2008 Ford Taurus X Owner Complaints

All 5 rear seatbelts have cracked plastic around the metal piece that buckles in.

NHTSA ID

11674394

Incident

Jul 17, 2025

This has happened since we purchased the car. when driving down the road out of the blue the wrench light on the dash turns on and the car loses all power!! Dangerous! So dangerous. i have spoken with other foes tauras x owners and they too have the same issue. When it happens i pull over and shut the car off and wait a bit.. I turn it back on and the wrench light is off BUT CAR WONT SHIFT INTO GEAR!! it's very hard to get the shifter to move. when it does move it's a loud CLUNK CLUNk sound like u just dropped the transmission on the ground!! This is happening more often then not now. Hundreds of thousands of people who own this vehicle have complaints about the same issue. NO one can figure out the issue! Some say a sensor, yet a sensor would not make my transmission clunk like that! A lot say it's the control arm and ford has had the wrong control arm installed in all there does tauras x"s 2007 and 2009. My car has 77,609 miles on it. it's been doing this for the past 40,000 miles! I'm truely scared to drive this car aspecially in the winter!! FORD YOU already have been told and are well aware of this issue ! Fix it or get sued by tens of thousands of us all petitioning to do so and all together as a group. so buckle up Ford!

NHTSA ID

11482949

Incident

Aug 25, 2022

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus X. While the contact’s daughter was driving approximately 40 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated, the steering wheel became difficult to turn, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact's daughter was able unable to pull over but was able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle returned to normal functionality. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing spark plugs, coolant, and radiator replaced. The failure persisted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

NHTSA ID

11444020

Incident

Dec 13, 2021

Mileage

109,000 mi

I bought this vehicle used from a lot. It had 2 previous owners and came with all the service history. I first noticed the vehicle seemed like it didn’t want to go into overdrive . It would get to about 70 mph which would have the rpm’s at 3k! The 2nd time or so that we got it to these speeds (on interstate) the vehicle suddenly clunked , steering wheel jerked , vehicle lost power - I had my 2 children in the vehicle and I was pregnant. We had to pull over immediately . After sitting side the road for a few , it crunk up and we rode out . Only for it to happen 2 more times. And this is not the only thing effected by this . Not long after I got it , I started noticing a hard shift / clunk / slam when going into gear and especially when the vehicle has just tried to downshift and I pressed the gas again . Due to this , I’m unable to tell when and if we can pull out into traffic and such. I must time it good in order to not risk getting T boned etc. Also, with 3 kids in tow , a vehicle slamming their necks and heads is dangerous and scary. So , I’ve had some work done on . Trying to help my issue. Apparently my issue is the same as a lot of others . Which is an intermittent issue . And apparently no matter if all the passed recalls were addressed. Or if the owners of the vehicle serviced it often and currant . Or if the pcm was reflashed , replaced etc - the Ford Taurus X will continue to have these issues . And these issues seem to be the same issues that were addressed in the ford recall in 2020 ( which didn’t include the Taurus X) and previous recalls . This drivertrain transmission has been an issue for the Taurus X since forever . Please check into this. Last thing we need is whiplash or life flights from this .

NHTSA ID

11437440

Incident

Apr 2, 2021

THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS ALL COME ON AND THE SPEEDOMETER AND GAS GAUGE GO TO ZERO. I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE SEPTEMBER 2017 AND IT ONLY HAD ONE PREVIOUS OWNER! THIS IS A SCARY PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE WHEN THIS OCCURS. HAS ANYONE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND FIGURED OUT HOW TO FIX? ALSO THERE'S A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE SOMETIMES THAT SOUNDS LIKE IS COMING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST OR EVEN TENTH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. TO MANY TO REMEMBER ALL THE DATES!

