The Lemon Index2005 Ford Taurus.
The 2005 Ford Taurus is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 62 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 42, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 1 recall, and it gets 19 to 20 mpg combined. The best Ford Taurus year is 2004.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 774 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Ford Taurus year. 2005 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 65K to 110K miles on the car (701 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- speed control complaints mostly came at 71K–118K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 62K–101K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 78K–127K miles
Recalls 1
- brakes 2016
A damaged or broken brake disc may reduce a vehicle's braking power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Ford told dealers about
Ford sent dealers 31 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Erratic fluid level reading on transaxle dipstick-leaks-4f50n, ax4n, ax4s transaxle
- 4f50n transaxle no 1-2 upshift and diagnositc trouble code p0732
- Dtcs p0760 and p0763-4f50n transaxle-vehicles built before 3/15/2005
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- ClosedStuck throttle2012
- ClosedEngine stalling ffv2006–2007
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★☆ · side ★★★☆☆ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $3200–3400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.0L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Purchased a 2005 Ford Taurus a year ago and having transmission problems.. Over the 36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, so called dealership and was treated very disrespectful. Called Ford and no help from them either.
2005 Ford Taurus owner · NHTSA complaint 10159945
More owner reports
Car has 44,000 miles and transmission already failing with the following codes: error codes p0732 and p0733. Transmission slips on 2nd and 3rd gear.
NHTSA complaint 10158920
Drivers door collision, vehicle equipped with side air bags but did not deploy. Had bags deployed glass injury would not have occurred.
NHTSA complaint 10215432
Quick answers
Is the 2005 Ford Taurus reliable?
Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 2.4× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 42; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Ford Taurus year by this measure since 2010 is 2018.
What are the most common 2005 Ford Taurus problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (23%), airbags (21%) and visibility (16%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2005 Ford Taurus have?
1 safety recall (latest: brakes). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2005 Ford Taurus get?
19 to 20 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2005 Ford Taurus problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 65,000 and 110,900 miles. The middle report was at 90,000 miles, from 701 complaints.
Does the 2005 Ford Taurus have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 23% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2005 Ford Taurus cost in fuel a year?
About $3200 to $3400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2005 Ford Taurus have?
3.0L 6-cyl.
What Ford Taurus year is better than the 2005?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2018, 2016 and 2017.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works