RoadVitals

2010 Ford Taurus

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
204
Latest Jul 12, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
3
Latest Apr 26, 2016
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
22
16 injuries, 2 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 204 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2010 Ford Taurus, most frequently naming the engine, steering and brakes categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 38 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

3 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
16V247000

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Apr 26, 2016
695 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
The risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C06.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 16C06View on NHTSA.gov
15V040000

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

Jan 28, 2015
194,889 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The 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.
The remedy: 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.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 15S02View on NHTSA.gov
14V285000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

May 29, 2014
183,425 units potentially affected
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Taurus vehicles manufactured November 24, 2008, through February 28, 2014, originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. When used in areas that use road salt, the license plate lamp assembly may experience an electro-chemical reaction and corrosion as a result of water intrusion.
The risk: This corrosion may result in a short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the license plate lamp assemblies, free of charge. The recall began on July 26, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S08. Note: Under program 14R01, Ford will notify owners in non-corrosion states, and, at the customer's request, dealers will replace the license plate lamp assembly.
Ford Motor CompanyManufacturer number 14S08View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 204
Driver assistanceEngineSteering
Filed Jul 12, 2026

Unknown

NHTSA ID
11749891
Incident
May 4, 2026
Body & structureDriver assistanceFuel system
Filed Jul 12, 2026

Unknown

NHTSA ID
11749890
Incident
May 4, 2026
Filed Feb 18, 2026

UNKNOWN

NHTSA ID
11718868
Incident
Jan 20, 2026
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jun 10, 2025
Crash reported6 injuries reported2 deaths reported

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 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11666028
Incident
Jun 10, 2025
Steering
Filed Sep 12, 2024

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.

NHTSA ID
11614204
Incident
Sep 11, 2024
Mileage
31,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Jun 2, 2024

UNKNOWN

NHTSA ID
11591973
Incident
Nov 30, 2021
AirbagsEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 2, 2024

UNKNOWN

NHTSA ID
11591972
Incident
Nov 30, 2021
AirbagsEngineInterior & seats
Filed Feb 26, 2024

Upgrades allowed a low MPG.

NHTSA ID
11574103
Incident
Jan 1, 2024

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

SSM 54601

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; STRUCTURE:BODY

Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. Unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool or from the label printed on the body control module (BCM). The Factory Keyless Entry Code application within the diagnostic scan tool will not provide an applicable master code for the accessory wireless keypad. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is not available, the "Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide" can be referenced and provides direction on how to retrieve the master code. This guide is located under the Workshop Manual tab > Accessories > Installation > Wireless RF Keypad Diagnosis Guide > PPT C > Step C2.<br /><br /> Note: The only available keypad for some vehicles from the assembly plant is the accessory wireless keyless entry keypad. The integrated wired keypad cannot be installed on vehicles not equipped from the factory with a wired keyless entry k

SSM 52476

EQUIPMENT

All accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during initial delivery. Unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad, the accessory keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the vehicle using a diagnostic scan tool. If the wallet card for an accessory keypad is lost, follow these steps to recover the code. Dealer Key Code access is granted through the Dealer Program Enrollment System (DPES); dealership management can authorize users. The authorized user must go to FMCDealer.com > Parts and Service > Parts Product Line Information > Keys/Entry Devices > Aftermarket Keyless Entry Keypad Code Access. Follow the instructions on the screen to obtain the master code for the accessory keypad.

SSM 49210

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Some 2009-2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with turbochargers may exhibit an oil leak from the turbocharger oil supply or return tubes, O-rings or 6.7L pedestal gasket. Although oil may collect on the turbocharger, it is very rare for a turbocharger to leak oil. To isolate the source of the leak, refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 303-00 General Information > Diagnosis and Testing > Engine > Engine Oil Leaks - Fluorescent Oil Additive Method procedure. When an oil leak is present at a turbocharger oil supply or drain tube, remove the affected oil tube and inspect for damage, and replace the O-ring seals, pedestal gasket or oil tube as required. Refer to WSM, Section 303-04. For claiming, use the affected oil tube or pedestal gasket as the causal part and applicable labor operations in Sections 6 and 9 of the Service Labor Time Standards (SLTS) Manual.

SSM 48130

VISIBILITY; VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

Some 2010-2020 vehicles may exhibit distorted glass with a subtle orange peel pattern or streaking etched into the surface. This is caused by hydrofluoric acid which is used in some car wash solutions as a cleaning agent. Hydrofluoric acid can attack the glass and cause visual distortion and/or discoloration on the outer surface which cannot be removed by further cleaning. If this type of distortion is found, inspect the area of the glass that is covered by the cowl and/or molding. The portion of glass that is covered by the cowl or molding will not be affected by the acid. Hydrofluoric acid damage is not a defect in material or workmanship and is not a warrantable condition.

SSM 48070

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

Some 2009-2017 Expedition/Navigator, 2009-2014 F-150/Mustang, 2008-2009 Sable, 2008-2019 Taurus/Flex/MKT, 2013-2019 Police Interceptor Sedan/Utility, and 2011-2019 Explorer vehicles may exhibit inoperative or intermittent HVAC blower motor function at various fan speed settings. This may be due to a poor electrical connection at the blower motor speed control. If the blower motor speed control is determined to be the causal part, replacement of the electrical connector pigtail harness (14S411) to the blower motor speed control is also recommended to avoid repeat repairs. Use pigtail harness service part numbers 3U2Z-14S411-ZEA or CU2Z-14S411-FA, as both parts are interchangeable. Refer to Wiring Diagram, Cell 5 for recommended splicing procedures.

SSM 47976

POWER TRAIN

On vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission it is imperative that the converter pilot hub be greased with Motorcraft Multi-Purpose Grease Spray XL-5-A even if grease was not applied from the factory. Also verify that the engine/transmission alignment dowel pins are present as well as the engine crankshaft dowel pin, if equipped, when installing the transmission. Failure to adequately lubricate the converter hub greatly increases the likelihood of the flexplate cracking in the future. Missing dowels may cause a misalignment issue also resulting in a premature failure. Refer to Workshop Manual (WSM), Section 307-01.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Taurus by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2019122059.5
2018464063.7
2017444058.8
2016794062.6
20152626062.6
20142285053.9
20135819053.4
2012785046.8
20111874055.4
2010Viewing2043053.0
2009640041.4
20081751150.1
20071491142.6
20063183153.4
20057741248.1
20043752258.0
20031,2234457.0
20021,4264460.8
20011,03710865.9
20001,1958964.6
19998747259.8
19985454055.2
19977705053.9
19968258053.7
19951,2056462.3
19949235461.2
19931,55781361.8
199268161464.9
199164951463.5
199038181566.2
198956271767.9
198833362367.9
198725592670.1
198610192261.1
1985201—
1984400—
1983100—
1981201—
1977200—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.