Is the 2013 Ford TAURUS reliable?

The 2013 Ford TAURUS has 749 complaints filed with NHTSA (3.0x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: avoid. Most common issue: STEERING problems.

What are common problems with the 2013 Ford TAURUS?

Top problems: STEERING (293 complaints, avg repair $500); FUEL SYSTEM (107 complaints, avg repair $500); ENGINE (76 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2013 Ford TAURUS?

Yes, there are 9 recall(s): STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP, STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, SUSPENSION:REAR. Contact any Ford dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2013 Ford TAURUS?

The 2013 Ford TAURUS gets 21 MPG combined. At current US average gas prices, driving 12,000 miles per year costs roughly $2286. See the interactive fuel cost calculator on this page for state-specific pricing.

How much does it cost to insure a 2013 Ford TAURUS?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2013 Ford TAURUS is approximately $1,390/year (sedan-midsize class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2013 Ford TAURUS

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Ford TAURUS has 749 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.0x the segment average of 251. The most common issue is steering problems (39% of all complaints), specifically: entering street from parking area, power steering assist failed. warning on dash stated electronic steering failed. with difficulty, steered car to side of road. turned car off. when car restarted, failure self corrected. appears to be failure of computer control of electronic steering assist. *tr. There are 9 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 8 fire reports filed.

8 fire reports 15 crash reports 20 injuries

749

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

5/5

Safety Stars

3.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

STEERING

293 complaints

39%

• ENTERING STREET FROM PARKING AREA, POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. WARNING ON DASH STATED ELECTRONIC STEERING FAILED. WITH DIFFICULTY, STEERED CAR TO SIDE OF ROAD. TURNED CAR OFF. WHEN CAR RESTARTED, FAILURE SELF CORRECTED. APPEARS TO BE FAILURE OF COMPUTER CONTROL OF ELECTRONIC STEERING ASSIST. *TR
• WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AROUND A CURVE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THE "SERVICE POWER STEERING" MESSAGE CAME UP. AS WELL AS THE " STEERING ASSIST DEFAULT". WHEN THIS HAPPENED I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. I COULDN'T MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL. I SLID OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD INTO
• WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET THE STEERING WHEEL ON THE CAR LOCKED UP AND WOULDN'T TURN. THE CAR GAVE A "SERVICE POWER STEERING" AND " STEERING ASSIST DEFAULT" AT THE TIME OF THE WHEEL LOCKING UP. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE CAR JUST STOPS WHERE YOU ARE. IT WON'T TAKE GAS OR ANYTHING. THIS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 7 crashes

“ENTERING STREET FROM PARKING AREA, POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. WARNING ON DASH STATED ELECTRONIC STEERING FAILED. WITH DIFFICULTY, STEERED CAR TO SIDE OF ROAD. TURNED CAR OFF. WHEN CAR RESTARTED, FAILURE SELF CORRECTED. APPEARS TO BE FAILURE OF COMPUTER CONTROL OF ELECTRONIC STEERING ASSIST. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2013 Ford TAURUS

Based on 538 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 83K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 60-100K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

227

100-150K

133

150-200K

200K+

BRAKES

Earlier than typicalmedian 56K mi · 7 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BODY/STRUCTURE

Earlier than typicalmedian 68K mi · 5 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

AIR BAGS

Reported earliermedian 41K mi · 7 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

STEERING

In line with typicalmedian 95K mi · 216 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

FUEL SYSTEM

In line with typicalmedian 80K mi · 81 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ENGINE

In line with typicalmedian 74K mi · 64 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (9)

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR28/01/2015

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.

Risk: If the interior door handle return spring is unseated, the door may unlatch in the event of a side impact crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four of the interior door handles and either repair or replace them, free of charge. The recall began March 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S02.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2013 Ford TAURUS

Live EIA prices

Annual miles driven: 12,000

Your state (affects local gasoline price)

Per year

$2,286

Per month

$191

Per mile

19.1¢

MPG

City driving (worst-case MPG)

$2,824/yr

Highway driving (best-case MPG)

$1,847/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today

Show:

Current

$4.00

5-year low

$2.78

5-year high

$5.01

Since 2021

+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2013 Ford TAURUS

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,390

Full coverage / month

$116

Liability only / year

$574

vs US avg

-17%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x

× theft risk1.00x

× safety rating0.94x

× vehicle age0.92x

= Full coverage estimate$1390

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Ford TAURUS Service Intervals

Oil change

8K mi / 12 mo

Tire rotation

8K mi

Brake fluid

36 months

Transmission fluid

30K mi

Engine coolant

100K mi

Spark plugs

100K mi

Cabin air filter

20K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

30K mi

IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

3 yr / 36K mi

Powertrain

5 yr / 60K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

5 yr / 60K mi

These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2013 TAURUS, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 749 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
STEERING: ENTERING STREET FROM PARKING AREA, POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. WARNING ON DASH STATED ELECTRONIC STEERING FAILED. WITH DIFFICULTY, STEERED CAR TO SIDE OF ROAD. TURNED CAR OFF. WHEN CAR RESTARTED, FAILURE SELF CORRECTED. APPEARS TO BE FAILURE OF COMPUTER CONTROL OF ELECTRONIC STEERING ASSIST. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V227000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT SINCE THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED IN MAY 2013, THERE SHOU
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: I DROVE MY 2013 FORD TAURUS APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES TO MY HOME. AFTER CUTTING THE CAR OFF I NOTICED SMOKE BILLOWING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I RESTARTED THE CAR TO BACK OUT FROM UNDER MY CARPORT. I CUT THE CAR OFF AND WITHIN SECONDS THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES CAUSING A TOTAL LOSS. THERE WERE NO WARNIN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2012 WE PURCHASED THE ABOVE DESCRIBED VEHICLE FROM LUMBERTON FORD LINCOLN, LUMBERTON, NC 28360. AMONG SEVERAL THINGS WRONG WE DISCOVERED THE REVERSE SENSOR SYSTEM IS INADEQUATE. THE ALARM IS NOT AUDIBLE IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE IS THERE IS NORMAL CONVERSATION/RADIO NOISE. ALSO, T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 9 recalls have been completed — free at any Ford dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)