What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford Taurus?

Steering has the largest group of owner complaints at 296, followed by fuel/propulsion system at 98 and engine at 76.

Does the 2013 Ford Taurus have recalls?

Yes. The by-year data shows 9 recalls for 2013. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.

How many complaints does the 2013 Ford Taurus have?

NHTSA has 591 owner complaints on file. They are unverified reports, and one complaint can name several parts.

What is the gas mileage of the 2013 Ford Taurus?

See the fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.

Which Ford Taurus year is best?

See the by-year comparison on this page for how the model years line up on complaints and recalls.

2013 Ford Taurus Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 591 owner complaints on file for the 2013 Ford Taurus^[1]. Steering is the biggest group, with 296 complaints^[2].

591owner complaints^[1]

9recalls^[3]

20–25MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups in the reports owners sent to NHTSA, biggest first.

Steering. 296 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe power steering assist cutting out while driving, a wheel that gets hard to turn, and warning messages on the dash. Some say the problem went away after a restart, and some say it came back after a repair.
Fuel/Propulsion System. 98 complaints^[6]. Owners describe dealers saying a repair part was not available yet. Others write about the engine shutting off on the road with a warning light on.
Engine. 76 complaints^[7]. Owners describe the car hesitating, surging, or losing power when they speed up. Some describe the engine cutting out while moving, and some report smoke and fire.
Electrical System. 59 complaints^[8]. Owners describe a mix of issues, including lights that stop working, warning indicators, a weak parking sensor alarm, and chewed wiring. Fire reports appear in this group too.
Power Train. 44 complaints^[9].
Unknown Or Other. 38 complaints^[10].
Suspension. 26 complaints^[11].
Speed Control. 18 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2013 Taurus is necessarily included.

Suspension › Rear (20V072), February 2020. About 211,207 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump (16V621), August 2016. About 77,502 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, stalling, loss of power. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]
Fuel System, Gasoline (15V812), December 2015. About 868 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]
Steering › Electric Power Assist System (15V340), June 2015. About 393,623 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, steering problems, loss of power. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[16]
Structure › Body › Door (15V040), January 2015. About 194,889 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[17]
Power Train › Axle Assembly › Axle Shaft (14V393), July 2014. About 83,250 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, reduced braking, the car rolling away. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[18]
Exterior Lighting (14V285), May 2014. About 183,425 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[19]
Latches/Locks/Linkages (13V270), June 2013. About 12,569 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[20]
Fuel System, Gasoline (13V227), May 2013. About 390,783 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[21]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Taurus AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[22]	18 / 26 / 21	$3,200
Taurus AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[23]	17 / 25 / 20	$3,350
Taurus AWD FFV, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Gasoline or E85, All-Wheel Drive^[24]	18 / 26 / 21	$3,200
Taurus FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[25]	19 / 28 / 22	$3,050
Taurus FWD FFV, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Gasoline or E85, Front-Wheel Drive^[26]	19 / 28 / 22	$3,050
Taurus FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	22 / 31 / 25	$2,700

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR AWD^[5]	5	5	5	4	11.3%
4 DR FWD^[27]	5	5	5	4	11.3%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2013 Ford Taurus with 3.5L 6-cylinder^[28]	285 to 365 hp
2013 Ford Taurus with 3.7L 6-cylinder^[29]	305 hp

How 2013 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Taurus model year. The 2013 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1995	1,214	7
1996	849	6
1997	800	3
1998	555	2
1999	895	5
2000	1,195	8
2001	1,037	9
2002	1,426	3
2003	1,223	3
2004	375	1
2005	774	0
2006	318	2
2007	149	0
2008	328	1
2009	75	1
2010	204	3
2011	187	4
2012	79	5
2013	591	9
2014	235	5
2015	280	6
2016	85	4
2017	44	4
2018	52	4
2019	18	2

NHTSA's counts for the Taurus show 591 complaints and 9 recalls for 2013^[3]. Among the 25 model years listed, 15 have fewer complaints than 2013 and 9 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2019 (18) and the most are for 2002 (1,426)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2013 Taurus?

