Ford Taurus ReliabilityAll Years Ranked (1986–2018)
Side-by-side AutoScores, risk levels, and owner-cost projections for every Ford Taurus we've analyzed. Identify the best years to buy, the ones to avoid, and the problems that follow the Taurus across generations.
Average AutoScore
69/100
Best Year
2008 Ford Taurus
Score 78
Weakest Year
1989 Ford Taurus
Score 45
Every Ford Taurus Ranked
Sorted by AutoScore. Each link opens the full year-specific report.
A comfortable family hauler that demands diligent transmission maintenance.
Top risks: Transmission · Power Steering System · Electrical System
A roomy, comfortable sedan with a significant engine flaw that can turn a good deal into a money pit.
Top risks: Engine (Water Pump) · Transmission (6F50/6F55) · Electrical System
A comfortable cruiser that requires attention to its engine's internal water pump and transmission health to ensure long-term dependability.
Top risks: Engine (3.5L Duratec V6) · Transmission (6F50/6F55) · Electrical/Infotainment (SYNC)
A comfortable, full-size sedan that can be a great value, provided you carefully inspect its known weak points, especially the PTU and water pump.
Top risks: Power Transfer Unit (PTU) · Water Pump (3.5L NA V6) · Electrical System & Sensors
A comfortable but aging full-size sedan with critical powertrain weak points requiring careful consideration.
Top risks: Engine (3.5L V6 - Water Pump) · AWD System (Power Transfer Unit - PTU) · Electrical & Sensors
A comfortable cruiser that requires diligent maintenance to avoid expensive surprises.
Top risks: Engine Cooling System (Water Pump) · Automatic Transmission (6F50/6F55) · Steering System
A comfortable, full-size sedan burdened by a few critical component flaws demanding careful inspection and potential repair budgeting.
Top risks: Engine Cooling System · Transmission · Electrical/Infotainment
A budget-friendly sedan with a robust engine, but the transmission and body integrity demand careful scrutiny.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission · Rust and Corrosion · Power Steering System
A budget-friendly sedan that requires diligence to avoid costly transmission woes.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission (AX4N/AX4S) · Body & Chassis Rust · Electrical System
A comfortable cruiser with notable design flaws that can lead to expensive repairs if neglected.
Top risks: Engine Cooling System (3.5L V6) · AWD Power Transfer Unit (PTU) · MyFord Touch Infotainment System
A comfortable cruiser with significant mechanical Achilles' heels that demand diligent pre-purchase inspection and maintenance.
Top risks: Transmission (6F50/6F55) · Engine (3.5L Duratec V6 Water Pump) · Electrical/Infotainment (MyFord Touch)
A comfortable cruiser that can be a solid value, but critical powertrain components require vigilant attention and proactive maintenance.
Top risks: Transmission (6F50/6F55) · Power Transfer Unit (PTU) - AWD Models · Engine Water Pump (3.5L Duratec V6)
A design icon with a comfortable ride, but the legendary AXOD transmission and susceptibility to rust make it a 'proceed with caution' classic.
Top risks: AXOD Automatic Transmission · Body & Chassis Rust · Electrical System
A comfortable classic with readily available parts, but a ticking time bomb transmission and widespread rust demand serious consideration.
Top risks: AXOD Automatic Transmission · Rust and Corrosion · Electrical System
A comfortable, budget-friendly classic that requires careful inspection and proactive maintenance to avoid common, costly failures.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission (AXOD/AX4S) · Cooling System · Electrical System
An affordable classic that demands diligence and a budget for its well-documented mechanical weak points.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission (AXOD/AXOD-E) · Cooling System & Head Gaskets (3.8L V6) · Electrical System
An affordable classic demanding diligent inspection to navigate its well-documented mechanical weak spots.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission · Engine Head Gaskets · Electrical System
An affordable, practical choice for basic transportation, but its age and notorious transmission demand a meticulous pre-purchase inspection.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission (AX4S) · Electrical System · Cooling System & Gaskets
A potential budget hero if carefully chosen and maintained, but a widespread risk for transmission and 3.8L engine issues.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission (AX4S/AXOD-E) · Engine (3.8L 'Essex' V6) · Electrical System
A budget-friendly choice that can deliver value, provided you account for its notorious transmission and potential rust.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission (AX4N/AX4S) · Rust & Corrosion · Electrical System
A budget-friendly choice that demands meticulous pre-purchase inspection, particularly of the transmission, to avoid costly headaches.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission · Electrical System · Engine Intake Manifold
A budget-friendly sedan with a comfortable ride, but the transmission's reliability is a ticking time bomb that demands careful scrutiny.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission · Engine Cooling & Intake · Electrical System
A budget-friendly sedan whose Achilles' heel is its transmission, requiring diligent preventative maintenance and inspection.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission · Cooling System · Front Suspension & Steering
A budget-friendly sedan with a known Achilles' heel: its automatic transmission.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission (AX4N/AX4S) · Front Suspension Components · HVAC System (Blend Door)
A spacious sedan offering comfort and value, but the CVT poses a ticking time bomb for your wallet.
Top risks: Transmission (CVT) · Body / Chassis Rust · Electrical System
A comfortable cruiser with significant powertrain and steering system reliability risks that demand careful consideration.
Top risks: Transmission (6F50/6F55) · Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS) · Engine (Water Pump)
A wallet-friendly sedan that demands a detailed pre-purchase inspection and a contingency fund for inevitable transmission concerns.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission (AX4N) · Engine Head Gaskets (3.0L Vulcan) · HVAC Blend Door Actuator
A comfortable, budget-friendly relic whose value hinges entirely on whether its notorious automatic transmission has been reliably addressed, or not.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission · Electrical System · Cooling System
A comfortable, affordable sedan that's critically hampered by its notoriously weak automatic transmission.
Top risks: Transmission (AX4N) · Engine Intake Manifold Gasket · Electrical System (HVAC & Windows)
An affordable sedan that can provide decent value, provided you account for its significant transmission Achilles' heel.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission (AX4N) · HVAC System · Ignition System (Duratec V6)
A budget-friendly choice that demands diligent inspection to avoid substantial financial pitfalls.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission · Engine Head Gaskets (Duratec V6) · Electrical System & HVAC
An iconic 80s sedan that demands a dedicated owner willing to tackle its predictable, age-related shortcomings.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission (AXOD) · Rust & Structural Corrosion · Electrical System
An iconic relic, but a high-risk gamble for reliable daily transport in its current aged state.
Top risks: Automatic Transmission (AXOD) · Rust and Body Corrosion · Electrical System
Problems That Follow the Taurus Across Generations
Issues that appear in the top-3 risks across multiple model years — the cost of ownership you can actually predict.
Electrical System
Appears in 17 model years · 52% of generations
Automatic Transmission
Appears in 7 model years · 21% of generations
Transmission (6F50/6F55)
Appears in 5 model years · 15% of generations
Cooling System
Appears in 3 model years · 9% of generations
Automatic Transmission (AX4N/AX4S)
Appears in 3 model years · 9% of generations
Automatic Transmission (AXOD)
Appears in 2 model years · 6% of generations
AXOD Automatic Transmission
Appears in 2 model years · 6% of generations
Body & Chassis Rust
Appears in 2 model years · 6% of generations
Taurus vs. the Competition
Head-to-head reliability comparisons with the Taurus's main rivals.
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