Ford Taurus 2008–2009 problems by year and mileage
5th generation (D3) — renamed Ford Five Hundred
NHTSA data through 18 October 2026239 complaints, 215 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2008 Ford Taurus
Close- Median failure report
- 65,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 175
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2008
- Transmission and driveline44 reports · median 82,000 mi
- Steering35 reports · median 46,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control32 reports · median 58,000 mi
Recall areas Air bags — frontal
Check the VIN at NHTSA
The 2009 Ford Taurus
Close- Median failure report
- 31,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 64
- Recalls naming this year
- 0
Most reported on the 2009
- Engine and its cooling system18 reports
- Throttle and speed control10 reports
- Airbag system6 reports
Tiles: each year’s median failure mileage. Latest: the 2008; earliest: the 2009, and the 2008 is 1 year older (part of the gap is age).
The short answer
“Is the 2008–2009 Ford Taurus reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 56,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 139,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 215
- Recalls
- 1
Most reported
- Transmission and driveline20.5% of complaints · median 79,000 mi
- Throttle and speed control17.6% of complaints · median 73,000 mi
- Steering15.1% of complaints · median 47,000 mi
Documented problems
- Transmission (6F50)2008–2009
- Nameplate Boundary Caution2008–2009
Owners filed 239 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008–2009 Ford Taurus; the transmission and driveline leads with 20.5% of them, and half of the 215 that record an odometer reading came by 56,000 miles — complaints, not a failure rate.
No single peak: the middle half runs 30,000 to 98,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2008–2009 Ford Taurus last?
On the 2008–2009 Ford Taurus, half of the 215 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 56,000 miles and 90% by 139,000 miles (why that is not a lifespan).
14 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 1 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Taurus reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Ford Taurus 2008–2009 · 215 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
20,000-mile bins, 0 to 200,000 miles, linear scale; tallest bar 42 complaints
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 1 complaints (0.5%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 4,500
- 25%
- 30,000
- Median
- 56,000
- 75%
- 98,000
- 90%
- 139,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–20,000 | 39 | 18.1% |
| 20,000–40,000 | 42 | 19.5% |
| 40,000–60,000 | 32 | 14.9% |
| 60,000–80,000 | 17 | 7.9% |
| 80,000–100,000 | 33 | 15.3% |
| 100,000–120,000 | 20 | 9.3% |
| 120,000–140,000 | 11 | 5.1% |
| 140,000–160,000 | 12 | 5.6% |
| 160,000–180,000 | 7 | 3.3% |
| 180,000–200,000 | 1 | 0.5% |
| 200,000+ | 1 | 0.5% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
Common Taurus problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Ford Taurus 2008–2009
When each system fails
Bar: middle half of reports · notch: median · proportional (log) scale (how to read it)
- Engine and its cooling system29 reportsmedian 11,000middle half 4,000–45,000
- Steering36 reportsmedian 47,000middle half 35,000–87,000
- Throttle and speed control42 reportsmedian 73,000middle half 28,000–106,000
- Transmission and driveline49 reportsmedian 79,000middle half 36,000–109,000
- Engine26 reportsmedian 85,000middle half 55,000–164,000
- Airbag system21 reportsmedian 86,000middle half 58,000–130,000
- Electrical system17 reportsmedian 96,000middle half 83,000–153,000
- Your odometer, once entered below
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 49 | 20.5% | 79,000 | 36,000–109,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 42 | 17.6% | 73,000 | 28,000–106,000 |
| Steering | 36 | 15.1% | 47,000 | 35,000–87,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 29 | 12.1% | 11,000 | 4,000–45,000 |
| Engine | 26 | 10.9% | 85,000 | 55,000–164,000 |
| Airbag system | 21 | 8.8% | 86,000 | 58,000–130,000 |
| Electrical system | 17 | 7.1% | 96,000 | 83,000–153,000 |
| Brakes | 13 | 5.4% | 83,000 | 74,000–113,000 |
| Suspension | 12 | 5.0% | 36,000 | 19,000–88,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 12 | 5.0% | — | — |
Known problems with the 2008–2009 Taurus
Transmission (6F50) 2008–2009
Early 6F50 torque-converter and internal solenoid complaints producing harsh shifts and shudder.
Nameplate Boundary Caution 2008–2009
The severe ZF CFT30 CVT failures associated with this body belong to the 2005-2007 Ford Five Hundred, which used the CVT; the Taurus-badged 2008-2009 cars do not have it. Do not attribute CVT failures to this generation.
Before you buy a 2008–2009 Taurus: the 3-minute check
Generated from 215 mileage-tagged complaints, 1 recall campaign, 2 documented problem areas.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 1 campaign cover this generation.
- Check transmission (6F50) on 2008–2009 cars. What each looks like: Known problems.
- Check nameplate boundary caution on 2008–2009 cars.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car.
Taurus problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer, or read the table.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi53% below | At 90k mi70% below | At 120k mi85% below | At 150k mi93% below | At 200k mi100% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 36,000–109,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Throttle and speed control | 28,000–106,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Steering | 35,000–87,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine and its cooling system | 4,000–45,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine | 55,000–164,000 | in window | in window | in window | in window | earlier |
| Airbag system | 58,000–130,000 | in window | in window | in window | earlier | earlier |
| Electrical system | 83,000–153,000 | later | in window | in window | in window | earlier |
Figure 3 · Ford Taurus 2008–2009 · 215 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Steps at bin edges (how to read it)
- 60,000 mi — 53% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 85% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 100% of reports below
- Median (the 50% line)
- Your odometer, once entered
Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
2008–2009 Ford Taurus recalls (1)
NHTSA records 1 recall campaign covering vehicles in this generation (what a recall is).
Apr 2016 · 2008 · Air BagsAn improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The defect. Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during…
What can happen. An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The free fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016. Owners may contact…
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
Out of 239 complaints against this generation, owners also reported:
- Crashes
- 28 (11.7%)
- Fires
- 8
- Injury reports
- 16
- Fatality reports
- 0
Taurus problems by model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 175 | 162 | 65,000 | Transmission and driveline (44) | 1 |
| 2009 | 64 | 53 | 31,000 | Engine and its cooling system (18) | 0 |
What Taurus owners reported
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the front driver's side seat belt had failed to unbuckle and was previously repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously rear-ended on several occasions, and the…
2008 · 142,000 miles · Airbag system
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the vehicle became inoperable. The contact shifted into park and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated while reversing, she heard an abnormal sound. The check engine and several other unknown warning…
2008 · 85,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled however, she was able to pull over and stop the vehicle. The contact stated that she noticed that the check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the engine temperature gauge was indicating…
2008 · 170,000 miles · Engine
the contact owns a 2008 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle swayed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The local dealer was not…
2008 · 110,000 miles · Suspension
Built from 215 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-10-20 · open data · how it is built
Other Taurus generations
- Taurus 1996–1999 767 reports with mileage, most about the transmission and driveline
- Taurus 2000–2007 5,014 reports with mileage, most about the suspension
- Taurus 2010–2019 1,256 reports with mileage, most about the steering