IllustrationWHILE DRIVING IN RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PART NOT AVAILABLE DUE TO FORD CHANGING DESIGN, TRYING TO GET PART. *AK TRANSMISSION FAILED. *YH
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 reportsON 01-19-01 SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH WHEN IT STRUCK THE REAR BUMPER OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THOUGH MY VEHICLE SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL FRONT END DAMAGE, NEITHER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE NOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SPEEDS UP AND CANNOT SLOW DOWN WHEN PRESSING DOWN ON BRAKES. THIS MAY CAUSE A CRASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, BUT DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK THE LEFT FRONT DRIVE WHEEL MAKES ROARING NOISE. THE VEHICLE ALSO TRYS TO PULL OFF WHEN BRAKING TO STOP. THE DEALER NEITHER CAN FIX IT NOR TAKE T…
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WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SPEEDS UP AND CANNOT SLOW DOWN WHEN PRESSING DOWN ON BRAKES. THIS MAY CAUSE A CRASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, BUT DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK THE LEFT FRONT DRIVE WHEEL MAKES ROARING NOISE. THE VEHICLE ALSO TRYS TO PULL OFF WHEN BRAKING TO STOP. THE DEALER NEITHER CAN FIX IT NOR TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK. *YH
WE HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN THE SHOP 8 TIMES SENCE WE BOUGHT IT. WE'VE ONLY PUT 12000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE AND MY WIFE IS SCARED TO DRIVE IT! NO AFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
IN INITIAL FAILURE, BROKEN LINKS CAUSED VEHICLE TO FAIL TO TURN AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 45 MPH. IN THE SECOND FAILURE, SUSPENSION BECAME LOOSE. *AK
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO HOLD WHILE DESCENDING A HILL. IF CONTROL SET TO 55, UNLESS YOU APPLY THE BRAKE YOU CAN BE DOING 75-85 MPH AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL. DEALER SAYS CONDITION NORMAL AND THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DESIGN A SYSTEM THAT WILL HOLD SPEED ON AN INCLINE, DESPITE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN PREVIOUS VEHICLES TO THE CONT…
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CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO HOLD WHILE DESCENDING A HILL. IF CONTROL SET TO 55, UNLESS YOU APPLY THE BRAKE YOU CAN BE DOING 75-85 MPH AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL. DEALER SAYS CONDITION NORMAL AND THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DESIGN A SYSTEM THAT WILL HOLD SPEED ON AN INCLINE, DESPITE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN PREVIOUS VEHICLES TO THE CONTRARY. *AK
STEERING GROANS IN THE AM OR AFTER A LONG TRIP. SYSTEM LACKS BOOST. DEALER INSTALLED PS SERVICE KIT. NET RESULT NOISY SYSTEM AND NUMEROUS ADDITIONAL FAILURES. *AK
POWER STEERING SYSTEM NOISY AFTER PREVIOUS REPAIR. REPLACED PUMP TWICE, WITH NO NET GAIN. DEALER INDICATES CONDITION NORMAL. SUBSEQUENT PROBLEMS INDICATE DEALER IN ERROR. *AK
HIGH PRESSURE HOSE RUPTURED WHILE PARKING. NO STEERING BOOST AFTER FAILURE. VEHICLE DRIVEN TO DEALER WITH SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. *AK
HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE RUPTURED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. LOSS OF POWER STEERING BOOST. NO INJURIES. *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.