2013 Ford Taurus Problems, Recalls & Reliability

753 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2013 Ford Taurus, alongside 9 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 33/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Steering leads the reports, typically around 95,000 miles.

753Complaints
33/100Trouble index
9Recalls
83,950Typical trouble mileage

Typical

Where 2013 sits among all Taurus years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Steering 294 complaints (39%) · typically ~95,000 miles
“While driving under 35 mph the steering is very stiff and it takes a lot of effort to turn the wheel”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Taurus
Fuel system 107 complaints (14%) · typically ~81,500 miles
“Fuel pump control module failure. Vehicle stalled in traffic. No warning. Would not restart. There was a recall on this same issue, but my specific vin was not included.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Taurus
Engine 76 complaints (10%) · typically ~75,500 miles
“My first problem was the fuel pump. The second was the power steering. Now i am having an engine problem that i am waiting on a mechanic to check.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Taurus
Electrical 66 complaints (9%) · typically ~73,250 miles
“My power steering went out. It said power steering assist fault. And i could not turn my wheel. Fortunately i was parked. I just could not turn the wheel to move. I turned the car off and back on again and the warning went away and i could move the wheel again. Worried it will happen again while in…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Taurus
Other 59 complaints (8%) · typically ~85,078 miles
“Power steering failed and caused vehicle to be very difficult to continue properly around a bend in the road. Simultaneous with this failure, the traction control system sent up an alarm and the turn signals stop working and the lever has to be held in place to make the indicators work.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Taurus
Transmission & drivetrain 44 complaints (6%) · typically ~73,750 miles
“Car keeps throwing wrench light on and looses all power while driving. Car has been back to dealership and they can not find any issues. Researching it seems to be a big on going issue with the 13 ford vehicles. I’m going to be in a major accident with this car and I’m still paying on it.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Taurus

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 528 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 83,950 miles. Half of those reports fall between 60,000 and 112,514 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (9)

SUSPENSION 20V072000 2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. Remedy parts are not currently available. Owners were notified about the recall on March 3, 2020. A…

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 16V621000 2016

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI Ecoboost engines and 2013-2015 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor vehicles. A component within the fuel pump…

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel PEM part number and replace the fuel PEM, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 1, 2016. Owners may contact Ford…

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 15V812000 2015

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Explorer Police Utility, Taurus, Taurus Police Interceptor, Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may crack, allowing fuel to…

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on December 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's…

STEERING 15V340000 2015

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…

Fix: 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…

STRUCTURE 15V040000 2015

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…

Fix: 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…

POWER TRAIN 14V393000 2014

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles manufactured September 2, 2010, to November 30, 2013; 2013-2014 Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured August 25, 2011, to November 30, 2013; and…

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to make sure that the halfshaft is properly retained. If it is not, dealers will replace the linkshaft and also replace the halfshaft…

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 14V285000 2014

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,…

Fix: 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.…

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 13V270000 2013

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Ford Explorer, Taurus, and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured November 29, 2012, through December 12, 2012. In the affected vehicles, with sufficient door openings and closings, the child safety…

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will test the safety locks. If necessary, the locks will be replaced free of charge. The recall began on August 2, 2013. Ford's recall number is 13S07. Owners…

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 13V227000 2013

Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Taurus, Flex, Fusion, Police Interceptor Sedan and Police Interceptor Utility vehicles; and certain model year 2013 Lincoln MKS, MKT, and MKZ vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may…

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel delivery module, free of charge. The recall began on July 20, 2013. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at…

Technical service bulletins

94 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 2013 Ford Taurus. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2013 Taurus TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2012peak 108 in 20192026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2013 Ford Taurus reliable?

The 2013 Ford Taurus drew 753 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 33/100, scored against the model's worst year (1993).

What are the most common 2013 Ford Taurus problems?

The top reported problems for the 2013 Ford Taurus are steering (294 complaints), fuel system (107), and engine (76).

At what mileage do 2013 Ford Taurus problems show up?

Owners most often report 2013 Ford Taurus problems around 83,950 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 60,000 and 112,514 miles.

Does the 2013 Ford Taurus have recalls?

9 recall campaigns apply to the 2013 Ford Taurus. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.