2008 Ford Taurus Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2008 Ford Taurus most often describe steering that suddenly becomes very hard to turn, followed by transmission symptoms such as jerking, slipping, harsh engagement and delayed or lost power. Complaints also describe occasional unexpected engine revving or acceleration, stalling, and air bag warning lights or air bags that did not deploy in a crash. Reports span from vehicles with very low mileage to well over 100,000 miles, with many arising during everyday low-speed driving and turning.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission jerking, harsh shifting and loss of power

   • 50 complaints (29%)
   • median 79,341 mi at 6.2 yrs old (48 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $985 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2008–2023

   Complaints describe the transmission dropping out of gear, jerking or slamming into gear, revving without the vehicle moving, and harsher engagement when shifting from park or reverse. Some owners report warning lights along with a wrench or transmission indicator, a fluctuating or non-reading speedometer, and diagnostics pointing to speed sensors, solenoids or the powertrain control module. In several cases dealers could not duplicate the concern, while others replaced a sensor or recommended transmission replacement. Reported from very low mileage up to about 180,000 miles, with many occurring between 30,000 and 90,000 miles during acceleration from a stop or at highway speed.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive from a cold start and check for delayed or harsh engagement and jerking; ask whether transmission fluid or speed sensor work has been done and whether any transmission codes are stored.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Transmission speed sensor issue: car would get stuck in high gear losing power at slow speeds. Attempts to put the car in reverse or park would cause a large clunk. Speedometer would also fluctuate uncontrollably during this time. Diagnostic codes showed failed output sensor and I had it replaced. Function of transmission after sensor replacement is still rough. The safety issue caused by this caused me to lose forward power several times while in traffic almost causing several accidents.”

   NHTSA complaint #10874466, filed 2016-06, 80,000 miles

   “I have seen many many complaints about this same exact issue. The wrench symbol lights up on dash when driving and engine revs as if it is in neutral, low gas mileage symbol lights up and instead of saying how many gallons until empty, there are just 3 dots ( ---). I pull over, turn car off and putting it in park or any gear, it jerks and is loud. It seems as if everything on the car is just shutting down, yet still working. The wrench symbol happens more often, and all the other symbols are only sometimes. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10924444, filed 2016-11, 165,000 miles
2. 2
   Steering

   Steering suddenly becomes very hard to turn

   • 30 complaints (17%)
   • median 45,750 mi at 5.7 yrs old (28 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2020

   Owners describe the steering wheel going from normal to very stiff without warning, often while backing out of a driveway or turning at low speed, and sometimes returning to normal after the engine is shut off and restarted. Several complaints say a dealer or independent mechanic traced the problem to the rack and pinion, steering gear or power assist unit and replaced it; in some cases the symptom came back later. A few reports mention a grinding noise or the wheel feeling unstable at highway speed. Mostly reported between roughly 20,000 and 90,000 miles, often at low speed or during turns, and in a few cases shortly after purchase of a used vehicle.

   What to check: Turn the wheel lock to lock at idle and at low speed and listen for grinding or uneven effort; ask whether the rack and pinion or steering gear has ever been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “There are times when turning the steering wheel, I have a very hard time. I am over 6', and weigh 230 lbs. My wife is smaller, and she has one heck of a time turning the steering wheel. After reading problems other people have had, I decided to file a complaint. It is not safe. I believe a recall is in order for Ford to take care of this problem, not the owners of the vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #10938501, filed 2016-12, 139,102 miles

   “Car has around 87,000 miles. While leaving the driveway the wheel became very hard to turn, as if the power steering went out. The steering is on and off with the power steering. Took it to private mechanic and was told the power steering needs to be replaced at a cost of $1200. Really sucks because we just bought the car about 1000 miles ago. After looking on line I find this is a common problem, why isn't this a recall?”

   NHTSA complaint #10905629, filed 2016-09, 87,000 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Unexpected engine revving or acceleration

   • 37 complaints (21%)
   • median 55,007 mi at 6.2 yrs old (36 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2026

   Owners describe the engine revving and the car surging forward or back without the accelerator being pressed, sometimes while stopped at a light or while pulling away slowly, and report having to hold hard on the brake or shift to neutral. Some complaints say the dealer reprogrammed the computer or replaced a throttle body, while others were told no fault was found or no codes were stored. A related group describes hesitation followed by a sudden burst of acceleration when pressing the pedal. Reported from near-new mileage up to about 140,000 miles, in mixed conditions including parking-lot maneuvers, stops at lights and highway driving.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the powertrain control software or throttle body has been serviced, and check for stored codes; be alert for high idle or surging during a test drive at a stop.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car was in a parking lot. I put car in reverse and very lightly applied gas pedal and vehicle shot back at a tremendous rate of s peed which I was unable to stop and vehicle was stopped by hitting a low cement wall. If anyone had been behind me they would be injured.”

