IllustrationTRANSMISSION FAILED.
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
Power Train complaints
214 reportsVEHICLE INITIALLY LOST POWER ON INCLINE AND REGAINED ON DECLINE, UNTIL TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AFTER 2-5 MPH. OCCURRED ON FOUR OCCASIONS, ON HIGHWAY TRIPS. DEALER INITIALLY REPROGRAMMED COMPUTER THEN REPLACED FUEL PUMP RELAY. AFTER FOURTH OCCASION, REPLACED FUEL PUMP. ALSO, TRANSMISSION IS SLUGGISH, DIFFICULTY GAINING SPEED ON INITI…
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VEHICLE INITIALLY LOST POWER ON INCLINE AND REGAINED ON DECLINE, UNTIL TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AFTER 2-5 MPH. OCCURRED ON FOUR OCCASIONS, ON HIGHWAY TRIPS. DEALER INITIALLY REPROGRAMMED COMPUTER THEN REPLACED FUEL PUMP RELAY. AFTER FOURTH OCCASION, REPLACED FUEL PUMP. ALSO, TRANSMISSION IS SLUGGISH, DIFFICULTY GAINING SPEED ON INITIAL ACCELERATION. THEN SUDDENLY SURGES/HESISTATES AND MOVES ERRATICALLY INTO GEAR. VEHICLE HESITATES AND ACTS AS IF IT STALLS OUT.
CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE.
THE TRANSMISSION BUCKS AND SLAMS WHEN SHIFTING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC.
VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE TRANSMISSIONS SINCE ITS PURCHASE. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND FAILS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE VEHICLE WILL SOMETIMES GO IDLE THEN JERK AND LURCH FORWARD. WHEN BRAKES WERE RELEASED VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
I WAS DOING 70 MILES/HOUR IN THIRD LANE OF INTERSTATE 85 WHEN CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AND CAR SLOWED BUT DID NOT DIE. I PULLED ONTO SHOULDER AND PUT CAR INTO PARK AND THEN TRIED TO GO AGAIN. CAR WOULD GO UP TO 4000 RPM'S BUT ONLY DO 30 MILES/HOUR. SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPEND WITHOUT DEALER BEING ABLE TO DUPLICATE. ONL…
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I WAS DOING 70 MILES/HOUR IN THIRD LANE OF INTERSTATE 85 WHEN CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AND CAR SLOWED BUT DID NOT DIE. I PULLED ONTO SHOULDER AND PUT CAR INTO PARK AND THEN TRIED TO GO AGAIN. CAR WOULD GO UP TO 4000 RPM'S BUT ONLY DO 30 MILES/HOUR. SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPEND WITHOUT DEALER BEING ABLE TO DUPLICATE. ONLY SEEMS TO HAPPEN DURING HOTTEST WEATHER AND WHEN DRIVING 150 MILES OF MORE AT A TIME. SEEMS TO BE RECURRING PROBLEMS IN TAURUS TRANSMISSIONS AND FORD WILL NOT ADMIT TO A PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO HELP BUT NOT GETTING ANY COOPERATION FROM MANUFACTURER.
WHILE ACCELERATING TO 50 MPH VEHICLE LOCKED UP IN SECOND GEAR, CAUSING SHAKING OF VEHICLE AND STALLING. VEHICLE ALSO HAD PREVIOUS CLUNKING NOISE PRIOR TO TRANSMISSION LOCKING. ALSO DEALERS FOUND NO FAULT CODE. *AK
TRANSMISSION JERKS SLIGHTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED TO REVERSE, AND AFTER A BRIEF INTERLUDE THE VEHICLE INCREASES RPMS AND JUMPS BACKWARDS.
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
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.