2011 Ford Taurus: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
187 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Taurus, which score 31, 45 and 37 on 589, 234 and 269 owner complaints. Buy a 2016 to 2019, which score 83, 86, 85 and 93 on 80 or fewer complaints each, or a 2012 at 82, and accept that those scores rest on medium or low evidence. Read the full note on the model page. 2011 specifically: 187 complaints on record, score 65/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Used Ford Taurus and Flex: the years to avoid, including 2011 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 187 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 12.47
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I hit a dirt embankment the seatbelts did not lock and I ended up smashing my head off of my steering wheel and my passenger ended up smashing their head off of my dashboard.
The rear view backup camera visual is located in my rearview mirror it is just a blue screen whenever I put the car in reverse it just one day stopped working I've been waiting for it to be on the recall list and for some reason this year a 2011 is not on the recall list but it should be
Last June I noticed the car constantly shaking. Took it to Goodyear plaza tire in Alexandria mn and they said they didn't find anything wrong and it's normal to have tires feel like they are shaking while driving. The tires are 255/45R19 Then in July of 2025, I wanted a tire rotation and wheels balanced. The mechanic says they can't because the tread is almost gone and I'd have 5000 left before I could get new tires.…
Recalls: 4 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 15V340000 | Steering:Electric Power Assist System | 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 Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles… |
| 16V247000 | Air Bags:Frontal | 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 speed crash. |
| 15V040000 | Structure:Body:Door | 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, resulting in interior door handle that does not return to the… |
| 14V285000 | Exterior Lighting | 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, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania,… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 20 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System47 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine40 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Steering25 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Power Train18 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other15 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Vehicle Speed Control14 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
Other Ford Taurus years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Ford Taurus?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (47 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2011 Ford Taurus a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 65/100, computed from 187 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2011 Ford Taurus's most common problem?
47 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2011 Ford Taurus sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2011 Ford Taurus cost to run per year?
About $5,826 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $29,132 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2011 Ford Taurus have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Ford Taurus, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 02/06/2015. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other fullsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2011 Ford Taurus really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 187 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 187 NHTSA complaints on record (12.5/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (8.0/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems