2010 Ford Taurus Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
89/100
#2 most-complained of 10 Taurus years
The 2010 Ford Taurus has 204 NHTSA complaints and a Complaint Index of 89, ranking 2nd-worst out of 10 model years. Engine problems dominate at 33% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 46,500. It carries an Avoid verdict compared to other Taurus years.
- Complaints
- 204
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 17 / 5
- Injuries / deaths
- 16 / 2
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 20.5
- 17.5 city / 26 hwy
Top 2010 Ford Taurus problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine68 (33%)
- Steering41 (20%)
- Brakes38 (19%)
- Transmission & Powertrain36 (18%)
- Electrical System21 (10%)
- Structure & Body17 (8%)
- Other16 (8%)
- Airbags11 (5%)
- Fuel System11 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires7 (3%)
What owners report
- Owners report the vehicle rolling away unexpectedly after being shifted to park with the push-start switch engaged.
- Some drivers describe sudden unintended acceleration at low speeds, with the brake pedal unable to stop the car before impact.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in low-speed and moderate-speed crashes, including one collision with a deer.
- The rear passenger window motor was reported to have exploded and melted part of the door.
- Owners describe a hissing sound and the brake pedal traveling abnormally close to the floor during braking.
- A seat warmer reportedly overheated and burned through the seat cover while the vehicle was being driven.
2010 Ford Taurus recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Ford Taurus reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2010 Taurus ranks 2nd-worst among 10 model years with a Complaint Index of 89 and 204 complaints, earning an Avoid verdict relative to other Taurus years.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2010 Ford Taurus?
- Engine issues are the top problem area, accounting for 33% of complaints (68 total), with a median failure mileage of 46,500 and 6 crashes and 2 fires linked to engine complaints.
- Does the 2010 Ford Taurus have recalls?
- NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2010 Taurus, covering airbags, door handles (structure & body), and license plate lamp electrical wiring. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2010 Taurus compare to other years?
- The 2010 model's Complaint Index of 89 is worse than most other years, including 2012 (22), 2016 (44), and 2017 (11), but slightly better than 2013 (100), which is the worst year overall.