Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Ford Taurus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Someone pulled out in front of me as I was slowing down to make a left turn. I T-boned their vehicle while going 35mph, resulting in a total loss for my 2000 Ford Taurus. (This was in 2018 so it was not a new car). My driver steering wheel airbag DID NOT deploy. I was wearing my seat belt. I still have chest pains when I sneeze and cough, even 4 years later (in November 2022, at time of writing), and in the last year (2021) received a cortisone shot in my left shoulder. I was offered a neck brace in the ambulance and was prescribed an arm sling in the hospital. I was diagnosed with whiplash. I believe I was given pain medication. Someone from the NHTSA in Indiana contacted me and we spoke briefly about it that week, so this may have been previously reported to this agency. …
My wife rear ended a car and the airbag let out a puff of greyish smoke but did not deploy. After the airbag/seat belt light has stayed on. Krieger Ford dealership had put it on their diagnostic machine and said the airbag was fine, but the seat belt tensioner needed replacement. I believe this much is true because it was acting funny even before the . I am suspicious of their airbag assesment however because I read where 2000 (this is what I have) and 2001 Taurus and sables are being investigated because there were about 240 instances of airbags not deploying as of July 2003.
Dt: 2000 Ford Taurus. The car was in an accident on the July 4,2005. While driving at 25-30 MPH an oncoming vehicle turned in front of consumer's vehicle and it swerved to miss the car and hit a lamp post head on. The air bags did not deploy. The passenger sustained injuries. A police report was filed. The body shop said they did not know why the air bags did not deploy. Called the dealership where the car was purchased and they said it could have been that the impact was not hard enough or the car was not hit the right spot to deploy the air bags.
2000 Ford Taurus. VIN [redacted]. This vehicle was involved in an accident where it struck another vehicle at approximately 45 MPH the front end was demolished, but the airbags did not deploy. Now being repaired. Not sure. What failed. 48,000 miles on this vehicle and it had not been in an accident previously, nor had the airbags been worked on. No previous warning from dash indicators that anything was wrong with the airbag system. Updated 07/25/2012
The complaint was received via e-mail. In June of 2004 I was involved in a head on collision at 40 MPH. None of the frontal airbags deployed, but fortunately the seat belts did work, quite possibly preventing serious injuries. A couple of weeks after the accident I notified Ford consumer service division about the air bags, but they didn't provide any assistance because my insurance company had already covered the damages, and they have current possession of the vehicle. They just blew me off.
I was attempting a lane change at 75 MPH the rear end of the car came around. I have noticed that the rear of the car slides very easily, I feel this is an engineering flaw. I was in a accident the airbags did not deploy and I was in the hospital. I have lost my car in a probable total loss. I feel that the rear of the car was engineered incorrectly. The rear of the car is too loose and loses traction on turns too easily. **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut over to artemis**768219
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that another vehicle crashed into their vehicle, causing the contact to crash into a fence. None of the air bags deployed on impact. The contact and a passenger sustained injuries to the neck. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not inspected for the air bag failure. The failure and the current mileage was 129,000. The consumer stated the maufacturer was contacted. Updated 08/14/2012
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the contact drove over a patch of sand and lost control of the vehicle. The contact was unable to maintain control of the vehicle as it traveled and crashed down an embankment. The air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the neck and back. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 241,074.
We had this vehicle checked several times due to the airbag light coming on/staying on/flashing. On one occasion the sensor was replaced, after that it was cleaned, due to corrosion at the connection. My wife was involved in an auto accident on 8/16/05 where the car was hit on the drivers side front end at approximately 50 miles per hour, the posted speed limit. None of the airbags deployed. My wife sustained whiplash from the accident.
Dt: the airbags did not deploy during an automobile accident. They deployed after impacting, and consumer hit the steering wheel. The impact was on the front end of the car. The accident had been over for 6 seconds before the airbags deployed. Then the airbag deployed and threw the consumer backwards. This was the driver's airbag that was late in deployment, but passenger's air bag caught on fire.
NHTSA investigations
Frontal air bag non-deployment in crash
Ford motor company has identified 260 reports alleging frontal air bag non-deployment for any (severity) frontal or near-frontal crash on model year 2000-2001 Ford taurus and Mercury sable vehicles.additional crash reports are contained in NHTSA's fatality analysis reporting system (fars) database.the single odi report listed in the report summary is NHTSA's special crash investigation's case no.
Frontal air bag non-deployment in crash
This investigation identified a total of 427 reports alleging non-deployment of the frontal air bags.of the 427 reports, two incidents (fatal crashes) have been identified as severe frontal crashes in which the frontal air bags did not deploy.a defect trend has not been identified at this time.further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of…
Airbag complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2000 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 88 complaints about the air bags of the 2000 Ford Taurus, 7% of the model year's 1,195 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (38 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Ford Taurus airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2000 Ford Taurus, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2000 Ford Taurus airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 56 crashes, 1 fire and 50 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.