NHTSA ID

11404326

Incident

Mar 22, 2021

Mileage

140,000 mi

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD STRAIGHT, OUR CAR MADE A POP SOUND AND SUDDENLY LURCHED AND STEERING WAS IMPAIRED. CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FOUND THE ENGINE CRADLE/FRONT SUB FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH INTERNALLY CAUSING THE SWAY BAR TO BREAK AWAY AND IT HAD PERFORATED AROUND THE MOUNT FOR THE CONTROL ARM. WE WERE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THE CONTROL ARM DIDN'T COMPLETELY DROP OUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. FAILURE IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE FORD ESCAPE SUBFRAME RECALL. DEALER TECHNICIAN SAID HE HAS REPLACED A LOT OF THESE ENGINE CRADLES IN THE TAURUS X'S FOR THE SAME FAILURE (SOME WORSE THAN OURS, COMPLETELY RUSTED IN HALF ETC.). LACK OF SUFFICIENT PAINT INSIDE OF THE CRADLES CAUSING PREMATURE FAILURE IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THERE ARE ACCIDENTS REPORTED FOR THIS CONCERN. I HAVE REQUESTED THE ENGINE CRADLE FROM THE DEALERSHIP AFTER IT IS REMOVED FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE.

NHTSA ID

11389333

Incident

Jan 19, 2021

Mileage

100,274 mi

TRANSMISSION STUCK IN HIGH GEAR WHILE IN MOTION. CAN'T ACCELERATE FROM STOP TO MAINTAIN SPEED. POWER CYCLE FIXED. INTERMITTENT ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11384818

Incident

Dec 23, 2020

Mileage

162,000 mi

HAD TO SHELL OUT $528.06 TO REPLACE BOTH THE 'INPUT & OUTPUT SHIFT SENORS' IN THE VEHICLE. REPAIR INVOLVED REMOVING THE VALVE BODY ON THE TRANSMISSION FOR ACCESS. MAJORITY OF THE COST INVOLVE THE LABOR TO REACH THIS AREA ON TRANS. A MONTH EARLIER TRANS LOCKED UP IN LOW GEAR, DASH LIGHTS WERE FLASHING? SHUT OFF ENGINE & RESTARTED. RAN OK THEN. SAFETY ISSUE! RECALL IS IN ORDER!

NHTSA ID

11341863

Incident

Jul 28, 2020

Mileage

65,000 mi

WITHIN 24 HOURS, TWICE THE CAR SUDDENLY DISPLAYED "EMPY" FUEL GUAGE AND HAVING ZERO MILES ON THE RANGE ESTIMATOR DESPITE HAVING ROUGHLY HALF A TANK OF GAS. ONE TIME, SHORTLY AFTER DISPLAYING "EMPTY" DESPITE HAVING HALF A TANK, THE CAR CUT OFF AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

NHTSA ID

11341786

Incident

Jul 27, 2020

Mileage

142,000 mi

TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND WONT CHANGE GEARS

NHTSA ID

11319213

Incident

Mar 25, 2020

Mileage

1 mi

CAR SHUT OFF 3 MINUTES AFTER STARTING IT. I RESTART IT THEN IT SHUT OFF AGAIN AFTER 5 MINUTES. DROVE THE ABOUT HOUR AND HALF NO PROBLEM. 2 HOURS LATER DROVE CAR A FEW BLOCKS SHUT OFF AGAIN LUCKILY I WAS PULLING BACK UP TO MY HOUSE. NOW I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ID

11297275

Incident

Jan 5, 2020

Mileage

180,000 mi

A FUEL SENSOR FAILED RECENTLY FOR THE THIRD TIME IN 3 YEARS. EACH TIME THERE WAS MORE THAN HALF A TANK OF GASOLINE ONBOARD. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STOP COMPLETELY WHILE ON A FREEWAY TRAVELING AT 55 MPH.

NHTSA ID

11269105

Incident

Oct 14, 2019

Mileage

153,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD TAURUS X. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH IN TRAFFIC, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO STOP. THE FAILURE BEGAN ON APPROXIMATELY JULY 3, 2019 AND WAS OCCURRING DAILY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 202,000.

