FaultScore

FaultScore report

2017 Ford Taurus problems

Owners have filed 53 complaints about the 2017 Ford Taurus with NHTSA between 2017 and 2026. The largest single group is the electrical system. Across this model's run it ranks 25 of 27 worst.

B

FaultScore 26/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Ford Taurus.

How this is worked out

The numbers

53

Complaints

1

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

1

Injuries reported

32,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

54%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 4 vs 50 Severity 19 vs 50 Early failure 91 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 4
Against the median year of the Ford Taurus. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 19
3.8% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 91
54% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 2017 compares with every other Ford Taurus

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2017 Ford Taurus

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Median failure at 31,800 miles

Other & Unspecified 9 17.0%

Median failure at 900 miles

Body & Structure 7 13.2%

Median failure at 50,000 miles

Engine & Cooling 5 9.4%

Median failure at 25,800 miles

Lights 4 7.5%

Median failure at 40,000 miles

Fuel & Propulsion 3 5.7%
Suspension 3 5.7%

Median failure at 44,652 miles

Steering 3 5.7%

Median failure at 119,000 miles

Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance 2 3.8%

Median failure at 75,000 miles

Airbags 2 3.8%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 56,800 mi

Doors, Latches & Locks 1 1.9%

Median failure at 5,000 miles

Acceleration & Cruise Control 1 1.9%

Median failure at 25,800 miles

Brakes 1 1.9%

Median failure at 7,800 miles

Transmission & Drivetrain 1 1.9%

Median failure at 48,000 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

Under 1,000 miles 2 7.1%
1,000 – 9,999 miles 3 10.7%
10,000 – 24,999 miles 4 14.3%
25,000 – 49,999 miles 11 39.3%
50,000 – 74,999 miles 3 10.7%
75,000 – 99,999 miles 2 7.1%
150,000+ miles 3 10.7%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Aug 2017 peak 8 Jul 2026

Recalls on the 2017 Ford Taurus

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 2025483 5,547 units in Canada

Structure

Issue: On certain vehicles, the exterior B-pillar trims on the driver and front passenger doors may not be properly attached. As a result, the trim(s) could loosen and separate from the vehicle. Safety Risk: Trim that detaches from the vehicle could create a road hazard for others and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Ford will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect and repair or replace the exterior B-pillar trims, as necessary.

Recall 2020051 15,281 units in Canada

Suspension

Issue: On certain vehicles, the rear suspension toe link(s) could break. This could cause a sudden loss of vehicle stability. Note: Vehicles previously repaired under Ford Campaign 19R01 or 19S18 do not require repair under this recall. For the Taurus model, only the SHO Performance Package model is included in this recall. Safety Risk: A loss of vehicle stability could cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to install improved rear suspension toe links.

Recall 2019281 12,211 units in Canada

Suspension

Issue: On certain vehicles, a buildup of dirt and mud could cause the rear suspension toe links to break. This could result in a sudden loss of vehicle stability. Note: This problem affects vehicles operated in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The unique soil properties in this region could make a toe link more likely to break. Safety Risk: A loss of stability could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their vehicle to a dealer to install improved rear suspension toe links.

Recall 2017415 9 units in Canada

Steering

On certain vehicles, the steering gear heat shield fasteners may have an incorrect coating that could cause the heat shield to corrode and detach. This could expose the steering gear system to higher temperatures and could cause the steering gear to overheat, which could result in a reduction of steering assist until the gear cools. If the steering gear electrical connectors were to melt, it would result in a sudden loss of steering assist. A loss of power steering assist could unexpectedly increase steering effort, which would increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect the fasteners and replace as required. Note: In the event of a loss of power assist, the message "SERVICE POWER STEERING NOW" would be displayed in the instrument cluster.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

at 14,600 miles Dwitt, MI Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,600.

