IllustrationCONSUME R WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY. WHILE DRIVING ANOTHER VEHICLE VEERED INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. APPLIED BRAKES, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T GO OFF. *AK
1997 Ford Taurus
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Taurus years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Ford Taurus are substantially higher than 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
Limited mileage data: 136 of 770 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.
- Power Train. Review the 214 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 145 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
64 crash reports12 fire reports41 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
42 reportsWHILE DRIVING 10MPH REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND AIRBAGS DIDNOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS INJURED. DEALER CONTACTED. FRONTAL IMPACT. *AK
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, ANOTHER MOTORIST STRUCK CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
FOOT HAD SLIPPED OFF ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND VEHCLE HIT A TRAILER. UPON IMPACT WITH TRAILER, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT AIR BAGS WERE FAULTY. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 25MPH. PASSENGER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT BROKE FRONT AND REAR WINDOWS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30MPH ON A SIDE STREET, AND THERE WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED ON SIDE OF ROAD, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT OTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.WHENEVER THE ALTERNATOR GETS WET THE LIGHT GOMES ON AND THE POWER STEERING FAILS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTRO…
Read full complaint
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30MPH ON A SIDE STREET, AND THERE WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED ON SIDE OF ROAD, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT OTHER VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.WHENEVER THE ALTERNATOR GETS WET THE LIGHT GOMES ON AND THE POWER STEERING FAILS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. NLM
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY IMPACT, CAUSING INJURIES TO DRIVER, AND BUSTED WINDSHIELD. *AK
A FUNNY NOISE COMING FROM STEERING WHEEL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC INDICATED THAT AIR BAG WAS DEFECTIVE. CLOCK SPRING/CONNECT SWITCH WERE NOT WORKING. IT WAS DAMAGED. AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK *SLC
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 TO 50 MPH DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
Official recalls
398V028000 · 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.
97V097000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jun 9, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AX4S AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES. THE LOW/INTERMEDIATE SERVO COVER CAN SEPARATE FROM THE TRANSAXLE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. IF THIS OCCURS, TRANSMISSION FLUID WILL LEAK CONTACTING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TEMPERATURE MAY BE HOT ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE THESE SERVO COVERS.
96V166000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
Sep 5, 1996
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.
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.