NHTSA ID

11232869

Incident

Jul 17, 2019

Mileage

202,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING MY CAR I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN 2 WRECKS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN TRYING TO STOP QUICKLY THE CAR DOES NOT STOP THE TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR CONTINUES TO ROLL. I HAD A FRONT END COLLISION AND MY AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35-40 MPH. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM JD BYRIDER.THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS CAR HAS DONE THIS MEANING STOPPING BUT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME. I HAD MY KIDS AND GRANDKIDS IN THE CAR ON EACH TIME THIS HAPPENED AND I FILL IF I CONTINUE DRIVING THIS CAR WITH THESE PROBLEMS SOMETHING SERIOUS IS GOING TO HAPPPEN NEXT TIME.

NHTSA ID

11192860

Incident

Dec 27, 2018

Mileage

92,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD TAURUS X. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEFROSTER FOR THE WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH IMPAIRED HIS VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

NHTSA ID

11181627

Incident

Feb 20, 2019

Mileage

64,000 mi

WHEN VEHICLE GETS BETWEEN 40-45 MPH, WILL NOT GEAR UP PROPERLY AND WILL NOT RUN CORRECTLY. ONLY DOES THIS INTERMITTENTLY, AND YOU HAVE TO STOP THE CAR, UNHOOK BATTERY CABLE, GIVE IT A MINUTE, HOOK IT BACK UP AND IT WILL RUN FINE UNTIL THE NEXT TIME IT DOES IT- WHICH COULD BE DAYS, WEEKS, EVEN MONTHS.

NHTSA ID

11180887

Incident

Feb 17, 2019

Mileage

77,000 mi

WHEN PULLING UP TO A STOP SIGN AND APPLYING THE BRAKE, THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED INSTEAD OF STOPPING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 2 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS. THE CAR WAS IN STRAIGHT FORWARD MOTION ON A STREET PULLING UP TO A STOP SIGN, THE BRAKE APPLIED, AND INSTEAD OF STOPPING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. WE WERE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE STOP SIGN AND IMMEDIATELY TURN TO THE RIGHT AND AVOIDED ANY ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

11173050

Incident

Dec 14, 2018

Mileage

189,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD TAURUS X. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MIDDLE ROW SEATS COULD NOT BE FOLDED DOWN IN ORDER TO LET THE THIRD ROW OCCUPANTS OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HINES FORD (12610 FORD DR, FISHERS, IN) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. *TT CONSUMER STATED SIMILAR INCIDENT REPORTED ON THE INTERNET.*JB

NHTSA ID

11155563

Incident

Nov 1, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON CITY STREETS WHEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. CAR BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN, EVEN USING ALL MY STRENGTH. I COULD NOT HAVE REACTED TO ANY OBSTACLE THAT SUDDENLY PRESENTED ITSELF, AND I COULD HARDLY MAKE TURNS, EVEN AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. IT WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

NHTSA ID

11145308

Incident

Oct 27, 2018

Mileage

136,000 mi

STEER HARD RIGHT AND LEFT AT SLOW SPEED IN CITY DRIVING. AT FIRST IT STEERS HARD THEN SMOOTH AND YOU CAN OVER STEER . THE STEERING RACK HAS BEEN REPLACED & STEERING PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED AS WELL. HAVE NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM.GETTING WORSE

NHTSA ID

11081594

Incident

Feb 13, 2017

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD TAURUS X. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING AT A RED LIGHT, IT INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT PLACED THE GEAR SHIFTER IN NEUTRAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT NO DIAGNOSTIC FAILURE CODES WERE FOUND AND THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FORD LINCOLN OF COOKEVILLE (1600 INTERSTATE DR., COOKEVILLE, TN 38501, (931) 284-4509), BUT NO DIAGNOSTIC FAILURE CODES WERE FOUND. THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, BUT THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

NHTSA ID

11078209

Incident

Feb 3, 2018

Mileage

94,000 mi

WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE VEHICLE JUST TOOK OFF AND I COULDN'T GET CAR TO STOP UNTIL I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL WHILE APPLYING THE BREAK. MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND A REASON FOR THIS AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME .SINCE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEM SEEMS LIKE A RECALL PROBLEM TO ME. CAR TRIES TO DRIVE ITSELF!!!

