IllustrationMIDAS REPAIR SHOP FOUND HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. VEHICLE STARTED HEATING UP/ CHOKING, AND WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT TAILPIPE. MANUFACTURER'S REPONSE WAS THAT THEY WEREN'T AWARE OF PROBLEM, AND NO RECALL WAS ISSUED.*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
What owners actually said
770 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN PRESSING ON BRAKES CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT GO OFF. THIS IS CAUSED BY RESTRAINT WIRING BREAKING OFF CRUISE CONTROL, CANCELLING SWITCH. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING, AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO SERVICE SHOP WHERE THEY FIND OUT THAT A FUSE WAS BLOWN IN FUEL PUMP. *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
HEATER CORE AND EXPANSION TANK CRACK AND LEAKS CAUSING STEAM AND ANTI-FREEZE SMELL TO ENTER CAR CAUSING POOR VISIBILTY AND ALSO NAUSEA FROM SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE. *AK
PREMATURE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION AT ONLY 54,300 MILES DUE TO WORN DOWN BEARINGS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY NORMAL SPEED POWER STEERING WILL KICK OUT SOMETIMES. ALSO, SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL COME ON AND OFF/ DOOR LIGHT WILL COME ON, AND SPEED CONTROL WILL COME ON. *AK
WHILE COMING TO A STOP FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY IMPACT, CAUSING INJURIES TO DRIVER, AND BUSTED WINDSHIELD. *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.