2012 Ford TAURUS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
78 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
41,493 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 51 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 16 of 78 complaints (20.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 20 | 25.6% |
| Braking behavior | 9 | 11.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 7.7% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 6.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 2.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 16 |
| Electrical System | 15 |
| Structure:Body | 13 |
| Engine | 11 |
| Exterior Lighting | 11 |
| Unknown Or Other | 6 |
| Service Brakes | 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 |
Steering: 16; Electrical System: 15; Structure:Body: 13; Engine: 11; Exterior Lighting: 11; Unknown Or Other: 6; Service Brakes: 4; Vehicle Speed Control: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 16 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 10 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 8 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 4 |
Under 25,000: 16; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 8; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 4
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (16). 27 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 19 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
2011: 1; 2012: 6; 2013: 7; 2014: 4; 2015: 19; 2016: 8; 2017: 7; 2019: 6; 2020: 7; 2021: 1; 2022: 5; 2023: 4; 2024: 1; 2025: 2
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 20 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10549583 · 2013-10-25 (October 25, 2013)
THE KEYLESS START/STOP BUTTON IS OBSCURED BY THE STEERING WHEEL AND CAN BE INADVERTENTLY TOUCHED WHILE KEEPING ATTENTION TO ROAD AND TRAFFIC.THE BUTTON IN OUR CAR IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE AND DOES NOT REQUIRE A DELIBERATE PUSH TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF. WHILE DRIVING I WAS TRYING TO ADJUST THE AIR DISCHARGE VENT CONTROL, THAT IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ABOVE THE START/STOP BUTTON.WHEN I PRESSED DOWN ON THE VENT CONTROL MY HAND SLIPPED AND THE HEEL OF MY HAND MUST HAVE CONTACTED THE START/STOP BUTTON. I WAS UNAWARE THE ENGINE WAS OFF UNTIL I REALIZED THE CA…
Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10549583 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10607821 · 2014-07-02 (July 2, 2014)
I WAS DRIVING ON I279 AROUND 6:15AM ON JULY1, 2014. MY SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 60MPH. ALL OF A SUDDEN A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE SCREEN SAYING THERE WAS A POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE. AT THAT POINT I IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL POWER TO THE STEERING WHEEL. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT COURSE AND FORTUNATELY I DIDN'T HAVE VERY FAR TO GO UNTIL I COULD PULL OVER AND STOP. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ADVANCE TRACTION CONTROL SYMBOL APPEARED ON THE SCREEN ALSO. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 18,652 miles reported. Look up ODI 10607821 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10607864 · 2014-07-02 (July 2, 2014)
I HAVE A 2012 FORD TAURUS SEL WITH APPROXIMATELY 28,000 MILES. THE BRAKES ARE MAKING A GRINDING NOISE. WHEN I TOOK THE CARD TO THE FORD DEALER, WADE FORD, IN SMYRNA GA, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS HAVE RUSTED. I WAS ALSO ADVISED THAT THIS COULD NOT BE FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. I THINK THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE ROTORS. I HAVE NEVER HAD ROTORS TO RUST. FOR BRAKE ROTORS TO RUST AFTER 2 YEARS AND 28,000 MILES IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND THIS CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10607864 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10906726 · 2016-09-14 (September 14, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, ALL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WAIT TEN MINUTES, AND RESUME DRIVING. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10906726 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10914484 · 2016-10-07 (October 7, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STATIONARY, THE FCIM (FRONT CONTROL INTERFACE MODULE) MALFUNCTIONED WHICH CAUSED THE DEFROST TO HAVE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEFROSTER MALFUNCTIONED AND BLEW HOT AIR AT 90 DEGREES. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING THE FCIM (FRONT CONTROL INTERFACE MODULE) REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 01/31/17*LJ *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10914484 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10490300 · 2012-12-28 (December 28, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED WHICH DETECTED NO TROUBLE CODES. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASION AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO NEITHER DUPLICATE THE FAILURE NOR LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,700.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10490300 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10714529 · 2015-05-04 (May 4, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING AND DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND THEN STALLED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOR IN THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10714529 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10585732 · 2014-04-30 (April 30, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 13V109000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXHIBITING THE RECALL DEFECT OF A FUEL LEAK AND THAT THE FUEL TANK WOULD NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DENIAL OF THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10585732 at NHTSA ↗