IllustrationWHEN SUN HITS VEHICLE OR EVEN WHEN TEMPERATURE IS HOT AT NIGHT, INTERIOR LIGHTS AND DOOR AJAR LIGHT COME ON. LIGHTS STAY ON FOR AN HOUR OR MORE BEFORE GOING OUT. THIS CAUSES POOR DRIVER'S VISIBILITY WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM.
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
Interior Lighting complaints
22 reportsTHE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON DUE TO THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT BEING ON IT ONLY HAPPENS AFTER NOON WHEN TH CAR IS PARKED IN THE SUN LIGHT AND AFRAID TO CAUSE ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE DRIVERS UNDERDASH LIGHT BEING SO BRIGHT. *AK
DOOR AJAR LIGHT ON DASH STAYS ON. SOMETIMES OCASIONALLY IT GOES OFF, INTERIOR LIGHTS WON'T GO OFF BECAUSE OF IT, RESULTING IN A DEAD BATTERY, BACK WINDOW DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF. THE DEALER THINKS I'M CRAZY CAUSE WHENEVER I TAKE IT IN TO BE REPAIRED THE LIGHTS ARE ALL OFF. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A RE…
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DOOR AJAR LIGHT ON DASH STAYS ON. SOMETIMES OCASIONALLY IT GOES OFF, INTERIOR LIGHTS WON'T GO OFF BECAUSE OF IT, RESULTING IN A DEAD BATTERY, BACK WINDOW DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF. THE DEALER THINKS I'M CRAZY CAUSE WHENEVER I TAKE IT IN TO BE REPAIRED THE LIGHTS ARE ALL OFF. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A RELAY SWITCH AND THEY SAID THEY FIXED IT AND IT STILL IS BROKEN. *AK
#1 DOOR AJAR LIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND DOME LIGHT ON EVEN THOUGH ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED. *AK
DASHBOARD SHOWS DOORS ARE OPEN, AND INTERIOR LIGHT WILL STAY ON. DEALER COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK
1. WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT ALWAYS OPERATE AT THE RATE SELECTED. THEY OPERATE AT A LOWER RATE THAN SELECTED. 2. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LIGHT SWITCH DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT REMAIN LOCKED DURING THIS SWITCH FAILURE WITH THE KEY I…
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1. WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT ALWAYS OPERATE AT THE RATE SELECTED. THEY OPERATE AT A LOWER RATE THAN SELECTED. 2. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LIGHT SWITCH DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT REMAIN LOCKED DURING THIS SWITCH FAILURE WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND/OR THE ENGINE RUNNING.
#1 DOOR AJAR SWITCH,LIGHT IN DASH STAYS ON AND INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON WHILE DRIVING. #2 WINDOW DID NOT WORK AT ALL, REPAIRED BY DEALER, #3 WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP, TOOK TO DEALER, TOLD TO TAKE DOOR APART AND BEAT ON MOTOR, WAS ABLE TO GET WINDOW UP.
DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT LOCK AND DOORS OPEN. WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER EXITING VEHICLE. ALSO, THE INSIDE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. FAILURES BECAME INCREASINGLY WORSE. *AK *ML
NO PROTECTIVE COVER FOR TRUNK LIGHT CAUSED LAMP TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH CONTENTS OF THE TRUCK THUS CAUSING A FIRE. NLM
THE DOME LIGHT AND THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. YH
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.