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2008 Ford TaurusProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 175 owner complaints about the 2008 Ford Taurus, most often about the power train. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 16V-247 the manufacturer reports only 84% of affected cars repaired.

2008 Ford Taurus
68
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years53% below the Taurus median · #25 of 34 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 84%Owner complaints17535 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage82kPower train, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 30, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Ford Taurus has problems

175 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Power train442
Steering350
Vehicle speed control327
Engine205
Air bags1511
Electrical system134
Engine and engine cooling112
Suspension100
Service brakes93
14 other systems426

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2008 Ford Taurus recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

84%repaired · 2017 Q3

Air bags: frontal

Recall 16V-247 · Apr 26, 2016 · 695 vehicles · 586 repaired

Risk. An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Mileage at failure

When do power train problems start?

82kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 44 power train complaints. 73% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
6under 30k miles32under 100k miles12100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Steering

8 owners mentioned a cost

$1,050median

Middle half: $977 – $1,125

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2008 vs. every other Taurus year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Taurus median. How we score

'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2008 Ford Taurus safety ratings

2008 Ford Taurus 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2008 Ford Taurus frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2008 Ford Taurus side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Rollover: 4 stars (11.3% risk)
  • Stability control: Optional
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2008 Ford Taurus, and the recalls they led to.

  1. TIRE VALVE CRACKINGPE08060 · closed Apr 9, 2009
    No recall
In owners' words

What Taurus owners report

Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the vehicle became inoperable. The contact shifted into park and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated while reversing, she heard an abnormal sound. The check engine and several…
Complaint 11555476 · Nov 16, 2023 · 85,367 miles
THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 YRS BUT WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT MY CAR SUDDENLY WENT FORWARD. IT DIDN'T GO.TO FAR. MAYBE A FT OR 2 BUT WAS ENOUGH TO SCARE ME. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. IT WILL ALSO GET STUCK IN GEARS AND LOSE POWER ON THE ROAD. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AS OF NOW.…
Complaint 11364758 · Oct 16, 2020 · 157,087 miles
TRANSMISSION CLUNKS INTO EACH GEAR WHEN DRIVING SLOW. WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED TO MOVE SHIFTER FROM PARK, THERE IS AN ALARM THAT IS FAIRLY LOUD COMING FROM THE DASH. THE BRAKES SEEM TO WORK WELL AND I HAVE MAINTAINED MY OWN VEHICLES, SO THERE IS NO REASON THIS SHOULD BE WRONG WITH THE CAR. IT…
Complaint 11185889 · Mar 11, 2019 · 123,000 miles

Own a 2008 Taurus?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.