Illustration1. 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.
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
Power Train complaints
69 reportsVIBRATION IN THE ENGINE AREA DUE TO BROKEN TRANSMISSION MOUNT. YH
KEY WAS IN IGINTION WITH ENGINE TURNED OFF WHEN A 4-YEAR OLD CHILD MOVED SHIFT LEVER FROM PARK TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL. *AK
VEHICLE IS STALLING AND THE RPM VALVES ARE GOING UP. EHICLE KICKS INTO GEAR AND SHIFTS VERY HARD. *AK
PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO RESPOND TO ANY OF ITS FUNCTION. ALSO, BRAKES AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTER FAILED; AND KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COAST INTO A TREE AND THEN FLIP OVER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR FAILED.
WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP,CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO A INTERMITTENT SKID. IN ADDITION, DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES WHICH DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ; WHENEVER VEHICLE IS COASTING AND NEEDS TO ACCELERATE, VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE BEFORE ACCELERATIO. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION / ONBOARD COMPUTER WAS NOT PROGRAMMING INCORRECTLY. DEALER PUT IN ANOTHER TRANSMISSION, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. DEALER INFORMED…
Read full complaint
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ; WHENEVER VEHICLE IS COASTING AND NEEDS TO ACCELERATE, VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE BEFORE ACCELERATIO. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION / ONBOARD COMPUTER WAS NOT PROGRAMMING INCORRECTLY. DEALER PUT IN ANOTHER TRANSMISSION, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER NOTHING COULD BE DONE. *AK
VEHICLE AT FIRST WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR. STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND DOWNSHIFTING, IT JERKED. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *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.