NHTSA complaint #11181351 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 45,000 miles Rochester, NY

STRUCTURE

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Taurus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V611000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the B-pillar trims were slightly detaching from the vehicle. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

NHTSA complaint #11753428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,000 miles Prescott, AZ

STRUCTURE

The contact owns a Ford Taurus. The contact received a recall notification, NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V611000 (Structure). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, the contact was informed that the B stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the driver's and passenger's side B-Pillar Applique trim was fractured. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, however the contact was informed that the parts were unavailable. In addition, the contact was informed that the parts were on back order. The dontact received a recall notification, NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V611000 (Structure) however the parts were unavailable. The manufacturer was made awareof the failure and a case was filed. The ocntact was informed that the parts were unavailable. In addition, the contact was informed that there was not an attentative date available for the parts. The failure ileage was approximately 32,000.

NHTSA complaint #11739138 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Edmond, OK

STRUCTURE:BODY

I have been attempting to get recall 25S91 resolved at Cavender Ford of OKC in [XXX] since early March 2026. On March 3, 2026, my contact at the dealership [XXX] ) told me the repair would be completed within a few weeks. The recall exists because 'a B-pillar trim applique that detaches while driving can create a road hazard for other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.' This is exactly what occurred. On April 24, 2026 at 7:01am CDT, 52 days after bringing my car in for inspection on March 3, 2026, the B-pillar trim detached, struck my window, and a piece hit the windshield of the vehicle behind me. I sent photographic evidence of this incident to my dealership contact that same morning. Despite this documented safety incident, the recall remains unresolved and communication from the dealership has been consistently poor. I frequently receive no response when I reach out and have had to re-paste prior messages just to get a reply. After I escalated my concerns in writing, my contact committed to providing weekly Friday updates. He has not followed through on that commitment. I have also sent a message requesting reimbursement related to this issue that has gone unanswered for more than 24 hours. I have received no clear timeline for when the recall work will be completed INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11736664 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Garland, TX

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Without any Waring Lights the car goes into " Limp Mode " .ON turnpike roads with Speed Limits at 70 MPH and with some sections with no shoulder to get off the highway this is very dangerous .

NHTSA complaint #11727731 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 55,000 miles Wilmington, DE

STRUCTURE

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Taurus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V611000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving in rainy weather at various speeds, there was water leaking into the vehicle from the front passenger’s side B-pillar trims. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

NHTSA complaint #11717488 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Arnold, MO

STRUCTURE

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the front passenger's side B-pillar trim detached. The contact became aware that the front driver's side B-Pillar trim was loose. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact received notification NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V611000 (Structure); however, the parts for the recall repair was not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA complaint #11715574 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Falconer, NY

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My back up camera flips the picture upside down and may have lines in the picture. Works correctly sometimes. Also other times, may not will not show pictures at all. Just a blue screen.

NHTSA complaint #11711707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Francisco, CA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

When backing, the rear cameras are intermittently showing objects upside down and fuzzy making it difficult to decipher and recognize objects at the rear of the car, and frequently does not display anything on the in-dash screen, but instead saying the system isn't available. Sometimes the weather conditions seem to be sunny and sometimes raining and at other times it seems like it could be night lighting in the immediate vicinity, but mostly it seems like it's happening during what would be considered just normal weather conditions.

NHTSA complaint #11699691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Francisco, CA

BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

When backing, the rear cameras are intermittently showing objects upside down and fuzzy making it difficult to decipher and recognize objects at the rear of the car, and frequently does not display anything on the in-dash screen, but instead saying the system isn't available. Sometimes the weather conditions seem to be sunny and sometimes raining and at other times it seems like it could be night lighting in the immediate vicinity, but mostly it seems like it's happening during what would be considered just normal weather conditions.

NHTSA complaint #11699691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 75,000 miles Corinth, TX

BACK OVER PREVENTION

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the rearview camera was inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed there were no recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention). The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA complaint #11695296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 99,000 miles Fort Wayne, IN

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER CLOCKSPRING/SPIRAL CASSETTE

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the steering wheel clock spring was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 99,000.

