IllustrationWHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30MPH ON EXIT RAMP BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALER ,WHO STATED THAT BRAKES WERE FINE. CONSUMER WAS SCARED TO DRIVE VEHICLE.*AK *TS
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
What owners actually said
545 reportsPOWER STEERING DEVELOPED A LEAK AND SUDDENLY BECAME NON FUNCTIONAL. SYSTEM FAILED, AND IS BEING REPAIRED. *AK *SCC
THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE STATION TODAY AND THEY TOLD ME THE ABS COMPUTER WENT. AT ONLY 67000 MILES? WHAT GIVES? $600.00 REPAIR. ALSO DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BULB IN THE INTERIOR LIGHTS SO THE BATTERY DOESN'T RUN DOWN. CAR SQUEAKS WHEN MAKING TURNS, A/…
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THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE STATION TODAY AND THEY TOLD ME THE ABS COMPUTER WENT. AT ONLY 67000 MILES? WHAT GIVES? $600.00 REPAIR. ALSO DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BULB IN THE INTERIOR LIGHTS SO THE BATTERY DOESN'T RUN DOWN. CAR SQUEAKS WHEN MAKING TURNS, A/C RATTLES. NOT HAPPY WITH THIS CAR AT ALL.*AK
THE LEFT REAR SEATBELT BECAME STUCK AND COULD NOT BE RELEASED OR USED, THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS TO BE AN UNUSUAL FAILURE SINCE THE REAR SEATS ARE RARELY OCCUPIED, IT TOOK TWO VISITS TO REPAIR THE DEFECT AT A CONSIDERABLE COST TO THE CONSUMER, SOON AFTER THIS REPAIR THE RIGHT REAR SEATBELT BECAME STUCK AND COULD NOT BE USED. …
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THE LEFT REAR SEATBELT BECAME STUCK AND COULD NOT BE RELEASED OR USED, THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS TO BE AN UNUSUAL FAILURE SINCE THE REAR SEATS ARE RARELY OCCUPIED, IT TOOK TWO VISITS TO REPAIR THE DEFECT AT A CONSIDERABLE COST TO THE CONSUMER, SOON AFTER THIS REPAIR THE RIGHT REAR SEATBELT BECAME STUCK AND COULD NOT BE USED. NLM
ROTOR SERVICE ON FRONT END OF VEHICLE ONCE EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TIRES SHAKING, CLUNKING NOISE IN FRONT WHEELS WHEN TURNING, AND SQUEAKING NOISE IN REAR END WHEN BRAKING. THE HEATER AND DEFROSTER MAKE A BUZZING NOISE, THE BR…
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ROTOR SERVICE ON FRONT END OF VEHICLE ONCE EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TIRES SHAKING, CLUNKING NOISE IN FRONT WHEELS WHEN TURNING, AND SQUEAKING NOISE IN REAR END WHEN BRAKING. THE HEATER AND DEFROSTER MAKE A BUZZING NOISE, THE BRAKES PULSATE. THE REAR RIGHT BRAKE AND ROTORS FAILED. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE MAKES A BUZZING NOISE WHEN START. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. THE DRIVER DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO BATTERY FAILURE. *YH
CONSUMER STATES RPM RACES UP TO 4,000 RPMS FOR NO REASON. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *TT
REAR RIGHT SEAT BELT IS INOPERATIVE, UNABLE TO RETRACK BELT FROM TRACK POSITION, TO LOCK.*AK
AFTER SITTING FOR 3 DAYS THE BATTERY IS DEAD, VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO 2 DEALERS, ONE DEALER REPLACED A MODULE AND IT STILL GOES DEAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE NEW. *AK
CAR WAS SMOKING FROM UNDER AND WHEN TAKEN TO GARAGE TOLD IT WAS AN OIL PAN GASKET THAT WAS A COMMON FORD PROBLEM AND COULD CATCH FIRE IF DRIVEN TOO LONG CAUSE IT WOULD GET HOT.*AK
WHILE PRESSING THE CRUISE-CONTROL "ON" BUTTON, THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY LOST FORWARD DRIVE POWER AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL. THE SPEEDOMETER ALSO REGISTERED "ZERO MPH" EVENTHOUGH I WAS PROCEEDING WITH FORWARD MOTION. AFTER I SAFELY GUIDED THE VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC FLOW I TRIED TO RE-ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION BUT COULD NOT. I PRESSE…
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WHILE PRESSING THE CRUISE-CONTROL "ON" BUTTON, THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY LOST FORWARD DRIVE POWER AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL. THE SPEEDOMETER ALSO REGISTERED "ZERO MPH" EVENTHOUGH I WAS PROCEEDING WITH FORWARD MOTION. AFTER I SAFELY GUIDED THE VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC FLOW I TRIED TO RE-ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION BUT COULD NOT. I PRESSED THE CRUISE CONTROL "OFF" BUTTON AND THEN TRIED TO REENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE AT WHICH TIME IT DID ENGAGE. THE TRANSMISSION AT THAT POINT ENGAGED BUT DID NOT PERFORM IN A NORMAL OR SAFE PATTERN! IF THIS SITUATION OCCURED IN A MORE DYNAMIC TRAFFIC AREA I AM AFRAID OF WHAT THE POSSIBILITY FOR AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A (VSS) VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR. DUE TO THE LOW MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS CONDITION. WHEN IT OCCURS, DRIVEABILITY IS SERIOUSLY IMPAIRED! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.*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.