IllustrationWHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC OR INTO INTERSECTIONS VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
145 reportsENGINE SHUT DOWN AT IDLE - WAITED 1 MINUTE THEN RESTARTED. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT PRIOR INDICATION. *AK
FOUR DEALER VISITS HAVE NOT CORRECTED ENGINE PROBLEM, FACTORY REFUSES TO HELP. *AK
VEHICLE NEVER HEATS UP. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER REGISTERS HOT ON THE CAR. ALSO, ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT WITHOUTY PRIOR INDICATION OR WARNING. INCIDENT OCCURRED THREE TIMES. DEALER NOTIFIED AND AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. CAR WITH DEALER AND NO INFORMATION ON DIAGNOSIS. RIGHT FRONT GRINDING NOISE AND STEERING GEAR WAS REPLAC…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE NEVER HEATS UP. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER REGISTERS HOT ON THE CAR. ALSO, ENGINE HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT WITHOUTY PRIOR INDICATION OR WARNING. INCIDENT OCCURRED THREE TIMES. DEALER NOTIFIED AND AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. CAR WITH DEALER AND NO INFORMATION ON DIAGNOSIS. RIGHT FRONT GRINDING NOISE AND STEERING GEAR WAS REPLACED. FREEZE PLUG LOST. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
RECALLS 97V097000/96V166000; WHILE DRIVING THE RPM'S WENT UP, ZOOMED UP, AND THE CAR DIED, COASTED TO THE SIDE AND PARKED. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED THE VEHICLE DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE RECALLS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
RECALL REPAIR WORK ON THE BROWN COOLANT WAS NOT COMPLETED AS STATED BY DEALERSHIP.
WHENEVER STOPPING OR STARTING THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD RUMBLE/ VIBRATE AND SHAKE BADLY. TOOK TO DEALER TO HAVE VEHICLE CHECKED. WAS TOLD THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM OF VIBRATING AND RUMBLING STILL EXISTS. *AK
TRANSMISSION/OIL PUMP DRIVE FAILED.
DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE OIL FILTER WITH WRENCH, WRENCH CAME IN CONTACT WITH WIRES NEAR THE STARTER MOTOR, ALOT OF SPARKS CAME OUT AND BURN MARKS WERE LEFT ON THE OIL FILTER, DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *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.