IllustrationWHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKES WORK INTERMITTENLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
74 reportsBRAKE FAILURE ON 1998 FORD TAURUS. *AK
I HAVE A 98 FORD TAURUS AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THEY WOULD KICK BACK AND I COULD HEAR A POPPING SOUND. SO I TOOK IT TO A CARE PLACE AND THE HOOKED IT TO THE COMPUTER IT SAID A BAD PASSENGER REAR SENSOR. $200 LATER THE PROBLEM WASN'T FIXED. NOW THEY SAY IT IS THE MAIN MODULAR SENSOR OH…
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I HAVE A 98 FORD TAURUS AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THEY WOULD KICK BACK AND I COULD HEAR A POPPING SOUND. SO I TOOK IT TO A CARE PLACE AND THE HOOKED IT TO THE COMPUTER IT SAID A BAD PASSENGER REAR SENSOR. $200 LATER THE PROBLEM WASN'T FIXED. NOW THEY SAY IT IS THE MAIN MODULAR SENSOR OH THAT'S $700. WELL THE BAD THING IS I KNOW OF 2 OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS CAR IS SUPPOSE TO BE A SAFE VEHICLE. BUT I'M NOT IMPRESSED AND WOULD NEVER BUY ONE AGAIN. I THINK WITH THIS MANY COMPLAINTS THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *NLM
WHEN APPLIED BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHICH CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP THIS TIME CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *TT
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING LOSS BRAKING ABILITY, LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER. CONSUMER GREY SMOKE STARTED TO FILL CAB AREA, POWER WINDOWS WERE NOT WORKING. CONSUMER FEELS LUCKY ONE OF THE WINDOWS WAS HALF WAY DOWN, AND CONSUMER CRAWLED TO SAFETY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING LOSS ALL BRAKING ABILITY, CONSUMER LOSS CONTROL OF CAR FLIPPED OVER. CONSUMER STATES THAT GREY SMOKE FILLED CAR, POWER WINDOWS LOCKED UP. TS
WHILE DRIVING AND WIT NO WARNING WHEN TRYING TO APPLY BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR ,CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
THE CRUSE DOSENT HOLD WHEN GOING DOWN HILL IF SAT A 60 , IT WILL INCREASE TO 75 OR MORE .ALSO THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE THAT IS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF CAR THE FASTER AND IN INCLINE IT GETS VERY VERY LOUD. AND THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES A LOT.ALSO FORD HAS GRINDED DOWN THE HUBS THREE TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND THE BRAKES…
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THE CRUSE DOSENT HOLD WHEN GOING DOWN HILL IF SAT A 60 , IT WILL INCREASE TO 75 OR MORE .ALSO THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE THAT IS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF CAR THE FASTER AND IN INCLINE IT GETS VERY VERY LOUD. AND THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES A LOT.ALSO FORD HAS GRINDED DOWN THE HUBS THREE TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND THE BRAKES ARE GOING BAD AGAIN. *AK
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30MPH ON EXIT RAMP BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALER ,WHO STATED THAT BRAKES WERE FINE. CONSUMER WAS SCARED TO DRIVE VEHICLE.*AK *TS
THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE STATION TODAY AND THEY TOLD ME THE ABS COMPUTER WENT. AT ONLY 67000 MILES? WHAT GIVES? $600.00 REPAIR. ALSO DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BULB IN THE INTERIOR LIGHTS SO THE BATTERY DOESN'T RUN DOWN. CAR SQUEAKS WHEN MAKING TURNS, A/…
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THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE STATION TODAY AND THEY TOLD ME THE ABS COMPUTER WENT. AT ONLY 67000 MILES? WHAT GIVES? $600.00 REPAIR. ALSO DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BULB IN THE INTERIOR LIGHTS SO THE BATTERY DOESN'T RUN DOWN. CAR SQUEAKS WHEN MAKING TURNS, A/C RATTLES. NOT HAPPY WITH THIS CAR AT ALL.*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.