How many miles can a Ford Taurus last? When you’re in the market for a new or second-hand Taurus, that’s, of course, a very reasonable question to ask. After all, you’re probably looking to get the most bang for your buck.
In this blog, we’ll look at the most popular models but first, let’s ask:
How many miles can a Ford Taurus last?
On average, a Ford Taurus lasts between 180,000 – 210,000 miles. A Ford Taurus needs to go to the garage for unscheduled repairs about 0.18 times per year, with an 11% chance of the problem being severe. Furthermore, Ford Taurus owners spend an average of $697 per year on repair costs.
Having said that, we’re certainly not done. Below we’ll first explain in more detail how many miles a Ford Taurus can last. After that, we’ll also show you how much a Ford Taurus costs per year and which production years are most and least expensive.
Furthermore, we also discuss the common problems that a Ford Taurus can have for the models produced between 2007 and 2016. Read on!
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How Many Miles Can A Ford Taurus Last?
To answer how many miles a Ford Taurus can last, we needed to do some research. For this, we’ve used the database of Autotrader.com. For the Taurus, we looked at several different factors.
We found while doing this research that there are currently 2,939 units of this car for sale. The Taurus with the highest mileage was a car that had 250,000 miles on the counter. This seems to be the maximum a Ford Taurus can drive before giving up.
Furthermore, we found that a Ford Taurus can do around 200,000 miles in total on average. This gives the car a lifespan of 14 years and 10 months, with an average mileage of 13,500 per year.
Furthermore, we found the information that you can see in the table below. This table tells us how many miles the Ford Taurus generally seems to achieve before it’s being sold.
We found that 11.46% of the cars that were being sold had a mileage over 150,000 miles. This indicates that the car does seem to have a long lifespan.
Amount Of Miles | Percentage Of Cars |
Cars With 150.000+ | 11.46% |
Cars With 100.000 – 149.000 | 26.03% |
Cars With 45.000 – 99.000 | 41.31% |
Cars With 0 – 44.999 | 21.20% |
26.03% of the Ford Taurus cars sold had a mileage between 100,000 – 149,999 miles. The majority of the cars that were for sale had a mileage between 45,000 – 99,000. In total, this meant a percentage of 41,31%. The remainder of the cars (21,20%) had a mileage between 0 – 44,999 miles.
How Reliable Is The Ford Taurus Compared To Other Fords?
Below we’ve created a table with information from Autotrader.com. For each model car, we’ve selected all the cars that were being sold in the U.S.A. This is the sample size.
After that, we filtered the cars that had a mileage of 150,000 miles or more. We were able to calculate a percentage with these numbers, which gives us quite a good understanding of how many miles the car can drive.
What becomes clear when looking at this table is that the Taurus is the most reliable Ford, with 11.46% of them reaching a mileage of 11.46%. This means the car is, on average, able to drive more reliable miles than the F-250 and F-350, which are high mileage trucks.
Model | Sample Size | Cars With 150.000+ Miles | % Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+ |
Edge | 19961 | 776 | 3.89% |
Escape | 35265 | 1041 | 2.95% |
Expedition | 7328 | 524 | 7.15% |
Explorer | 32194 | 1139 | 3.54% |
F-150 | 83845 | 4684 | 5.59% |
F-250 | 17982 | 1873 | 10.42% |
F-350 | 10639 | 1209 | 11.36% |
Fiesta | 2757 | 54 | 1.96% |
Flex | 2343 | 214 | 9.13% |
Focus | 8141 | 522 | 6.41% |
Fusion | 8117 | 558 | 6.87% |
Mustang | 14294 | 276 | 1.93% |
Ranger | 8980 | 371 | 4.13% |
Taurus | 2931 | 336 | 11.46% |
Transit Connect | 3081 | 121 | 3.93% |
Total | 257858 | 13,698 | 5.31% |
How Much Does Maintenance Cost For A Ford Taurus?
On average, maintenance for a Ford Taurus costs $582,54 per year. Of course, the 2019 Ford Taurus is the cheapest car to maintain and repair, with average annual spending of $314.
