2013 Ford Taurus: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
589 NHTSA owner complaints · 9 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. 2013 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 589 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Ford Taurus and Flex: the years to avoid, including 2013 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 589 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 45.31
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The power steering system is continually giving Power Steering Assist Failure and Service Advance Trac. The code U3000 was identified by Ford technician. This code is found in a Ford recall 15S18, my VIN is not included in this recall. The power steering quits working while the car is driving. The problem was confirmed through codes U3000 and Coo51 by Ed Morse Ford in Lebanon, MO. There was no accident to involve p…
The car regularly starts without pressing the brake down first. The car has they key but says no key detected and drives with or without it. This is a push start ignition car.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the electric power steering suddenly failed without prior warning. The steering pulled sharply to the right, but the driver managed to maintain control and steered the vehicle safely into a soft dirt field on the side of the road. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); however, the VIN was no…
Recalls: 9 campaigns (4 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… |
| 14V393000 | Power Train:Axle Assembly:Axle Shaft | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles manufactured September 2, 2010, to November 30, 2013; 2013-2014 Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured August 25, 2011, to November 30, 2013; and 2013-2014 Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT vehicles manufactured September 12, 2011, to November 30, 2013.… |
| 15V812000 | Fuel System, Gasoline | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Explorer, Explorer Police Utility, Taurus, Taurus Police Interceptor, Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the fuel delivery module may crack, allowing fuel to leak. |
| 20V072000 | Suspension:Rear | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension. |
| 16V621000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI Ecoboost engines and 2013-2015 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor vehicles. A component within the fuel pump electric module (PEM) may overheat causing a loss of electrical power to the fuel pump. |
| 13V270000 | Latches/Locks/Linkages | Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Ford Explorer, Taurus, and Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured November 29, 2012, through December 12, 2012. In the affected vehicles, with sufficient door openings and closings, the child safety locks may change from an activated position to a deactivated position without notice. |
| 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 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,950
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.
- Steering296 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Fuel/Propulsion System98 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Engine70 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System57 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train44 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other37 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
Other Ford Taurus years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Ford Taurus?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Steering (296 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Ford Taurus a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 31/100, computed from 589 NHTSA complaints and 9 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Ford Taurus's most common problem?
296 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Ford Taurus sit in the Steering group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement: about 5.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,020–$2,500 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 2013 Ford Taurus cost to run per year?
About $6,160 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $30,802 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 2013 Ford Taurus have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Ford Taurus, 4 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 2013 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 — 589 complaints, 9 recalls on record
- 589 NHTSA complaints on record (45.3/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (8.0/yr)
- 9 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems