Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Ford Taurus, and it carries no recalls. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling | 16 | 25% |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 13% |
| Power train | 5 | 8% |
| Air bags | 5 | 8% |
| Engine | 5 | 8% |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 5% |
| Suspension | 2 | 3% |
| Tires | 2 | 3% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 3% |
| Visibility | 2 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Every couple weeks when driving slowly around a corner, the brakes will all of a sudden come on & stop my car. If I had anyone behind me, I would have had several collisions, by now. My mechanic has looked at the brakes,
NHTSA complaint: Wheels
Car shop replaced front suspension struts 1/23/19. I told owner that made the clunking noise ever worse. Kevin said well, your car needs lower control arms, bushings, &engine mount. Had that done by same car shop on 9/16
NHTSA complaint: Suspension
On 4 separate occassions, my 2009 Ford Taurus limited automatic transmission dropped out of gear while I was accelerating slowly away from a stop The times they have occurred Is from a stop sign into traffic. It droppe
NHTSA complaint: Power train
WHILE DRIVING MY 2009 FORD TAURUS 83,000M THE BREAKS HARD STOP ON ITS OWN, IT WAS HARD ENOUGH THAT IF ME AND MY PASSENGER WAS NOT WEARING OUR SEAT BELTS IT WOULD HAVE SMASHED HIS FACE INTO THE DASH AND MY FACE INTO MY S
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
THIS VEHICLE WAS STRUCK IN AN ACCIDENT AND NO AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED. IT WAS TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, WHEN A 2012 DODGE RAM 1500 TURNED IN TO THE VEHICLE FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION LEFT TURN LANE. THE DRIVER DOOR
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
WHILE DRIVING MY DAUGHTER'S VEHICLE IT WILL RANDOMLY STALL OUT OR SHUT OFF. DASH LIGHTS COME ON, AND STEERING LOCKS UP. BOTH TIMES SHE WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHE RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT RAN AND DROVE N
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
THE CAR HAS LOW MILES FOR THE YEAR 42K. THE TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN ERRATIC, HARD SHIFTING, HOLDING GEARS FOR TOO LONG. A NEW PROBLEM THAT IS HAPPENING, IN THE MORNING CAR CLUNKS EXTREMELY HARD INTO SECOND GEAR. I
NHTSA complaint: Power train
THE AC BLOWS HOT AIR ON THE DRIVER SIDE & COLD AIR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR IS BAD. IT'S VERY HARD TO GET TO AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO HAVE REPLACED. I HAVE SEEN OVER 100 COMPLAINTS ON MULTIPLE YEARS AND
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
| Reliability raw | 77 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 77 | 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 64 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine and engine cooling is the most reported area with 16 of them (25%). No recalls are on record for it.
AVOIR scores its reliability 77/100 (good) 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 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2009 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 72/100. 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.