left at the independent mechanic for the oil change. While riding the bus, on the way home they mechanic called the contact to inform them that the vehicle had caught fire and the engine had burned while in their parking lot. The fire…
Service Brakes 177 Read
Was involved in a accident anti lock brakes did not engage prior to accident as the tires locked up when pressing on the brakes resulting in the accident . The accident happened on a interstate highway while in motion
The contact owns a 2010 ford taurus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, she noticed a hissing sound while braking. The brake pedal would also abnormally travel to the floorboard intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis however, the technician was unable to diagnosis the…
I was driving eastbound, on a city street, approaching the intersection with a stop sign. When I pressed on the brakes, it didn't slow down. In fact, the car was going faster. So I put the car in park, hoping to slow it down, but it didn't work. Then I jumped the curb, hoping that would slow the car down, but it…
Fuel/propulsion System 151 Read
Fuel pump relay overheated and caught on fire behind back seat near gas tank. Part melted and vehicle is inoperable. Toddler car seat was located in front of fire location
Vehicle was in motion on roadway when unexpectedly combusted from the rear passenger area where the fuel tank and pump is located, the entire car was burned and caused a total loss
Engine stumbles on light acceleration like it is starving for fuel. I hit the gas, the engine starts to respond, then stumbles. Doesn't natter if the engine is hot or cold. I have the same issue with my 2018 f-150. Dealer can't find anything, as it doesn't produce a fault code and it doesn't act up when they test it
Taurus years to avoid — and the clean ones
Complaints per model year. More reports usually means more cars on the road as well as more trouble, so read the crash and fire columns alongside the count.
| Model year | Complaints | Top system | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Air Bags | 1 | — | |
| 2018 | Back Over Prevention | 2 | 1 | |
| 2017 | Air Bags | 1 | — | |
| 2016 | Air Bags | 4 | 1 | |
| 2015 | Air Bags | 9 | 1 | |
| 2014 | Air Bags | 12 | 1 | |
| 2013 | Air Bags | 16 | 5 | |
| 2012 | Air Bags | 1 | 3 | |
| 2011 | Air Bags | 13 | 2 | |
| 2010 | Air Bags | 16 | 4 | |
| 2009 | Air Bags | 8 | 1 | |
| 2008 | Air Bags | 18 | 6 | |
| 2007 | Air Bags | 4 | — | |
| 2006 | Air Bags | 16 | 4 | |
| 2005 | Air Bags | 34 | 7 | |
| 2004 | Air Bags | 29 | 12 | |
| 2003 | Air Bags | 46 | 10 | |
| 2002 | Air Bags | 59 | 5 | |
| 2001 | Air Bags | 74 | 11 | |
| 2000 | Air Bags | 69 | 20 | |
| 1999 | Air Bags | 45 | 14 | |
| 1998 | Air Bags | 41 | 11 | |
| 1997 | Air Bags | 54 | 12 | |
| 1996 | Air Bags | 49 | 7 | |
| 1995 | Air Bags | 40 | 41 | |
| 1994 | Air Bags | 38 | 20 | |
| 1993 | Air Bags | 42 | 34 | |
| 1992 | Air Bags | 43 | 13 | |
| 1991 | Air Bags | 31 | 16 | |
| 1990 | Air Bags | 22 | 20 |
The same model year, different builds
Every complaint carries the first 11 characters of the VIN — plant, year, body and engine. That is a production series, and complaints are spread across them very unevenly.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Distinct production series | 4,725 |
| Average complaints per series | 3.1 |
| Worst single series | 33 complaints |
| Average age at failure | 5.8 years |
A model average of 3.1 hides a worst series at 33. Enter a VIN above to see the numbers for that exact build instead of the model as a whole.
Owners reported these. Find out if yours is one of them.
- Complaints matched to the exact production run, not just the model
- What the car is worth given what tends to fail on it
- The original window sticker and factory options
- Full research report as a PDF for the pre-purchase inspection
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How we count
Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,100,006 of them, covering 1,982 models built between 1981 and 2026.
A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.
Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the Taurus?
By complaint volume, 1993, 2002, 2003 drew the most owner reports. Bear in mind that popular years put more cars on the road, so check the crash and fire columns too.
Which Taurus years are the cleanest?
2019, 2017, 2018 have the fewest complaints on file. For recent years that can simply mean the cars are young.
How many complaints does the Ford Taurus have?
14,634 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, covering 1986–2019. Of those, 869 describe a crash and 415 a fire.
Are these complaints verified?
No. They are unverified reports from owners. NHTSA publishes them as filed and investigates only a fraction. The value is in the pattern, not in any single report.
Can I check complaints for one specific car?
Yes — enter its VIN above. We match the first 11 characters, which identify the plant, year, body and engine, so you get complaints on that exact production series rather than the whole model.