2011 Ford Taurus Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2011 Ford Taurus.

20102012
Complaints
251
Crashes
20
Fires
2
Injuries
20
Fatalities
1
Recalls
4

Worst 2011 Ford Taurus Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#146 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:51,279 mi
Crash-related:2
#240 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:73,101 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:1
#325 complaints

Steering Defects

Avg mileage:105,013 mi
Crash-related:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2011 Ford Taurus.

Electrical Faults
46
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
51,279
Engine Problems
40
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
73,101
Steering Defects
25
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
105,013
Transmission / Drivetrain
15
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
53,378
Unintended Acceleration
13
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
31,814
Headlight/Taillight Failures
12
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
49,994
Brakes
12
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
74,815
Airbags
8
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
Avg Miles
60,003
Engine & Cooling
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
34,817
Body Structure
8
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
62,600
Seat-Related Issues
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
42,905
Suspension Failures
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
110,229
Electronic Stability Control
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wheel Issues
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Automatic Transmission
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Tire Defects
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Sunroof/Moonroof
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Back Over Prevention: Camera System
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Ignition
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control Module
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Gasoline Fuel System
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Driveline
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2011 Ford Taurus. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2011 Ford Taurus

4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~772,632 vehicles.

16V247000Air Bags:frontal
~695 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

15V340000Steering:electric Power Assist System
~393,623 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with any available engine. The affected vehicles have electric power steering assist systems that may shut down as a result of a steering motor sensor fault.

15V040000Structure:body:door
~194,889 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Ford Taurus vehicles manufactured December 1, 2009, to July 31, 2010, and 2011-2013 Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured June 1, 2011, to October 31, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the interior door handle return spring may unseat, resulting in interior door handle that does not return to the fully stowed position after actuation.

14V285000Exterior Lighting
~183,425 affected

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Taurus vehicles manufactured November 24, 2008, through February 28, 2014, originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. When used in areas that use road salt, the license plate lamp assembly may experience an electro-chemical reaction and corrosion as a result of water intrusion.

Other Ford Taurus Years

2011 Ford Taurus — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2011 Ford Taurus reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2011 Ford Taurus has 251 NHTSA complaints, 20 crash-related, and 4 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Electrical Faults with 46 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2011 Ford Taurus?
Top reported problems: Electrical Faults (46 complaints, avg 51,279 mi); Engine Problems (40 complaints, avg 73,101 mi); Steering Defects (25 complaints, avg 105,013 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2011 Ford Taurus?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 64,313 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2011 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA complaints for the 2011 Ford Taurus include 20 crash-related reports, 2 fire reports, 20 injuries, and 1 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2011 Ford Taurus have any recalls?
Yes — 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 772,632 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2011 Ford Taurus?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Ford Taurus reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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