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1996 Ford Taurus Sho

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 15 of 24 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 2005
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkagesPower Train

I PURCHASED MY '96 FORD TAURUS WAGON IN '99. I HAD IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS WITH THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT A MONTH AFTER PURCHASE. THE LIGHT WAS CHECKED AND I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THE SYSTEM WAS RESET. MONTHS LATER, THE LIGHT POPPED ON AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE OXYGEN SENSOR (BY FORD MOTORS). 6 MONTHS LATER, THE ENG…

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I PURCHASED MY '96 FORD TAURUS WAGON IN '99. I HAD IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS WITH THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT A MONTH AFTER PURCHASE. THE LIGHT WAS CHECKED AND I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG AND THE SYSTEM WAS RESET. MONTHS LATER, THE LIGHT POPPED ON AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE OXYGEN SENSOR (BY FORD MOTORS). 6 MONTHS LATER, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS ANOTHER SENSOR. MONTHS AFTER THAT WAS REPAIRED THE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AGAIN AND UP UNTIL THIS DAY (12-17-05) I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/ INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH AN OXYGEN SENSOR. I ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTING WITH A JERK WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND TAKING OFF WITH A JERK--- AFTER 8 MONTHS OF PURCHASING THE CAR. ITS WAS COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY BUT AFTER THE REPAIR--THE CAR CONTINUED TO DO THE SAME THING. THE PROBLEM STILL HUNTS ME. MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM GETS OUT OF CONTROL. MY DRIVER DOOR LOCK LATCH WILL POP UP AS IF THE KEY IS IN THE IGNITION--LEAVING ME TO MANUALLY PUSH THE LOCK DOWN WHEN GETTING OUT THE CAR. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CONTROL MOVES MALFUNCTIONS BY GOING FROM FAST TO SLOW AND FAST AGAIN WITH OUT ME CHANGING THE SPEED. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SITUATION TO FORD MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON MY CAR AND MY PROBLEMS WERE NOT RESOLVED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10145536

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.