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.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →545Owner complaints
Model-year median: 318
2Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1998 Ford Taurus
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 545 owner complaints · 2 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Vehicle Speed Control: 111 reports
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 74 reports
- Power Train: 69 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 62 reports
- Suspension: 59 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Taurus years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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
Visibility complaints
17 reportsWHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH STOPPED FOR SIGN, AND WHILE CROSSING OVER, GOING WEST, THE HOOD BENT, WINDSHIELD BROKE AND FRONT LEFT WHEEL BROKE FROM THE FRAME ,AND THE CONSUMER HIT THE STEERING WHEEL HARD, AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
POWER WINDOWS LOCK UP. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE AT 9:00PM AND PLUGGED IN HEATER BLOCK, USING AN EXTENTION CORD DUE TO LOW TEMPARTURES TO KEEP OIL WARM OVER NIGHT. VEHICLE WAS USED AS A RENTAL CAR AT AIRPORT. CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER 1998 AT DEALERSHIP-ROEN FORD-715-425-6122--660 N. MAIN ST. DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO KNOWN CAUSE FOR FIRE, BU…
Read full complaint
CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE AT 9:00PM AND PLUGGED IN HEATER BLOCK, USING AN EXTENTION CORD DUE TO LOW TEMPARTURES TO KEEP OIL WARM OVER NIGHT. VEHICLE WAS USED AS A RENTAL CAR AT AIRPORT. CONSUMER BOUGHT VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER 1998 AT DEALERSHIP-ROEN FORD-715-425-6122--660 N. MAIN ST. DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO KNOWN CAUSE FOR FIRE, BUT WILL GIVE CONSUMER REPLACEMENT VEHICLE. CONSUMER PLUGGED IN ENGINE BLOCK EMERSION HEATER APPROX. 9PM, 8AM THE NEXT MORNING VEHICLE'S FRONT HAD COMPLETELY MELTED, AND THE GARAGE WAS SMOKE FILLED. *AK
HEATER SYSTEM FAILED.
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE HATCHBACK WINDOW BURSTED. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK
THE REFLECTION OFF THE DASHBOARD REFLECTS ONTO THE WINDSHIELD, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. . *AK
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.