Ford Taurus Reliability
23,891 NHTSA complaints (1981–2019). Complaint rate: 1550.7 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 1991–1997 Ford Taurus (487 crash-related complaints). The 2016–2019 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Ford Taurus Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1,827 | 10.6% |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1,667 | 2.0% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1,362 | 0.6% |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS | 1,039 | 1.0% |
| POWER TRAIN | 885 | 2.7% |
| STEERING | 712 | 5.9% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 702 | 2.1% |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 667 | 1.2% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 584 | 1.4% |
| SUSPENSION | 531 | 3.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
See also: Ford Taurusaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Ford Taurus?
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