IllustrationTHE CAR HAS A RECALL ON LIGHTS SEAT BUCKLE AND STUD. *TR
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
Exterior Lighting complaints
14 reportsDT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT LENS LOCATED ON THE HATCH OF THE VEHICLE, SEPARATED AND FELL INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED, AND THE POLICE WERE NOT ALERTED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE ALERTED.
BOTH HEADLIGHT LENSES ARE CLOUDED, DISCOLORED AND HAVE MOISTURE ON THE INSIDE. THE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SEALED UNIT. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT.*AK *SB
TURN SIGNALS WOULD ONLY WORK AT TIMES. SOMETIMES THEY WOULD START TO BLINK/ILLUMINATE. THEN, STOP BEFORE THE TURN WAS COMPLETE, AND SOMETIMES THEY WILL NOT BLINK AT ALL. THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON MANY LATE 1990 FORDS. *AK
GEAR SHIFTER DOES NOT LINE UP CORRECTLY WHEN IN ANY GEAR. AJAR DOOR LIGHT AND INSIDE DOME LIGHT STAY ON AND THE DRIVERSIDE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK WHEN THIS HAPPENS. ALSO, WHEN GETTING IN OR OUT OF THE CAR EACH PASSANGER GETS SHOCKED IF YOU TOUCH ONE ANOTHER OR THE DOORS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS NOW. THIS HAPPEN…
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GEAR SHIFTER DOES NOT LINE UP CORRECTLY WHEN IN ANY GEAR. AJAR DOOR LIGHT AND INSIDE DOME LIGHT STAY ON AND THE DRIVERSIDE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK WHEN THIS HAPPENS. ALSO, WHEN GETTING IN OR OUT OF THE CAR EACH PASSANGER GETS SHOCKED IF YOU TOUCH ONE ANOTHER OR THE DOORS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS NOW. THIS HAPPENS ON A REGULAR BASES.
DOME AND DOOR LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY STAY ON. *AK DEALER REPLACED DRIVER DOOR SWITCH. BUT PROBLEM REOCCURED IN ADDITION TO THE WARNING BELL CHIMING WHEN KEYS ARE IN IGNITION WITH THE DOORS CLOSED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *TT
VEHICLE RETURNED DRIECTLY AFTER PURCHASE FOR NON-FUNCTIONAL TAIL LIGHT WHICH WAS REPLACED. CONDENSATION WAS PRESENT IN TAIL LIGHT. BULB ALONE WAS CHANGED. LIGHT FAILED AGAIN IN JUNE OF 2001. DEALER INSPECTED CAR AND FIXED LIGHT BY CHANGING LENS. UPON DELIVERY OF CAR TAIL LIGHT STILL DID NOT WORK EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE RECEIVED NEW …
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VEHICLE RETURNED DRIECTLY AFTER PURCHASE FOR NON-FUNCTIONAL TAIL LIGHT WHICH WAS REPLACED. CONDENSATION WAS PRESENT IN TAIL LIGHT. BULB ALONE WAS CHANGED. LIGHT FAILED AGAIN IN JUNE OF 2001. DEALER INSPECTED CAR AND FIXED LIGHT BY CHANGING LENS. UPON DELIVERY OF CAR TAIL LIGHT STILL DID NOT WORK EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE RECEIVED NEW NYS INSPECTION STICKER. CAR KEPT ADDITIONAL DAYS. AT THIS POINT ONLY LENS WAS CHANGED, BULB HAS NOT BEEN CHECKED, BUT CAR PASSED INSPECTION. CHARGE WAS 224.70 FOR A NEW LENS WITHOUT REPAIR BEING COMPLETED. DEALER REP STATED THAT SILICONE CAULK COULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO STOP LEAK AND NEW LENS WAS NOT NECESSARY. METRO FORD THEN CLEANED A "CORRODED LIGHT SOCKET" FOR NO CHARGE. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BEFORE LENS CHANGE AND NOT PRICE GOUGED CONSUMER. ALSO HOW CAN CAR PASS INSPECTION W/O TAIL LIGHTS. THIS IS A VIOLATION OF NYS INSPECTION LAW AT LEAST. THIS CAR HAD BEEN DELIVERED AS REPAIRED AND IF WE HAD NOT CHECKED TO SEE WE WOULD HAVE ASSUMED THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THIS CORROSION PROBLEM, ACCORDING TO FORD, IS COMMON, THEREFORE SHOULDN'T THE PROBLEM BE CONSIDERED AS A RECALL FIX AND NOT BLOWN OFF AS AN ANNOYANCE. PLEASE ADVISE D WILKES. *AK
THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 1998 FORD TAURUS ARE EXTREMELY INSUFFICIENT REGARDING THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF ILLUMINATION. THIS IS A RESULT OF POOR HEADLIGHT REFLECTOR DESIGN. OTHER TAURUS OWNERS I HAVE TALKED WITH EXPRESSED THE SAME GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE HEADLIGHTS. I'VE DRIVEN A 2000 FORD FOCUS, WHICH DID NOT EXHIBIT THE SAME PR…
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THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 1998 FORD TAURUS ARE EXTREMELY INSUFFICIENT REGARDING THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF ILLUMINATION. THIS IS A RESULT OF POOR HEADLIGHT REFLECTOR DESIGN. OTHER TAURUS OWNERS I HAVE TALKED WITH EXPRESSED THE SAME GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE HEADLIGHTS. I'VE DRIVEN A 2000 FORD FOCUS, WHICH DID NOT EXHIBIT THE SAME PROBLEM. MY PREVIOUS CAR, A 1996 FORD CONTOUR, HAD EXCELLENT HEADLIGHTS. THE LIGHTS ON THE TAURUS ARE EASILY "OVER DRIVEN" AT ANY SPEED OVER 35 M.P.H. AT NIGHT. THIS RESULTS IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE TAURUS DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. CAN YOU INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM? I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD OFFER AN IMPROVED REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT FOR DEALER RETROFIT TO CORRECT THIS VERY HAZARDOUS SAFETY DEFICIT.
CAR CAME EQUIPED WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FROM FACTORY. AT THIS TIME THE HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT GO OFF UNLESS I DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT EFFECTED THE BACK LIGHTS IN ANY WAY. THEY ARE CONTROLLED WITH THE LIGHT SWITCH, BUT NOT THE HEAD LIGHTS. PLEASE ADVISE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
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.