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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 →
770Owner complaints

Model-year median: 318

3Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
923
19941,205
1995825
1996770
1997545
1998874
19991,195
2000
Compare all Taurus years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
214Engine And Engine Cooling
145Service Brakes, Hydraulic
67Electrical System
62Steering
59
All reported categories
Vehicle Speed Control
58Visibility
57Air Bags
42Fuel System, Gasoline
28Suspension
28Structure
25Equipment
24Seat Belts
23Unknown Or Other
23Interior Lighting
22Tires
22Exterior Lighting
15Engine
5Fuel System, Other
4Latches/locks/linkages
4Service Brakes, Air
4Seats
3Wheels
3Child Seat
1Fuel/propulsion System
1Parking Brake
1Service Brakes
1

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

What owners actually said

770 reports
Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2001
Visibility

A FOUL ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTS WHICH CAUSE WINDOWS TO BECOME FOGGED. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER FOR THIS, AND WAS TOLD THAT HEATER CORE WAS DEFECTIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #898449

Mileage unknown · Oct 25, 2001
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

CAR WAS AT A COMPLKETE STOP IN A PARKING SPACE, WHEN IT SUDDINLY ACCELERATED UNCONTROLABLE FORWARD AND STOPPED WHEN IT HIT A TREE/. *AK

NHTSA ODI #753677

Mileage unknown · Oct 18, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVER VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #753362

Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

CAMSHAFT SECONDARY SPROCKET FAILED, SPINNING ON THE CAMSHAFT TUBE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STOP INSTANTLY WHEN THE VALVE AND PISTONS TRIED TO OCCUPY THE SAME SPACE IN THE COMBUSTIAN CHAMBER. NEW REPLACEMENT ENGINES ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THIS VEHICLE, ONLY SALVAGE UNITS. REBUILDS, IF POSSIBLE ON THIS MODEL EXCEED $4800 AT THE VERY L…

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CAMSHAFT SECONDARY SPROCKET FAILED, SPINNING ON THE CAMSHAFT TUBE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STOP INSTANTLY WHEN THE VALVE AND PISTONS TRIED TO OCCUPY THE SAME SPACE IN THE COMBUSTIAN CHAMBER. NEW REPLACEMENT ENGINES ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THIS VEHICLE, ONLY SALVAGE UNITS. REBUILDS, IF POSSIBLE ON THIS MODEL EXCEED $4800 AT THE VERY LEAST! I HAVE BEEN INFORMED WHILE PERFORMING SOME RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM THAT IT IS "A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MOTOR" ACCORDING TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP.*AK

NHTSA ODI #753243

Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainSuspension

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE. *TT

NHTSA ODI #563722

Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 2001
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION SEIZING UP.

NHTSA ODI #563690

Mileage unknown · Oct 14, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE TO THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THEY HAVE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME OF THE HEAD GASKET IN THEIR 3.0 ENGINE PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO ADMIT IT. IN RESEARCHING THE ENGINE I FOUND THAT THERE IS A SECRET EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 100,000 MILES FOR THIS PROBLEM IF THE ENGINE HAS MAJOR DAMAGE WHICH MINE DID.*AK

NHTSA ODI #753206

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATES WHILE PUTTING VEHICLE IN REVERSE, RADIO AND WINDOWS QUIT WORKING, SOMETIMES WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN REVERSE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL GET TIGHT, POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #785733

Mileage unknown · Oct 9, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 65 MPH VEHICLE MADE A FUNNY NOISE, AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT ABOVE HIGH. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #897505

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2001
Seat Belts

CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT, THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT A NEW SEAT BELT WOULD NEED TO BE ORDERED, WHEN CONSUMER ARRIVED HOME IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SEAT BELT STILL DID NOT WORK, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO DEALER IN WHICH THE SEAT BELT WAS FIXED THE SAME DAY, CONSUMER IS QUESTIONI…

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CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT, THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT A NEW SEAT BELT WOULD NEED TO BE ORDERED, WHEN CONSUMER ARRIVED HOME IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SEAT BELT STILL DID NOT WORK, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO DEALER IN WHICH THE SEAT BELT WAS FIXED THE SAME DAY, CONSUMER IS QUESTIONING HOW THE CORRECTION WAS MADE WITHOUT ORDERING ANOTHER SEATBELT IN WHICH THE FIRST SEAT TOOK TWO DAYS TO ARRIVE.*JB

NHTSA ODI #563568

Official recalls

3

98V028000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.