NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
770 reports13,000 miles · Aug 31, 2004
Electrical SystemExterior LightingPower Train
WHILE DRIVING IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT GEARS/STEER THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO WORK. *AK THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS INTERMITTENT, THE RADIO WOULD GO OFF WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE. THE PROBLEM WOULD START WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, REVERSE, OR NEUTRAL. THE SEAT BE…
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WHILE DRIVING IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT GEARS/STEER THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO WORK. *AK THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS INTERMITTENT, THE RADIO WOULD GO OFF WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE. THE PROBLEM WOULD START WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, REVERSE, OR NEUTRAL. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT FLICKERED ON AND OFF WITHOUT CAUSE. *SC *JB
NHTSA ODI #10087207
Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2004
Suspension
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER DROVE IT HOME AND PARKED IT. THE NEXT DAY CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE WAS DEFLATED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CHANGE THE TIRE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT PASSENGER'S SIDE COIL SPRING SHEARED …
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WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER DROVE IT HOME AND PARKED IT. THE NEXT DAY CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE WAS DEFLATED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CHANGE THE TIRE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT PASSENGER'S SIDE COIL SPRING SHEARED OFF AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE IN THE PROCESS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10089218
60,000 miles · Aug 17, 2004
Power Train
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH 1997 TAURUS WAGON.*MR ONE OF THE BEARINGS IN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND DAMAGED THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10089156
60,000 miles · Aug 17, 2004
Power Train
L997 FORD TAURUS WAGON. 60K MILES. TREATED WITH KID GLOVES AND HAD THE FLUID CHANGED AT 60K IN THE TRANSMISSION. WITHIN 200 MILES THE TRANS WENT OUT. IF I HADN'T NOTICED LEAKAGE IT LIKELY WOULD HAVE STOPPED WITH A DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCE HAPPENING AS A RESULT...I.E. HEAVY TRAFFIC, PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC, ETC. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10088088
88,000 miles · Aug 9, 2004
Exterior LightingInterior LightingVisibility
RANDOM CHANGES IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SPEED, REGARDLESS OF SETTING. HAZARD SIGNALS FAILED OR ONLY ONE SIDE FLASHING. TURN SIGNAL FAILURE (OF EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR CONSOLE LIGHTS). FAILURE OF INTERIOR LIGHTING TO TURN OFF AFTER DOORS CLOSED. FAILURE OF POWER WINDOWS (ALL FOUR). SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RESULTING IN REQUIR…
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RANDOM CHANGES IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SPEED, REGARDLESS OF SETTING. HAZARD SIGNALS FAILED OR ONLY ONE SIDE FLASHING. TURN SIGNAL FAILURE (OF EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR CONSOLE LIGHTS). FAILURE OF INTERIOR LIGHTING TO TURN OFF AFTER DOORS CLOSED. FAILURE OF POWER WINDOWS (ALL FOUR). SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RESULTING IN REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF GEM MODULE. TURN SIGNAL/WIPER CONTROLS REPLACED. GEM MODULE REPLACED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10086455
Mileage unknown · Aug 6, 2004
Suspension
CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE MADE A CLUMPING NOISE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND HE HEARD THE NOISE, BUT COULD NOT TELL FROM WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING. CONSUMER FELT THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10087399
78,000 miles · Jul 15, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THE CAR WAS PARKED. I STARTED THE CAR, STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND SAW OIL LEAKING ABOUT A FOOT FORWARD OF THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE. *LA
NHTSA ODI #10081154
80,000 miles · Jun 23, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
1997 FORD TAURUS. CAR BEGAN ROUGH IDLING AT COLD START. AFTER WARMING UP WOULD RUN FINE. TOOK TO MECHANIC TWICE. THEY DID NOT KNOW PROBLEM SAID IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. CAR ONLY HAD 80,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. CAR EVENTUALLY STARTED LOSING ANTI-FREEZE (NOT LEAKING, JUST TURNING UP LOW EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS), EXHAUST FUMES H…
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1997 FORD TAURUS. CAR BEGAN ROUGH IDLING AT COLD START. AFTER WARMING UP WOULD RUN FINE. TOOK TO MECHANIC TWICE. THEY DID NOT KNOW PROBLEM SAID IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. CAR ONLY HAD 80,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. CAR EVENTUALLY STARTED LOSING ANTI-FREEZE (NOT LEAKING, JUST TURNING UP LOW EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS), EXHAUST FUMES HEAVY, WHITE SMOKE FROM EXHAUST, GAS MILEAGE TERRIBLE. I TOOK TO MY UNCLE, A MECHANIC IN ANOTHER CITY AND HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS IMMEDIATELY. AS I SUSPECTED, HEAD GASKET. WILL COST $800-1000 TO REPAIR. THIS IS MY SECOND FORD. OTHER WAS A 1995 FORD ESCORT. AFTER TWO TRANSMISSIONS AND A CRACKED ENGINE IT DIED TWO YEARS AGO FOR GOOD. I'M A SIGLE MOM AND THIS IS ONLY TRANSPORTATION. CANNOT AFFORD A NEW CAR YET. BUT IT WILL NOT BE A FORD WHEN I CAN. FORD HAS CHANGED AND IS NOT THE SAME AS IT USED TO BE. FORD DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE CONSUMER. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10078678
27,000 miles · Jun 4, 2004
Electrical SystemService Brakes, Hydraulic
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ABS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. *AK THE CHECK ENGINE SOON HAD ALSO COME ON. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, BOTH AT DIFFERENT TIMES. *SC
NHTSA ODI #10071708
220,000 miles · Jun 2, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline
I HAVE TWO ESSENTIALLY IDENTICAL 19'97 FORD AUTOMOBILES; A TAURUS AND A SABLE. ON THE TAURUS I JUST HAD THE GAS TANK REPLACED BECAUSE THE MECHANIC SAID AND SHOWED ME THAT IT WAS LEAKING AT THE SEAMS. I NOT ICE NOW A GASOLINE SMELL COMING FROM THE SABLE.. BASED ON TWO OUT OF TWO VEHICLES, I BELIEVE THAT THERE MIGHT BE A GE…
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I HAVE TWO ESSENTIALLY IDENTICAL 19'97 FORD AUTOMOBILES; A TAURUS AND A SABLE. ON THE TAURUS I JUST HAD THE GAS TANK REPLACED BECAUSE THE MECHANIC SAID AND SHOWED ME THAT IT WAS LEAKING AT THE SEAMS. I NOT ICE NOW A GASOLINE SMELL COMING FROM THE SABLE.. BASED ON TWO OUT OF TWO VEHICLES, I BELIEVE THAT THERE MIGHT BE A GENERAL PROBLEM WITH FORD GAS TANKS LEAKING. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10074647
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