2012 Ford Taurus Engine Problems
- Complaints
- 11about this part
- Share
- 14%of 79 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 50,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 11 complaints about the engine of the 2012 Ford Taurus, 14% of the 79 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 50,000 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Car was in motion, engine and wrench light came up and car can't be accelerated. We changed the entire throttle assembly system , still failing, an now we are unable to drive the car. Is very dangerous to drive the car because it will slow down immediately the lights come up.”
NHTSA complaint #11205167, filed 2019-05, 190,000 miles“After researching, Ford has installed faulty water pumps in this car along with others that have the 3.5 ecoboost engine. Water pump failed on me and since the water pump is inside the engine you dont really know when it is going to give out. Leaking of the coolant on the highway. My mechanic warned me that this failure could lead to coolant leaking into the engine which would result in the need of a new engine. Ford needs to recall this!”
NHTSA complaint #11363751, filed 2020-10, 88,000 miles“This car stopped while driving it 3 times since I purchased it in 2011. It has always been in the summer on a warm day with the air conditioning on. In all cases it happened while driving around 40 MPH. It happened 2 times 2 years ago and once in june 2015. I took the car to the hines park Ford on 7/16/15 and they could not determine the cause of this car stopping. I purchased this car new at hines park Ford.”
NHTSA complaint #10734937, filed 2015-07, 10,000 miles“The problem has occurred multiple times and with no luck of diagnosis. But my vehicle has lost all electrical function lights, dash cluster, heat, etc. Has done this on different occasions but seems to fix itself but then does it again. With that being said now on top of that my vehicle is stuck is now stuck in anti theft mode where the vehicle is no longer drivable. I can not start the vehicle, I have had keys reprogrammed and the car look over multiple times with absolutely no help diagnosing the issue. …”
NHTSA complaint #11289883, filed 2019-12, 90,000 miles“Engine temperature started to rise very high while my son was driving on the road city street and had to pull over. All the engine coolant had leaked out because of a faulty waterpump that Ford motor company has failed to recall on all the engines. As I can tell the coolant did not enter the engine oil and destroy the entire engine to my knowledge. How can the state or the government allow this to not be a recall and have Ford repair all vehicles when they fail or before they fail to avoid people losing there lifes because of immediate engine failure.”
NHTSA complaint #11309748, filed 2020-02, 152,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10159494Apr 26, 2019SSM 47948 - 2010-2019 Various Vehicles - Turbocharged Engines - Oil Supply Filter Replacement When Replacing The Turbocharger Or The Turbocharger Oil Supply Tube For 2010-2019…
- 10095154Jan 10, 2017To help differentiate engine oil leaks from other possible sources, a new white-colored fluorescent engine oil dye is available. Workshop manual (wsm), section 303-00 has been…
- 10109070Sep 21, 2016The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to…
- 10056147May 30, 2014Ford/lincoln: some vehicles, with aluminum valve cover, will experience an excessive condition of smoking engine oil and/or consumption of oil, from tail pipe, during normal…
- 10053459Jun 1, 2013Ford/lincoln: long block engines shipped with cam sensors, crank sensor, crank sensor tone wheel, coolant inlet tube, the components must be swapped over engine being replaced to…
- 10044230Mar 1, 2012Ford/mercury/lincoln: some vehicles exhibit a cold weather phenomenon where fluid has expelled out of vent on rear drive units (rdu) and fluid, on occasion, would burp out.
Engine: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 | 6% |
| 2018 | 3 | 6% |
| 2017 | 4 | 9% |
| 2016 | 12 | 14% |
| 2015 | 33 | 12% |
| 2014 | 16 | 7% |
| 2013 | 70 | 12% |
| 2012 | 11 | 14% |
| 2011 | 40 | 21% |
| 2010 | 37 | 18% |
| 2009 | 6 | 9% |
| 2008 | 20 | 11% |
| 2007 | 7 | 5% |
| 2006 | 24 | 8% |
| 2005 | 68 | 9% |
| 2004 | 25 | 7% |
| 2003 | 23 | 2% |
| 2002 | 9 | 1% |
| 2001 | 6 | 1% |
| 2000 | 5 | 0% |
| 1999 | 2 | 0% |
| 1998 | 2 | 0% |
| 1997 | 5 | 1% |
| 1996 | 2 | 0% |
| 1995 | 3 | 0% |
| 1994 | 2 | 0% |
Other parts of the 2012 Ford Taurus
17 complaintsElectrical system
16 complaintsBody and structure
16 complaintsExterior lighting
12 complaintsOther or unknown
7 complaintsBrakes
4 complaintsVehicle speed control
4 complaintsAir bags
3 complaintsEngine cooling
2 complaintsFuel system
2 complaintsSeats
2 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
2 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2012 Ford Taurus
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology