IllustrationTHE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK.*JB
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
Seat Belts complaints
28 reportsCONSUMER NOTICED THE BACK SYSTEM SEAT BELTS LAP DO NOT RETRACT AFTER RELEASING BUCKETS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BOTH REAR SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFO. *MR
THE LEFT REAR SEATBELT BECAME STUCK AND COULD NOT BE RELEASED OR USED, THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS TO BE AN UNUSUAL FAILURE SINCE THE REAR SEATS ARE RARELY OCCUPIED, IT TOOK TWO VISITS TO REPAIR THE DEFECT AT A CONSIDERABLE COST TO THE CONSUMER, SOON AFTER THIS REPAIR THE RIGHT REAR SEATBELT BECAME STUCK AND COULD NOT BE USED. …
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THE LEFT REAR SEATBELT BECAME STUCK AND COULD NOT BE RELEASED OR USED, THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS TO BE AN UNUSUAL FAILURE SINCE THE REAR SEATS ARE RARELY OCCUPIED, IT TOOK TWO VISITS TO REPAIR THE DEFECT AT A CONSIDERABLE COST TO THE CONSUMER, SOON AFTER THIS REPAIR THE RIGHT REAR SEATBELT BECAME STUCK AND COULD NOT BE USED. NLM
REAR RIGHT SEAT BELT IS INOPERATIVE, UNABLE TO RETRACK BELT FROM TRACK POSITION, TO LOCK.*AK
FRONT PASSENGERS SEATBELT WILL NOT PULL OUT.*AK
REAR LAP/ SHOULDER BELTS WOULD LOCK UP AND WILL NOT RELEASE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO BE CHECKED OUT. *AK
VEHICLE WAS REARENDED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH SEATBELT DID NOT RESTRAIN CONSUMER, AND SHE HIT HER HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER SUFFERED NECK AND ARM INJURIES. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER YET.*AK
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT SNAPPED DURING THE ACCIDENT (AIR BAGS WORKED FINE) 10" FROM BOLT THAT SECURES BELT TO THE FLOOR. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR IN THIS AREA THAT WOULD HAVE CUT THE BELT. BELT LOOKED NORMAL. DRIVER 125#, 45MPH CRASH,BELT BRAKES? LUCKILY, AFTER BEING BOUNCED AROUND INSIDE SHE WAS IN THE BACK SEAT AFTER …
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THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT SNAPPED DURING THE ACCIDENT (AIR BAGS WORKED FINE) 10" FROM BOLT THAT SECURES BELT TO THE FLOOR. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR IN THIS AREA THAT WOULD HAVE CUT THE BELT. BELT LOOKED NORMAL. DRIVER 125#, 45MPH CRASH,BELT BRAKES? LUCKILY, AFTER BEING BOUNCED AROUND INSIDE SHE WAS IN THE BACK SEAT AFTER THE CRASH AND WAS NOT EJECTED FROM THE CAR. *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.