NHTSA ID

11071761

Incident

Feb 3, 2018

Mileage

95,836 mi

WE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING SINCE 2016 TO TED BRITT FORD AND TO FORD ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE JERKING, POPPING, SLIPPING, ESPECIALLY WHILE TURNING, AND THEY TOLD US THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE COMPLAINED. AT ONE POINT THE SERVICE TECH TOLD US THAT SLIPPING, JERKING, AND POPPING FROM THE TRANSMISSION WAS NORMAL FOR THE TAURUS X. ON 10/20/2017, WE BROKE DOWN ON A VERY BUSY ROAD. WE WERE DRIVING THE CAR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STARTED TO BUCKLE AND CHOKE. THEN WE HAD SMOKE BILLOWING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WE TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND TURNED ON THE FLASHERS. WE FOUND OUT THAT THE ANTIFREEZE RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. SOMETHING IS CLEARLY WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE AND FORD DOES NOT WANT TO CORRECT IT. WE WERE FORCED TO BUY THIS CAR BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT TED BRITT SABOTAGED OUR 2003 FORD WINDSTAR LX. TED BRITT SABOTAGED OUR WINDSTAR THROUGH DISCONNECTING THE VACUUM LINE THAT FED THE HEATING AND AC. WE WENT FOR THREE YEARS FREEZING IN THE WINTER AND BOILING HOT IN THE SUMMER. THEY DID NOT WANT TO RECONNECT THAT LINE FOR OUR HEAT AND AC. THEY DISASSEMBLED A LOT OF OUR WINDSTAR AND THREW EVERYTHING IN THE BACK OF OUR VAN ONTO THE CLOTH SEATS. DASHBOARD, COWL, GRILL, HOOD WAS OFF THE VAN, TIRES, BRAKE LINES, ENGINE PARTS, AND OTHER PARTS WERE THROWN ONTO OUR CLOTH BACK SEATS. THEY MADE OUR TAN SEATS BLACK WITH THE ROAD GRIME AND GREASE. THEN THEY DECIDED TO ASK US IF WE WANTED OUR VAN BACK. THAT WAS VERY RUDE. WE HAD JUST CLEANED THOSE SEATS. NOW WE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE 2008 FORD TAURUS X. WE HAD TO CALL THE POLICE AND OUR AUTO INSURANCE TO HELP US OUT. WE FILED AN INSURANCE CLAIM TO GET THE VEHICLE TOWED AND WE HAD TO TAKE A TAXI TO WORK.

NHTSA ID

11034763

Incident

Oct 20, 2017

THE ACCELERATION SPEEDS UP ON ITS ON. THE ELECTRIC COMPONENTS MIS CHARGE.

NHTSA ID

11034289

Incident

Aug 20, 2017

THE FORD TAURUS X HAS 57,945 MILES ON IT. TWO TIMES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY THE DASH SHOWED ALL ZEROS AND THE CAR LOST POWER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR EXHIBITED SLOW ACCELERATION AND UNUSUAL SHIFTING. I TOOK IT AND HAD THE OBD CODE READ. THE CODE INDICATED THAT IT WAS A SPEED SENSOR IN THE TRANSMISSION (P720). THE CODE WAS RESET AND THE CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING DRIVEN. IT HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN A TWO-WEEK PERIOD. I OWN TWO 2008 FORD TAURUS AND IT HAPPENED ON THE SAME DAY TO BOTH OF THEM. I WILL BE FILING INCIDENT INFORMATION ON THE OTHER VEHICLE TOO.

NHTSA ID

11031822

Incident

Aug 7, 2017

Mileage

57,945 mi