Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford Taurus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Rim (wheel) ripped apart with the lug nuts and center of rim still attached to car / rotor: my son was traveling at approx. 70 MPH on the highway when the front right passenger wheel started to shake. Before he could step on the brake the tire and most of the rim was detached from the car causing excessive damage to the front end. From the center lane, the car went skidding out of control to the side of the highway barely missing a large pole and eventually coming to a stop. The mechanic on the scene had never seen anything like this in his long career of mechanics. He told my son that he was very lucky he was on even pavement because the car could have easily flipped causing major injury and probably death. Hood or driver side door won't open. Brakes are not functional. Frame, rotor and lower suspension are damaged. …
We own a 2001 Ford Taurus with about 28,000 miles on this vehicle. I am handicap and this is the vehicle that we use to get me to appointments, etc. We are very lucky that the front tire exploded while my husband was backing out of our driveway and not while we were already driving on the highway or where ever! We had the car towed to our mechanic and he told us that the tire exploded because of the front spring coil. Once we found out the cause, I looked on the internet for any issues or recalls for this problem, and low and behold there is a recall because of the front spring coils. We then had the vehicle towed to the Ford dealership that we bought the car from. They are fixing the car now. Yesterday we were told by the dealership that there is a problem with the rear spring coils and that they also need to be replaced. …
One of my OEM tires (Firestone affinity) suddenly failed without warning. There was no road hazard damage such as nails or screws involved. The tire's outside sidewall failed resulting in a split large enough that a credit card could slide through it. The OEM tires had less than 18,000 miles at the time of failure. The pressure had been checked during a routine service visit on all of the tires one month prior to this. After taking the tire to a corporate Firestone store, they blamed the failure as "impact damage". Basically they said it was my fault for hitting something and not due to a problem with the tire. If I had actually hit something, then I could accept the problem. But since I did not hit anything when the tire failed, I am now concerned about the other OEM Firestone affinity tires on my 2001 Ford Taurus. …
Tl contact owns Goodyear assurance comfort p195/60/r15 tires. The contact experienced tread separation just after 40,000 miles. The contact purchased the same tire for a 2001 Ford Taurus and a 2001 Ford focus. Both the vehicle dealer and tire store stated that the problem was tread separation but the tire manufacturer disagreed. The tires were rotated at 35,000 miles and failed 5,000 miles later. The dot number and VIN were unavailable at the time of the complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000. The consumer stated one of the tires that had just been inspected, went flat while driving on the highway. Updated 08/23/10 updated 08/19/10 updated 09/09/10. Updated 09/14/10
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Taurus. The vehicle had cooper tires, line dean alpha, dot 3dx8dk30707, size p215-60-r16. The contact was driving 70 MPH when the vehicle began abnormally vibrating followed by a loud, unusual noise. The contact discovered that the front passenger tire had blown. The vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where the tire was replaced, as well as the rear tires. The mechanic advised that the steel belts were separated from the rear tires. The manufacturer of the tires would not provide any assistance. The VIN was not available. The failure and current mileage was 48,000.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Ford Taurus. While driving 35 MPH, the contact heard a loud rubbing noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the shop and it was discovered that the rear springs failed and punctured the tires. The contact spoke with the manufacturer requesting assistance with the $1,300 repair cost, but was denied assistance. The current and failure mileages were 43,000. The consumer stated replaced 2 tires were needed 4 were bought, both sets of springs, struts, mounts. The dealer stated the left rear brakes seem to be hanging. Updated 08/07/07
As I was traveling the rear spring snapped and started to gouge into the tire and cut the tire on the top corner sidewall where the steel belts are now showing also heated up so fast that I was not able to take off the lug nuts of the tire to see what was wrong. This is a common problem according to multiple Ford dealership service advisors and it could be fatal if the tire explodes. Ford claims there is not enough complaints to order a recall for a potential fatal flaw in the car.
On I-24 east bound, raining, about 65 MPH, pulled into left lane to pass slower vehicle, car hydroplaned and lost complete control of vehicle, hit head on into guardrail - neither drivers nor passengers airbags deployed (battery still had power after collision), went backwards down the interstate on the shoulder causing car to be a complete loss. Car: 2001 blue Ford Taurus ses - purchased: 01/21/2002 loss: 01/23/2002. (tiresize: 16 inch)
I own a 2001 Ford Taurus. The front and rear coil springs have been replaced two times over the years. There was a recall on the front springs but none on the rear. My recent incident occurred in October. I had five kids in the car when the front coil broke off and ripped the tire. The cost to fix was $1,700. Why hasn't there been a stronger demand for Ford to fix this problem. Searching the internet I know this is a widespread problem.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 35 MPH in normal driving conditions, the right front tire tread separated without warning. There were no obvious road hazards. The tire was inspected by a dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the tread separation. The manufacturer was not contacted. The tire was a continental, touring contact as p215/60r16, dot number uptr4561205. Updated 10/17/2006 -
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 2001 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 42 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 2001 Ford Taurus, 4% of the model year's 1,037 complaints. The component named most often is tread/belt (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Taurus wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for the 2001 Ford Taurus, though it has 9 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 2001 Ford Taurus wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 43,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 5 injuries to wheels & tires 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.