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: 93 of 825 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 214 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 182 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 101 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
69 crash reports12 fire reports45 injury reports
What owners actually said
825 reports
Mileage unknown · Nov 21, 2002
Seat Belts
BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERATIVE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. NEITHER BELT WOULD RETRACT BACK INTO SPOOL MECHANISM. BOTH REAR BELTS HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF FOLDING AND TWISTING. WHICH MADE USE OF THE BELTS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AT TIMES. BELTS HAVE EXPERIENCED NORMAL USE ONLY. FORD WILL NOT REPLACE THE BELTS FOR FREE BECAUSE TH…
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BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS ARE INOPERATIVE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. NEITHER BELT WOULD RETRACT BACK INTO SPOOL MECHANISM. BOTH REAR BELTS HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF FOLDING AND TWISTING. WHICH MADE USE OF THE BELTS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AT TIMES. BELTS HAVE EXPERIENCED NORMAL USE ONLY. FORD WILL NOT REPLACE THE BELTS FOR FREE BECAUSE THEY ARE BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD. DT
NHTSA ODI #770000
Mileage unknown · Nov 21, 2002
Power Train
MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW HAD PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED INFORMATION ON THIS PROBLEM. SEE ODI ID #766182. SHE HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED BY NHTSA. THE FORD DEALER TOLD HER "THAT'S WHAT PARKING BRAKES ARE FOR." MOST 1996 TAURUS MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS. COULD YOU CHECK THE VIN SHE SUPPLIED TO SEE IF IT WAS RECALLED? IF IT WAS NOT RECAL…
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MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW HAD PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED INFORMATION ON THIS PROBLEM. SEE ODI ID #766182. SHE HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED BY NHTSA. THE FORD DEALER TOLD HER "THAT'S WHAT PARKING BRAKES ARE FOR." MOST 1996 TAURUS MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS. COULD YOU CHECK THE VIN SHE SUPPLIED TO SEE IF IT WAS RECALLED? IF IT WAS NOT RECALLED, PERHAPS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. A "ROLLING PARK" IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE. DT
NHTSA ODI #769981
Mileage unknown · Nov 20, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND SHUT DOWN CAUSING LOST OF POWER STEERING. TS
NHTSA ODI #8023026
Mileage unknown · Nov 18, 2002
Exterior Lighting
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HEADLIGHTS. ALSO STATED THAT WHEN SHE WILL TURN ON HER LIGHTS ONLY THE DAY LIGHTS WILL GO ON. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND TOLD THE CONSUMER TO CONTACT US. TS
NHTSA ODI #8022855
Mileage unknown · Nov 15, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING 60MPH THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN CAUSING LOST OF POWER STEERING. ADD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
NHTSA ODI #8022838
Mileage unknown · Nov 12, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE CAM SHAFT SPROCKET FAILED, RESULTING IN A EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. DT
NHTSA ODI #769617
Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2002
Steering
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE POWER STEERING WILL NOT TURN ON OR OFF AND CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO STEER OR TURN. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
NHTSA ODI #8021900
Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
HEARD TAPPING SOUND COMING FROM ENGINE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED THREE TIMES LOST ALL POWER TO VEHICLE UPON INSPECTION FROM FORD DEALER THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE CAM SPROCKET HAD STRIPPED FROM THE CAM SHAFT AS A RESULT THE ENGINE IS TOTALED RESULTING IN A 6000.00 DOLLAR LESS TAX AND LABOR REPAIR BILL. DT
NHTSA ODI #769103
Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 2002
Power Train
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE TRANSMISSION WILL LOCKED UP AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND THE CONSUMER WILL BE FORCE TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR
NHTSA ODI #8020818
Mileage unknown · Oct 8, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS EMAILS FROM SEVERAL TAURUS SHO OWNERS REGARDING THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CAMSHAFT SPROCKET. *SLC
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER FORD SERVICE BULLETIN 97-17-9 FROM AUGUST 1997 THROUGH DECEMBER 1997. THESE VEHICLES WERE INADVERTENLY EQUIPPED WITH AN 18-GALLON FUEL TANK RATHER THAN THE 16-GALLON AS SPECIFIED. THE 18-GALLON TANK HAS A SECOND VALVE LOCATION WHERE A SHIPPING PLUG SHOULD BE INSTALLED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS SHIPPING PLUG IS DISPLACED, FUEL LEAKAGE CAN RESULT. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE CORRECT FUEL TANK.
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARK PAWL SHAFT MAY NOT BE FREE TO ROTATE AS INTENDED. IF THE PARK PAWL SHAFT DOES NOT ROTATE, IT WOULD PREVENT THE PARK PAWL FROM ENGAGING THE PARK GEAR WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER IS IN THE PARK POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AS IF IN NEUTRAL WITH THE SHIFT LEVER IN THE PARK POSITION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PARK PAWL SHAFT ROTATION AND THOSE SHAFTS WITH RESTRICTED ROTATION WILL BE REPLACED WITH A SHORTER SHAFT THAT WILL NOT RESTRICT ROTATION.
THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET HAS A SHARP EDGE WHICH CAN CAUSE THE PARKING PAWL TO HANG UP AND NOT ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET.
THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR LOCATED ON THE FUEL RAIL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAS A VACUUM DIAPHRAGM THAT WAS DAMAGED DURING MANUFACTURE OF THE REGULATOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE DIAPHRAGM TEARS OR RUPTURES, LIQUID FUEL COULD ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD PLENUM THROUGH THE VACUUM LINE RESULTING IN EITHER RELEASE OF FUEL FROM THE AIR CLEANER ASSEMBLY OR THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. FUEL RELEASE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. THOSE REGULATORS PRODUCED DURING THE SUSPECT TIME PERIOD WILL BE REPLACED.
THE PARK PAWL SHAFT WAS IMPROPERLY POSITIONED WHEN THE ROLL PIN THAT RETAINS IT WAS INSTALLED DURING TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY. IF THE SHAFT WAS NOT PROPERLY POSITIONED, THE ROLL PIN MAY NOT HAVE LINED UP WITH THE GROOVE IN THE SHAFT AND HAVE BEEN CRUSHED AT ASSEMBLY. ALSO, A BURR COULD HAVE BEEN RAISED ON THE SHAFT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PARK PAWL OCCASIONALLY NOT ENGAGING WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AS IF IN NEUTRAL IF THE VEHICLE OPERATOR DOES NOT APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PARK PAWL SHAFT ROLL PIN. IF THE ROLL PIN IS DAMAGED, BOTH THE ROLL PIN AND THE PARK PAWL SHAFT WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, OWNERS WILL BE REMINDED TO FULLY APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE, IN ADDITION TO PLACING THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK.
THE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUID LEVEL INDICATOR LAMP SWITCH CAN MALFUNCTION. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 105, "HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IF THE SWITCH MALFUNTIONS, THE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LAMP WILL EITHER REMAIN ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY OR FAIL TO LIGHT AS INTENDED WHEN THE FLUID LEVEL FALLS TO A CERTAIN LEVEL. IN EITHER CASE, THE VEHICLE OPERATOR WOULD NOT BE WARNED OF A LOW BRAKE FLUID LEVEL CONDITION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUID LEVEL INDICATOR LAMP SWITCHES.
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.
1996 Ford Taurus Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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