   NHTSA complaint #10535126, filed 2013-08, 23,353 miles

   “On wed. Aug, 1, 2012, I was driving on the expressway, the accelerator pedal on my 2008 Ford Taurus sped up by itself. I thought the cruise button came on by itself or that the floor mat was stuck on the accelerator pedal car causing the vehicle to go going real fast, (but it wasn't) I hit the brake, moved to the right shoulder and put the car in low then neutral then turned the car off. It happened again two days later, on friday, august 3, 2012 and I was on the expressway again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10469288, filed 2012-08, 12,010 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Engine stalling and loss of power while driving

   • 23 complaints (13%)
   • median 81,000 mi at 7.3 yrs old (23 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2022

   Complaints describe the engine cutting out without warning at various speeds, sometimes with all instrument panel lights coming on and the steering becoming hard to turn. Several owners report loss of power or hesitation on acceleration, and some mention a burned-out ignition coil or a failed powertrain control module as the diagnosed cause. Some dealers replaced fuel injection parts or could not determine a cause, and in other reports the engine overheated with white smoke and milky oil. Reported from about 40,000 miles into the 100,000-plus range, at speeds from near-idle to highway.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask about any history of stalling or ignition coil and PCM repairs, check for stored codes, and check coolant and oil condition for signs of overheating or mixing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Waiting at a flashing red arrow to turn left. Traffic cleared, I accelerated, got barely into intersection, car choked, would barely move. Semi truck put up huge plumes of blue smoke from tires burning on dry pavement. Truck barely stopped before t-bone in my drivers door. Certainly would have been killed. Coil pack on cylinder #2 burned out, also burning out PCM computer on board. Repaired and replaced both. Cylinder #2 coil pack burned out 2 more times since. Cylinder #4 coil pack burned out once since. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10724304, filed 2015-06, 96,000 miles

   “I was driving 55 MPH with a truck close behind, when it just died. I had no power steering, brakes, etc. I was scared to death thinking I was going to be hit by the truck behind me. I was in a curve, and thankfully there was a store. It took all my strength to turn the car in, and somehow I was able to come to a stop. I had no warning, no light came on and my son came to see what was wrong. He said it was overheating. We had it towed home and when he checked it the oil was creamy , whitish. He had never seen anything like it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11331838, filed 2020-06, 80,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light and air bags not deploying

   • 14 complaints (8%)
   • median 114,250 mi at 9.6 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2026

   Complaints describe the air bag warning light staying on or coming on intermittently, which owners understood to mean the system may be inactive. Some say a dealer could not identify the cause, and other reports describe collisions where the air bags did not deploy, including one with the driver injured. There is also a report of a seat belt that would not release. Reported from near-new mileage up to about 170,000 miles, in some cases following collisions.

   Recall 16V247000

   What to check: Confirm the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and ask whether the vehicle has had the frontal air bag recall campaign completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving 2 lane road heading east, saw a car on the our right trying to come out of drive, kept going back and forth finally gave up, by the time we turned to look straight a truck had stopped with his directionals wanting to go left into his drive, we hit him. Seat belts were on, but the air bags did not deploy..husband driving, got a warning from police, failure to stop properly. We were sore from impact due to seat belts but the truck driving went to hospital for a check-up, we didn't. Car was totaled by the auto body shop...”

   NHTSA complaint #10420845, filed 2011-08, 48,000 miles

   “When driving on main road mitchell st. In downtown cadillac, the airbag light flashed and started on since. A few nights after, when starting the car, it would not come on until minutes after the car started. Now, it will stay light from when the car is running g until shut off.”

   NHTSA complaint #11256404, filed 2019-09, 118,500 miles

Buying note. Check the steering and transmission carefully on a test drive, since those are the two most frequently described concerns, and confirm whether the frontal air bag recall has been performed. Ask for service records covering steering gear, transmission sensor or software work, and any stalling or ignition coil repairs.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.