IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING TEMPERATURE GAUGE RAN HIGH ,VEHICLE OVERHEATED. GAUGE WAS REPLACED. WEEK LATER VEHICLE OVERHEATED AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *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 reportsWHEN THE CONSUMER STARTS THE VEHICLE THE TRANSMISSION RACES IN GEARS (AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL) THE SHIFT HARSHLY INTO GEAR.
RECEIVED MANUFACTURER RECALL NOTICE 98B23/ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM. DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR NOTICE BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN COMPUTER, BUT CORRECT VIN # WAS ON NOTICE. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER OR PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DRIVER HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER PULLING THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, OWNER SAW THAT THE REAR END SUSPENSION HAD FALLEN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP FIRST, AND LATER TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. *AK *ML
WHEN TRAVELING DRIVESHAFT BROKE, CAUSING POOR STEERING CONTROL. ALSO, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS FLASHING ON THE DASH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
POOR SIGHT SIDE VISION FROM THE HEADLIGHTS. IF HAVING TO MAKE A SHARP TRUN DRIVER CANNOT SEE THE ROAD TO THE SIDE. PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT TO THE MANUFACTURER'S ATTENTION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN YOU FIRST START THE CAR BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. ONCE VEHICLE IS VERY WARM BRAKE LIGHTS WILL START WORKING AGAIN. CONSUMER FEELS THAT IF MAKING A SUDDEN STOP THE OTHER DRIVER MAY NOT SEE CONSUMER. *AK *ML
THE HEATER CORE IS INOPERABLE, CAUSING THE WINDOWS TO FOG UP, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW. DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML
IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP WITH THIS CAR, MY BATTERY HAS BLOWN TWICE. I GO TO START THE CAR AND BATTERY JUST BLOWS UP. THE FIRST TIME I SIMPLY HEARD A CRACKLING NOISE. THE SECOND TIME I HEARD A POP LIKE THAT OF A BALLOON POPPING. INDIVIDUALS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE. THE DEALERSHIP CANN…
Read full complaint
IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP WITH THIS CAR, MY BATTERY HAS BLOWN TWICE. I GO TO START THE CAR AND BATTERY JUST BLOWS UP. THE FIRST TIME I SIMPLY HEARD A CRACKLING NOISE. THE SECOND TIME I HEARD A POP LIKE THAT OF A BALLOON POPPING. INDIVIDUALS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE. THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG; THEY JUST REPLACE THE BATTERY. THEY DO TELL ME THAT IT MUST DEVELOP AN ELECTRICAL SPIKE, BUT THEY HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHERE IT COMES FROM. I BELIEVE THIS IS DANGEROUS. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT EVEN IF THEY CHECK ALL THE WIRING HARNESS, THEY MIGHT NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHEN MAKING A STOP TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT DOWN TO THE LAST GEAR. VEHICLE HESITATES TO SHIFT DOWN. WHEN TAKING OFF, THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWO TIMES BEFORE THE TRANSMISSON WAS FINALLY REPLACED. *AK.ET.
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.