IllustrationOIL LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON WHEN LOW. 2. ENGINE LIGHT ALWAYS ON. 3 WHEN I WAS DRIVING THIS WINTER, THE BRAKES, THEY LOCKED UP ON ME AND I ALMOST HAD A COLLISION WITH TWO OTHER CARS BUT I HIT A CURB AND WAS ABLE TO GET MY CAR MOVING AGAIN. 4.CAR IS LOUD WHILE DRIVING. 5 CAN'T GET GOOD GAS MILAGE.6.CAR HAS DEVELOPED AN OIL LEAK.
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
Engine complaints
5 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. IN ADDITION, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. IN ADDITION, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
ON 4/3/2015 MY MOTHER IN LAW PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AFTER A 10 MILE TRIP TO TOWN. UPON PULLING IN THE DRIVEWAY THE CAR STARTED ON FIRE IMMEDIATELY, AT FIRST SHE THOUGHT THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING (WHITE SMOKE) THEN REALIZED THE CAR WAS ACTUALLY ON FIRE (BLACK SMOKE). SHE HAD TO BE HELPED BY AN IDAHO POWER EMPLOYEE WHO WAS DRIVING…
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ON 4/3/2015 MY MOTHER IN LAW PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AFTER A 10 MILE TRIP TO TOWN. UPON PULLING IN THE DRIVEWAY THE CAR STARTED ON FIRE IMMEDIATELY, AT FIRST SHE THOUGHT THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING (WHITE SMOKE) THEN REALIZED THE CAR WAS ACTUALLY ON FIRE (BLACK SMOKE). SHE HAD TO BE HELPED BY AN IDAHO POWER EMPLOYEE WHO WAS DRIVING BY. A TOTAL OF TWO 15LB FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND GARDEN HOSE WERE USED TO KEEP THE FIRE AT BAY UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. THE CAR WAS DESTROYED FROM THE DASH PANEL FORWARD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED AT THE POWER DISTRIBUTION BOX LOCATED BY THE MASTER CYLINDER ON THE FIREWALL. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THE CAUSE AS AN "ELECTRICAL FIRE", UP UNTIL THE FIRE THE CAR HAD NO KNOWN ELECTRICAL OR MAJOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THE CAR HAD NO MODIFICATIONS AND WAS COMPLETELY STOCK. NO INSURANCE CLAIM WAS FILED AS I ONLY CARRIED LIABILITY COVERAGE ON THE CAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE DEALER HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE DEALER HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. *TR
I PURCHASED MY 1997 FORD TAURUS IN FEBRUARY 2010, AND SHORTLY AFTER EXPERIENCED MY ODOMETER STOPPING AND MY POWER STEERING STOPPING AT THE SAME TIME. IT USUALLY HAPPENS IF I DRIVE THE CAR LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES, OR IF I SIT AT A STOP LIGHT TO LONG. IT ALSO SEEMS TO HAPPEN AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH OR HIGHER. I ALSO NOTICED THAT MY TRA…
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I PURCHASED MY 1997 FORD TAURUS IN FEBRUARY 2010, AND SHORTLY AFTER EXPERIENCED MY ODOMETER STOPPING AND MY POWER STEERING STOPPING AT THE SAME TIME. IT USUALLY HAPPENS IF I DRIVE THE CAR LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES, OR IF I SIT AT A STOP LIGHT TO LONG. IT ALSO SEEMS TO HAPPEN AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH OR HIGHER. I ALSO NOTICED THAT MY TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP, AND I WILL FIND MY CAR MOVING FORWARD AFTER STOPPING. I HAVE GOTTEN USED TO STAYING A GOOD DISTANCE FROM CARS SO I HAVE ROOM TO STOP. *TR
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.