IllustrationPOWER STEERING UNIT EXPERIENCES NOISE, REPLACEMENT OF HOSE AND UNIT DID NOT RECTIFY NOISE PROBLEM. *MJS
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
Steering complaints
40 reportsDURING BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS (RAIN MIXED WITH SNOW) DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES & VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN ANCOLLISION. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DID NO DEPLOY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURY. ALSO, STEERING FAILURE. *AK
VEHICLE DRIFTS OFF TO THE RIGHT ,AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE SHIMMIES EXCESSIVELY. DEALER SAYS STEERING COLUMN WAS MALFUNCTIONING. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT NOT VISIBLE WHEN WHEEL IS TILTED AS (DESIGNED), THE RESULT CAR WAS DRIVEN SEVERAL MILES WITH EMERGENCY BRAKES ENGAGED. YH
POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE FAILED. YH
STEERING WHEEL PULSATION WWHEN BRAKING OVER 50MPH 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BOUGHT IT BACK TO FORD 7 TIMES. ENGINE STOPPED WHEN PARALLEL PARKING BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON TWICE CAR IS ONLY 8 MONTHS LD
RACK AND PINION STEERING SPRING YOKE IS DEFECTIVE CAUSING SHIMMY AND STEERING PROBLEMS.
VEHICLE STEERING RACK AND PINION WITH A SPRING YOKE WILL RECTIFY PROBLEMS WITH STEERING CONTROL AND VIBRATION, UNABLE TO GET PARTS AS OF 22-JUL-98, DESIGN FLAW.
LOST ABILITY TO STEER VEHICLE. STEERING BELT PULLEY AND PUMP FAILED.
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH STEERING; VEHICLE ALWAYS STEERS TO THE LEFT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND LEARNED THE VEHICLE WAS WITHOUT A FRONT CAMBER/CASTER. CONSUMER INFORMED DEALER/MANUFACTURER OF THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY INFORMED CONSUMER BECAUSE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY EXPIRED THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. CON…
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CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH STEERING; VEHICLE ALWAYS STEERS TO THE LEFT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND LEARNED THE VEHICLE WAS WITHOUT A FRONT CAMBER/CASTER. CONSUMER INFORMED DEALER/MANUFACTURER OF THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY INFORMED CONSUMER BECAUSE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY EXPIRED THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW CAN THEY BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR VEHICLE NOT HAVING THE FRONT CAMBER/CASTER PARTS. *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.