Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Taurus, and it carries 5 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 15 | 19% |
| Steering | 14 | 18% |
| Exterior lighting | 10 | 13% |
| Electrical system | 7 | 9% |
| Engine | 5 | 6% |
| Air bags | 3 | 4% |
| Service brakes | 3 | 4% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 3% |
| Seats | 2 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
My steering all of a sudden was stiff and I can barely turn at low speeds. Not safe due to uncontrolled steering. I replaced the pump thinking that would fix it, and it did not. I’m taking it to a dealer after the holi
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The steering shut down and I could not steer the vehicle in a Holiday parking lot and I almost hit a pedestrian. My engine and oil light came on. I had to shut the car off and turn it back on and it worked again. This is
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving at a slow speed, the vehicle was extremely difficult to steer. No warning lights were illuminated prior to the failure. The vehicle was taken to
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, several different warning lights were intermittently flashing on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Driving on the highway, when the car lights, radio, air conditioner, steering wheel, speed all goes out. The car wouldn’t crank back up and theft system keep coming on.
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and slowing to make a turn at a traffic signal, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the steeri
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Started car and power steering assist fault light came on making the wheel hard to steer. Turned off the car and restarted it and the same issue, power steering assist fault light has been on for 2 days now
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The rear backup camera is showing upside down. It is very difficult to see the blind spot area just to the rear of the vehicle when backing without the camera on this 2012 Ford Taurus. I consider it a safety issue in whi
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2012 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 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, re
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.
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 cus
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, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri
Risk: This corrosion may result in a short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
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. F
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
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.
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
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 | 66 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 72 | good |
| Maintenance | 73 | good |
| Depreciation | 85 | excellent |
| Performance | 67 | good |
| Efficiency | 38 | below average |
| Safety | 80 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and structure is the most reported area with 15 of them (19%). There are 5 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 66/100 (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 72/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2012 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 70/100. 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.