IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE REAR LEFT DOOR OPEN ON IT'S OWN. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM
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
Latches/locks/linkages complaints
7 reportsFRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WILL CLOSE. CONSUMER HAS TO PUSH DOWN LOCK AND CLOSE DOOR SO IT WILL STAY SHUT. IF DOESN'T PUSH DOWN LOCK DOOR WILL NOT SHUT. HAVE TO CONTACT DEALER.*AK
MY DOOR LATCH AND/OR 'DOOR AJAR' LIGHT LATCH IS NOT WORKING, MY INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON ALL THE TIME AND MY BATTERY STAYS RUN DOWN(I'VE HAD TO REPLACE IT ONCE ALREADY), AND NOT ONLY IS IT HARD TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ON, IT IS DANGEROUS. PLEASE GET BACK TO ME ON THIS. THANK YOU, MS. [XXX]. FRAME. *AK PART…
Read full complaint
MY DOOR LATCH AND/OR 'DOOR AJAR' LIGHT LATCH IS NOT WORKING, MY INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON ALL THE TIME AND MY BATTERY STAYS RUN DOWN(I'VE HAD TO REPLACE IT ONCE ALREADY), AND NOT ONLY IS IT HARD TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ON, IT IS DANGEROUS. PLEASE GET BACK TO ME ON THIS. THANK YOU, MS. [XXX]. FRAME. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
TRUNK WILL NOT REMAIN OPEN, IT WILL CLOSE ON CONSUMER'S HEAD, TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THE WEIGHT OF THE SPOILER WILL NOT HOLD IT UP. *AK
1. NEED COMPLETE NEW TRANSMISSION, 2ND GEAR BURNED UP WITH ONLY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. 2. DOON AND DOOR AJAR LIGHTS WON'T GO OFF, INTERIOR PANAL LIGHTS WON'T COME ON AND I GET SHOCKED EVERY TIME I CLOSE THE DOOR AFTER EXITING. 3. GEAR SHIFT COLUMN BROKE WHILE CAR WAS IN PARK SHIFTING TO DRIVE.
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
TRUNK LID WILL NOT STAY UP WHEN OPENED. DEALER NOTIFIED,AND INFORMEDCONSUMER THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE SPOILER WAS THE CAUSE AND NOTHING ELSE WAS MENTION TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM... CONSUMER HAD THE TRUNK LID HIT HER IN BACK OF HEAD ON FOUR OCCASIONS. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATER OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION . *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.