IllustrationTRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE ARE NO RECALLS, BUT THERE ARE MANY FAILED TRANSMISSIONS IN THIS VEHICLE.*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
Power Train complaints
214 reportsENGINE IS KNOCKING AS CONSUMER ACCELERATES WITH SPEED. *AK TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 37OOO MILES. FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED AT 15000 MILES. ROTORS FAILED AT 24000 MILES. *YH
SHIFT CABLE BROKE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS, AND LOOKED UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH, AND SHE HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED. TRANSMISSION EXPLODED.*AK
WHEN DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS VEHICLE GOES FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. THIS HAPPENS 80 % OF TIME. *AK *SLC
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. WITH MANY OTHER CARS AROUND ME THE TRANSMISSION JUST STOPPED THE AUTO ACTED AS IF I HAD SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT WORK IN DRIVE OR LOE GEARS. IF NOT FOR THE DRIVER BEHIND ME SEEING I HAD A PROBLEM AND HELPING BY SLOWING OTHER CARS DOWN I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COAST OFF THE ROAD SAFTLY. THE…
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WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. WITH MANY OTHER CARS AROUND ME THE TRANSMISSION JUST STOPPED THE AUTO ACTED AS IF I HAD SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT WORK IN DRIVE OR LOE GEARS. IF NOT FOR THE DRIVER BEHIND ME SEEING I HAD A PROBLEM AND HELPING BY SLOWING OTHER CARS DOWN I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COAST OFF THE ROAD SAFTLY. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN,NO SLIPPAGE OR OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANNY. THE GARAGE TOLD ME THAT THIS HAPPENS OFTEN WITH THE FORD TAURUS AND IS QUITE COMMIN. I CAN SEE WHERE THIS COULD LEAD TO MANY ACCIDENTS AND THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING YOU SHOULD LOOK INTO. MY TOTAL EXPENCE WAS OVER $2500.00 FOR REPAIRS. *AK
TRANSMISSION GOES INTO A NEUTRAL POSITION WHILE GEAR IS IN DRIVE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, VEHICLE HAS NO POWER, THEN IT DROPS OUT OF NEUTRAL AND ENGAGES. IT ACTS AS THOUGH VEHICLE IS REVVING AND SLAMMING INTO GEAR. FORD MECHANIC SAID THAT PROBLEM IA A CRACKED FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON. *AK
TRANSMISSION LEAKING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT START ONCE STOPPED OR PARKED. *CJ
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM A STOP WHEN VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. CHECKED FOR CORRECT GEAR PLACEMENT. DEPRESSED GAS PEDAL, AND TACHOMETER WENT OVER, BUT VEHICLE WAS NOT MOVING.VEHICLE COULD BE REVERSED BUT NOT FORWARDED. TOOK TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, AND TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A USED 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.