Ford Taurus 2000–2007
4th generation (D186)
NHTSA data through 13 August 20268,142 complaints, 6,212 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 6,212
- Median of reported failures
- 80,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Suspension (30.6%)
- Recalls
- 0
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 55,100 and 110,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Ford Taurus 2000–2007 · 6,212 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 338 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 73 complaints (1.2%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 34,101
- 25%
- 55,100
- Median
- 80,000
- 75%
- 110,000
- 90%
- 140,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 117 | 1.9% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 38 | 0.6% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 58 | 0.9% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 75 | 1.2% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 94 | 1.5% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 93 | 1.5% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 155 | 2.5% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 139 | 2.2% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 245 | 3.9% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 218 | 3.5% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 265 | 4.3% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 264 | 4.2% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 292 | 4.7% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 326 | 5.2% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 321 | 5.2% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 338 | 5.4% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 285 | 4.6% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 278 | 4.5% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 266 | 4.3% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 250 | 4.0% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 321 | 5.2% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 215 | 3.5% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 159 | 2.6% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 162 | 2.6% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 190 | 3.1% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 132 | 2.1% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 164 | 2.6% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 103 | 1.7% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 126 | 2.0% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 75 | 1.2% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 72 | 1.2% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 45 | 0.7% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 66 | 1.1% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 51 | 0.8% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 32 | 0.5% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 36 | 0.6% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 30 | 0.5% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 19 | 0.3% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 7 | 0.1% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 17 | 0.3% |
| 200,000+ | 73 | 1.2% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 8,142 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000–2007 Ford Taurus, and 6,212 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 55,100 and 110,000 miles. The median is 80,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the suspension (30.6% of complaints, typically around 80,000 miles), throttle and speed control (16.0% of complaints, typically around 98,000 miles), the transmission and driveline (9.5% of complaints, typically around 86,000 miles).
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2000–2007 Ford Taurus last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2000–2007 Ford Taurus were filed by 80,000 miles and 90% by 140,000 miles — figures drawn from 6,212 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
73 reports (1.2%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a Taurus reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2000–2007 Taurus: the 3-minute check
Generated from 6,212 mileage-tagged complaints, 3 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Check transmission (ax4n / 4f50n) on 2000–2007 cars. Continued torque-converter, input-shaft and forward-clutch failures producing loss of drive; the AX4N pattern carries directly over from the DN101.
- Check suspension on 2000–2003 cars. Front coil springs fracture from corrosion and the broken end can puncture the tire, causing loss of control. Subject of NHTSA recall action on salt-belt Taurus and Sable cars of the early 2000s.
- Check engine (3.0l vulcan) on 2000–2007 cars. Head gasket and intake manifold gasket failures with coolant loss.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 55,000 and 110,000 miles, with a median of 80,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the suspension and throttle and speed control are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The suspension in particular shows a median failure mileage of 80,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Ford Taurus 2000–2007
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Visibility equipment432 reports57,00041,000–83,000Visibility equipment: 432 reports, median 57,000 miles, middle half 41,000 to 83,000 miles.
- Airbag system332 reports64,00039,000–95,000Airbag system: 332 reports, median 64,000 miles, middle half 39,000 to 95,000 miles.
- Engine and its cooling system395 reports69,00042,000–89,000Engine and its cooling system: 395 reports, median 69,000 miles, middle half 42,000 to 89,000 miles.
- Electrical system358 reports75,00044,000–110,000Electrical system: 358 reports, median 75,000 miles, middle half 44,000 to 110,000 miles.
- Suspension2,495 reports80,00059,000–103,000Suspension: 2,495 reports, median 80,000 miles, middle half 59,000 to 103,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline772 reports86,00060,000–114,000Transmission and driveline: 772 reports, median 86,000 miles, middle half 60,000 to 114,000 miles.
