Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
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).
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the rear axle was completely rusted and the subframe that held the two rear tires was also rusted and fractured. As a result, the contact had to change the rear tires more frequently. The check engine and ABS lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed that the entire frame needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 300,000.
Friday afternoon I took my 90 year old mother and drove to chick filet to buy a takeout lunch. I drove home to my mother's house and was in the process of backing up the car into her driveway. I stopped the car and looked behind me to check for anyone walking and then heard my mom scream fire!, fire!. As I quickly turned my head back I saw flames jumping out from under the hood of my 2000 Ford Taurus station wagon. I quickly turn off the car, grabbing the keys as I went, yelled at my mom to get out and then jumped out of the car and raced back to open the trunk so that I could get my mother's walker. As I arrived at my mother's car door I helped her out and pulled off her oxygen canula and told her to walk as fast as she could towards the house. I then grabbed the oxygen tank, purses, and lunch and ran toward the house screaming for someone to call the fire department. …
This exact same thing happened to my 2000 Taurus: report receipt date: jan 28, 2015 NHTSA campaign number: 15V040000 component(s): structure potential number of units affected: 194,889 all products associated with this recall expand details close 5 associated documents expand manufacturer: Ford motor company 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. …
Ford Taurus water leak on passenger side of cabin. Over an inch of water on floor. Appeared after cabin filter was replaced. Dealer replaced rt. Side cowl and weather stripping. Still had leak. Apparently they cracked or did not properly reinstall the cabin filter cover. Had some work done since then with new cabin filter, had heavy rain and water damage again. This time, blower motor and blower resistor ruined. Smelled electrical burning. Very dangerous, I would imagine, not to mention, trying to drive with fogged up windows. They want me to pay over $450 to repair. I have refused. Incidents were in 12/04 and now. Have read plenty of info. Regarding Ford's faulty design of Taurus' (mine) sables and other models. This should be recalled and repaired free of charge!!!
My 2000 Ford Taurus se, with 31,900 miles on it, has recently developed a six (6) inch long split in the sheet metal skin inside the right front door jam on the door piller. The split in the sheet metal is wide enough to see the interior of the door piller. This defect will be reported to my Ford dealership on January 6,2003. The defect was first discovered on January 4, 2003. I would consider this defect extremely serious since the door pillar is an important part of the vehicle's safety mechanism. Photographs have been taken of the defect and can be mailed to your office upon request.
My car door doesn't always latch immediately when I close the door. Sometimes I have to drive 5 miles holding the car door closed with one hand before the door will latch. This happens during the winter months. The car has to warm up before the door will latch. I have tried lubricating the door latch and that doesn't work. There haven't been any technical service bulletins written about this issue. The car door latch works great during spring, fall and summer.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Ford Taurus. The contact was driving 45 MPH when the vehicle steered abnormally to the left. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the mechanic confirmed corrosion on the frame near the passenger side front tire. The manufacturer was contacted and the vehicle was repaired. The failure and the current mileage were 145,000. Updated11/29/11 updated 02/29/12
Tl contact owns a 2000 Ford Taurus. While the vehicle was being inspected, the contact was informed that the frame was rusted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the frame needed to be replaced. The contact did not notice any differences in the vehicle beforehand. The current and failure mileages were 133,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that the frame was rusted and the lower control arm and drive shaft fractured while the contact was driving low speeds. The dealer and manufacturer denied any assistance with repairs to the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 138,777.
In cold weather the liftgate collapsed. This has been happening for the last two winters. Please provide any further information. The consumer stated that sometimes in cool weather the glass liftgate stays up, in other instances without warning it suddenly drops causing painful blows to the head, hands or both.
Body complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2000 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the body & structure of the 2000 Ford Taurus, 3% of the model year's 1,195 complaints. The component named most often is body (10 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Ford Taurus body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure 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 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 89,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 3 fires and 0 injuries to body & structure 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.