IllustrationSPEEDOMETER WOULD AGITATE WHILE DRIVING, UNABLE TO DETERMINE CORRECT SPEED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *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
What owners actually said
545 reportsWHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING WOULD STEP ON BRAKES PEDAL AND VEHICLE WILL START VIBRATING. ROTORS HAD BEEN RESURFACED FOUR TIMES ALREADY. *AK
WE'VE TRIED TO CONTACT FORD SEVERAL TIMES, BUT ONLY RECEIVE THE STANDARD COURTESY LETTER & "THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT". IN THE MEANTIME, ANYONE IN THAT CAR IS AT RISK DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM. OUR OWN CHILDREN CAN'T RIDE IN IT! WE HAVE TO HAVE A VEHICLE TO GET TO WORK, SO WE'LL HAVE TO TRY TO GET RID OF IT, SINCE FORD …
Read full complaint
WE'VE TRIED TO CONTACT FORD SEVERAL TIMES, BUT ONLY RECEIVE THE STANDARD COURTESY LETTER & "THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT". IN THE MEANTIME, ANYONE IN THAT CAR IS AT RISK DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM. OUR OWN CHILDREN CAN'T RIDE IN IT! WE HAVE TO HAVE A VEHICLE TO GET TO WORK, SO WE'LL HAVE TO TRY TO GET RID OF IT, SINCE FORD REFUSES TO RESPOND. ALL WE WOULD WANT IS IT FIXED! THERE'S ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE PAINT PEELING OFF OF THE FRONT BUMPER THAT WILL COST $250.00 TO FIX! *AK
APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL TO FLOOR DURING A PANIC STOP. FELT LIKE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND CAUSED ME TO REAREND VEHICLE IN FRONT. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. WHEN DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT MAIN PISTON IN ENGINE WAS CORRODED AND HAD TO BE 'CLEANED'. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
FUEL PUMP HAS FAILED TWICE, AND WAS REPLACED MARCH 2000 AND 2001. LATEST INCIDENT WAS DUE TO PUMP NOT HAVING ENOUGH PRESSURE TO PUMP FUEL INTO ENGINE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH GOOD BRAKES, WITH APPROXIMATELY 30000 MILES WE HAVE REPLACED PADS 4 TIMES, AND ALSO HAVE REPLACED THE CALIPERS & ROTORS, AND NOW THE SPEED SENSOR. IS THIS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE? THE UNIT IS SMOKING WHEN DRIVEN.*AK
A "SQUEAKING" NOISE THAT IS COMING FROM LEFT FRONT END OF VEHICLE WHILE PARKING OR TRAVELING AT ANY GIVEN SPEED. A PRIVATE MECHANIC STATED THAT TIE ROD ON DRIVER'S SIDE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*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.