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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 →
545Owner complaints

Model-year median: 318

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1,205
1995825
1996770
1997545
1998874
19991,195
20001,037
2001
Compare all Taurus years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Vehicle Speed Control
111Service Brakes, Hydraulic
74Power Train
69Engine And Engine Cooling
62Suspension
59
All reported categories
Steering
40Air Bags
39Electrical System
34Seat Belts
28Structure
22Visibility
17Interior Lighting
15Exterior Lighting
14Unknown Or Other
12Fuel System, Gasoline
11Tires
10Equipment
9Latches/locks/linkages
7Seats
7Wheels
5Service Brakes, Air
4Service Brakes
3Engine
2Fuel System, Other
2Child Seat
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 21, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WE'VE TRIED TO CONTACT FORD SEVERAL TIMES, BUT ONLY RECEIVE THE STANDARD COURTESY LETTER & "THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT". IN THE MEANTIME, ANYONE IN THAT CAR IS AT RISK DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM. OUR OWN CHILDREN CAN'T RIDE IN IT! WE HAVE TO HAVE A VEHICLE TO GET TO WORK, SO WE'LL HAVE TO TRY TO GET RID OF IT, SINCE FORD …

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WE'VE TRIED TO CONTACT FORD SEVERAL TIMES, BUT ONLY RECEIVE THE STANDARD COURTESY LETTER & "THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT". IN THE MEANTIME, ANYONE IN THAT CAR IS AT RISK DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM. OUR OWN CHILDREN CAN'T RIDE IN IT! WE HAVE TO HAVE A VEHICLE TO GET TO WORK, SO WE'LL HAVE TO TRY TO GET RID OF IT, SINCE FORD REFUSES TO RESPOND. ALL WE WOULD WANT IS IT FIXED! THERE'S ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE PAINT PEELING OFF OF THE FRONT BUMPER THAT WILL COST $250.00 TO FIX! *AK

NHTSA ODI #745631

Mileage unknown · May 21, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL TO FLOOR DURING A PANIC STOP. FELT LIKE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND CAUSED ME TO REAREND VEHICLE IN FRONT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #745618

Mileage unknown · May 11, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed Control

THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH GOOD BRAKES, WITH APPROXIMATELY 30000 MILES WE HAVE REPLACED PADS 4 TIMES, AND ALSO HAVE REPLACED THE CALIPERS & ROTORS, AND NOW THE SPEED SENSOR. IS THIS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE? THE UNIT IS SMOKING WHEN DRIVEN.*AK

NHTSA ODI #745213

Mileage unknown · Apr 21, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE ROTORS TWICE ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASED NEW. DEALER CUT ROTORS UPON INITIAL COMPLAINT AND PROBLEM RETURNED WITHIN 3000 MILES. DEALER OFFERED TO REPLACE ROTORS AT MY COST INFORMING ME THEY WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ROTORS WERE AGAIN REPLACED AT 60,000 MILES AND PROBLEM HAS AGAIN RETURNE…

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I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE ROTORS TWICE ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASED NEW. DEALER CUT ROTORS UPON INITIAL COMPLAINT AND PROBLEM RETURNED WITHIN 3000 MILES. DEALER OFFERED TO REPLACE ROTORS AT MY COST INFORMING ME THEY WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ROTORS WERE AGAIN REPLACED AT 60,000 MILES AND PROBLEM HAS AGAIN RETURNED ONLY 2,000 MILES LATER. THIS APPEARS TO ME TO BE A DESIGN FAILURE AS I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #744344

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicTires

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE AND STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN WOULD VIBRATE MODERATELY TO VIOLENTLY. DEALERSHIP LOOKED INTO THIS DEFECT AND REPLACED FRONT ROTORS/ TIRES, AND BRAKES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #886132

Mileage unknown · Apr 16, 2001
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

VEHICLE HAS NO COMPRESSION BRAKING, IT FREEWHEELS ON DOWNHILL GRADES BY AS MUCH AS 25MPH. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND WILL LEAD TO PREMATURE BRAKE REPLACEMENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #744134

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #743498

Mileage unknown · Mar 22, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

DISTANCE BETWEEN THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS ARE DESIGNED POORLY. WHEN TRANSFERING FEET FROM ONE PEDAL TO ANOTHER, CONSUMER'S FOOT WILL GET STUCK BETWEEN THE PEDALS. *AK *TT

NHTSA ODI #883804

Mileage unknown · Feb 20, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

HUBS ON THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN CHAFED SEVERAL TIMES. VEHICLE SHAKES WHEN TRYING TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #880870

Mileage unknown · Jan 12, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicSuspensionVehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SPEEDS UP AND CANNOT SLOW DOWN WHEN PRESSING DOWN ON BRAKES. THIS MAY CAUSE A CRASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, BUT DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK THE LEFT FRONT DRIVE WHEEL MAKES ROARING NOISE. THE VEHICLE ALSO TRYS TO PULL OFF WHEN BRAKING TO STOP. THE DEALER NEITHER CAN FIX IT NOR TAKE T…

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WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SPEEDS UP AND CANNOT SLOW DOWN WHEN PRESSING DOWN ON BRAKES. THIS MAY CAUSE A CRASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, BUT DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK THE LEFT FRONT DRIVE WHEEL MAKES ROARING NOISE. THE VEHICLE ALSO TRYS TO PULL OFF WHEN BRAKING TO STOP. THE DEALER NEITHER CAN FIX IT NOR TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK. *YH

NHTSA ODI #878082

Official recalls

2

98V198000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.