What 234 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Taurus

Hello - the steering wheel has become very difficult to turn including inability to turn to the right or left at times, and seems to increase over time but has decreased while remaining stiff/difficult at times.I thought it was related to low/missing power steering fluid or the weather because the steering improved on a warm/warmer day. When I tested the weather theory it was another warm/hot day and later in the day meaning the car didn't require as much or any warm up as it usually does on cold days/earlier in the day. The steering was so difficult I couldn't turn the wheel to the right at all and it was extremely hard to turn to the left but less than difficulty trying to turn to the right. I checked under the hood and didn't see anything for power steering, and later learned the 2014 Ford Taurus does not require power steering fluid. This is a safety concern because it means drivers can't steer at all or only with extreme difficulty increasing the potential for vehicle accidents. I don't know/can't say if this is negatively impacting other parts of the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11736158

Power steering system failed. Internal electrical motor and / or steering angle sensor failed as diagnosed using scanning software. Failure results in requiring extreme effort to turn the steering wheel causing an unsafe situation. At low speeds, steering is nearly impossible and the steering wheel itself stresses to a point which causes concern of additional mechanical failure. Vehicle has less than 100,000 miles of use. All heat generated by the engine, transmission, turbocharger and catalytic converter are transferred to air which flows over the power steering assembly which is located directly behind all of these components in the engine bay. Ford has recalls on this steering assemble on previous year vehicles. The solution for preceding vehicles was adding a heat shield to the power steering assembly. The heat shield helps block radiative heat from the catalytic converter but is insufficient in preventing convective heat transfer to the power steering assembly’s electronics. The result is internal electrical failure of the power steering assembly. A smaller person may not be able to control the vehicle upon failure.

NHTSA ODI 11595975

Please note that from the time i purchased the vehicle brand new the doors and roof have leaked. The same garage has continued to try and glue the molding in the outside. Now the back window area had the cloth sagging down. I was told it was a design problem and that the police car taurus was experiencing the same problems. After having a problem trying to steer the vehicle,I pulled over to the side of the road and put the car in park. Suddenly the Steering Assist notification appeared and I could not move the steering wheel. I had the car towed to the Ford Garage that services my car. Upon checking all available literature on the 2014 Taurus the failure of the steering is a common problem. Ford has recalled Taurus models up to the year 2013 but not 2014.. I contacted Ford and they gave me a case number to document my concern in the event of a Ford issued recall. How many complaints do they need before the problem is corrected by Ford and not the consumer spending up to 4000. To fix the problem. Perhaps it is a design defect.

NHTSA ODI 11555212

Power steering has a intermittent sluggish feeling at times at all speeds. It does have electric power steering.

NHTSA ODI 11529806

On 3/8/23 I was attempting to turn around on a residential street. I put my car in reverse and started turning steering wheel to the right when suddenly there was a loud pop and my steering wheel tighted up and I could barely turn it. IThen when I put in drive it stated rattling everywhere. I almost hit another car trying to turn in a drive cause couldn't turn. With in an hour the check engine power assist and traction control came lost blinkers and if I tried to gas it it would baulk I eventually got it home but every time I had to change gears drive to reverse it made a loud noise as if the bottom just fell out. My car has 5 recalls none have been fixed and Ford said my car had no recalls said mechanic but first lady agreed there was one. But they are refusing to fix it or even acknowledge that there is a recall. The mechanic was very short and rude with me. And then said to take it up with Ford Customer Service. I've only had my car for 6 months and now am out of car and in danger of loosing my two jobs. 64 of the 153 complaints all have to do with the exact problems I have with steering then the axel. This needs to be investigated cause had I lost power steering suddenly when making that turn someone could have been seriously injured if not killed. Thankfully I lost it while at a stoping point and was able to compensate for the lack of steering. However my back my shoulders and my hands have all been damaged due to trying to control my car. Who should I call to have recalls fixed since Ford is denying there's even a recall. I've emailed CarMax no response and emailed Ford CEO but mail came back

NHTSA ODI 11512101

Without any warning or warning lights the electronic power steering system failed, and the turn signal will not remain on unless held manually (new problem that started when the power steering failed). It is very hard to turn without it, and I am a strong man, it's nearly impossible to turn with one hand so the turn signal can also be operated. Only 39000 miles on the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11512125

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving 35-40 MPH, the steering wheel became stiff. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the steering gear box had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened; however, the manufacturer offered no assistance. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The failure mileage was approximately 32,600. The contact stated that their vehicle had low mileage and was also manufactured in 2013 therefore it should've been repaired under the recall.

NHTSA ODI 11506044

While traveling at 55 MPH, entered a curve my steering completely locked up causing me to collide with the guard rail. Not only was I put in danger but everyone traveling Kentucky 114 that day was as well. There have been several complaints on the same make and model cars and Ford has done nothing to correct it. There was no warning lights no anything. My car was total and my life was at risk, when Ford was well aware of the steering problems.

