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ProblemsByVin File / 2018-FORD-TAURUS NHTSA data synced 1 day ago
Ford

2018 Ford Taurus problems

Light NHTSA footprint — 45 owner complaints and 4 active recall campaigns. Either a clean record or thin data; we'll show what's there.

The 2018 Ford Taurus has 45 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is body at 8 complaints, typically surfacing around 67,800 miles (~$1,500 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.

Ford Taurus owner complaints by model year
Model yearOwner complaintsRecalls
2015 Taurus 258 6
2016 Taurus 78 4
2017 Taurus 44 4
2018 Taurus (this page) 45 4
2019 Taurus 12 2
2018 Ford Taurus
Photo: IFCAR / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain · representative photo of the Ford Taurus
0 5 10
Reliability score
7.4 / 10

Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.

0
Critical
4
Severe
0
Moderate
Should you avoid this 2018 Taurus?
Acceptable — with caveats

Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.

Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.

Buying a used 2018 Ford Taurus? Check these first

Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.

What to inspect on this specific car

⚠ The one to take seriously: suspension is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 50,415 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.

Recalls to confirm are done

Run the VIN from the listing — 4 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.

Verdict for buyers: 7.4/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.

We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.

See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →
✦ Ask the data · AI

Ask anything about your 2018 Ford Taurus

A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.

Dash light, leak, worn part — snap it and we'll read it against this car's record.

Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.

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<iframe src="https://problemsbyvin.com/embed/reliability/2018-ford-taurus/" width="100%" height="340" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:8px;max-width:640px" title="2018 Ford Taurus reliability snapshot" loading="lazy"></iframe> <p style="font:12px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#64748b;max-width:640px;margin:6px 0 0">Source: <a href="https://problemsbyvin.com/2018-ford-taurus/" style="color:#b8540a;font-weight:600">2018 Ford Taurus reliability snapshot — ProblemsByVin</a></p>

Top trouble spots 5 categories with 3+ complaints

body
8 reports · fails ~67,800 mi · avg $1,500
moderate
electrical
6 reports · fails ~19,000 mi · avg $850
moderate
suspension
6 reports · fails ~50,415 mi · avg $900
severe
powertrain
5 reports · fails ~67,500 mi · avg $2,500
moderate
engine
4 reports · fails ~104,167 mi · avg $3,100
severe
Buyer's checklist
Going to look at one? Use the pre-purchase inspection list.
Generated from this 2018 Taurus's actual NHTSA complaint history — every item points at a documented failure pattern on this exact vehicle, not generic walkaround filler.
See the checklist ->
Honest Calculator
Should you buy an extended warranty on this 2018 Taurus?
We pulled the math: risk-weighted exposure, typical contract cost, and our verdict on whether coverage pencils out for this specific vehicle.
See the calculator ->

What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim

2018 Taurus · brakes
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Taurus. Upon inspection of his vehicle, the contact was informed by a mechanic at the dealer that the passenger’s side rear brake pad had been severely worn and was close to making metal-to-metal contact with the rotor. Due to the failure, the…
12/23/2021 · at 24,000 mi · NHTSA ODI #11444846.0
2018 Taurus · powertrain
After exiting thruway after driving 10-15 minutes, car shuts off at a stop sign/traffic light. notice on screen right hand side state transmission not in park. I put car into park then restart vehicle. This has happened three times in last 6 months. Taken to dealer and they…
2018 Taurus · steering Crash
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving up a ramp at 65 mph, the transmission, brakes, steering, and engine became inoperable, and the vehicle shut down and crashed into the side railing. The vehicle tipped on its side. There were no warning…
11/24/2023 · at 155,498 mi · NHTSA ODI #11556686.0
2018 Taurus · body
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Taurus. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V611000 (STRUCTURE) and 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). However, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that while washing the vehicle,…
View all 45 owner complaints →
Had a problem with your 2018 Ford Taurus? File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free and official — owner filings are what build the federal safety record behind this page.

Estimate your repair exposure

Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.

0 mi 200k mi
At 80,000 miles
Likely repair cost in next 24 months
$0

Active recalls showing 3 of 4

severe NHTSA 25V695000 October 13, 2025

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Flex, 2015 Explorer, Lincoln MKT, Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 C-Max, Escape, Taurus, 2016 Fusion, 2018-2019 Taurus, 2019 Lincoln MKT, Fiesta, and 2020 Mustang vehicles

A rearview camera that fails to properly display an image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. This will be a phased campaign, with the remedy becoming available in different phases based on model and model years. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed on October 25, 2025. Additional letters will be mailed once the final remedy is available on each phase. Mustang owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA9. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 14, 2025.
severe NHTSA 25V611000 September 12, 2025

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Taurus vehicles

Door trim that detaches while driving can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will repair or replace the B-pillar trim as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 20, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S91.
severe NHTSA 20V072000 February 10, 2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack

A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. Remedy parts are not currently available. Owners were notified about the recall on March 3, 2020. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts become available, which is currently expected to be the end of September 2020. The recall began October 28, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or Lincoln customer service at 1-800-521-4140. Ford's number for this recall is 20S04.
View all 4 recalls →

Common questions

Is the 2018 Ford Taurus reliable?

Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.4 out of 10 based on 45 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Ford Taurus is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.

Should you avoid the 2018 Ford Taurus?

The 2018 Ford Taurus is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Reliability score 7.4/10 — around the segment average; 4 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.

What should I check before buying a used 2018 Ford Taurus?

Inspect the body first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 8 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 67,800 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,500 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.

Is the 2018 Ford Taurus a good used car to buy?

It scores 7.4 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 45 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is body. Typical failure occurs around 67,800 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.

What's the most common problem on the 2018 Ford Taurus?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is body, with 8 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 67,800 miles. Average repair cost runs about $1,500 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The body is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,500 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 67,800 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Ford Taurus has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2018 Ford Taurus?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 45 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,500, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.

Related

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 1 day ago. Verify the raw federal record at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/Ford/Taurus. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with Ford. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.
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