IllustrationWAS DRIVING & LOST CONTROL. HIT A SIGN, THEN HEAD-ON INTO A CEMENT WALL & BLACKED OUT. AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED SOME INJURIES. REFUSED TREATMENT UNTIL MUCH LATER. AIR BAGS HAD PREVIOUSLY DEPLOYED IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT & WERE REPAIRED. *AK *ML
1997 Ford Taurus
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Taurus years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Ford Taurus are substantially higher than the model-year median of 318.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Taurus years →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: 136 of 770 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.
- Power Train. Review the 214 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 145 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
64 crash reports12 fire reports41 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
42 reportsTHE ACCIDENT WAS AT A VERY LOW SPEED (~15 MPH) AND MORE DAMAGE AND INJURY WAS CAUSED BY THE AIR BAGS THAN BY THE CRASH. ONLY THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE CAR WAS DAMAGED BY THE CRASH, YET THE AIR BAG SHATTERD THE WINDSHILD AND BLEW OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED HEARING LOSS, FACIAL BURNS AND GLASS…
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THE ACCIDENT WAS AT A VERY LOW SPEED (~15 MPH) AND MORE DAMAGE AND INJURY WAS CAUSED BY THE AIR BAGS THAN BY THE CRASH. ONLY THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE CAR WAS DAMAGED BY THE CRASH, YET THE AIR BAG SHATTERD THE WINDSHILD AND BLEW OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED HEARING LOSS, FACIAL BURNS AND GLASS CUTS FROM THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.
WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL STREET VEHICLE THEN REMAINED STANDING AT AN INTERSECTION AT A RED LIGHT WITH TWO VEHICLES AHEAD. ANOTHER VEHICLE, TRAVELING SOUTH BOUND ON CONNECTICUT AVE MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO VAN NESS, WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST, LOST CONTROL AND SIDE SWIPED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, PUSHING IT ON…
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WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL STREET VEHICLE THEN REMAINED STANDING AT AN INTERSECTION AT A RED LIGHT WITH TWO VEHICLES AHEAD. ANOTHER VEHICLE, TRAVELING SOUTH BOUND ON CONNECTICUT AVE MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO VAN NESS, WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST, LOST CONTROL AND SIDE SWIPED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, PUSHING IT ONTO THE SIDEWALK. A CHAIN REACTION STARTED IN WHICH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AFTER THE PASSENGER HIT THE WINDSHIELD, AND THE SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK IN PLACE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. ALSO, THE FUEL TANK DID NOT SHUT OFF. *AK
VEHICLE WAS IN A COLLISION CAUSING BOTH AIRBAG'S TO DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. REPLACEMENTS WERE DONE AT OWNERS EXPENSE. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
BACKING UP & NOTICED POLE, SHIFTED INTO DRIVE & VEHICLE ACCELERATED & HIT STORE FRONT. ACCELERATOR PEDAL COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED AT THE TIME.UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING OFF AND ON FOR NO REASON. FORD REPAIR INFORMED ME IF I HAVE AN ACCIDENT WHILE THE LIGHT IS ON, THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY.
WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, AND THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYING WHILE DRIVING. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45-50MPH WHEN HIT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP ACCURATELY. UPON IMPACT OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WILL ADD VIN.# ONCE RECEIVED. *AK
DURING VEHICLE COLLISION NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS,FUEL SHUT OFF SWITCH FAILED ALSO DURING COLLISION.
Official recalls
398V028000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
Feb 10, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TEXT AND/OR GRAPHICS FOR THE VEHICLE HEADLAMP AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ARE REPLACED, CUSTOMERS MAY BE CONFUSED BY THE AIMING INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNER GUIDES CAUSING THE HEADLAMPS TO BE IMPROPERLY AIMED.
Remedy: OWNER GUIDES CONTAINING REVISED AIMING INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE MAILED TO OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES.
97V097000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jun 9, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AX4S AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES. THE LOW/INTERMEDIATE SERVO COVER CAN SEPARATE FROM THE TRANSAXLE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. IF THIS OCCURS, TRANSMISSION FLUID WILL LEAK CONTACTING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TEMPERATURE MAY BE HOT ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE THESE SERVO COVERS.
96V166000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
Sep 5, 1996
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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.