IllustrationWITH IN LAST MONTH WHEN THE CAR WAS IN PARK OR NEUTRAL ENGINE WOULD RUN UP TO ABOUT 3000RPMS. ONLY WAY TO STOP IT WAS TO TURN IT OFF WITH THE KEY. IT HAS NOT DONE THIS IN GEAR. *AK
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
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
111 reportsI WAS AT A STOP WHEN THE ENGINE LUNGED AHEAD AND DIED,AT THE TIME I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. IT REPEATED THIS 3 OTHER TIMES. THE REPIRING DEALER SAID THE GROUND CABLE FOR THE PCM WAS LOSE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOSE CONTROL. THE LUNGING WAS QUITE VIOLENT. *AK
CAR HAS NO ENGINE BRAKING ON COAST DOWN. IN FACT THROTTLE SEEMS TO OPEN WHEN COASTING DOWN A GRADE. THIS REQUIRES BRAKING TO PREVENT RUNAWAY. BELIEVE THIS HAS RESULTED IN PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR AND WARPED ROTORS. THE LAST CAR I OWNED THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM WAS A 1972 NOVA, WHICH OPENED THE THROTTLE TO PREVENT NO2 EMISSIONS. I THOUG…
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CAR HAS NO ENGINE BRAKING ON COAST DOWN. IN FACT THROTTLE SEEMS TO OPEN WHEN COASTING DOWN A GRADE. THIS REQUIRES BRAKING TO PREVENT RUNAWAY. BELIEVE THIS HAS RESULTED IN PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR AND WARPED ROTORS. THE LAST CAR I OWNED THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM WAS A 1972 NOVA, WHICH OPENED THE THROTTLE TO PREVENT NO2 EMISSIONS. I THOUGHT WE HAD PROGRESS. FORD NEEDS A BETTER WAY TO CONTROL EMISSIONS. *AK
VEHICLE ACCELERATES TO 3 RPMS WHEN IN PARK. ABS LIGHT STAYS ON SINCE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED 8-9 MONTHS AGO.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 45MPH TOOK FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR AND VEHICLE INCREASED SPEED & MAINTAINED THAT SPEED. CRUISE CONTROL NOT ON. VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN WITH BRAKING & RPMS HAD CAME DOWN WITHOUT BRAKING. WILL BE TAKING TO DEALER FOR A CHECK.*AK VEHICLE TAKES OFF BY ITSELF AND CAN BE SLOWED ONLY BY BRAKING. *YH
THE CAR IS IDLING UP TO 4RMP IN "PARK" THE CAR ACCELERATE WHEN TAKING OUT OF PARK IN PUT INTO GEAR
CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT HOLD SPEED WHILE GOING UP AND DOWN INCLINES, FLUCTUATION IS 15 TO 50 MILES MPH, TOO EXTREME. *MJS
VEHICLE'S SPEED DID NOT DECREASE WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED. CONSUMER SAID IT WAS JUST LIKE USING CRUISE CONTROL. *AK
WHEN LEVER IS IN PARK VEHICLE WOULD IDLE UP TO 3000 RMPS LIKE IT WAS TAKING OFF. VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. FOOT WOULD REMAIN ON THE BRAKE DUE TO HIGH ACCELERATION. HAVE BEEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 4 SEPARATE TIMES FOR THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED. DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE DEFECT. DAMAGE: $1,500. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFTEY PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY REPORTED FOR MODEL YEARS 1996 THROUGH 1999. WHY HASN'T THE GOVERNMENT TAKEN ANY ACTION? I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE DID NO…
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WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED. DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE DEFECT. DAMAGE: $1,500. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFTEY PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY REPORTED FOR MODEL YEARS 1996 THROUGH 1999. WHY HASN'T THE GOVERNMENT TAKEN ANY ACTION? I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE DID NOT LIVE TO TELL ABOUT IT. I WAS ONE OF THE FORTUNATE ONES. THIS NOT ONLY PUTS THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS IN JEOPARDY, BUT PEDESTRIANS AS WELL!
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.