The 2013 Ford Taurus has 591 complaints on file with NHTSA^[1]. Steering stands out, with 296 of them^[2]. Fuel, engine and electrical complaints follow far behind^[6]^[7]^[8]. These are owner reports that nobody has verified, so treat them as a pattern to check rather than proof. If you are shopping for one, ask for service records on the steering, and look at the recall section on this page.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Ford Taurus?: Steering has the largest group of owner complaints at 296^[2], followed by fuel/propulsion system at 98^[6] and engine at 76^[7].
Does the 2013 Ford Taurus have recalls?: Yes. The by-year data shows 9 recalls for 2013^[3]. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.
How many complaints does the 2013 Ford Taurus have?: NHTSA has 591 owner complaints on file^[1]. They are unverified reports, and one complaint can name several parts.
What is the gas mileage of the 2013 Ford Taurus?: See the fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.
Which Ford Taurus year is best?: See the by-year comparison on this page for how the model years line up on complaints and recalls.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Ford Taurus

1996 849 complaints, 6 recalls
1999 895 complaints, 5 recalls
2000 1,195 complaints, 8 recalls
2001 1,037 complaints, 9 recalls
2002 1,426 complaints, 3 recalls
2003 1,223 complaints, 3 recalls
2004 375 complaints, 1 recall
2006 318 complaints, 2 recalls
2013 this page
2014 235 complaints, 5 recalls
2015 280 complaints, 6 recalls

Compare all model years of the Ford Taurus

Other Ford models from 2013

2013 Ford Explorer 2,237 complaints, 11 recalls
2013 Ford F150 2,990 complaints, 3 recalls
2013 Ford Fiesta 668 complaints, 3 recalls
2013 Ford Flex 580 complaints, 6 recalls
2013 Ford Focus 2,181 complaints, 14 recalls
2013 Ford Fusion 1,957 complaints, 20 recalls

All Ford models

Similar cars from 2013: large cars

2013 Audi A8 49 complaints, 6 recalls
2013 Chrysler 300 341 complaints, 6 recalls
2013 Hyundai Genesis 200 complaints, 4 recalls
2013 Hyundai Sonata 2,024 complaints, 11 recalls
2013 Tesla Model S 461 complaints, 11 recalls

All large cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 591 owner complaints on file for the 2013 Ford Taurus (20 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 25 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
296 complaints name the steering component group (7 crashes, 1 fires, 9 injuries, median mileage at failure 95,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Ford Taurus model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Taurus FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 31 highway / 25 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 11.3%. NHTSA vehicle records
98 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 80,000). NHTSA vehicle records
76 complaints name the engine component group (1 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 75,500). NHTSA vehicle records
59 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 75,500). NHTSA vehicle records
44 complaints name the power train component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, median mileage at failure 72,000). NHTSA vehicle records
38 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 73,000). NHTSA vehicle records
26 complaints name the suspension component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 104,510). NHTSA vehicle records
18 complaints name the speed control component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 62,214). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 20V072, filed February 10, 2020: Suspension › Rear. NHTSA recall database
Recall 16V621, filed August 25, 2016: Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V812, filed December 2, 2015: Fuel System, Gasoline. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V340, filed June 2, 2015: Steering › Electric Power Assist System. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V040, filed January 28, 2015: Structure › Body › Door . NHTSA recall database
Recall 14V393, filed July 2, 2014: Power Train › Axle Assembly › Axle Shaft. NHTSA recall database
Recall 14V285, filed May 29, 2014: Exterior Lighting. NHTSA recall database
Recall 13V270, filed June 26, 2013: Latches / Locks / Linkages. NHTSA recall database
Recall 13V227, filed May 31, 2013: Fuel System, Gasoline. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Taurus AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 26 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Taurus AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 25 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Taurus AWD FFV, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Gasoline or E85, All-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 26 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Taurus FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 28 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Taurus FWD FFV, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S6), Gasoline or E85, Front-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 28 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 11.3%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2013 Ford Taurus with 3.5L 6-cylinder: rated 285 to 365 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2013 Ford Taurus with 3.7L 6-cylinder: rated 305 hp. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2013 Ford Taurus: problems, recalls and fuel economy