Recalls
5campaigns
1 air bag · 1 steering · 1 structure
Source: NHTSA
Complaints
79filed
Owner reports, 2008–2017 shown
Source: NHTSA ODI
Crash tests
4★overall
★★★★☆ Frontal 4★ · Side 5★ · Rollover 4★
Source: NHTSA NCAP
Fuel economy
22mpg combined
$2,969/yr at this week's prices
Source: EPA · EIA
Specs
3.5 L 6-cyl· 6-speed automatic
4 engine and transmission configurations
Source: NHTSA vPIC
Recalls (5)
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2012 Ford Taurus. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Listed for 2012 Ford Taurus. Not checked against your VIN.
Air Bag Second Stage may not Inflate Properly
Air bags · frontal
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- Consequence
- An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C06.
84.3% repairedof 695 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 16V247000
Listed for 2012 Ford Taurus. Not checked against your VIN.
Loss of Electric Power Steering Assist
Steering · electric power assist system
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with any available engine. The affected vehicles have electric power steering assist systems that may shut down as a result of a steering motor sensor fault.
- Consequence
- If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC). If dealers find any loss of steering assist DTCs, the steering gear will be replaced, free of charge. If, no codes are found during the PSCM inspection, the PSCM software will be updated, free of charge. The recall began on July 21, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S18.
69.4% repairedof 393,623 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 15V340000
Listed for 2012 Ford Taurus. Not checked against your VIN.
Interior Door Handle Return Spring may Unseat
Structure · body · door
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Ford Taurus vehicles manufactured December 1, 2009, to July 31, 2010, and 2011-2013 Lincoln MKS vehicles manufactured June 1, 2011, to October 31, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the interior door handle return spring may unseat, resulting in interior door handle that does not return to the fully stowed position after actuation.
- Consequence
- If the interior door handle return spring is unseated, the door may unlatch in the event of a side impact crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four of the interior door handles and either repair or replace them, free of charge. The recall began March 23, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S02.
52.2% repairedof 194,889 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 15V040000
Listed for 2012 Ford Taurus. Not checked against your VIN.
Water Intrusion may cause License Plate Lamp Fire
Exterior lighting
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Taurus vehicles manufactured November 24, 2008, through February 28, 2014, originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. When used in areas that use road salt, the license plate lamp assembly may experience an electro-chemical reaction and corrosion as a result of water intrusion.
- Consequence
- This corrosion may result in a short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the license plate lamp assemblies, free of charge. The recall began on July 26, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-800-392-3673. Ford's number for this recall is 14S08. Note: Under program 14R01, Ford will notify owners in non-corrosion states, and, at the customer's request, dealers will replace the license plate lamp assembly.
72.6% repairedof 183,425 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 14V285000
Listed for 2012 Ford Taurus. Not checked against your VIN.
Fuel Tank may Leak at Seam
Fuel system, gasoline · storage · tank assembly
Official NHTSA text
- Summary
- Ford is recalling certain model year 2012 Taurus, Lincoln MKS, and model year 2013 Explorer vehicles manufactured July 19, 2011, through March 15, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the fuel tanks may have a marginally sealed seam in the side of the tank. As a result, the fuel tanks may not provide the expected strength in the event of an impact. The tanks may also leak.
- Consequence
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel tanks and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 9, 2013. Ford's recall campaign number is 13S03. Owners may contact Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center at 1-866-436-7332.
Repair progress not yet reported3,037 vehicles potentially affected
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA
or ask a dealer to check campaign 13V109000
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (79)
79 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The steering is mentioned most often.
1involved a crash
3involved a fire
0injuries reported
0deaths reported
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 79 |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 17 | 21.5% |
| Electrical system | 16 | 20.3% |
| Structure | 16 | 20.3% |
| Exterior lighting | 12 | 15.2% |
| Engine | 11 | 13.9% |
| Unknown or other | 6 | 7.6% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 5.1% |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 5.1% |
| Air bags | 3 | 3.8% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 2.5% |
How 2012 compares with other Taurus years
Best and worst Taurus years →2008175
200964
2010204
2011187
201279
2013584
2014229
2015276
201681
201744
| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 175 | 1 |
| 2009 | 64 | 0 |
| 2010 | 204 | 3 |
| 2011 | 187 | 4 |
| 2012 | 79 | 5 |
| 2013 | 584 | 9 |
| 2014 | 229 | 5 |
| 2015 | 276 | 6 |
| 2016 | 81 | 4 |
| 2017 | 44 | 4 |
This year (2012)Other yearsStill collecting reports
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 4 stars overall
Overall★★★★☆
Frontal crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 4★★★★★☆
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 11.3%★★★★☆
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2012 Ford Taurus 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 22 mpg combined
22
mpg combined
18
city
28
highway
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,050
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 404 g/mi
- EPA class
- Large Cars
What it costs you to run
$2,969per year
$247per month
682gallons a year
Miles ÷ 22 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 18 / 28 / 22 | $3,050 | 404 |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 18 / 27 / 21 | $3,200 | 423 |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 17 / 25 / 20 | $3,350 | 444 |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 17 / 24 / 20 | $3,350 | 444 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2012 Taurus for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2012 Ford Taurus FAQ
How many recalls does the 2012 Ford Taurus have?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns: 16V247000 (air bag), 15V340000 (steering), 15V040000 (structure), 14V285000 (lighting), 13V109000 (fuel system). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2012 Ford Taurus problems?
Owners filed 79 complaints with NHTSA. Steering (17), Electrical system (16), Structure (16) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2012 Ford Taurus get?
EPA rates the 3.5 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic version at 18 city, 28 highway and 22 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2012 Ford Taurus get?
NHTSA rated the 2012 Ford Taurus 4 dr fwd 4 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (11.3% rollover risk).
How does the 2012 Taurus compare with other years?
Among the 2008–2017 Ford Taurus model years at least five years old, the 2017 drew the fewest complaints (44) and the 2013 the most (584). The 2012 drew 79. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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