NHTSA complaint #11695054 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fort Edward, NY

STEERING

There is a recall on moldings also possible accordinng to recalls by ford the steering could cause a crash which i am having a problem with it hanging up i called ford motor and was told we do not have anything about it I am concerned because i sometimes have to snap the wheel back myself I understand there is a recall on the steering wheel mech.

NHTSA complaint #11690352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fort Edward, NY

SUSPENSION

There is a recall on moldings also possible accordinng to recalls by ford the steering could cause a crash which i am having a problem with it hanging up i called ford motor and was told we do not have anything about it I am concerned because i sometimes have to snap the wheel back myself I understand there is a recall on the steering wheel mech.

NHTSA complaint #11690352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jackson, MI

STRUCTURE

The contact's husband owned a 2017 Ford Taurus. The owner received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V611000 (Structure) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list because her husband no longer owns the vehicle. The dealer was contacted.

NHTSA complaint #11689450 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Okc, OK

ENGINE

Internal water pump failure.. know to happen on the 17 Taurus

NHTSA complaint #11688967 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Austin, IN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Backup camera is appearing Upside down on display and sometimes inverted. When it gets dark outside, the backup camera has lines appear on the display so you can’t use it when it’s dark. This is a huge safety risk as to having the camera display upside down/inverted/not clear can cause major incidents.

NHTSA complaint #11688671 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Denver, CO

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Backup camera works inconsistently. Sometimes works but usually doesn’t and either displays an all blue screen or black screen with a box saying camera unavailable at this time and you have to select ok to make that screen go away. It’s been like this for about 2 years now

NHTSA complaint #11687767 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

New Salem, PA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I submitted this form in April 2024, never received a response from NHTSA. Ford of Uniontown received a reply from FMC. Their response is they will not cover the repair to my vehicle. The reason is the recall affected cars built 7/31/2017 - 2/13/18. My car was built two months earlier 5/18/17. Even though my vehicle was built two months earlier than the recall dates, it also was built by with a defective shifter assembly, one that is missing the wire that is necessary to ensure that the vehicle is in park in order for the key to be able to be removed. My key can be removed while still in gear. According to the recall: "Consequence: If the key is removed from the ignition while the vehicle is not in the PARK position and the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash. This is definitely a dangerous situation

NHTSA complaint #11687097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Gainesville, GA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I have heard of the recall for Ford back up cameras malfunctioning. My Taurus is experiencing the same problem but does not appear to be a vehicle that is being recalled. My screen turns blue most of the time when the car is put in reverse and then says camera unavailable

NHTSA complaint #11686182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jacksonville, NC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Rear view camera does not work for about 6 months. I tried all suggestions but nothing worked.

NHTSA complaint #11673173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Francisco, CA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Lately, the backup assist feature has started to malfunction more frequently. The screen reads the backup cameras are unavailable. At other times, it functions fine as designed. This would not pick up a child who could be at the rear of the vehicle. Sometimes the screen goes black and shows nothing, or a message that the camera is not available, and other times it seems to show a weird scaled down and mostly indistinguishable video that seems to be an upside down depiction of rear view images.

NHTSA complaint #11672894 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fallbrook, CA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

When backing up my warning displays an upside down image.

NHTSA complaint #11671446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 72,102 miles Burlington, WI

SUSPENSION

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving at 70 MPH, she noticed that there was a change in the rear suspension and it felt like a rear tire was deflated. No warning lights had illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear driver's side and passenger's side suspension toe links had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance.  The failure mileage was approximately 72,102.

NHTSA complaint #11578479 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 74,576 miles Hilliard, OH

STRUCTURE

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for rear wheel alignment. The contact stated that rear toe link fractured during the rear alignment process. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,576.

NHTSA complaint #11550247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 48,000 miles New Salem, PA

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2017 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that upon parking the vehicle, she inadvertently removed the key from the ignition while the vehicle was still in drive. The vehicle began to roll, and the contact realized that she had forgotten to shift the vehicle into park. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V141000 (Electrical System, Power Train), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 48,000.

NHTSA complaint #11545478 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.