YearToAvoid

2010 Ford Taurus Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2010 Ford Taurus has a complaint index of 86, ranking 3rd worst out of 15 model years, and is rated Avoid. Owners most often reported engine problems (68 complaints, 33% share), along with steering, brakes and transmission issues, plus 3 recalls covering airbags, door handles, and electrical wiring.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
86/100
#3 of 15 Taurus years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
204
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
17
reported in complaints
Fires
5
Injuries
16
Top issue
Engine
Best nearby year
2012
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20.5
17.5 city / 26 hwy
Injuries / deaths
16 / 2

Top 2010 Ford Taurus problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine68 (33%)
  2. Steering41 (20%)
  3. Brakes38 (19%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain36 (18%)
  5. Electrical System21 (10%)
  6. Structure & Body17 (8%)
  7. Other16 (8%)
  8. Airbags11 (5%)
  9. Fuel System11 (5%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires7 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Some drivers reported the vehicle rolling away after being shut off with the gear selector in drive and a push-start switch engaged.
  • Owners described sudden unintended acceleration or surging from a stop, sometimes overpowering the brakes and resulting in a crash into another vehicle or object.
  • Several complaints describe airbags failing to deploy during low-speed or moderate-speed crashes, leaving the warning light on afterward.
  • Owners reported the rear window motor overheating, melting, and in one case sparking a fire inside the door panel.
  • Some drivers said the vehicle shifted or moved forward on its own after being parked, even with the shifter in park.
  • Brake pedals were described as feeling soft or sinking toward the floor, accompanied by a hissing sound during braking.
2010 Ford Taurus complaints: complaints filed per quarter112010 Q12011 Q42013 Q32015 Q22017 Q12018 Q42020 Q42024 Q1
204 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2010 Q3 (11).

2010 Ford Taurus recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V247000Apr 26, 2016Airbags695 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    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."

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

    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.

  2. NHTSA 15V040000Jan 28, 2015Structure & Body194,889 vehicles

    Structure:body:door

    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.

    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.

    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.

  3. NHTSA 14V285000May 29, 2014Electrical System183,425 vehicles

    Exterior lighting

    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.

    Risk: This corrosion may result in a short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    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.

2010 Ford Taurus fuel economy and fuel cost

City
17.5 MPG
Highway
26 MPG
Combined
20.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,175
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2010 compared with other Taurus years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008Caution50175120.5
2009Good4364020
2010Avoid86204320.5
2011Caution71187420.5
2012Best1479520.5

All Ford Taurus years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Ford Taurus reliable?
Compared with other Taurus model years, the 2010 ranks 3rd worst out of 15 years tracked, with a complaint index of 86 and an Avoid verdict based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls.
What problems does the 2010 Ford Taurus have?
Engine issues make up 33% of complaints (68 total), with steering, brakes, and transmission and powertrain problems also reported frequently. Median mileage at failure for engine complaints was 46,500.
Does the 2010 Ford Taurus have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2010 Taurus, covering driver frontal airbag modules, interior door handles, and license plate lamp electrical wiring. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2010 Taurus compare to other Taurus years?
The 2010 model's complaint index of 86 is worse than most other years; only the 2013 (100) and 2005 (93) rank higher. Years like 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2012 earn Best verdicts with much lower complaint indexes.
What is the fuel economy of the 2010 Ford Taurus?
EPA rates the 2010 Taurus at 20.5 mpg combined (17.5 city / 26 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,175.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.