NHTSA ODI 11498583

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 50 MPH, she started to smell a burning odor and shortly after the steering wheel seized. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver saw no flames nor smoke. The driver stated that the vehicle began to steer to the right but she was able to safely park in a nearby parking lot. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact took the vehicle to independent mechanic and made the mechanic aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,300.

NHTSA ODI 11460367

On the 24th February, 2022, I was driving my 2014 Ford Taurus taxi cab on the highway to go pick up a client. I saw a dash light indicating slippery road and suddenly, I could not control the steering of the car. All attempts to control the steering proved futile, and the car kept swerving on both sides, till it hit the divider between the roads. This is the second time that this incident is happening to me. The first incident resulted to a minor damage, and the car was taken to the shop for fix. With the second incident from last month, this resulted to my car being totaled. I am lucky and grateful to be alive. I spoke to my son and learned that there was a recall on the 2014 Ford Taurus. Below is an excerpt regarding the recall that was responsible for my car being damaged; Summary Feb 10,2020 Manufacturer Recall Number20S04 NHTSA Recall Number20V072 Recall StatusRecall Incomplete VEHICLES THAT ARE EXPOSED TO FREQUENT FULL REAR SUSPENSION ARTICULATION (JOUNCE AND REBOUND) MAY EXPERIENCE A FRACTURED REAR SUSPENSION TOE LINK. Safety Risk A FRACTURE OF A REAR TOE LINK SIGNIFICANTLY DIMINISHES STEERING CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. Link for reference: https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?vin=[XXX]#vin Due to this crash, I have lost my means of livelihood. I've contacted Ford and was sent back to the insurance. I have contacted C INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11457139

Rack and pinion or steering gear which are the same but can be called 2 different things. For no reason the power steering failed with a message to contact the dealer immediately as this could cause a serious accident resulting in injury or death. As far as putting someone or myself at risk it's pretty obvious if you can't steer the car, you are putting anyone on the road at risk. If it would fail when taking an exit ramp from a highway the automobile would be virtually impossible to steer. The internet has many cases where people have complained about this failure. It has been inspected at an authorized Ford dealership and was advised the repair would cost in the area of $3,000.00. This automobile has just over 52,000 miles, (brand new it listed for $36,500.00 but apparently this failure has been reported at many different mileages resulting in some accidents. The failure first occurred January 10, 2022. Fortunately, the failure occurred while my wife was in the driveway, so we were fortunate. That being said, my wife and I, both senior citizens bringing in a total of $2,300.00 social security so a $3,000.00 repair is just not in our budget. If it wasn't for the movie Class Action, I wouldn't know what I realize. Somewhere there's a bean counter telling them that the cost of a recall would be more expensive then settling lawsuits arising from accidents After that I got on the internet to see if I was the only one this had happened to and found there have been quite a few instances of this problem. The warning lamp came on as the failure occurred. I did contact Ford Customer Service who frankly really didn't care. As far as he and she was concerned, "since no one was hurt, no big deal".

NHTSA ODI 11449144

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that upon making a right turn into his driveway at 5 MPH, the power steering assist failed as the contact hit a bump in the driveway. Upon restart of the vehicle, the "power steering assist fault, service required" and the "service advance track" warning messages appeared on the instrument panel. The dealer had been notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 77,000.

NHTSA ODI 11438472

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that upon the start of his vehicle, the power steering assists fault warning message illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact had to use excessive force to steer the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the failure and replaced the power steering gear assembly. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed him that his vehicle was not included in a recall. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

NHTSA ODI 11435714

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving at a slow speed onto the main road, the power steering suddenly malfunctioned and the steering wheel became very difficult to turn in either direction. During the failure a message indicating power steering failure was displayed. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 123,000.

NHTSA ODI 11427892

I lost steering and turn light signal function completely. It started on the highway (I96) and the alert went off on the dashboard: Service Advance Trac, Steering Fault Service Now, Steering Loss Stop Safely. I got off exit for Nunica and loss turn signal and when I turned on 130th Street I was having a hard time turning the steering wheel. Thank God I made it to a location and was able to stop.

NHTSA ODI 11425311

Over the weekend I noticed my steering was making a cluck noise from both the front and rear making the car very uncomfortable to ride and it kinda moves more left or a little right when on highway. I also noticed my check engine light came on. I took the car to get looked and the diagnosis read I have bad fuel pump line or evap dont know smell fuse of gas, gas gauge goes up an down. I was to notify NHTSA and to Report this incident and whether to see if theirs any Recall to my Vehicle. Please and thank you.

NHTSA ODI 11425237

The power steering failed for no reason and i hit a curb.There is multiple complaints on the internet with this same issue..Very dangerous and it happened without warning if there was a pedestrian on the curb i could of hit them.

