Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2008 Ford Taurus
NHTSA data on file today
The 2008 Ford Taurus has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 175 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #16V247000 Air Bag Second Stage may not Inflate Properly NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Power Train 44 complaints
- Steering 35 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 32 complaints
- Engine 20 complaints
- Air Bags 15 complaints
- Electrical System 13 complaints
Of the 175 complaints on file, 19 report a crash and 7 a fire; across all 175 complaints, owners report 13 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2008 Ford Taurus has several areas of concern, notably in the power train, steering, and vehicle speed control, with frequent owner complaints. Additionally, an important airbag recall affects safety. These issues reflect a vehicle with higher than average repair needs and associated costs.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| power train | 80,000–120,000 miles | $1,000–$3,500 | very common |
| steering system | 60,000–100,000 miles | $400–$1,200 | common |
| vehicle speed control | 70,000–110,000 miles | $300–$900 | common |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- oil and filter change
- brake fluid replacement
- coolant system flush
- transmission fluid change
- spark plug replacement
- tire rotation and balance
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- unusual steering noises
- delayed acceleration
- hard shifting
- brake pedal vibrations
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2008 Ford Taurus at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.