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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 20, 2000
Tires

FRONT RIGHT TIRE WAS SEPARATING AND STILL HAD PLENTY OF TREAD REPLACED FRONT TWO TIRES WITH THE SAME GENERAL TIRES BUT WORRIED THAT THESE ARE SOME OF THE TIRES THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED WITH THE OTHER GENERAL TIRES THAT ARE BEING RECALLED NOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

NHTSA ODI #732044

Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

AFTER 40 MPH THE CAR HAS A SURGING PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE SENSOR WHICH THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY CALLED FORD MOTOR CO AND FOUND OUT THERE IS A SURGING PROBLEM WHEN THE HYDROCARBON BUILDS UP. THEY DONT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM SO THEY ARE NOT GOING TO RECA…

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AFTER 40 MPH THE CAR HAS A SURGING PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE SENSOR WHICH THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY CALLED FORD MOTOR CO AND FOUND OUT THERE IS A SURGING PROBLEM WHEN THE HYDROCARBON BUILDS UP. THEY DONT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM SO THEY ARE NOT GOING TO RECALL THEM UNTIL THEY KNOW HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE RPM'S GO UP. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO GO DOWN. PATALANO FORD EXPECTS ME TO PAY FOR THE THROTTLE SENSOR EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I AM RIDING IN AN UNSAFE CAR. WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS?

NHTSA ODI #731897

Mileage unknown · Sep 14, 2000
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT HOLD SPEED WHILE GOING UP AND DOWN INCLINES, FLUCTUATION IS 15 TO 50 MILES MPH, TOO EXTREME. *MJS

NHTSA ODI #554624

Mileage unknown · Sep 13, 2000
Vehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE'S SPEED DID NOT DECREASE WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS RELEASED. CONSUMER SAID IT WAS JUST LIKE USING CRUISE CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #870376

Mileage unknown · Sep 4, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

WAS DRIVING TO WORK AR 5AM ON 6-21 AND IT WAS RAINING WHILE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN AN 18 WHEELER PASSED AND CAUSED WATER TO SPLASH UP AND MY CAR DIED. I STARTED THE CAR AND WENT ON TO WORK AND WORKED 7.5 HOURS ON MY WAY HOME I WAS MOTIONED OFF THE ROAD BY ANOTHER DRIVER AND TOLD TO GET OUT OF THE CAR THAT THERE WAS FLAMES SHOOT…

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WAS DRIVING TO WORK AR 5AM ON 6-21 AND IT WAS RAINING WHILE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN AN 18 WHEELER PASSED AND CAUSED WATER TO SPLASH UP AND MY CAR DIED. I STARTED THE CAR AND WENT ON TO WORK AND WORKED 7.5 HOURS ON MY WAY HOME I WAS MOTIONED OFF THE ROAD BY ANOTHER DRIVER AND TOLD TO GET OUT OF THE CAR THAT THERE WAS FLAMES SHOOTING OUT FROM THE CAR THIS DRIVER TOOK ME TO GET A TOW TRUCK AND WHILE WE WERE GONE THE FIRE DEPT HAD TO BE CALLED TO PUT A FIRE OUT ON THE CAR. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT PUTNAM LINCOLN FOR OVER 2 MONTHS BECAUSE IT HAS TO HAVE A NEW MOTOR AND FORD WILL NOT REPLACRE THE MOTOR BECAUSE THEY SAID I DROVE THROUGH WATER THIS HAS CAUSED ME MUCH STRESS AND MENTAL TRAUMA AND BECAUSE OF THIS I MIGHT HAVE TO FILE BANKRUPTCY IF I CAN NOT GET HELP GETTING MY CAR BACK ON THE ROAD. I WAS TOLD BY PUTNAM THAT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ANOTHER FORD CAR THE SAME DAY AND HAVE BEEN TOLD ABOUT SEVERAL 1997 FORD VECHICLES THAT THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED TO AND THAT THE CONSUMER HAS TO PAY TO FIX THE VECHICLE I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX THE VECHICLE AND IT IS NOT SAFE FOR A VECHICLE THAT WILL CATCH ON FIRE TO BE ON THE ROAD AND IF THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO ME DRIVING IN THE RAIN THAT AM WHY AND HOW COULD IT CATCH ON FIRE THAT AFTERNOON. I NEED HELP DESPERATELY PLEASE I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT FORD CAN NOT DETERMING THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE FIRE UNTIL THEY GET THE 3500. NEED FOR THE NEW MOTOR AND GET THE CAR STARTED AGAIN ALL FORD HAS OFFERED ME IS TO EXTEND TWO MONTHS PAYMENTS I AM SCARED OF THIS VEHICLE AND DO NOT REALLY WANT IT BACK BUT I NEED TO GET THE WHOLE SITUATION RESOLVED SOMEHOW I HAD THIS VECHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR FUEL PUMP PROBLEMS WHIE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY I THANK GOD THAT I WAS NOT INJURED BUT I NEED SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THE CAR

NHTSA ODI #730175

Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 2000
Vehicle Speed Control

WHEN LEVER IS IN PARK VEHICLE WOULD IDLE UP TO 3000 RMPS LIKE IT WAS TAKING OFF. VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. FOOT WOULD REMAIN ON THE BRAKE DUE TO HIGH ACCELERATION. HAVE BEEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 4 SEPARATE TIMES FOR THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #869279

Mileage unknown · Aug 30, 2000
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED. DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE DEFECT. DAMAGE: $1,500. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFTEY PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY REPORTED FOR MODEL YEARS 1996 THROUGH 1999. WHY HASN'T THE GOVERNMENT TAKEN ANY ACTION? I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE DID NO…

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WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED. DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE DEFECT. DAMAGE: $1,500. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFTEY PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY REPORTED FOR MODEL YEARS 1996 THROUGH 1999. WHY HASN'T THE GOVERNMENT TAKEN ANY ACTION? I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE DID NOT LIVE TO TELL ABOUT IT. I WAS ONE OF THE FORTUNATE ONES. THIS NOT ONLY PUTS THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS IN JEOPARDY, BUT PEDESTRIANS AS WELL!

NHTSA ODI #729600

Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 2000
Vehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH INCREASE IN SPEED DURING DEACCELERATION, WHILE GOING DOWN A INCLINE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WAS NORMAL. *AK CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. *YH

NHTSA ODI #869074

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ON TWO OCCASIONS WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR , RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #868895

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2000
Unknown Or Other

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ODI #729345

Official recalls

2

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.