The 2013 Ford Taurus is the most expensive Taurus to own, with annual spending of $797. The reason for this is that the 2013 model has some issues with blown gaskets and cylinder heads which are expensive repairs. We’ll discuss these problems in more detail in the last subheading.
Ford Taurus | Maintenance Cost Per Year |
2019 | $ 314 |
2018 | $ 476 |
2017 | $ 559 |
2016 | $ 637 |
2015 | $ 712 |
2014 | $ 695 |
2013 | $ 797 |
2012 | $ 692 |
2011 | $ 640 |
2010 | $ 630 |
2009 | $ 511 |
2008 | $ 498 |
2007 | $ 412 |
Ford Taurus Common Problems Per Year
To know how long a Ford Taurus can last, you, of course, also have to know how many problems this car has and how severe these are. Below you’ll find a list of common problems for the Taurus cars produced between 2007 – 2016. The 2017, 2018, and 2019 models are so new that they generally don’t have many problems yet.
NOTE: Before buying a used car, I always like to make sure the vehicle isn´t having any problems that you should be aware of. The easiest way to do this is by buying an OBD2 scanner. These scanners can easily be plugged into any car you’re interested in, and they’ll give you a rundown of potential problems.
2016
- Airconditioning speed changing constantly. This is an issue with the fan speed control unit that is easily fixed. This repair costs between $57 – $63.
2015
- Airconditioning speed changing constantly. This is an issue with the fan speed control unit that is easily fixed. This repair costs between $57 – $63.
2014
- Airconditioning speed changing constantly. This is an issue with the fan speed control unit that is easily fixed. This repair costs between $57 – $63.
- Engine oil pain gasket leak. Oil leaks out of the gasket onto the exhaust system which may cause a burning smell. This repair costs between $320 – $380
- Idle air bypass valve which makes the car difficult to start when cold or causes hesitations when accelerating. This repair costs between $88 – $111
2013
- Airconditioning speed changing constantly. This is an issue with the fan speed control unit that is easily fixed. This repair costs between $57 – $63.
- Idle air bypass valve which makes the car difficult to start when cold or causes hesitations when accelerating. This repair costs between $88 – $111
- Automatic headlights aren’t working properly because of difficulties with the sunload sensor, the Smart Junction Box or the light switch. This repair costs between $88 – $111
- White smoke coming from the exhaust because of a blown gasket or cylinder head. This repair costs $1,000 – $1,300.
2012
- Airconditioning speed changing constantly. This is an issue with the fan speed control unit that is easily fixed. This repair costs between $57 – $63.
- Engine oil pain gasket leak. Oil leaks out of the gasket onto the exhaust system which may cause a burning smell. This repair costs between $320 – $380
- Idle air bypass valve which makes the car difficult to start when cold or causes hesitations when accelerating. This repair costs between $88 – $111
- Automatic headlights aren’t working properly because of difficulties with the sunload sensor, the Smart Junction Box or the light switch. This repair costs between $88 – $111
2011
- Airconditioning speed changing constantly. This is an issue with the fan speed control unit that is easily fixed. This repair costs between $57 – $63.
- Automatic headlights aren’t working properly because of difficulties with the sunload sensor, the Smart Junction Box or the light switch. This repair costs between $88 – $111
- Misfiring of the engine caused by an intermittent fault with the synchronizer of the camshaft assembly. This repair costs around a $100
- White smoke coming from the exhaust because of a blown gasket or cylinder head. This repair costs $1,000 – $1,300.
2010
- Airconditioning speed changing constantly. This is an issue with the fan speed control unit that is easily fixed. This repair costs between $57 – $63.
- Automatic headlights aren’t working properly because of difficulties with the sunload sensor, the Smart Junction Box or the light switch. This repair costs between $88 – $111
- Misfiring of the engine caused by an intermittent fault with the synchronizer of the camshaft assembly. This repair costs around a $100
- Magnet for the camshaft position sensory falls out of its mount and damages synchronizers. This costs around $100 to repair.
2009
- Airconditioning speed changing constantly. This is an issue with the fan speed control unit that is easily fixed. This repair costs between $57 – $63.
