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 9.4x the segment average of 80. 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. ⚠️ 8 fire reports filed.

8 fire reports 15 crash reports 20 injuries

749

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

9.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

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

FUEL SYSTEM

107 complaints

14%

• 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
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V227000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE DEALER FOR RECALL SERVICE HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS DENIED THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD ONLY REPAIR VEHICLES THA
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V227000 (FUEL SYSTEM) AND STATED THAT THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports

“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”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

76 complaints

10%

• 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
• CAR SPONTANEOUSLY STOPPED RUNNING. THE TOUCH SCREEN DISPLAY WENT DARK, THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS TURNED OFF AND THE ENGINE STOPPED WHILE TRAVELING A CITY STREET AT 25 MPH. THE CAR COASTED TO A STOP AND IT TOOK ABOUT A MINUTE TO RESTART IT. *TR UPDATED 2/11/16*JS
• UPON ACCELERATING AFTER GREEN LIGHT CAR SURGED AND STARTED TO SHAKE WITH NO POWER CONTROL, HAD TO MANEUVER ACROSS 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH NO POWER ALMOST GETTING HIT, AFTER REMOVING IGNITION KEY AND WAITING SEVERAL MOMENTS CAR STARTED AND WAS FINE. THE PROBLEM INTERMITTENTLY PERS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“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”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

56 complaints

• 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
• WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IT WAS NOTED THAT WHEN I SET THE CRUISE CONTROL AT 70 MPH, THE STATED SPEED LIMIT, THE DIGITAL NUMERICAL READOUT READ EXACTLY 70 MPH. THE SPEEDOMETER ALTHOUGH READS CONSISTENTLY 3-4 MPH ABOVE THE CRUISE CONTROL SETTING. THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE I TOOK DE
• ON JAN. 9 2014 APPROX. 5:10 A.M. I REMOTELY STARTED MY CAR AND AFTER 5 MINUTES I CAME OUTSIDE AND NOTICED A 3INCH FLAME ABOVE THE LICENSE PLATE ON TOP OF THE BUMPER BELOW THE DECK LID. I THOUGHT MAYBE SOMETHING WAS BURNING ON THE CAR AND WENT TO SWAT IT AND WAS BURNED ON HAND WITH MELTING PLASTIC B

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“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”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

44 complaints

• ON SATURDAY, AUG 17TH, OUR 2013 FORD TAURUS POLICE INTERCEPTOR (SEDAN) VIN:[XXX] WAS STOPPED AT A PLACE OF BUSINESS AND TURNED OFF. INITIALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE VEHICLE STARTED BUT WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REMOVED FROM THE PREMISES BY A WRECKER AND TAKE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO ACCELERATE. UPON MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED AND ATTEMPTED TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE
• DIFFERENCE FELT WITH ACCELERATING, A LOSS OF POWER WITH HIGHER RPM'S REQUIRED. FOUND LEAK IN FRONT DRIVE AXLE SEAL AND WAS REPLACED AT DEALER. NOW, THE DAY AFTER, THE IS A VIBRATION THAT CHANGES WITH SPEED (ACCELERATING, COASTING, DECELERATING; FASTER/SLOWER WITH SPEED).

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“ON SATURDAY, AUG 17TH, OUR 2013 FORD TAURUS POLICE INTERCEPTOR (SEDAN) VIN:[XXX] WAS STOPPED AT A PLACE OF BUSINESS AND TURNED OFF. INITIALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE VEHICLE STARTED BUT WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REMOVED FROM THE PREMISES BY A WRECKER AND TAKE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

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
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)