IllustrationWHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, IT WOULD HAVE HIGH IDLE & ACCELERATION. WOULD HAVE TO KEEP FOOT ON BRAKES TO MAINTAIN STOP. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR HIGH ACCELERATION & IDLING, BUT PROBLEM IS NEVER FOUND. *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
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
58 reportsWHILE STOPPING VEHICLE WILL LUNGE FORWARD, AND MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, AND CAUSED THE THROTTLE TO REMAIN IN OPEN POSITION, RESULTING IN A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER, BUT THEY COULDN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK.ET.
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.
BACKING UP & NOTICED POLE, SHIFTED INTO DRIVE & VEHICLE ACCELERATED & HIT STORE FRONT. ACCELERATOR PEDAL COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED AT THE TIME.UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
PROBLEM IS DANGEROUS. WHEN COME TO STOP, ENGINE OCCASSIONALLY RACES TO OVER 2200 RPMS. WHEN CRUSING AND LET OFF GAS, CAR IDLE DOES NOT NATURALLY GO DOWN. WAS FIXED BY DEALER ONCE, NOW RECURRING. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT UNPREDICTABLE IDLE/ACCELERATION CONDITIONS.
I PUT MY CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. I HIT A CONCRETE POLE WHICH WAS LOCATED IN THE PARKING LOT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN I BRAKED TO SHIFT FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. THE CAR TOOK OFF LEAVING BLACK MARKS 9 FEET LONG. I DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO HIT THE ACCELERATOR. THE CAR WAS ACTING ON ITS OWN. I HIT THE F…
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I PUT MY CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. I HIT A CONCRETE POLE WHICH WAS LOCATED IN THE PARKING LOT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN I BRAKED TO SHIFT FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. THE CAR TOOK OFF LEAVING BLACK MARKS 9 FEET LONG. I DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO HIT THE ACCELERATOR. THE CAR WAS ACTING ON ITS OWN. I HIT THE FRONT OF THE STORE. THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED MY CAR WAS THE STEEL DOOR FRAME AND THE BRICK BUILDING. MY CAR WAS STILL MOVING AFTER I GOT OUT BECAUSE I HAD NOT PUT IT INTO PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. I HAD JUMPED OUT QUICKLY BECAUSE GLASS WAS COMING THROUGH MY SUNROOF ONTO ME. A WITNESS SAID "OH MY GOD, YOUR CAR IS STILL MOVING." I HAD TO GET BACK INTO THE VEHICLE TO PUT IT INTO PARK AND TURN THE IGNITION OFF. THIS PROVES THAT THE CAR WAS GETTING FUEL SOMEWHERE BESIDES ME. I FEEL AS THOUGH THE FUEL SHUT OFF BUTTON LOCATED IN THE TRUNK SHOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS ACCIDENT. BUT IT DID NOT WORK; IN FACT, I AM THINKING SOMETHING MALFUNCTIONED AND INSTEAD OF SHUTTING FUEL OFF THE CAR WAS GETTING FUEL WIDE OPEN.
SPOUSE BACKED OUT FROM A PARKING SPACE AND WHEN SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN "DRIVE" THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, AND BEFORE ANY ACTION COULD BE TAKEN SHE COLLIDED WITH A STORE FRONT. THE "CRUISE CONTROL" HAD BEEN USED THE DAY BEFORE AND THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND CAUSED THE SUDDEN FORWARD …
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SPOUSE BACKED OUT FROM A PARKING SPACE AND WHEN SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN "DRIVE" THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, AND BEFORE ANY ACTION COULD BE TAKEN SHE COLLIDED WITH A STORE FRONT. THE "CRUISE CONTROL" HAD BEEN USED THE DAY BEFORE AND THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND CAUSED THE SUDDEN FORWARD MOVEMENT. THE REASON FOR THIS ASSUMPTION IS THAT I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR ON A PREVIOUS RECENT OCCASION, AND NOTICED THE LIGHT INDICATING CRUISE WAS ON ALTHOUGH I HAD JUST STARTED THE CAR. I THOUGHT PERHAPS I MAY HAVE BUMPED IT BUT NOW I AM SURE IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS WAS REENFORCED WHEN I TALKED TO THREE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH FORD PRODUCTS. *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
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN HIGH RPM AND ACCELERATION ON TWO OCCASIONS, ON SECOND INCIDENT BEFORE STOPPING MOTOR THE RIGHT SIDE DRIVE AXLE BROKE AT CV-JOINT.
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.