- Automatic headlights aren’t working properly because of difficulties with the sunload sensor, the Smart Junction Box or the light switch. This repair costs between $88 – $111
- Misfiring of the engine caused by an intermittent fault with the synchronizer of the camshaft assembly. This repair costs around a $100
- Magnet for the camshaft position sensory falls out of its mount and damages synchronizers. This costs around $100 to repair.
2008
- Airconditioning speed changing constantly. This is an issue with the fan speed control unit that is easily fixed. This repair costs between $57 – $63.
- Automatic headlights aren’t working properly because of difficulties with the sunload sensor, the Smart Junction Box or the light switch. This repair costs between $88 – $111
- Misfiring of the engine caused by an intermittent fault with the synchronizer of the camshaft assembly. This repair costs around a $100
- Magnet for the camshaft position sensory falls out of its mount and damages synchronizers. This costs around $100 to repair.
- Inner tie rods wear prematurely and need to be replaced. This repair costs around $130
- Oil pan gasket starts to leak. This repair costs $320 – $380
2007
- Engine oil pan gasket leak. Oil leaks out of the gasket onto the exhaust system which may cause a burning smell. This repair costs between $320 – $380
- Idle air bypass valve which makes the car difficult to start when cold or causes hesitations when accelerating. This repair costs between $88 – $111
- Automatic headlights aren’t working properly because of difficulties with the sunload sensor, the Smart Junction Box, or the light switch. This repair costs between $88 – $111
- Misfiring of the engine caused by an intermittent fault with the synchronizer of the camshaft assembly. This repair costs around a $100
- Magnet for the camshaft position sensory falls out of its mount and damages synchronizers. This costs around $100 to repair.
- Oil pan gasket starts to leak. This repair costs $320 – $380
Is It Smart To Buy A Ford Taurus?
If it’s smart to buy a second-hand Ford Taurus depends on several factors such as warranty, risk of problems, and depreciation. Let’s take a look at these factors.
First of all, it’s good to know that a new Ford has a warranty of 3 years of 36,000 miles. Given that the Ford Taurus had its last production run in 2019, this means that most cars won’t have a warranty anymore.
We generally feel this is not that big of a problem given that the Taurus (especially the 2015 – 2019 models) have very few problems. Therefore you run minimal risk of the car needing a major expensive repair.
Furthermore, buying a used Taurus gives you the advantage of depreciation. A Ford Taurus that is 5 years old generally only costs 38,5% of its original price. This gives you a steep discount for a car that most likely still has 8 – 9 years left.
In general, we do believe that buying a used Ford Taurus can be a smart financial move given the small number of problems these cars have and the amount of depreciation that means you’ll certainly not overspend.
Are you in the market for this Ford? Don’t forget to check out our extensive list of the largest Ford dealers per state!
How To Maintain A Ford Taurus?
If you want your Ford Taurus to reach a high mileage, you’ll have to look after it. In general, this just means following the maintenance schedule of the Ford Taurus that Ford has provided. This looks as follows:
- Change the oil of the car every 10,000 miles
- Rotate the tires every 10,000 miles
- Replace the cabin air filter every 20,000 miles
- Replace the air filter every 30,000 miles
- Replace and flush the coolant every 50,000 miles
- Replace the spark plugs every 100,000 miles
- Replace the drive belt every 150,000 miles
- Replace the automatic transmission fluid and filter every 150,000 miles
Closing Thoughts
In this exploration of the Ford Taurus’s longevity, we have examined its average lifespan and maintenance costs, highlighting both the most and least expensive production years. These factors, combined with an understanding of common problems that can occur with this model, should offer a comprehensive view of what to expect from a Taurus.
However, owning a car is not just about longevity and maintenance costs. To truly get the most from your Ford Taurus, understanding its specifications and how to customize it to your needs can be beneficial.
If you’re interested in modifying your Taurus, our comprehensive guide on “The Exact Bolt Pattern Of A Ford Taurus” can provide insights into selecting the right tires and wheels for your vehicle, enhancing its performance and aesthetic.
In conclusion, the Ford Taurus is a vehicle that can offer longevity and reliability, with an average lifespan of 180,000 – 210,000 miles. Regular maintenance, understanding potential issues, and making smart customization choices can ensure you get the most from your Ford Taurus. Happy driving!
Sources:
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!