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2018 Ford Taurus
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
45 owner complaints · 4 recalls · data verified July 21, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Complaints are still coming in strong late in this car's life, a chronic-problem pattern, not early teething.
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#193 of 468Among the 2018 models with a matured record, the 2018 Ford Taurus ranks #193, scoring higher than 55% of them. See the 2018 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2018 Ford Taurus 4 DR AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 11%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2018 Ford Taurus, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Backup camera & sensors (10) · Body & structure (9) · Electrical system (7) · Transmission & drivetrain (6)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Backup camera & sensors
22%10 complaints · 9 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2015 Ford Taurus. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall…”
Body & structure
20%9 complaints · 8 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2018 Ford Taurus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V611000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was n…”
Electrical system
16%7 complaints · 5 in the last 2 years
“Rear camera just went inverted and rear assist lines are not displayed. Dealer has not been contacted. This is a safety hazard while backing up. I have had no other is…”
Transmission & drivetrain
13%6 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“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 c…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 45 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 4 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (4)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Back Over Prevention · 25V695000
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. The rearview camera may display a distorted, intermittent, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: 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.
Structure · 25V611000
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Taurus vehicles. The driver and front passenger B-Pillar door trim may detach while driving.
Risk: 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.
Suspension · 20V072000
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. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the rear suspension.
Risk: 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.
Electrical System · 18V141000
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford Taurus vehicles equipped with mechanical key ignition systems. The keys for these vehicles may be able to be removed from the ignition when transmission is not in the PARK position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Risk: If the key is removed from the ignition while the vehicle is not in the PARK position and the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter assembly, free of charge. The recall began May 11, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18C02.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Ford before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2018 Ford Taurus. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report backup camera & sensors problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any backup camera & sensors symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report body & structure problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any body & structure symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2018 Ford TAURUS beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2018? See how every Taurus model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 Ford Taurus against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.