IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES POWER STEERING WILLGO FROM OFF TO ON INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED SENSOR WAS GOING BAD IN STEERING COLUMN. PLEASE ADD VIN. *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
Equipment complaints
24 reportsA/C COMPRESSOR SEIZED CAUSING DRIVEBELT FAILURE AND LOSS OF STEERING, ALTERNATOR, AND POWER BRAKES. *AK
AIR CONDITIONER AND COMPRESSOR AND RELATED PARTS FAILED. TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS $1539.51. FORD WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH COSTS DUE TO CAR BEING OUT OF WARRANTY (SINCE IT IS A '97 VEHICLE).*AK
POWER STEERING INTERMITTENT FAILURE; FIRST BEGAN WHEN PLACING SHIFT LEVER INTO REVERSE GEAR, THEN LATER OCCURRED ALSO IN FORWARD DRIVE GEARS. SUSPECT ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC PROBLEM SINCE RADIO SPEAKERS ALSO GO SILENT AND POWER WINDOWS DO NOT OPERATE WHEN THIS OCCURS. DISCOVERED THAT REMOVAL OF 15AMP FUSE CONTROLLING BACKUP LIGHTS…
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POWER STEERING INTERMITTENT FAILURE; FIRST BEGAN WHEN PLACING SHIFT LEVER INTO REVERSE GEAR, THEN LATER OCCURRED ALSO IN FORWARD DRIVE GEARS. SUSPECT ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC PROBLEM SINCE RADIO SPEAKERS ALSO GO SILENT AND POWER WINDOWS DO NOT OPERATE WHEN THIS OCCURS. DISCOVERED THAT REMOVAL OF 15AMP FUSE CONTROLLING BACKUP LIGHTS/HEATER RETURN POWER STEERING AND RADIO CONTROL. ALL OTHER FUSES WORKING PROPERLY. DEALER IS NOT YET CONTACTED.
NO SUMMARY
AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE. *SLC
A VEHICLE WHICH IS LESS THAN THREE YEARS OLD SUFFERS A FAILED CLUTCH ON THE AIR CONDITIONER. AFTER CHECKING INTO POSSIBLE PART RECALLS THROUGH NHTSA, A HARD COPY SHOWS THE LAYOUT OF WHAT THE PART SHOULD LOOK LIKE , WITH SERIAL NUMBERS TO IDENTIFY THE PART. UPON INSPECTION OF THE COMPRESSOR, NO SERIAL NUMBERS WERE FOUND, JUST WHA…
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A VEHICLE WHICH IS LESS THAN THREE YEARS OLD SUFFERS A FAILED CLUTCH ON THE AIR CONDITIONER. AFTER CHECKING INTO POSSIBLE PART RECALLS THROUGH NHTSA, A HARD COPY SHOWS THE LAYOUT OF WHAT THE PART SHOULD LOOK LIKE , WITH SERIAL NUMBERS TO IDENTIFY THE PART. UPON INSPECTION OF THE COMPRESSOR, NO SERIAL NUMBERS WERE FOUND, JUST WHAT TYPE OF REFRIDGERANT SHOULD BE USED. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE PART I NOW POSSESS IS NOT THE ORIGINAL PART THAT WAS USED AT TIME OF MANUFACTURE. FURTHER RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS PROBLEM IS FREQUENT WITH THE TAURUS, BUT MY SPECIFIC MODEL HAS YET TO BE LISTED. I NOW WISH TO MAKE IT KNOWN. THE THEORY OF THE PART NOT BEING THE ORIGINAL SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WAS PASSED OVER AND SUPPRESSED FROM THE CONSUMER. ADDITIONALLY, AS OF 09/15/00 ONE OF THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED AND NO LONGER WORKS. THIS ON A VEHICLE LESS THAN THREE YEARS OLD. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A VEHICLE FOR TEN YEARS AND NEVER HAD THESE SORT OF PROBLEMS. I WISH TO RELAY THE INFORMATION OF WHAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH WITH THIS MODEL FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/65R15 )
TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING PRIOR TO FAILURE. YH
A KNOCKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. AIR CONDITIONER BELT CAME LOOSE. *AK
AIR CONDITIONER WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL UNIT FOR THAT YEAR. REPLACEMENT OF THE UNIT COSTS 1500 DOLLARS AND EVERY PART MUST BE REPLACED. NO COMPRESSOR CAN BE PURCHASED TO REPLACE THE OLD ONE. *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.