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 · Nov 23, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE COOLANT SYSTEM CORRODED EVEN THOUGH IT HAD BEEN FLUSHED JUST PREVIOUSLY, CAUSING A CYLINDER HEAD/HEAD GASKET TO CRACK REQUIRING $1,600 IS REPAIRS TO THE OWNER. VEHICLE IS NOT CURRENTLY UNDER A WARRANTY, SO OWNER IS HAVING TO PAY FOR REPAIRS THAT HE FEELS ARE THE RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. OWNER WAS ADVISED BY SER…
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ENGINE COOLANT SYSTEM CORRODED EVEN THOUGH IT HAD BEEN FLUSHED JUST PREVIOUSLY, CAUSING A CYLINDER HEAD/HEAD GASKET TO CRACK REQUIRING $1,600 IS REPAIRS TO THE OWNER. VEHICLE IS NOT CURRENTLY UNDER A WARRANTY, SO OWNER IS HAVING TO PAY FOR REPAIRS THAT HE FEELS ARE THE RESULT OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. OWNER WAS ADVISED BY SERVICE ATTENDANT AT FORD DEALERSHIP THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS JUST LIKE THIS WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. IF THE COOLANT SYSTEM IS NOT FLUSHED A CERTAIN WAY, WHICH THE OWNER HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING, THE PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED HERE WILL OCCUR. IF IT IS BAD ENOUGH, SERVICE TECHNICIAN INFORMED OWNER THAT IT MAY RESULT IN TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #715163
Mileage unknown · Nov 22, 1999
Seat Belts
PASSENGER'S SEATBELT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH WON'T PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF A CRASH. DEALER NEEDS TO REPLACE THE SEATBELT RETRACTOR. *AK
NHTSA ODI #850593
Mileage unknown · Nov 11, 1999
Steering
STEERING EXHIBITS GROAN OR SHUDDER WITH SOME LOSS OF ASSIST WHEN RECOVERING FROM A RIGHT TURN. FORD HAS ISSUED OVER 10 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS MATTER. DEALER AND FORD MOTOR CONTACTED. FORD MOTOR TOOK INFORMATION AND INDICATED THAT NO ASSISTANCE WILL BE OFFERED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. REPAIRS ESTIMATED AT $500. I AM …
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STEERING EXHIBITS GROAN OR SHUDDER WITH SOME LOSS OF ASSIST WHEN RECOVERING FROM A RIGHT TURN. FORD HAS ISSUED OVER 10 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS MATTER. DEALER AND FORD MOTOR CONTACTED. FORD MOTOR TOOK INFORMATION AND INDICATED THAT NO ASSISTANCE WILL BE OFFERED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. REPAIRS ESTIMATED AT $500. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SLIGHT LOSS OF POWER ASSIST IN RECOVERING FROM A TURN WHICH COULD CONTRIBUTE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK
NHTSA ODI #714652
Mileage unknown · Nov 8, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling
CONTACTED FORD SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM HAD TO HAVE MOTOR REPLACED DUNLAP FORD FROM BELLEFONTE WERE VERY RUDE. THEY DID AN UNSATISFACTORY JOB AND TOOK SEVERL WEEKS TO COMPLETE THE JOB. THEY INSTALLED A SMALLER ENGINE THAN ORIGINAL. I FEEL I SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR AT LEAST A LITTLE OF THE COST OF 2500.00 . CONTACT…
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CONTACTED FORD SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM HAD TO HAVE MOTOR REPLACED DUNLAP FORD FROM BELLEFONTE WERE VERY RUDE. THEY DID AN UNSATISFACTORY JOB AND TOOK SEVERL WEEKS TO COMPLETE THE JOB. THEY INSTALLED A SMALLER ENGINE THAN ORIGINAL. I FEEL I SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR AT LEAST A LITTLE OF THE COST OF 2500.00 . CONTACTED THE DEALER, WENT OUT OF BUSINESS, THE SALESPERSON NO LONGER WITH ANY FORD COMPANY IN THE VICINITY. IT WAS AN EXECUTIVE VEHICLE WHEN PURCHASED WITH 22,000 MILES. FIRST OF ALL THEY SAID IT ONLY HAD 12000 WHEN PICKED UP CAR IT ENDED UP WITH 22,000. THE SALES PERSON THEN STATED THAT IT HAD A 3 YEAR 60,000 MILE WARRANTY FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. WHEN CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS THEY SAID NO WAY.
NHTSA ODI #714492
Mileage unknown · Nov 8, 1999
Power Train
VEHICLE ACTS AS IF IN PARK, THOUGH IT SHIFTS TO ALL GEARS- CAR DOESN'T MOVE. CAR LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING IN MIDDLE OF A TURN. OUT OF WARRANTY BY 3 WEEKS, BUT IN ON MILEAGE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER UNWILLING TO CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY.
NHTSA ODI #714453
Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 1999
Electrical System
THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARM. THIS CAUSES THE INTERIOR LIGHTS TO STAY ON, AND THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK WHEN USING THE POWER LOCK BUTTON WHEN THIS OCCURS.
NHTSA ODI #714341
Mileage unknown · Nov 2, 1999
Power Train
THE CAR WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED BY MY FATHER, RAY ZUMWALT, IN NOVEMBER 1997 AND I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM HIM JUNE 19TH ,1999. THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS MAY 1999 WITH APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES ON THE CAR, TRANSMISSION REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP IN DALLAS, TEXAS. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILED 10,000 MILES LATER , ON 10/…
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THE CAR WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED BY MY FATHER, RAY ZUMWALT, IN NOVEMBER 1997 AND I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM HIM JUNE 19TH ,1999. THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS MAY 1999 WITH APPROXIMATELY 25,000 MILES ON THE CAR, TRANSMISSION REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP IN DALLAS, TEXAS. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILED 10,000 MILES LATER , ON 10/15/99 AND WAS REPLACED BY PRITCHETT FORD IN ALBANY, GA. THE CAR WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEARLERSHIP.
NHTSA ODI #714207
Mileage unknown · Oct 25, 1999
Power TrainTires
TIRE ON REAR SIDE OF VEHICLE WAS SPLIT, CAUSING A ROUGH RIDE. CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO, COMPLAINING THAT SPEEDODOMETER WAS DEFECTIVE, IT DIDN'T SHOW HOW FAST VEHICLE WAS GOING. *AK
NHTSA ODI #851665
Mileage unknown · Oct 19, 1999
Power Train
TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN FIRST GEAR WHEN STARTING COLD, OCCASIONALLY SLIPS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PASS OR ACCELERATING RAPIDLY. DEALER COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM, BUT SLIPPING CONTINUES. *AK
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.
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.
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.
1997 Ford Taurus Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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