Problems · NHTSA complaints
2010 Ford Taurus problems
Owners filed 204 complaints about the 2010 Ford Taurus with NHTSA between Feb 2010 and Jul 2026. The most-cited component is steering (41).
Complaints
204
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
17
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
16
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Steering41
- Engine37
- Power train36
- Vehicle speed control24
- Service brakes, hydraulic19
- Electrical system19
- Service brakes14
- Structure11
- Air bags11
- Engine and engine cooling11
- Fuel/propulsion system7
- Seats7
- Visibility/wiper4
- Fuel system, gasoline4
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
27
24
11
12
20
19
16
15
16
15
9
3
5
1
7
1
3
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 27 |
| 2011 | 24 |
| 2012 | 11 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2014 | 20 |
| 2015 | 19 |
| 2016 | 16 |
| 2017 | 15 |
| 2018 | 16 |
| 2019 | 15 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 7 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 3 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Steering
41 reports4 crashes
“The contact owns a 2010 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while making a right turn, the steering wheel became stiff. The contact stated that the "Power Steering Assist Failure" message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 31,000.”
Engine
37 reports2 fires
“O2 System failed. System checked. The service light is still on. Agents assisted with inspecting. Dealership had the vehicle non-recall. Seat belt light appeared and Agent was contacted. System is collected for revisiting my claim.”
Power train
36 reports4 crashes
“The contact owns a 2010 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while parking the vehicle, the vehicle accelerated on its own at high speed without any warning, causing the vehicle to airborne and struck his neighbor's home. The contact desperately pressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle would not stop. The contact's wife had severe injuries and sought medical attention. The vehicle was towed but the air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was not diagnosed. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 117,000.”
Vehicle speed control
24 reports6 crashes
“Unknown. Car was going 100 mph. Driver, my son , was killed in this car accident. This year make AND model is known for throttle acceleration issues with brake afail override non existent until later models. Case number [XXX] sterling heights police department”
Service brakes, hydraulic
19 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2010 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the brake pedal would depress the floorboard without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The diagnostic test determined that the brake module was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact was informed that parts to repair the vehicle were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000.”
Electrical system
19 reports1 fire
“2010 FORD TAURUS SHO. POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS. VERY DANGEROUS. DISPLAY SAYS SERVIVE POWER STEERING NOW. ALL OTHER MODELS AFTER 2010 HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, VERY EXPENSIVE, AND VERY DISAPPOINTING!”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.