3,366 of the
23,971 complaints filed about the Ford Taurus
are about the suspension —
14% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2002.
Components Involved: Engine Block Mounting Boss, Intermediate Shaft Bracket (Service Part # DB5Z-3K305-CA), Factory Bolt (OEM # W500131-S437) Incident Overview: During a low-speed (about 5mph) lateral impact to the front-right wheel against a curb, expected sacrificial suspension damage occurred (snapped CV axle, separated lower ball joint). However, lateral force transferred through the passenger-side intermediate shaft directly into its carrier bearing mounting bracket. Instead of the cast mounting bracket (DB5Z-3K305-B) absorbing the force or breaking, the lateral stress sheared the cast mounting boss entirely off the engine block. Engineering Flaw & Dimensions: This design presents a critical flaw in the crash load path and failure hierarchy: Improper Leverage: The 84mm thick cast bracket acts as a rigid lever against a small, brittle ~17mm cast engine block boss. Inverted Material Sacrificing: The over-engineered bracket survives the impact, transferring fatal structural damage to the non-replaceable engine block instead of acting as a sacrificial fuse. Inadequate Thread Engagement: The factory 95mm flange bolt (W500131-S437) only utilizes 11mm of thread inside the raised boss, completely ignoring 1 to 2 inches of threading available deeper within the engine block casting. This shallow engagement concentrates all shearing stress directly at the weakest protrusion. Consumer Burden: This localized failure condemns the engine block, requiring a full engine replacement under standard dealership repair procedures. This creates a severe and disproportionate financial burden for what should be a straightforward suspension and driveline collision repair. Conclusion: I request an investigation into this structural vulnerability. The intermediate shaft bracket mounting location acts as a critical weak point, actively transferring lateral impact energy into the block and causing premature, catastrophic structural engine failure.
NHTSA complaint #11757584 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bushing of the driver side rear toe link (aka lateral link, toe arm, etc.) separated, causing the rest of the toe link to disconnect from the tire. Images are available but the original part has been taken by the mechanic. Bushing likely failed from corrosion, though this vehicle only spent 4 of its 10 years in a heavily salted environment. The toe link is also intended to last the life of the vehicle and is not mentioned in the recommended maintenance per the vehicle manual. After the toe link separated control of the vehicle was lost. This occurred at a low speed (~25 mph) in a residential area so there were no injuries or property damaged. Service center has confirmed toe link failure. The vehicle and component have not been inspected by any other party. There were no signs of issue prior to the failure. A previous mechanic had indicated that the toe link was seized and could not be adjusted for an alignment but did not recommend replacement. There was no abnormal tire wear or handling of the vehicle prior to the failure. Though this could have been prevented through maintenance, there were no indicators of a failure besides the seized bolt mentioned by the mechanic. May indicate a wider issue similar to Ford's previous toe link problems.
NHTSA complaint #11732495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rear toe links have a lot of slack resulting in rear drifting on uneven/slippery ground. This results in poor handling and fishtailing making it significantly harder to maintain control of the vehicle. Extreme caution required during slippery road conditions as the car will start to fishtail on it's own and requires constant corrective steering.
NHTSA complaint #11713318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
While driving to work in my 2013 Ford Taurus I went to take a left and the power steering was suddenly gone and the steering wheel was hard to turn. I nearly hit another car and had to brake hard to miss it. I parked at work and after work I started the car and it was fine until about a mile before I got home. Then it happened again and I could hear a scraping like sound when I turned. The steering became very jerky and resistant at lower speeds but I never got a warning light or message. I brought the vehicle in to an independent mechanic, where it was discovered that the power steering control module (PSCM) had failed and needed to be replaced as well as the rack and pinion. I looked into recalls for the 2013 steering issue and found one but was told my VIN wasn't included. WHY NOT?? I have seen over 600 complaints in regard to this! When are you going to do something about this? AFTER SOMEONE DIES???? How many complaints need to be made before something gets done????
NHTSA complaint #11679739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and turning the steering wheel to the left or the right, the contact heard an abnormal sound. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the electric power steering assist had started to fail and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the front suspension was bouncing every time the contact drove or any deformity in the road surface. The contact had taken the vehicle to another independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the driver’s and passenger’s side shock absorbers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact reported that the failure had reoccurred. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.
NHTSA complaint #11664797 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving down the road, a loud humming started to get loud from the front of my car. Then loud clunking/dragging noises. My car started to slow down and the noises got louder. I had to turn on my hazards and slowly drive back home block by block. There is nothing visibly dragging. But I now have to get my car towed from home as it’s not safe to drive. This isn’t the first time this car has had issues with the steering hub, suspension, tie rods, ball joints, control arms, sway bar, etc. I have had to fix and replace that entire area a multitude of times since I’ve had this car.
NHTSA complaint #11661825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic for routine maintenance, and it was determined that the rear suspension toe link had failed and prematurely worn down the rear tires. The contact was advised by the local independent mechanic that the failure might be related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V072000 (Suspension). The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
NHTSA complaint #11624066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Had several wheel alignments car would read straight but is not straight I have all new front extension work done my car is still going out of control going into different lanes while I’m going g straight I took it to the ford dealership they can’t even find the problem
NHTSA complaint #11602760 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Worn out rear suspension toe links at low mileage. Taurus SHO model years 2013-2018 were recalled for the same issue. The problem persists in Model Year 2019.
NHTSA complaint #11594627 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear end of the vehicle shifted while depressing the brake pedal hard. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who informed the contact there was a recall for the failure. The contact called the dealer however, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not part of the recall. The vehicle was not repaired due to cost. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V072000 (Suspension) as a possible solution however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
NHTSA complaint #11571849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed over a dip in the roadway, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the rear passenger’s side wheel had shifted inward. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the rear passenger’s side suspension toe link had fractured, and the rear driver's side suspension toe link was also failing, and both needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V072000 (Suspension). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 102,000.
NHTSA complaint #11543127 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle became extremely difficult to maneuver and was not turning as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V072000 (Suspension) however, 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 60,000.
NHTSA complaint #11540397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while turning around in a parking lot at approximately 5 MPH, he heard an abnormal, scraping sound coming from the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the rear passenger’s side tire was inverted into the wheel well. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to his residence. The contact called an independent mechanic to his home where the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective toe link caused by corrosion. The mechanic then informed the contact that both toe links needed to be replaced. The contact was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
NHTSA complaint #11523218 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she lost control of the vehicle. The contact's wife veered into the median and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed that the rear toe link was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
NHTSA complaint #11512398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2016 Ford Taruas SEL Both Rear Toe Links went bad at around 64,000 miles The car is incontrollable on bumpy roads, which causes the car to veer very hard into the next lane or off the road. making the car very dangerous Same issue with the SHO model of the same year, the issue had been reported and recalled for the exact same issue my model is experiencing
NHTSA complaint #11512448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while having a routine oil change at the local dealer, she was informed that the driver’s and passenger’s side rear toe links needed to be replaced. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The manufacturer referred her to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V072000 (Suspension). The approximate failure mileage was 17,500.
NHTSA complaint #11500072 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.