IllustrationWHILE WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ANOTHER DRIVER HIT CONSUMER AT ABOUT 50 MPH, AND CONSUMER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
1998 Ford Taurus
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Ford Taurus do not stand out strongly from 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
80–25K
1325–50K
3550–75K
3075–100K
39100–150K
16150K+
141 reports with mileage · 404 unknown
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.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 111 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
61 crash reports14 fire reports38 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
39 reportsALTHOUGH I HAVE STATED MY VEHICLE WAS GOING AT A LOW MPH, THE VEHICLE THAT HIT MY BACK PASSANGER SIDE WAS GOING AT ABOUT 45 MPH FOR IMPACT, AT WHICH POINT MY CAR WAS SENT SPINNING AROUND, AND BOTH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY CAR WAS STILL RUNNING WHEN IT CAME TO A STOP AND I HAD TO MANUALLY SHUT IT OFF.*AK
VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM RIGHT REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR, GOING AT A SPEED OF APROXIMATELY 15 MPH, AND BOTH PASSENGER' SIDE AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEFECT WAS COSTING CONSUMER TO REINSTALL THE AIRBAGS. *AK
THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM REPLACED A BATTERY ON 05/20/00. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE BATTERY, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT NEEDED A NEW AIRBAG MODULE. SINCE THIS LIGHT HAD NEVER COME ON BEFORE, I BELIEVED IT HAD TO DO WITH THE NEW BATTERY REPLACEMENT. I REFUSED THE INSTALLATION OF THE …
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THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM REPLACED A BATTERY ON 05/20/00. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE BATTERY, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT NEEDED A NEW AIRBAG MODULE. SINCE THIS LIGHT HAD NEVER COME ON BEFORE, I BELIEVED IT HAD TO DO WITH THE NEW BATTERY REPLACEMENT. I REFUSED THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW AIRBAG MODULE TO SEE IF THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF ON ITS OWN. AFTER THREE WEEKS IT HAS NOT. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH WILL NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE AIRBAG MODULE. MY SECOND CONCERN IS WITH THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (DRL). THEY HAVE OCCASIONALLY GONE ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING AND HAVE STAYED ON AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN TURNED OFF AS WELL. I CAN MAKE THEM GO OFF BY TURNING THE HEADLAMPS ON AND OFF. THE DEALERSHIP CAN FIND NO CAUSE FOR THIS. *AK
NO DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH AIRBAGS DURING HEAD ON IMPACT AT 35 MPH, INJURIES DUE TO FAILURE. *MJS
NO DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH AIR BAGS DURING FRONTAL IMPACT ACCIDENT, RESULTING IN INJURY. YH
WHILE DRIVING 30MPH & ANOTHER VEHICLE ENTERING FROM SIDE ROAD IN FRONT OF TAURUS,STOPPED. DRIVER OF TAURUS APPLIED BRAKES QUICKLY, BUT THEY FAILED AND REARENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT WITH OTHER VEHICLE, DUAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUFFERED HEAD & LEG BRUISES. *AK
DURING BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS (RAIN MIXED WITH SNOW) DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES & VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN ANCOLLISION. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DID NO DEPLOY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY. ALSO, STEERING FAILURE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH STOPPED FOR SIGN, AND WHILE CROSSING OVER, GOING WEST, THE HOOD BENT, WINDSHIELD BROKE AND FRONT LEFT WHEEL BROKE FROM THE FRAME ,AND THE CONSUMER HIT THE STEERING WHEEL HARD, AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN COLLISION IN WHICH THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, NEITHER THE PASSENGER SIDE / DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *YC
Official recalls
298V198000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Aug 25, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL SEAT TRACKS. THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ATTACHING STUD MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED. THIS HEAT TREATMENT MAY HAVE RESULTED IN CRACKS DEVELOPING IN THE STUD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE STUD IS CRACKED, IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE MOUNTING BRACKET AND STUD ASSEMBLY.
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.
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.