Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 175 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Ford Taurus, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 34 | 19% |
| Power train | 25 | 14% |
| Vehicle speed control | 15 | 9% |
| Air bags | 13 | 7% |
| Suspension | 7 | 4% |
| Engine | 6 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 5 | 3% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 5 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 4 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 4 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the front driver's side seat belt had failed to unbuckle and was previously repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the air bag warning light was illum
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
My son was in an accident to where the whole front end was smashed and neither airbag deployed
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the vehicle became inoperable. The contact shifted into park and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for an inspection, the dealer advised him to stop driving the vehicle due to corrosion of the subframe, caliper, steering a
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled however, she was able to pull over and stop the vehicle. The contact stated that she noticed that the check
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
only regular maintenence < drove to desination and parked car and car set on fire , at first it was smoking so we called the fire department and by the time they got there the flames were 10 ft high and the whole front w
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the subframe was completely rusted through. The vehicle was towed and diagnosed but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The fai
NHTSA complaint: Structure
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SWAYED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE TH
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2008 Ford Taurus. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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 spe
Risk: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: 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
| Reliability raw | 64 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 71 | good |
| Maintenance | 73 | good |
| Depreciation | 85 | excellent |
| Performance | 67 | good |
| Efficiency | 36 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 175 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 34 of them (19%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 64/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 71/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2008 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 68/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.