FordTaurus2018Overview/ford/taurus/2018/base/

2018 Ford Taurus

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 Taurus.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2018 Ford Taurus is a passenger car that pairs a six‑speed automatic transmission with an engine specified by an oil capacity of 5.7‑ to 6.0 and a viscosity of 5W‑30 / 5W‑20. It achieves EPA fuel‑economy ratings of 16 mpg city, 24 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined. In its final model year it recorded 45 total owner complaints — primarily in the back‑over prevention category — and four recalls, placing its reliability near the low end of a historical span that peaked at 1,822 complaints in 1993 and fell to just 11 in 2019.

Model year20192018201720162015201420132012

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.7-6.0OEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 5W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/24/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI EcoBoost and Duratech with Intelligent Access: 65; Duratech without Intelligent Access: 59 · EcoBoost and Duratech with Intelligent Access: 650; Duratech without Intelligent Access: 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 EcoBoost and Duratech with Intelligent Access: 65; Duratech without Intelligent Access: 59 · EcoBoost and Duratech with Intelligent Access: 650; Duratech without Intelligent Access: 540 CCAOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length203.1 in
Overall width76.4 in
Overall height60.6 in
Wheelbase113 in
Curb weight4228 lb
Track (front / rear)66.1 / 66.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 24 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume102 cu ft
Cargo volume20 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Taurus of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.2–8.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.20 sec — 2013 SHO Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2016Limited 2.0L EcoBoost Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-47.40 sec15.60 sec240 hpFWD
2013SHO Sedan 3.5L Twin-Turbo V65.20 sec13.80 sec365 hpAWD
2013SHO Sedan 3.5L Twin-Turbo V65.20 sec13.70 sec365 hpAWD
2013Police Interceptor Sedan 3.5L Twin-Turbo V65.30 sec13.90 sec365 hpAWD
2013SEL Sedan 3.5L V66.60 sec15.10 sec288 hpFWD
2013SEL Sedan 3.5L V67.00 sec15.40 sec288 hpAWD
2013Limited Sedan 3.5L V67.20 sec15.50 sec288 hpAWD
20132.0L EcoBoost Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-47.40 sec15.70 sec240 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.7-6.0 of 5W-30 / 5W-20 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity10.9-11.6
Brake FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.43 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · 5W-20
Engine Oil Capacity5.7-6.0
Power Steering FluidEPS
Transfer Case FluidSynthetic · 75W-140 · GL-5

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)Stage 1: Tighten to 40 Nm
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)35.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)14.75 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts59.0 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts29.5 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub258.0
Rear Wheel Hub258.0
Front Wheel Hub258.0

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap.051 in
Spark Plug Torque11 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.44 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.40 oz
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650

Service checks

Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum51.0 psi
Fuel Pump Pressure Maximum75.0 psi
RPM51.0-75.0 rpm
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum55.0 psi
RPM55.0 rpm

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 53; Rear: 24
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 122; Rear: 76
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.122; Rear: .394
Maximum Rotor Runout.002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 2 stages
171.0 inch lbs.71 in
245.0
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 3 stages
117.0 ft. lbs.17 ft. lbs
232.0 ft. lbs.32 ft. lbs
390.0
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
189.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 360 degrees, Step 3: 37.0 ft. lbs., Step 4: 9089 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages
17.4 ft. lbs.7.4 ft. lbs
2Turn 45
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Install New Studs: 8.8 ft. lbs.

111 ft. lbs.11 ft. lbs
214.7
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

Prep Lower Intake: 7.4 ft. lbs. · Upper Intake: Step 1: 7.4 ft. lbs.

2Tighten 45
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Cap bolts

120.0 ft. lbs.20 ft. lbs
2180.0 degrees; Side bolts180 degrees
133.0 ft. lbs.33 ft. lbs
290.0

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the 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 10,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect)
Every 20,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miSpark 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 2018 Ford Taurus sits near the bottom of the complaint trajectory for the generation, with 45 complaints and four recalls, a sharp decline from the 587 complaints in 2013 and 256 in 2015. Across the decade the trend shows a steep drop after 2014, stabilizing at single‑digit complaints by 2019. The 2018 model’s recall count of four matches the 2017 level, indicating no increase in safety‑related issues that year. Crash complaints total three and fire complaints one, both low relative to earlier years. Given the markedly reduced complaint and recall volume, 2018 is a solid year to consider, offering a relatively clean record compared to its predecessors.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
73
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
45
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 45 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Back Over Prevention7
Structure6
Suspension6
Engine & Engine Cooling4
Unknown Or Other3
Structure,Back Over Prevention2
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other2
Power Train2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V141000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 01/03/2018

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Ford Taurus vehicles equipped with mechanical key ignition systems. The keys for these vehicles may be able to be removed from the ignition when transmission is… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter assembly, free of charge. The recall began May 11, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332…

20V072000Suspension:RearReported 10/02/2020

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Lincoln MKT and Ford Flex and Taurus vehicles with the Police Interceptor or SHO Performance Pack. The rear suspension toe links may fracture due to stress on the… Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links, free of charge. Remedy parts are not currently available. Owners were notified about the recall on…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 73 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SSM 546012026-02-23Electrical SystemFord and Lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory…
TSB 25-25702025-11-26Electrical SystemThis article supersedes TSB 24-2165 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some vehicles…
SSM 543662025-11-11Power TrainSome 2015-2021 Ford and Lincoln vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic…
SSM 530402024-10-10Unknown Or OtherWhile performing a transmission repair on some 2012-2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, a…
TSB 24-21652024-05-27Unknown Or OtherThis article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS…

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. 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 2018 Taurus take?

5.7-6.0 of Turbo: 5W-30 Meeting Ford specification WSS-M2C946-A or equivalent., Non-Turbo: 5W-20 Meeting Ford specification WSS-M2C945-A or equivalent., per the factory manual.

Does the 2018 Taurus have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Taurus get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 24 highway / 19 combined mpg.