Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Ford Taurus owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact's daughter owned a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The contact's daughter then lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree. The air bags were deployed upon impact. The contact's daughter suffered neck and shoulder bruising from the seat belt restraint as well as burns on her arms from the air bag deployment. No medical attention was received. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and was not yet deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 221,000.
The contact's acquaintance owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while his acquaintance was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn as it would loosen intermittently. The contact stated that his acquaintance informed him that there was play in the steering wheel column. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the failure could not be duplicated; however, the failure reoccurred intermittently while driving. The contact stated that though he was a former Ford dealer, he could not duplicate the failure. However, the failure occurred intermittently while the contact was test-driving the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that his acquaintance would be liable for the diagnostic test and the repair cost. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while reversing out of the driveway, the steering wheel seized. The message "Power Steering Adjustment Fault" was displayed. The contact used physical force to steer the vehicle while driving to her destination. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering functional returned. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving 40-45 MPH with her niece and nephew in the rear seats. The contact stated that she pulled to the side of the roadway. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering became functional. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The contact stated that the failure persisted after turning off and restarting the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle inadvertently lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while making turns and while starting the vehicle. A message indicating that the Power Steering Assist was inoperable was displayed. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 65 MPH and making a turn with his child in a car seat in the rear seat, the failure recurred. The vehicle fishtailed and was nearly rear-ended by a semi-truck. The contact used physical strength to steer the vehicle to the side of the road and slammed on the brake pedal. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the steering wheel responded as needed. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was significant play and vibration in the steering wheel, and the vehicle was pulling to one side. The contact stated that the traction control warning light illuminated when the steering wheel was completely steered to the right or to the left. The contact also stated that The TPMS warning light remained illuminated even though the tires were fully inflated. Additionally, the contact stated that there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the rear end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the steering gear had failed. The mechanic determined that both the steering gear and the ball joint needed to be replaced. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving 55-60 MPH, there was play in the steering wheel. Additionally, the steering wheel emitted abnormal grinding sounds and became difficult to maneuver. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that upon restarting the vehicle, the failure persisted. The contact was able to continue driving at slower speeds. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the steering rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer who informed the contact that the repair could not be covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and turning the steering wheel to the left or the right, the contact heard an abnormal sound. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the electric power steering assist had started to fail and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the front suspension was bouncing every time the contact drove or any deformity in the road surface. The contact had taken the vehicle to another independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the driver's and passenger's side shock absorbers needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact reported that the failure had reoccurred. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while attempting to pull out of a parking space, the steering wheel seized. The traction control warning light was illuminated, and the message "Steering Rack Assembly" was displayed. The contact stated that she turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the steering wheel operated as needed. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while attempting to drive or reverse from a complete stop. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering rack assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was white-colored smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact replenished the coolant fluid soon after noticing the smoke. The following day, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became firm, and excessive force was needed to turn the steering wheel. The "Power Steering Assist" message was displayed on the instrument panel. Two unknown dealers were notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V340000 (Steering); and linked the failure to the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. …
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the "Power Steering Assist Fault" warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel became very firm and difficult to maneuver. The contact was able to pull the vehicle to the side of the road and turn off the vehicle. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the steering started working properly. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The local dealer was contacted; however, no assistance was provided since the vehicle was not under recall. The contact stated that while researching online, she became aware that there was an unknown open recall related to the failure; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. …
Related recalls
Steering › Electric power assist system
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusion vehicles without a 3.5L engine and Lincoln MKZ hybrid electric vehicles, 2011 Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS, and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with a 3.5L GTDI engine and 2013 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will check the Power Steering Control Module (PSCM) for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC).
Steering complaints in other Taurus years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2013 Ford Taurus?
NHTSA has 295 complaints about the steering of the 2013 Ford Taurus, 50% of the model year's 585 complaints. The component named most often is electric power assist system (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Ford Taurus steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 15V-340 (electric power assist system, Jun 2, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2013 Ford Taurus steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 95,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 1 fire and 9 injuries to steering 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.