IllustrationI WAS DISENGAGING CRUISE CONTROL WHICH WAS SET AT 62 MPH TO DEACCELERATE ON A DECLINE TO MANEUVER CURVES IN ROAD. I APPLIED BRAKES AND THEY DID NOT RESPOND. CAR ACTUALLY STARTED TO ACCELERATE RESULTING IN A CRASH AGAINST A GUARD RAIL. AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND RESULTED IN TWO INJURIES ALTHOUGH NOT SEVERE
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 reportsDESIGN LOCATION OF THE STARTER IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE OIL FILTER RESULTING IN FIRE WHEN CHANGING OIL FILTER, ELECTRICAL SHORT FROM TOOL BURNED FILTER HOUSING AND IGNITED THE OIL STREAM. MJS
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 40 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BGAS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, ENGINE ACCELERATED, HIGH IDLE SPEED AND SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL WOULD NOT BRING DOWN. HAD TO SHUT ENGININE DOWN. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, NO CODES. DLR SAID TO RETURN IF PROBLEM ARISES AGAIN.
SINCE MOVING TO EL PASO, TX, MY FORD TAURUS' A/C HAS BEGUN SPEWING OUT A VILE SMELL AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 30 MINUTES. WHEN I PARK AND THEN RESTART AFTER WORK, OR THE NEXT MORNING, A THICK MUSTY MOLD SPORE SMELLING CLOUD BLOWS THROUGH THE A/C VENTS FOR THE FIRST FEW MINUTES. MY WIFE REPORTS THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH HER '96 FORD TA…
Read full complaint
SINCE MOVING TO EL PASO, TX, MY FORD TAURUS' A/C HAS BEGUN SPEWING OUT A VILE SMELL AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 30 MINUTES. WHEN I PARK AND THEN RESTART AFTER WORK, OR THE NEXT MORNING, A THICK MUSTY MOLD SPORE SMELLING CLOUD BLOWS THROUGH THE A/C VENTS FOR THE FIRST FEW MINUTES. MY WIFE REPORTS THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH HER '96 FORD TAURUS. FRIENDS WITH ALLERGIES CAN'T STAND RIDING IN THE VEHICLES. WHEN WE RETURNED TO KC, MO (PLACE OF PURCHASE) FOR A VISIT, THE SMELL SEEMED TO GO AWAY TEMPORARILY. ONE WE RETURNED TO EL PASO, THE PROBLEM CAME BACK WITHIN A WEEK. I SUSPECT THAT THERE IS A MOLD THAT IS INDIGINOUS TO THIS AREA THAT FINDS THE A/C VENTS A FURTILE BREEDING GROUND. THE SMELL HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY CASA FORD, BUT THEY FAILED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. I COMPLAIN TO FORD "CUSTOMER CARE" BUT THEY DON'T CARE.
CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CONSUMER'S WIFE SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK
WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS SET IT ACCELERATES AL LEAST 15 MPH PAST THE SPEED IT WAS SET FOR. *AK
HEADREST DOES NOT COME UP HIGH ENOUGH TO PROTECT OCCUPANT IN CASE OF VEHICLE CRASH. DEALER SAYS IT'S PART OF DESIGN. *AK
ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKING WHILE DRIVING . VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. *AK
NO SUMMARY
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.