Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 93 of 825 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 214 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 182 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 101 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
69 crash reports12 fire reports45 injury reports
What owners actually said
825 reports
Mileage unknown · Oct 11, 1999
Visibility
I RETURNED THIS CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL BEGAN CLICKING WHENEVER I TRIED USING THEM. THE REPAIR DEPT. TOLD ME THAT WAS NORMAL FOR THE TAURUS AND THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. NOW, I AM LIMITED TO ONLY SEVERAL SETTINGS WHERE THE WIPERS WILL ACTUALLY FUNCTION. THAT HAS NEVER BEEN A "NORMAL" FEATURE ON A…
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I RETURNED THIS CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL BEGAN CLICKING WHENEVER I TRIED USING THEM. THE REPAIR DEPT. TOLD ME THAT WAS NORMAL FOR THE TAURUS AND THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG. NOW, I AM LIMITED TO ONLY SEVERAL SETTINGS WHERE THE WIPERS WILL ACTUALLY FUNCTION. THAT HAS NEVER BEEN A "NORMAL" FEATURE ON ANY OF MY OTHER VEHICLES. I FEEL FORD NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS FAILURE BEFORE I DON'T HAVE ANY WIPER CAPABILITIES AND SOMEONE IS EITHER INJURED OR KILLED DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION.
NHTSA ODI #713114
Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 1999
Visibility
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING WHILE IN OPERATING MODE, OR SPEED WOULD CHANGE FROM HIGH TO LOW INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND NOTHING WOULD BE DONE UNLESS CONSUMER PICKS UP THE EXPENSES. *AK
NHTSA ODI #850221
Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 1999
Power Train
AT 38,352 MILES TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY MALFUNCTIONED ALSO THE TRANSMISSION CASING PREMATURELY CRACKED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #849897
Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 1999
Visibility
RAIN ON 10/04/99 TURNED WIPERS ON TO 4 TO 6 SECONDS WIPE---STARTED TO RAIN HARDER MOVED WIPERS TO LOW SETTING--STARTING WIPING EVERY 10 TO 12 SECS---HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD WIPERS STARTED TO WORK LIKE THEY SHOULD--HIT ANOTHER BUMP--WIPERS WENT BACK TO SLOW SPEED---THEN STOPPED...HAD TO USE HIGH SPEED TO GET THE WIPERS TO WORK
NHTSA ODI #712857
Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 1999
Air BagsCrashInjury
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS DURING COLLISION BREAKING WINDSHIELD RESULTING IN CONSUMER BEING CUT. MJS
NHTSA ODI #548889
Mileage unknown · Oct 4, 1999
Power TrainSuspension
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE ISN'T SHIFTING PROPERLY AND STALLS. ALSO, AND TIRE SHAKE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #849832
Mileage unknown · Oct 4, 1999
Power Train
WHEN VEHICLE ACCELERATED TRANSMISSION JERKED HARD. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTFIED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #849747
Mileage unknown · Oct 3, 1999
SteeringCrash
ANYTIME I EVEN GO THROUGH A PUDDLE I LOOSE POWER STEERING AND BATTERY LIGHT GOES OUT. THE CAR HAS NOT STALLED YET BUT THE DATE I PUT ON THIS REPORT THE POWER STEERING WENT AS I WAS TURNING INTO AN ENTRANCE TO WALMART AND I COULDNT CATCH IT IN TIME TO STOP IT FROM HITTING THE CURB. I DID SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE TY ROD AND DRIVE…
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ANYTIME I EVEN GO THROUGH A PUDDLE I LOOSE POWER STEERING AND BATTERY LIGHT GOES OUT. THE CAR HAS NOT STALLED YET BUT THE DATE I PUT ON THIS REPORT THE POWER STEERING WENT AS I WAS TURNING INTO AN ENTRANCE TO WALMART AND I COULDNT CATCH IT IN TIME TO STOP IT FROM HITTING THE CURB. I DID SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE TY ROD AND DRIVER WHEEL WELL. FORD SAID THAT WAS NORMAL. I WAS NOT WARNED OF THIS WHEN I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND CANT FIND A REPORT ABOUT THAT ANYWHERE. IT IS DEFINITLY LIFE THREATENIG LIVING IN BUFFALO IN THE WINTER WHAT WILL HAPPEN? I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE AND I JUST BOUGHT IT.
