2011 Ford Taurus Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2011 Ford Taurus has a complaint index of 71, ranked 5th worst out of 15 model years, and carries a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 187 complaints, 4 recalls, and 14 crashes tied to owner reports, with electrical system and engine issues leading the count.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 71/100
- #5 of 15 Taurus years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 187
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 4
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 14
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 15
- Top issue
- Electrical System
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 20.5
- 17.5 city / 25.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 15 / 1
Top 2011 Ford Taurus problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System61 (33%)
- Engine56 (30%)
- Steering25 (13%)
- Structure & Body18 (10%)
- Transmission & Powertrain18 (10%)
- Brakes17 (9%)
- Other15 (8%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (6%)
- Airbags8 (4%)
- Visibility & Wipers4 (2%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners describe the transmission or throttle behaving unpredictably, with the vehicle accelerating on its own while shifting into drive or while idling, sometimes leading to a crash.
- Some drivers report an engine oil leak reaching the turbocharger that resulted in an under-hood fire.
- Headlights are described as misaligned from the factory, aiming to one side and reducing visibility at night.
- Multiple owners report airbags failing to deploy in frontal or head-on collisions, resulting in injuries.
- A driver's heated seat reportedly overheated and burned through the seat material and the occupant's clothing, causing skin burns.
- Steering has been reported to bind or resist correction mid-turn, pulling the vehicle off its intended path.
2011 Ford Taurus recalls
4 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 15V340000Jun 2, 2015Steering393,623 vehicles
Steering:electric power assist system
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with any available engine. The affected vehicles have electric power steering assist systems that may shut down as a result of a steering motor sensor fault.
Risk: If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC). If dealers find any loss of steering assist DTCs, the steering gear will be replaced, free of charge. If, no codes are found during the PSCM inspection, the PSCM software will be updated, free of charge. The recall began on July 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S18.
- 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.
2011 Ford Taurus fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 17.5 MPG
- Highway
- 25.5 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.
2011 compared with other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2011 Ford Taurus reliable?
- Compared with other Taurus model years, 2011 ranks 5th worst out of 15 years tracked, with a complaint index of 71 and a Caution verdict. It has fewer complaints than the worst years like 2005 and 2013 but more than years like 2012 or 2017.
- What are the most common problems with the 2011 Ford Taurus?
- NHTSA data shows Electrical System complaints lead at 33% of the total (61 complaints), followed by Engine problems at 30% (56 complaints) and Steering at 13% (25 complaints).
- Does the 2011 Ford Taurus have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2011 Taurus covering airbags, steering (power steering control module), structure and body (door handles), and electrical (license plate lamps). None are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2011 Taurus compare to the 2012 model year?
- The 2012 Taurus has a much lower complaint index of 14 and carries a Best verdict, versus 71 and Caution for 2011, despite 2012 having more recalls (5 vs 4).
- What mileage do problems typically show up at on the 2011 Taurus?
- The median mileage at failure across all reported problems is 63,500 miles, though Electrical System issues showed up at a median of 48,350 miles and Engine issues at 55,075 miles.