IllustrationENGINE STALLS WHENEVER I HIT A WATER PUDDLE OF ANY SIZE REGUARDLESS OF SPEED. DEALER SAYS THEY CAN'T FIX.
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 And Engine Cooling complaints
145 reportsTEMPERATURE GAUGE IS GOING BACK AND FORWARD TOWARDS THE HOT SECTION, AND THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTING VERY HARD WHEN DRIVIING AT ANY SPEED. *AK
VEHICLE STALLS ALMOST RESULTING IN COLLISION. HOWEVER, THE SENSOR & TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED TO PREVENT FAILURE, HOWEVER CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE FAILURES. *YC
THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM HEATER COIL BROKE, CAUSING A CHEMICAL ODOR INSIDE OF VEHICLE & A MIST. HAD BEEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 8 TIMES FOR THE PROBLEM & EACH TIME THE HEATER COIL WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE ENGINE TO CORRECT THE HEATER COIL FROM BLOWING. *AK
ENGINE HEADS CRACKED, CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, SCORING OF ENGINE CYLINDERS REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE ENGINE
INTERMITTENT OPERATION ON LOW AND HIGH SPEED SETTINGS- DEALER DID NOT REPAIR AFTER COMPLAINT. PROBLEM OCCURS WITH RELATIVE FREQUENCY.
ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY THE FUEL REGULATOR--FUEL LEAKED ONTO THE MANIFOLD. *AK *ML
THE IGNITION TENSION PULLY FROZE UP AND CAUSED THE BELT TO COME OFF AND THE MOTOR TO OVERHEAT. THE MOTOR OVERHEATED THIS ONE TIME THAT I KNOW OF AND CAUSE ALL THE ALLUMINUM IN THE MOTER TO WARP, BASICLY RUINNING THE MOTOR. THE CAR WAS SHUT DOWN WITH IN 3 MIN I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I PURCHASED …
Read full complaint
THE IGNITION TENSION PULLY FROZE UP AND CAUSED THE BELT TO COME OFF AND THE MOTOR TO OVERHEAT. THE MOTOR OVERHEATED THIS ONE TIME THAT I KNOW OF AND CAUSE ALL THE ALLUMINUM IN THE MOTER TO WARP, BASICLY RUINNING THE MOTOR. THE CAR WAS SHUT DOWN WITH IN 3 MIN I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I PURCHASED FROM THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT COVER THE PARTS DAMAGED DUE TO OVERHEATING, EVENTHOUGH A COVERED PART CAUSED MOTOR TO OVER HEAT. THANK YOU. *AK
STALL, ROUGH IDLE, IGNITION MISSING. WIRING REPLACED, BUT VEHICLE CONTINUES TO RUN ROUGH. DEALER CHECK FUEL SYSTEM BUT NO PROBLEM FOUND. UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE VIA DIAGNOSTICS. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED AND GROWN WORSE WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASED IN 04/98 AT @17000 MILES.
MANY PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE, VERY DISATISFIED, CAR WAS NOT CHECKED OUT PRIOR TO SALE, CAR WAS MISSING BASIC FLUIDS, CAR HAD LIGHTS OUT WHICH I WAS TICKETED FOR, CAR WAS RUNNING HORRIBLE NEEDED BRAKES, ALSO NEEDED WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE A TUNEUP BUT CAR CONTINUED TO RUN HORRIBLE WHICH LOOKS TO HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE ENGINE PROBL…
Read full complaint
MANY PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE, VERY DISATISFIED, CAR WAS NOT CHECKED OUT PRIOR TO SALE, CAR WAS MISSING BASIC FLUIDS, CAR HAD LIGHTS OUT WHICH I WAS TICKETED FOR, CAR WAS RUNNING HORRIBLE NEEDED BRAKES, ALSO NEEDED WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE A TUNEUP BUT CAR CONTINUED TO RUN HORRIBLE WHICH LOOKS TO HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE ENGINE PROBLEMS WHICH LED TO REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE. *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.