IllustrationTIRES ON 1997, FORD, TAURUS HAD A TIRE SEPARATION ON REAR TIRE THEN ON FRONT RIGHT TIRE WITH LESS THEN 10 THOUSAND MILES ON EACH TIRE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS WILLING TO WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH CONSUMER. TIRE SIZE IS P205-65R15. *AK *SLC
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
Tires complaints
22 reportsMY AUNT JUST BOUGHT 4 NEW TIRES FOR HER TAURUS IN AUGUST ,2000 AND THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS SHE WAS GOING TO HER MOTHERS DOWN THE STREET ABOUT 3 BLOCKS . HER BACK TIRE AND THE FROUNT TIRE BLEW OUT . DOES THESE TIRES HAVE RECALLS ON THEM AND WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT , THE PLACE WHERE SHE GOT THE TIRES SAID NOTHING TO HELP HER AN…
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MY AUNT JUST BOUGHT 4 NEW TIRES FOR HER TAURUS IN AUGUST ,2000 AND THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS SHE WAS GOING TO HER MOTHERS DOWN THE STREET ABOUT 3 BLOCKS . HER BACK TIRE AND THE FROUNT TIRE BLEW OUT . DOES THESE TIRES HAVE RECALLS ON THEM AND WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT , THE PLACE WHERE SHE GOT THE TIRES SAID NOTHING TO HELP HER AND THE DAMAGE WAS 2500.00 WITH NO ONE HURT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW SOMETHING BY EMAIL. THANK YOU'''*AK( DOT NUMBER: )
EVER SINCE TIRE SEPERATED AND WE WENT OFF THE ROAD, EVEN THE SECOND SET OF NEW TIRES WON'T STAY BALENCED. ONE TO TWO TIMES A MONTH HAVE HAD TO HAVE TIRES RE-BALENCED. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. THE FORD DEALER CLAIMS THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND GENERAL TIRES HAVE NOT RETURNED OUR CALLS. (TIRESIZE: P205/65R15)( …
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EVER SINCE TIRE SEPERATED AND WE WENT OFF THE ROAD, EVEN THE SECOND SET OF NEW TIRES WON'T STAY BALENCED. ONE TO TWO TIMES A MONTH HAVE HAD TO HAVE TIRES RE-BALENCED. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. THE FORD DEALER CLAIMS THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND GENERAL TIRES HAVE NOT RETURNED OUR CALLS. (TIRESIZE: P205/65R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE TIRE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE BODY AS HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE FIRESTONE TIRES UNDER RECALL. AT NO TIME DID THE TIRE DEFLATE. WHEN THE TREAD CAP SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE IT FLEW UP ONTO THE FENDER AREA AND CAUSED SOME SCRATCHING. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITHOUT INCIDENT OR IN…
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WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE TIRE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE BODY AS HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE FIRESTONE TIRES UNDER RECALL. AT NO TIME DID THE TIRE DEFLATE. WHEN THE TREAD CAP SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE IT FLEW UP ONTO THE FENDER AREA AND CAUSED SOME SCRATCHING. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITHOUT INCIDENT OR INJURY TO ANY OF THE PASSENGERS AND NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED.( DOT NUMBER: A3UR442117 TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )
TREAD SEPARATION FAILURE, FIRESTONE FR680 P205/65 92S M+S, DOT HYUR F6A 353( DOT NUMBER: HYURF6A353 TIRE SIZE: P205/6592S )
CONSUME RWAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY BECAUSE SHE HEARD A BUMPING NOISE. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER, AND SHE DISCOVERED THAT RIGHT PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, ONE BIG CHUNK OFF TIRE. TIRES WERE GENERAL #G45 205/70 R15. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP.*AK
TREAD FAILED AND 20% CAME OFF TIRE. TIRE DID NOT BLOW. ABLE TO STOP SAFELY. DAMAGED FENDER AS IT CAME OFF CAR.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205R6515 )
IT ISN'T JUST THE SUV'S WHERE THIS TIRE FAILURE IS OCCURRING--FORTUNATELY I MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE BEFORE WITH LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON ORIGINAL FORD TIRES. *AK
BELT SEPARATION IN THREE OUT OF FOUR OF THE OEM TIRES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: M6T4 TIRE SIZE: 225-55ZR16 )
TIRE ON REAR SIDE OF VEHICLE WAS SPLIT, CAUSING A ROUGH RIDE. CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO, COMPLAINING THAT SPEEDODOMETER WAS DEFECTIVE, IT DIDN'T SHOW HOW FAST VEHICLE WAS GOING. *AK
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.