IllustrationWHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL IT WILL NOT DISENGAGE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO TRAVEL OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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 reportsCAR WILL ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN AFTER CAR IS PUT INTO PARK, NOW IT IS DOING IT WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING, INTERIOR LIGHT WILL COME ON AND NOT GO OUT, RADIO TURNS ON AND OFF BY IT'S SELF, ELECTRIC SEAT ONLY WORKS HALF THE TIME, GOES BACK THEN WILL NOT GO BACK UP, CAR WILL INCREASE IN RPM'S WHEN YOU ARE IN PARK AND WILL CONTINUE TO GO…
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CAR WILL ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN AFTER CAR IS PUT INTO PARK, NOW IT IS DOING IT WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING, INTERIOR LIGHT WILL COME ON AND NOT GO OUT, RADIO TURNS ON AND OFF BY IT'S SELF, ELECTRIC SEAT ONLY WORKS HALF THE TIME, GOES BACK THEN WILL NOT GO BACK UP, CAR WILL INCREASE IN RPM'S WHEN YOU ARE IN PARK AND WILL CONTINUE TO GO UP UNLESS YOU TURN OFF ENGINE, STARTING TO CLIMB IN RPM'S WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING. SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY LATCHED ON PASSENGER FRONT SEAT.*AK
INTERMITTENT BATTERY DISCHARGE...BATTERY REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR...UNSATISFACTORY FUEL ECONOMY -ONLY 9 MPH. *AK
VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM RIGHT REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR, GOING AT A SPEED OF APROXIMATELY 15 MPH, AND BOTH PASSENGER' SIDE AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEFECT WAS COSTING CONSUMER TO REINSTALL THE AIRBAGS. *AK
THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM REPLACED A BATTERY ON 05/20/00. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE BATTERY, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT NEEDED A NEW AIRBAG MODULE. SINCE THIS LIGHT HAD NEVER COME ON BEFORE, I BELIEVED IT HAD TO DO WITH THE NEW BATTERY REPLACEMENT. I REFUSED THE INSTALLATION OF THE …
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THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM REPLACED A BATTERY ON 05/20/00. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE BATTERY, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT NEEDED A NEW AIRBAG MODULE. SINCE THIS LIGHT HAD NEVER COME ON BEFORE, I BELIEVED IT HAD TO DO WITH THE NEW BATTERY REPLACEMENT. I REFUSED THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW AIRBAG MODULE TO SEE IF THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF ON ITS OWN. AFTER THREE WEEKS IT HAS NOT. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH WILL NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE AIRBAG MODULE. MY SECOND CONCERN IS WITH THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (DRL). THEY HAVE OCCASIONALLY GONE ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING AND HAVE STAYED ON AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN TURNED OFF AS WELL. I CAN MAKE THEM GO OFF BY TURNING THE HEADLAMPS ON AND OFF. THE DEALERSHIP CAN FIND NO CAUSE FOR THIS. *AK
THE VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY WILL ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN WHILE COASTING AT A SLOW SPEED. THIS REQUIRES HEAVY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THIS IS A VERY REPEATABLE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE ALSO IDLES VERY FAST AT ALL ENGINE TEMPERATURES WHICH CAUSES VERY HARSH TRANSMISSION SHIFTING. THE LOCAL FORD DEALE…
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THE VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY WILL ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN WHILE COASTING AT A SLOW SPEED. THIS REQUIRES HEAVY PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. THIS IS A VERY REPEATABLE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE ALSO IDLES VERY FAST AT ALL ENGINE TEMPERATURES WHICH CAUSES VERY HARSH TRANSMISSION SHIFTING. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER HAS HAD THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND IS TELLING ME THIS IS NORMAL.
EXTREME WEAR ON ONE FRONT DISC PAD. *AK
TRUCK CARGO LIGHT BURNED HOLES THROUGH 3 LAYERS OF FABRIC, COULD HAVE CAUSE A FIRE, THIS IS A VERY HIGH POWERED HALOGEN BULB AND CAN GET QUITE HOT WHILE THE TRUCK IS OPEN, THE LIGHT HAS NO PROTECTIVE COVER.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHLE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING UNDERNEATH DRIVER'S SIDE, AND FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND WITHIN MINUTES VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. INVESTIGATOR ADVISES FIRE CAUSED BY FAULTY FUEL LINES. DAMAGE TOO EXCESSIVE TO HAVE BEEN ELECTRICAL. *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.