NHTSA ODI #712724
Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE OIL PAN RUSTED THROUGH FROM THE BOTTOM WHICH CAUSED OIL LEAK. THIS MAY CAUSE A FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ODI #849575
Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 1999
Visibility
DEFROST FAILED AND HAD VERY POOR VISIBILITY WHEN WINDOWS FOGGED ALMOST CAUSING WRECK
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER FORD SERVICE BULLETIN 97-17-9 FROM AUGUST 1997 THROUGH DECEMBER 1997. THESE VEHICLES WERE INADVERTENLY EQUIPPED WITH AN 18-GALLON FUEL TANK RATHER THAN THE 16-GALLON AS SPECIFIED. THE 18-GALLON TANK HAS A SECOND VALVE LOCATION WHERE A SHIPPING PLUG SHOULD BE INSTALLED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS SHIPPING PLUG IS DISPLACED, FUEL LEAKAGE CAN RESULT. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE CORRECT FUEL TANK.
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARK PAWL SHAFT MAY NOT BE FREE TO ROTATE AS INTENDED. IF THE PARK PAWL SHAFT DOES NOT ROTATE, IT WOULD PREVENT THE PARK PAWL FROM ENGAGING THE PARK GEAR WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER IS IN THE PARK POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AS IF IN NEUTRAL WITH THE SHIFT LEVER IN THE PARK POSITION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PARK PAWL SHAFT ROTATION AND THOSE SHAFTS WITH RESTRICTED ROTATION WILL BE REPLACED WITH A SHORTER SHAFT THAT WILL NOT RESTRICT ROTATION.
THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET HAS A SHARP EDGE WHICH CAN CAUSE THE PARKING PAWL TO HANG UP AND NOT ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENT CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PARK PAWL ABUTMENT BRACKET.
THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR LOCATED ON THE FUEL RAIL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAS A VACUUM DIAPHRAGM THAT WAS DAMAGED DURING MANUFACTURE OF THE REGULATOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE DIAPHRAGM TEARS OR RUPTURES, LIQUID FUEL COULD ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD PLENUM THROUGH THE VACUUM LINE RESULTING IN EITHER RELEASE OF FUEL FROM THE AIR CLEANER ASSEMBLY OR THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. FUEL RELEASE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. THOSE REGULATORS PRODUCED DURING THE SUSPECT TIME PERIOD WILL BE REPLACED.
THE PARK PAWL SHAFT WAS IMPROPERLY POSITIONED WHEN THE ROLL PIN THAT RETAINS IT WAS INSTALLED DURING TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY. IF THE SHAFT WAS NOT PROPERLY POSITIONED, THE ROLL PIN MAY NOT HAVE LINED UP WITH THE GROOVE IN THE SHAFT AND HAVE BEEN CRUSHED AT ASSEMBLY. ALSO, A BURR COULD HAVE BEEN RAISED ON THE SHAFT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PARK PAWL OCCASIONALLY NOT ENGAGING WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING AS IF IN NEUTRAL IF THE VEHICLE OPERATOR DOES NOT APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE PARK PAWL SHAFT ROLL PIN. IF THE ROLL PIN IS DAMAGED, BOTH THE ROLL PIN AND THE PARK PAWL SHAFT WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, OWNERS WILL BE REMINDED TO FULLY APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE, IN ADDITION TO PLACING THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK.
THE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUID LEVEL INDICATOR LAMP SWITCH CAN MALFUNCTION. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 105, "HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IF THE SWITCH MALFUNTIONS, THE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LAMP WILL EITHER REMAIN ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY OR FAIL TO LIGHT AS INTENDED WHEN THE FLUID LEVEL FALLS TO A CERTAIN LEVEL. IN EITHER CASE, THE VEHICLE OPERATOR WOULD NOT BE WARNED OF A LOW BRAKE FLUID LEVEL CONDITION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUID LEVEL INDICATOR LAMP SWITCHES.
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.
1996 Ford Taurus Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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