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

What owners actually said

545 reports

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2003

Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER HAS MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10040715

Mileage unknown · Sep 24, 2003

Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH WAS INVOLVED IN A THREE CAR CRASH, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10040473

Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 2003

Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING AT 25/30 MPH VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND SEAT BELT DIDN'T RETRACT. DRIVER SUSTAINED SLIGHT INJURIES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10034246

64,000 miles · Aug 18, 2003

Service Brakes, Air

ABS WARNING LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH. WHEN THIS OCCURRED EXCESSIVE FORCE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE ECU AND HCU. THE PARTS WERE REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10034068

7,300 miles · Aug 7, 2003

Seat Belts

THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS INOPERABLE, DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE RETRACTOR MECHANISMS. PART IS UNAVAILABLE. *PH

NHTSA ODI #10032341

56,000 miles · Aug 7, 2003

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Read full complaint

CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR,WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING APPROX. 50 MPH APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER PUMPED THE BRAKES 2-3 TIMES AND THE PEDAL CONTINUED TO GO TO THE FLOOR. THEN HE QUICKLY DOWN SHIFTED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO FIRST GEAR AND APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP JUST SHORT OF THE INTERSECTION. AFTER 10 MILES, THE BRAKES WERE WORKING NORMAL. THREE PEOPLE WERE IN THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. *PH *JB

NHTSA ODI #10027290

Mileage unknown · Aug 5, 2003

Fuel System, Other

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AT THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP AT COST OF $695.00, CONSUMER STATED THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10032142

Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 2003

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKES WORK INTERMITTENLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH

NHTSA ODI #10031677

71,200 miles · Jul 29, 2003

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE FAILURE ON 1998 FORD TAURUS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10030318

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2003

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

Read full complaint

1998 FORD TAURUS; 78000+ MILES: RECURRING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. OWNERS MANUAL INDICATES THAT THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MAY NOT BE REFERRING TO A MECHANICAL PROBLEM THAT WILL AFFECT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE. OUR LIGHT CAME ON ONE MONTH AFTER WE PURCHASED THE CAR. IT WOULD GO OFF WHEN WE CHANGED FLUIDS OR BRAND OF GASOLINE. ON JUNE 28TH THERE WAS A NOTICABLE CHANGE IN DRIVABILITY AS THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY AND THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT FROM LOW GEAR. THE ENGINE WOULD REV TO 5000 RPMS TRYING TO SHIFT BUT COULD NOT. I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE TRYING TO MANEUVER IN 55 TO 65 MPH TRAFFIC. AAMCO NOW TELLS ME THAT IT WILL COST 1500 T0 2000 DOLLARS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I RAN A 1993 FORD VAN TO 270,000 MILES BUT I DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS MODEL HAD A 12 YEAR HISTORY OF SEVERE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10030294

Official recalls

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.