Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Ford taurus. While driving approximately 50 MPH, the driver crashed into a deer. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and no injuries were sustained. The vehicle was repaired, but the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000.
2010 Ford Taurus airbags problems
critical 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
5crashes
9injuries
2fatalities
When does it fail?
Of the 10 airbags complaints filed for the 2010 Ford Taurus, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 11 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: Three separate airbag system failures reported in 2010 Taurus models: one deployment with excessive force that injured occupants, and two failures to deploy when impact occurred. The system appears unreliable and owners should have the airbag system thoroughly inspected before purchase.
Owners of 2010 Ford Taurus vehicles reported three distinct airbag system failures. One owner experienced airbags that deployed with excessive force during a two-vehicle crash at 60,000 miles, causing hand, arm, back, and whiplash injuries to the driver and whiplash to the passenger. The deployment also emitted white powder that reduced the driver's visibility. In a second incident at just 1,000 miles, airbags completely failed to deploy during a 20 mph collision with a parked vehicle, leaving a passenger with head, neck, and back injuries severe enough to require five days of hospitalization. A third owner reported airbag non-deployment at 64,000 miles during a 50 mph collision with a deer; after the vehicle was repaired, the airbag warning light remained illuminated, suggesting an unresolved system fault. No owners reported successful manufacturer notification or recall action for these failures. The complaints describe both deployment failure and deployment malfunction, indicating systemic reliability issues with this generation's airbag system.
Same Ford Taurus airbags reports on nearby years: 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Airbag deployment with excessive force
Front driver and passenger airbags deployed with excessive force during a crash, causing injuries to occupants and emitting white powder that reduced visibility.
When: 60,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Excessive force during deployment; White powder/substance emitted from airbags; Reduced driver visibility from powder
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was destroyed; no repair attempted.
Airbag non-deployment in crash
Airbags failed to deploy during low-speed collision (20 mph into parked vehicle), resulting in passenger injuries requiring hospitalization.
When: 1,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags did not deploy during impact; Major vehicle damage sustained
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle sustained major damages.
Airbag failure to deploy with warning light
Airbags did not deploy during moderate-speed collision (50 mph into deer). After vehicle was repaired, airbag warning light remained illuminated, indicating ongoing system fault.
When: 64,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags failed to deploy during crash; Airbag warning light illuminated and persistent
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was repaired but warning light remained on.
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had airbags trouble with your 2010 Ford Taurus?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2010 Ford Taurus?
It's a serious issue. 10 complaints have been filed, including 5 reports involving a crash and 2 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 42,500 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2010/Ford/Taurus.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.