- Throttle and speed control1,300 reports98,00071,000–125,000Throttle and speed control: 1,300 reports, median 98,000 miles, middle half 71,000 to 125,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 2,495 | 30.6% | 80,000 | 59,000–103,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 1,300 | 16.0% | 98,000 | 71,000–125,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 772 | 9.5% | 86,000 | 60,000–114,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 432 | 5.3% | 57,000 | 41,000–83,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 395 | 4.9% | 69,000 | 42,000–89,000 |
| Electrical system | 358 | 4.4% | 75,000 | 44,000–110,000 |
| Airbag system | 332 | 4.1% | 64,000 | 39,000–95,000 |
| Body structure | 301 | 3.7% | 69,000 | 47,000–106,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 279 | 3.4% | 44,000 | 21,000–77,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 220 | 2.7% | 86,000 | 50,000–120,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Ford Taurus 2000–2007 · 6,212 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 28% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 58% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 80% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 1.2% of reports (73) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
28% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Suspension — middle half 59,000–103,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 60,000–114,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — middle half 41,000–83,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system — middle half 42,000–89,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 44,000–110,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 39,000–95,000 mi
Mostly reported later
- Throttle and speed control — middle half 71,000–125,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
58% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Visibility equipment — median 57,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system — median 69,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Suspension — middle half 59,000–103,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control — middle half 71,000–125,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 60,000–114,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 44,000–110,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 39,000–95,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
80% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Suspension — median 80,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 86,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — median 57,000 mi
- Engine and its cooling system — median 69,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 75,000 mi
- Airbag system — median 64,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Throttle and speed control — middle half 71,000–125,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 80,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The suspension accounts for 30.6% of complaints (2,495 reports, 2,172 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 59,000 and 103,000 miles.
A single system taking 30.6% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 16.0% of complaints (1,300 reports, 1,081 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 98,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 71,000 and 125,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 9.5% of complaints (772 reports, 635 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 86,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 114,000 miles.
Visibility equipment accounts for 5.3% of complaints (432 reports, 318 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 57,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 41,000 and 83,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 4.9% of complaints (395 reports, 245 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 42,000 and 89,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 4.4% of complaints (358 reports, 264 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 75,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 44,000 and 110,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2002 model year drew the most — 1,759 complaints — while 2007 drew the fewest at 196. The median year sits at 1,134.
Recalls and what they cover
No recall campaigns covering this generation appear in NHTSA's post-2010 recall file. That is not the same as an absence of problems — recalls address safety defects specifically, and many of the complaints above concern faults that are expensive or annoying without meeting that threshold.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 8,142 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 581 (7.1%)
- Fires
- 125
- Injury reports
- 348
- Fatality reports
- 13
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Transmission (ax4n / 4f50n) 2000–2007
Continued torque-converter, input-shaft and forward-clutch failures producing loss of drive; the AX4N pattern carries directly over from the DN101.
Suspension 2000–2003
Front coil springs fracture from corrosion and the broken end can puncture the tire, causing loss of control. Subject of NHTSA recall action on salt-belt Taurus and Sable cars of the early 2000s.
Engine (3.0l Vulcan) 2000–2007
Head gasket and intake manifold gasket failures with coolant loss.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1,497 | 736 |
| 2001 | 1,264 | 829 |
| 2002 | 1,759 | 1,518 |
| 2003 | 1,524 | 1,294 |
| 2004 | 482 | 403 |
| 2005 | 1,005 | 907 |
| 2006 | 415 | 354 |
| 2007 | 196 | 171 |
What owners reported
The air bag light appeared on the dashboard until the vehicle was turned off. The consumer had taken the vehicle to the dealer for analysis and the mechanic noticed that air bag module needed replacement. *Ak the air bag light would come on when the vehicle was started and the vehicle lost all electrical power. The…
2000 · 11,000 miles · Airbag system
Dt*: the contact stated while having the vehicle's tires rotated by an independent repair shop, it was noticed that both rear coil springs were fractured. The contact was unsure how long the coil springs were fractured. The vehicle was taken to a service dealer, who determined that they would consult with a Ford…
2000 · 12,000 miles · Suspension
While pulling away from my driveway the front left coil spring broke and severed the tire. Car had to be towed to dealer. Took one week to repair. If i were drivning at high speed when the spring broke i probably would have ended up crashing the car. Given the number of problems that have occurred and are occurring…
2000 · 12,000 miles · Suspension
In reading th is particular complaint was one that i also experience daily and agree with original complainant in a blanket appeal to the Ford motor corp to fix on a recall list sent soon.This is a 6-passenger rated sedan. This problem has been reported to the dealer several times, but dealer says nothing wrong. Last…
2000 · 20,000 miles · Suspension
Built from 6,212 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page