NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 52 owner complaints for the 2018 Ford Taurus. Most complaints involve back over prevention (15) and structure (11). The EPA rates it 19–21 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Taurus vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each Taurus model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 868 |
| 1997 | 816 |
| 1998 | 570 |
| 1999 | 918 |
| 2000 | 1,195 |
| 2001 | 1,036 |
| 2002 | 1,469 |
| 2003 | 1,223 |
| 2004 | 375 |
| 2005 | 774 |
| 2006 | 318 |
| 2007 | 149 |
| 2008 | 175 |
| 2009 | 64 |
| 2010 | 204 |
| 2011 | 187 |
| 2012 | 79 |
| 2013 | 591 |
| 2014 | 236 |
| 2015 | 286 |
| 2016 | 88 |
| 2017 | 44 |
| 2018 | 52 |
| 2019 | 18 |
“The contact owns a 2018 Ford Taurus. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Two local dealers, including Huntley Ford (13900 Automall Dr, Huntley, IL 60142) were contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.”
“The contact owns a 2018 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while entering the vehicle, the passenger’s side B-pillar trim had detached. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention) and 25V611000 (Structure). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. An appointment was scheduled by the manufacturer to another local dealer, Gengras Ford Service (225 New Britain Ave, Plainville, CT 06062), where the dealer requested to keep the vehicle overnight to inspect, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer declined to provide a loaner vehicle. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a ticket. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.”
“Components Involved: Engine Block Mounting Boss, Intermediate Shaft Bracket (Service Part # DB5Z-3K305-CA), Factory Bolt (OEM # W500131-S437) Incident Overview: During a low-speed (about 5mph) lateral impact to the front-right wheel against a curb, expected sacrificial suspension damage occurred (snapped CV axle, separated lower ball joint). However, lateral force transferred through the passenger-side intermediate shaft directly into its carrier bearing mounting bracket. Instead of the cast mounting bracket (DB5Z-3K305-B) absorbing the force or breaking, the lateral stress sheared the cast mounting boss entirely off the engine block. Engineering Flaw & Dimensions: This design presents a critical flaw in the crash load path and failure hierarchy: Improper Leverage: The 84mm thick cast bracket acts as a rigid lever against a small, brittle ~17mm cast engine block boss. Inverted Material Sacrificing: The over-engineered bracket survives the impact, transferring fatal structural damage to the non-replaceable engine block instead of acting as a sacrificial fuse. Inadequate Thread Engagement: The factory 95mm flange bolt (W500131-S437) only utilizes 11mm of thread…”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taurus FWD Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive | 18 | 27 | 21 | $2,950 | 423 |
| Taurus FWD FFV Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive | 18 | 27 | 21 | $2,950 | 423 |
| Taurus AWD Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive | 16 | 24 | 19 | $3,300 | 471 |
| Taurus AWD Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · All-Wheel Drive | 17 | 24 | 19 | $3,300 | 467 |
| Taurus AWD FFV Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · All-Wheel Drive | 17 | 24 | 19 | $3,300 | 467 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
4 safety recalls as of Nov 9, 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.
Owners filed 52 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are back over prevention (15), structure (11), suspension (7). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2018 Ford Taurus at 19–21 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (5 versions rated).
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2018 Ford Taurus 5 out of 5 stars overall.