IllustrationWHILE DRIVING THROUGH A WATER PUDDLE, THE VEHICLE AND DRIVER EXPERIENCED AN APPROXIMATE 4-5 SECOND LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT CAME ON. *AK *ML
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 reportsEXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION HESITATION WHILE SLOWING DOWN INTO A TURN AND ROUGH TRANSITION ( BANGING) WHEN REAPPLYING ACCELERATION COMING OUT OF THE TURN. FORD DEALER REPORTS AFTER DIAGNOSTIC AND TEAR DOWN THAT PROBLEM WAS IN TRANSMISSION FORWARD CLUTCHES AND TORQUE CONVERTOR AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. TRANSMISSION ONLY HAS 48500 MIL…
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EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION HESITATION WHILE SLOWING DOWN INTO A TURN AND ROUGH TRANSITION ( BANGING) WHEN REAPPLYING ACCELERATION COMING OUT OF THE TURN. FORD DEALER REPORTS AFTER DIAGNOSTIC AND TEAR DOWN THAT PROBLEM WAS IN TRANSMISSION FORWARD CLUTCHES AND TORQUE CONVERTOR AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. TRANSMISSION ONLY HAS 48500 MILES AND ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 46000 MILES WITH ONLY SUBTLE ROUGH TRANSIENT SHIFTING AT FIRST. PROBLEM GREW WORSE WITH BANGING AND WHOLE CAR VIBRATION AT TIMES. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND WILL CONTACT SERVICE MANAGER FOR A DETAILED EXPLANATION OF WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED PROBLEM SO THAT A DECISION CAN BE REACHED FOR AN OUT OF WARRANTY COMPONENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SITUATION. *AK
THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME IN SEVEN MONTHS CORE HAS FAILED,SAFETY INVOLVED IN THAT WINDSHIELD FOGS ON FAILURE. *AK
WHEN DRIVING ON WET STREETS OR OVER AN PUDDLE I LOOSE ALL STEERING AND CONTROLL OF CAR. ESPECIALLY WHEN I MAKE AN RIGHT HAND TURNS. BELTS SQUEEL FOR 10 TO 30 SECONDS AND THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS AWWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE A…
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WHEN DRIVING ON WET STREETS OR OVER AN PUDDLE I LOOSE ALL STEERING AND CONTROLL OF CAR. ESPECIALLY WHEN I MAKE AN RIGHT HAND TURNS. BELTS SQUEEL FOR 10 TO 30 SECONDS AND THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS AWWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THERE IS NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING EITHER IN RAIN OR OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER AND MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN , WATER WILL GET INTO THE SERPENTINE BELT, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING FOR ABOUT 30-60 SECONDS . THERE IS NO GUARD OR SHIELD TO PROTECT BELTS FROM GETTING WET. FORD CLAIMS THEY CANNOT FIX DEFECT. *AK *ML
PROBLEM 1: DUE TO SIGNIFICANT FRONT END VIBRATION AT SPEEDS AT OR OVER 40 MPH, THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH TIE-ROD ENDS ON A CAR JUST OVER 3 YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES. PROBLEM 2: DISCOVERED THE SAFETY INFORMATION PLACARD ON THE DOOR POST DOES NOT LIST MANDATROY INFORMATION ABOUT TIRE AIR PRESSURES. THE OWNER'S MANUA…
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PROBLEM 1: DUE TO SIGNIFICANT FRONT END VIBRATION AT SPEEDS AT OR OVER 40 MPH, THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH TIE-ROD ENDS ON A CAR JUST OVER 3 YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES. PROBLEM 2: DISCOVERED THE SAFETY INFORMATION PLACARD ON THE DOOR POST DOES NOT LIST MANDATROY INFORMATION ABOUT TIRE AIR PRESSURES. THE OWNER'S MANUAL REFERS TO THIS PLACARD, BUT ALSO DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY TIRE PRESSURE INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME ON AND STAY FOR ABOUT A MONTH. DEALER COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION SLIPS UNEXPECTEDLY, DEALER SAYS IT'S FAULTY. *AK *ML
WHEN I STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE TRANSMISSION DROPS IN TO NEUTRAL AND DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO GEAR, YOU HAVE TO REV THE ENGINE TO GET IT TO MOVE AND THEN THE TRANS. JERKS REAL HARD, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE CERVO'S AT FIRST AND NOW THE ARE SAYING A SENSOR IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM BUT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT…
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WHEN I STOP AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN THE TRANSMISSION DROPS IN TO NEUTRAL AND DOES NOT WANT TO GO INTO GEAR, YOU HAVE TO REV THE ENGINE TO GET IT TO MOVE AND THEN THE TRANS. JERKS REAL HARD, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE CERVO'S AT FIRST AND NOW THE ARE SAYING A SENSOR IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM BUT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT SINCE THE WARRANTY IS OUT! *AK
AIR CONDITIONER WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL UNIT FOR THAT YEAR. REPLACEMENT OF THE UNIT COSTS 1500 DOLLARS AND EVERY PART MUST BE REPLACED. NO COMPRESSOR CAN BE PURCHASED TO REPLACE THE OLD ONE. *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.