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Research · Large Cars

2000 Ford TaurusRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 8 safety recalls and 1,195 owner complaints for the 2000 Ford Taurus. Most complaints involve suspension (442) and engine and engine cooling (102). The EPA rates it 19–20 mpg combined.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
19–20mpg
EPA · 6 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
8campaigns
Latest Jul 2004
Owner complaints
1,195
Top: suspension
Fuel cost / yr
$3,100est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

8 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Suspension: coil springs

Remedy pending

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, 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, THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS COULD FRACTURE DUE TO CORROSION ASSOCIATED WITH SALT USED ON THE ROADWAYS DURING THE WINTER. A FRACTURED SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRONT TIRE.

SuspensionReported Jul 15, 2004NHTSA 04V332000

Exterior lighting: switch

Free remedy

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ARE BEING RECALLED TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH AND/OR ASSOCIATED WIRING. THIS MALFUNCTIONING COULD RENDER THE STOP LAMPS INOPERABLE OR CAUSE THEM TO STAY ON ALL THE TIME. THIS COULD CAUSE CONFUSION TO A FOLLOWING DRIVER, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Exterior lightingReported Mar 2, 2004NHTSA 04V106000

Service brakes

Free remedy

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ADJUSTABLE PADELS ARE BEING RECALLED IN ORDER TO ADJUST THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS TO A MINIMUM OF 50 MM OF LATERAL SEPARATION. SIMULTANEOUS APPLICATION OF BOTH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS COULD RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPM.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Oct 2, 2002NHTSA 02V266000
See all 8 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 8, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

1,195 complaints filed with NHTSA · Dec 1999 – May 2024
  1. Suspension442
  2. Engine and engine cooling102
  3. Power train97
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic95
  5. Air bags88
  6. Exterior lighting86
  7. Vehicle speed control84
  8. Electrical system61
  9. Tires60

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Taurus model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
1996868
1997816
1998570
1999918
20001,195
20011,036
20021,469
20031,223
2004375
2005774
2006318
2007149
2008175
200964
2010204
2011187
201279
2013591
2014236
2015286
201688
201744
201852
201918
Crashes reported
102
Fires reported
25
Injuries reported
81
Deaths reported
1
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Suspension

442 reports6 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V332000 (SUSPENSION), BUT THE CONTACT WAS NOT NOTIFIED. AFTER AN OIL CHANGE, THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE STRUTS WERE BENT WITH EXTENSIVE CORROSION ON THE SPRING COILS AND STRUTS. THE DEALER FAILED TO INDICATE IF THEY WOULD PROVIDE THE RECALL REPAIR FOR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 9, 2017SuspensionODI 10984452

Engine and engine cooling

102 reports4 crashes7 fires
“SINCE 2004, I HAD TO HAVE MY ENGINE REBUILT IN 2009 THE COST WAS 1,700, DUE TO FAILURE IN THE COOLANT SYSTEM"PROBABLE CAUSE WAS THE COOLANT SYSTEM ERODED', AND STILL HAVE COOLANT ISSUES, THE REPAIRS ON THE COOLANT WAS ALMOST 700. AFTER THOSE REPAIRS WERE CONDUCTED, I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO GRAND PRAIRIE FORD, BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. GRAND PRAIRIE FORD PRESENTED ME A REPAIR LIST STATING AT THAT POINT MY CAR NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND WOULD COST ANOTHER 3,000 TO REPAIR. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO EAGLE TRANSMISSION IN IRVING, TEXAS. THE MANAGER TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND IN FACT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ERROR AND THAT THE BRAIN WOULD HAVE TO BE RECALIBRATED. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO GRAND PRAIRIE FORD TO HAVE THE BRAIN RECALIBRATED. THE CAR AT THAT POINT DROVE OFF THEIR LOT JUST FINE. GRAND PRAIRIE FORD WOULD NOT GIVE ME AN ANSWER ON WHY THEY TRIED TO TELL ME THAT I NEEDED PARTS WHEN IN FACT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THEM. THEY DID STATE THEY REPLACED THE SEAT BELTS DUE TO THE RECALL. MY DRIVER SEAT BELT DISENGAGES STILL WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE TO REPLACE THE TIRES SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR DUE TO SUSPENSION ISSUES'BALL JOINTS,TIRE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 5, 2012Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10454232

Power train

97 reports6 crashes1 fire
“DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND IT WAS AS IF IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL. NO FORWARD OR REVERSE GEARS. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANYTHING ABOUT TO HAPPEN TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SLIPPING OR ACTING UP PRIOR TO THIS. JUST GLAD THERE WAS NOT HEAVY TRAFFIC AS THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A BAD SCENARIO. AFTER RESEARCH HAVE FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THIS VEHICLE. WONDERING WHY FORD HAS NOT DOWN SOMETHING ABOUT IT. BOUGHT A FORD TAURUS BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A VERY SAFE CAR FOR A YOUNG DRIVER.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 17, 2016Power trainODI 10836780
All 2000 Taurus problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

6 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Large Cars, Midsize Station Wagons
Engines
3.0L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic 4-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 8, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Taurus
Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, 4V · Front-Wheel Drive
172620$3,100444
Taurus
Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, 3.0L 2V · Front-Wheel Drive
172620$3,100444
Taurus
Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, FLEX-FUEL · Front-Wheel Drive
172620$3,100444
Taurus Wagon
Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, 3.0M · Front-Wheel Drive
172520$3,100444
Taurus Wagon
Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, FLEX-FUEL · Front-Wheel Drive
172520$3,100444
Taurus Wagon
Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, 3.0L 2V · Front-Wheel Drive
172419$3,300468
  • Taurus
    Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, 4V
    17 city · 26 hwy · $3,100/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Taurus
    Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, 3.0L 2V
    17 city · 26 hwy · $3,100/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Taurus
    Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, FLEX-FUEL
    17 city · 26 hwy · $3,100/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Taurus Wagon
    Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, 3.0M
    17 city · 25 hwy · $3,100/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Taurus Wagon
    Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, FLEX-FUEL
    17 city · 25 hwy · $3,100/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Taurus Wagon
    Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, 3.0L 2V
    17 city · 24 hwy · $3,300/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 8, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2000 Ford Taurus as of Nov 8, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 8, 2026Vehicle 4087Vehicle 4086
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2000 Taurus questions

How many recalls does the 2000 Ford Taurus have?

8 safety recalls as of Nov 8, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2000 Ford Taurus problems?

Owners filed 1,195 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are suspension (442), engine and engine cooling (102), power train (97). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2000 Ford Taurus get?

The EPA rates the 2000 Ford Taurus at 19–20 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (6 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 8, 2026