Ford Taurus: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
8,497 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Ford Taurus, model years 2000 to 2019. 6 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2003 (transmission 32×); 2005 (engine 6.6×, transmission 12×); 2004 (transmission 7.2×); 2010 (engine 2.9×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2017, 2018, 2009. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Taurus | 1,190 | — | 8 | |
| 2001 Taurus | 1,035 | — | 10 | |
| 2002 Taurus | 1,425 | — | 4 | |
| 2003 Taurus | 1,223 | transmission 32× | 4 | |
| 2004 Taurus | 375 | transmission 7.2× | 2 | |
| 2005 Taurus | 773 | engine 6.6×, transmission 12× | 1 | |
| 2006 Taurus | 318 | — | 3 | |
| 2007 TaurusFEW REPORTS | 149 | quiet: 6 of 19 | 1 | |
| 2008 Taurus | 174 | transmission 4.4× | 1 | |
| 2009 TaurusFEW REPORTS | 64 | quiet: 3 of 19 | 0 | |
| 2010 Taurus | 203 | engine 2.9× | 3 | |
| 2011 Taurus | 187 | engine 2.9× | 4 | |
| 2012 TaurusFEW REPORTS | 79 | quiet: 4 of 19 | 5 | |
| 2013 Taurus | 585 | — | 9 | |
| 2014 Taurus | 230 | — | 5 | |
| 2015 Taurus | 285 | — | 6 | |
| 2016 TaurusFEW REPORTS | 88 | quiet: 5 of 19 | 4 | |
| 2017 TaurusFEW REPORTS | 44 | quiet: 1 of 19 | 4 | |
| 2018 TaurusFEW REPORTS | 52 | quiet: 2 of 19 | 4 | |
| 2019 TaurusFEW REPORTS | 18 | — | 2 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Ford models
Ford 500 · Ford Bronco · Ford Bronco Sport · Ford C-Max · Ford Contour · Ford Crown Victoria · Ford E-150 · Ford E-250 · Ford E-350 · Ford E-450 · Ford EcoSport · Ford Edge · Ford Escape · Ford Escape Hybrid · Ford Escort · Ford Excursion · Ford Expedition · Ford Explorer · Ford Explorer Sport · Ford Explorer Sport Trac · Ford F SD · Ford F-150 · Ford F-150 Hybrid · Ford F-150 Lightning BEV · Ford F-250 SD · Ford F-350 SD · Ford F-450 SD · Ford F-550 SD · Ford Fiesta · Ford Five Hundred · Ford Flex · Ford Focus · Ford Focus Electric · Ford Ford · Ford Freestar · Ford Freestyle · Ford Fusion · Ford Fusion Energi · Ford Fusion Hybrid · Ford Maverick · Ford Maverick Hybrid · Ford Mustang · Ford Mustang GT · Ford Mustang Mach-E · Ford Ranger · Ford Taurus X · Ford Thunderbird · Ford Transit · Ford Transit Connect · Ford Windstar. All makes and models.
Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 2000200120022003200420052006200820102011201320142015