IllustrationRIGHT REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKING, FORD WILL NOT REPLACE IT DUE TO VEHICLE BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK
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
What owners actually said
770 reportsCONSUMER HEARD LOUD BUZZING NOISE WHEN TURNING, UPON INSPECTION THE THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS FULL OF RUST, TECHNICIAN INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSALVAGEABLE AND THAT IT HAD BEEN SUBMERGED IN WATER. NLM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
BRAKES KEEP WARPING. MATERIALS THAT ARE USED FOR BRAKE PADS CAUSE ROTORS TO OVERHEAT & BECOME WARPED. EVERY TIME BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE WOULD SHIMMY. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES & MECHANIC CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK
I OWN A 97 FORD TAURUS THAT LIKES TO PING. IT STARTED IN 1998 AND AT THE START OF A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP, WENT AWAY, BUT CAME BACK. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER IN TACOMA WA, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY CLEANED A CYLINDER AND THAT THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS THAT LIGHT PINGING IS OK. THEY BLEW ME OFF. I MOVED TO FORT KNOX, KY AND THE WHOLE TRIP …
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I OWN A 97 FORD TAURUS THAT LIKES TO PING. IT STARTED IN 1998 AND AT THE START OF A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP, WENT AWAY, BUT CAME BACK. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER IN TACOMA WA, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY CLEANED A CYLINDER AND THAT THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS THAT LIGHT PINGING IS OK. THEY BLEW ME OFF. I MOVED TO FORT KNOX, KY AND THE WHOLE TRIP IT LIGHTLY PINGED. I PUT ON OVER 5,000 MILES IN LESS THAN A MONTH SO IT ISN'T CARBON. USED NAME BRAND FUEL THE WHOLE TRIP. IT GOT TO THE POINT HERE THAT I TOOK IT BACK TO FORD AND WAS TOLD BY FORD, THAT FORD HAS THIS "PINGING"PROBLEM IN ALL THEIR ENGINES. V-6 TO V-8 AND IN DIFF. VEHICLES. HE HAD JUST REPLACED A 4.0 LITER THAT DAY. . HE WOULDN'T HELP ME BECAUSE I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 3 MONTHS, HAVE 37,000 ON THE FORD AND I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH DOCUMENTATION ON THE PROBLEM. I WORK WITH A GUY WHO OWNS A 98 TAURUS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE CHANGED FUEL BRANDS AND OCTANE RATINGS AND IT DOESN'T GO AWAY. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT TAKES A FEW HOURS OF DRIVING TO START ACTING UP, BUT IT IS THERE. HILLS, STEADY DRIVING, CITY DRIVING, IT DOESN'T MATTER. I AM WORRIED THAT I WILL EAT AN ENGINE AND FORD WILL TELL ME "OH WELL". CAN YOU SHED ANY LIGHT ON THIS FORD KNOWN PROBLEM? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
MY BOSS HAS A 1998 TAURUS AND TRANSMISSION FAILED. OUR REGIONAL OFFICE IN MIAMI NO LONGER USES THE TAURUS DUE TO REPEATED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THOSE VEHICLES ARE IN A FLEET OF LEASED AUTO FOR THE COMPANY. *AK
FUEL SPITTING OUT OF FILLER NECK, AND FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. VEHICLE BEEN AT DEALERS SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. *AK THE NOZZLE SHUTS OFF WHEN FILLING THE GAS TANK AND THE TANK SPITS OUT GAS. THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT THE FUEL GUAGE STILL MALFUNCTIONS. *YH
GAS GAUGE READS EMPTY WHEN FULL, DIGITAL MILES LEFT GAUGE READ 0, THREE OF FOUR TAURUS'S WITHIN THE FLEET HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS GAUGE. *MJS
GAS GAUGE READS EMPTY WHEN FULL, DIGITAL MILES LEFT GAUGE READ 0, THREE OF FOUR TAURUS'S WITHIN THE FLEET HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE GAS GAUGE. *MJS
VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE & WOULDN'T STAY RUNNING. WIRES FOR FUEL PUMP HAD RUBBED AGAINST FLEX HOSE, CAUSING IT TO EXPOSE THE WIRES & SHORT OUT. DEALER COLD DO NOTHING BECAUSE NO RECALL. *AK ALSO THE CV JOINTS FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION PAN CRACKED. THE BRAKES VIBRATED CAUSING THE STEERING TO VIBRATE TERREBLY. THE VEHIC…
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VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE & WOULDN'T STAY RUNNING. WIRES FOR FUEL PUMP HAD RUBBED AGAINST FLEX HOSE, CAUSING IT TO EXPOSE THE WIRES & SHORT OUT. DEALER COLD DO NOTHING BECAUSE NO RECALL. *AK ALSO THE CV JOINTS FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION PAN CRACKED. THE BRAKES VIBRATED CAUSING THE STEERING TO VIBRATE TERREBLY. THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER SAYS, MUST BE DEFECTIVE. *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.