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 153 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Ford Taurus X, 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 | 38 | 25% |
| Power train | 21 | 14% |
| Structure | 8 | 5% |
| Power train | 7 | 5% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 3% |
| Seats | 4 | 3% |
| Suspension | 4 | 3% |
| Tires | 4 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 3 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
All 5 rear seatbelts have cracked plastic around the metal piece that buckles in.
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
This has happened since we purchased the car. when driving down the road out of the blue the wrench light on the dash turns on and the car loses all power!! Dangerous! So dangerous. i have spoken with other foes tauras x
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus X. While the contact’s daughter was driving approximately 40 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated, the steering wheel became difficult to turn, and the vehicle lost motive p
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I bought this vehicle used from a lot. It had 2 previous owners and came with all the service history. I first noticed the vehicle seemed like it didn’t want to go into overdrive . It would get to about 70 mph which wou
NHTSA complaint: Power train
THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS ALL COME ON AND THE SPEEDOMETER AND GAS GAUGE GO TO ZERO. I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE SEPTEMBER 2017 AND IT ONLY HAD ONE PREVIOUS OWNER! THIS IS A SCARY PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE WH
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD STRAIGHT, OUR CAR MADE A POP SOUND AND SUDDENLY LURCHED AND STEERING WAS IMPAIRED. CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FOUND THE ENGINE CRADLE/FRONT SUB FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH INTE
NHTSA complaint: Steering
TRANSMISSION STUCK IN HIGH GEAR WHILE IN MOTION. CAN'T ACCELERATE FROM STOP TO MAINTAIN SPEED. POWER CYCLE FIXED. INTERMITTENT ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint: Power train
WITHIN 24 HOURS, TWICE THE CAR SUDDENLY DISPLAYED "EMPY" FUEL GUAGE AND HAVING ZERO MILES ON THE RANGE ESTIMATOR DESPITE HAVING ROUGHLY HALF A TANK OF GAS. ONE TIME, SHORTLY AFTER DISPLAYING "EMPTY" DESPITE HAVING HALF
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2008 Ford Taurus X. 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 | 35 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 153 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 38 of them (25%). 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.