FordTaurus X2008Overview/ford/taurus-x/2008/base/

2008 Ford Taurus X

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Taurus X.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic 6-spd

The 2008 Ford Taurus X is an SUV equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission and an EPA fuel economy rating of 15/22/18 mpg. This model utilizes 6.0 quarts of 5W-20 API engine oil. Its reliability history is characterized by two recalls and 153 total owner complaints, with steering cited as the top complaint area.

Model year20092008

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 59 · 540 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 59 · 540 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215-65R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rimN/A inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 6-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length200.4 in
Overall width74.8 in
Overall height67.3 in
Wheelbase113 in
Curb weight3959 lb
Track (front / rear)64.6 / 64.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)55/45

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 22 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 20.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity10.5
Brake FluidDOT 4
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF
Transfer Case FluidSYNTHETIC · GL-5

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug20.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug15.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug15.0
Front Wheel Hub285 X Awd ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub285 X Awd ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub258 X FWD ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant CapacityLess auxiliary systems, 1.63. With auxiliary systems, 2.00. lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil CapacityLess auxiliary systems, 7.00. With auxiliary systems, 9.50. oz
Standard BCI Group Number59
Standard BCI Cranking Performance540 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature175-182 °F
Pressure Test14 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature175-182 °F
Engine Oil Pressure30 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM1500 rpm

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket44 ft-lbs / 21 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle111 ft-lbs / 81 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket44 ft-lbs / 21 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle111 ft-lbs / 81 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.118; Rear: 0.118 in
Minimum Pad Thickness0.118 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.140 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
189 ft. lbs., step 2: 360 degrees, step 3: 37 ft. lbs., step 4: 9089 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1install 6 new exhaust manifold stud9 ft lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Temperature Controlled Seat Air Filter (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 Ford Taurus X shows a notably higher complaint volume (153) compared to its successor year (11), suggesting initial model-year growing pains that largely subsided by 2009. Steering problems dominated the complaints with 38 instances, followed by powertrain issues at 21, while crash and fire complaints each numbered 4—numbers that, while present, did not trigger additional NHTSA investigations beyond the one already on record. The two recalls remained consistent into 2009, indicating Ford addressed persistent safety issues across both model years rather than a single-year fix. The target year also generated the highest number of TSBs (10) in this comparison, pointing to dealer-level service interventions for ongoing issues. Given the significant complaint drop and maintained recall structure in 2009, the 2008 model appears to represent the less refined version of this generation, suggesting that buyers prioritizing reliability may find better value in the subsequent model year.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
10
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
153
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 4 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 153 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering38
Power Train21
Structure8
Power Train,Vehicle Speed Control7
Unknown Or Other4
Vehicle Speed Control4
Seats4
Suspension4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V247000Air Bags:FrontalReported 26/04/2016

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Ford Flex, 2008 and 2010-2012 Ford Taurus, 2008-2009 Ford Taurus X, 2008 Mercury Sable, 2009 and 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles. The driver frontal air bag… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's frontal air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 10 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SSM 546012026-02-23Electrical SystemFord and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory…
SSM 524762024-04-24EquipmentAll accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the…
RFI20210317_810-2021-03-17SuspensionThis SKU is a Control Arm. The customer communication requested return of unsold…
AS-217692011-03-01Power TrainFORD: IF THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT LACK OF POWER, SURGE, OR HESITATION WHILE DRIVING THE…
TSB-10-16-12010-08-09Engine And Engine CoolingFORD: THERE MAY BE A ROUGH IDLE OR MISSES WHILE THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON. THERE ARE…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Taurus X. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 Taurus X take?

6.0 qt of 5W-20 API MEETING FORD SPECIFICATION WSS-M2C945-A, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Taurus X have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Taurus X get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.