IllustrationDRIVING SOUTH ON I-75 AT 70 MPH. CLEAR DAY, NO RAIN. CAR SUDDENLY SWERVED AND DID TWO 360 DEGREE SPINS BEGINNING IN RIGHT HAND LANE AND COMING TO REST IN LEFT HAND LANE FACING TRAFFIC. TIRE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE ON THE LEFT REAR, SEVERELY DAMAGING LEFT REAR OF CAR. TRAFFIC REPORT WAS MADE. NO REPAIRS YET. *JB
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
Tires complaints
22 reportsTHIS COMPLAINT WAS FILED VIA E-MAIL. THREE DAYS AFTER PURCHASING AND INSTALLING FOUR NEW TIRES, ONE OF THE TIRES WENT FLAT, AND A PIN HOLE LEAK WAS FOUND IN THE SIDEWALL, NEAR THE BEAD. TWO MONTHS LATER, MADE A LEFT TURN TOO WIDE AND CLIPPED A CURB. THIS RESULTED IN FRONT RIGHT TIRE LOOKING LIKE IT WAS CUT IN MULTIPLE PLACES …
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THIS COMPLAINT WAS FILED VIA E-MAIL. THREE DAYS AFTER PURCHASING AND INSTALLING FOUR NEW TIRES, ONE OF THE TIRES WENT FLAT, AND A PIN HOLE LEAK WAS FOUND IN THE SIDEWALL, NEAR THE BEAD. TWO MONTHS LATER, MADE A LEFT TURN TOO WIDE AND CLIPPED A CURB. THIS RESULTED IN FRONT RIGHT TIRE LOOKING LIKE IT WAS CUT IN MULTIPLE PLACES THROUGH THE PLYS IN THE SIDEWALL. AT THE SAME TIME, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SHOWED A BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL. PEP BOYS IMPLIED THERE WAS NO DEFECT ON THESE TIRES, AND OFFERED NO WARRANTY COVERAGE. COOPER, FUTURA PLUS TOURING SE. *AK THE CONSUMER HAS THE DEFECTIVE TIRES IN HIS POSSESSION. *NM
SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF...TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED AND REPAIRED AND IS NOW NEEDING REPAIR AGAIN...TIRES FROM NORMAL WEAR...BRAKES FROM NORMAL WEAR...
FIRESTONE P205/65R15 PEELED AND SHREDDED ON THE REAR OF MY 1997 FORD, TAURUS AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OF CAR.*AK
THE FRONT RIGHT SIDEWALL SPLIT CAUSING A BLOW OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
GENERAL AMERI G4S P20565R15. CONSUMER STATES HE HEARD A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THE STEEL CORE WAS EXPOSED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
GENERAL AMERI G45 P205/65R15 92T DRIVING AT 65MPH WHEN THE SHAKING BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED, I HAD TROUBLE MAINTAINING CONTROL OVERTHE CAR--MANAGED TO PULL THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD--NOTICED THAT THE TIRE WAS NOT FLAT BUT THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED
THE DPS OFFICER ALSO SAID THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: JNKNOWN)
TREAD SEPARATION CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE CONTROL.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *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.