NHTSA ODI 11424184

HAD MY RACK AND PINION REPLACED BACK IN 11/18/2019, AND NOW THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURED AGAIN. ON, APRIL 28TH I HAD A RECALL FOR THE HANDSHAFT FIXED AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. TWO DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING MY STEERING COLUMN LOCKED WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN TO ANOTHER STREET. AND AN ALERT STATING "STEERING ASSIST FAULT SERVICE REQUIRED" "SERVICE ADVANCE TRAC" FLASHED IN INFO CENTER. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS WAS A RECALL THAT OCCURED ON PREVIOUS MODELS AND THE RECALL ENDED WITH THE 2013 MODEL. OBVIOUSLY THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURING WITH THIS ELECTRICAL PART AND HAS YET TO BE ADDRESSED WITH FORD. NOT ONLY IS THIS A INCONVIENCE IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL. I WAS IN TRAFFIC WHEN THIS OCCURED AND LUCKILY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT WHEN THIS OCCURED BECAUSE THIS COULD HAVE ENDED WAY WORSE..

NHTSA ODI 11415111

WAS PULLING UP TO A STOPLIGHT IN TOWN, THE IN DASH LIT UP WITH "ELECTRIC STEERING ASSIST FAIL" AND MY STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED UP AS IF I LOST POWER STEERING, I STOPPED, CYCLED THE KEY AND THE POWER STEERING RETURNED. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OR IN DASH LIGHTS TO THIS INCIDENT. A WEEK WENT BY WITH NO INCIDENT OR SIGN OF TROUBLE. WAS REVERSING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT 7 DAYS LATER AND THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. I CYCLED THE KEY AGAIN, AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. I JUST LEFT THE FORD SERVICE CENTER AND AND THEY PULLED THE CODE C200D:49. SINCE THE LATEST INCIDENT, THERE HAS BEEN NO PROBLEM. I DECLINED THE REPAIRS AS THEY WERE $2200 AND I KNOW FORD HAS RECALLED PREVIOUS YEARS OF MY VEHICLE FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11373216

BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON WHEEL GETS HARD TO TURN AC LOWERS AND WON'T GO ON HIGH MODE.

NHTSA ODI 11362113

THE POWER STEERING EPAS WENT OUT WHIE DRIVING AT 40MPH. VERY DIFFICULT TO GET OF THE ROAD SAFELY. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR ERROR CODES. IT JUST WENT OUT AND WE PARKED THE CAR. WE WERE ON A SECONDARY HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11354742

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER PLYMOUTH FORD LOCATED AT 14 TOWN WEST RD, PLYMOUTH, NH 03264, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING RACK WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11349998

WE WERE RETURNING TO OUR FARM FROM A TRIP TO TOWN. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET AT THE 70MPH SPEED LIMIT. A RECENT CONSTRUCTION PROJECT GAVE US A NEWLY PAVED ROAD. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY WITH NO WIND AND TEMPS IN THE LOW 80'S. WE WERE ENJOYING THE RIDE AND NOTED WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT THE NEWLY PAVED ROAD WAS. WITHOUT WARNING THE TIRES BEGAN SQUEALING AND THE CONTROL CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR TAURUS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY. THE STEERING BECAME LABORED (I BELIEVE FROM THE AUTOMATED ANTI LOCK AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS ENGAGEDING). MY ATTEMPT TO COMPENSATE FOR THE VIOLENT CHANGE IN VEHICLE OPERATION AND REGAIN CONTROL WERE QUICKLY FUTILE. WE SUCCUMBED TO THE LAWS OF MOTION SPINNING HOPELESSLY OUT OF CONTROL ACROSS THE ONCOMING LANE INTO THE OPPOSITE DITCH AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. MIRACULOUSLY WE THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND WE DIDN'T PLUNGE INTO THE MYRIAD OF STEEP TERRAIN CONDITIONS COMMON ON THIS STRETCH OF HIGHWAY. WE DID NOT ROLL BUT CAME VIOLENTLY TO REST ON THE FAR UPSLOPE OF THE OPPOSITE ROADSIDE DITCH. MY LATER RESEARCH FOR THE CAUSE OF OUR SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL PRODUCED THE NHTSA RECALL NO. :20V-072 WHICH IDENTIFIED THE REAR TOE LINK ON CERTAIN FORD MODELS AS SUBJECT TO FAILURE. I LATER CONFIRMED THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TOE LINK HAD SNAPPED ON OUR TAURUS AND WAS THE CAUSE OF OUR ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11349174

WE ARE RECEIVING A ERROR ON OUR DASH; THAT READS POWER STEERING ASSIST. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE STEERING WHEEL GET HARD TO TURN. I SEE THAT IT HAD A RECALL ON THE 2010-2013, ANYWAY TO GET THE 2014 INCLUDED.

NHTSA ODI 11340713

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FORD OF LAKE GENEVA W 2542 INTERCHANGE N, LAKE GENEVA, WI 53147) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY AND STEERING MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000. *LN*JB

NHTSA ODI 11326819