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
What owners actually said
770 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.
ON THE BALL JOINT PART, THE MECHANIC TOLD US THAT OUR STERRING WHEEL COULD HAVE LOCKED UP AND WE WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO STEER IN TRAFFIC.
THE IGNITION TENSION PULLY FROZE UP AND CAUSED THE BELT TO COME OFF AND THE MOTOR TO OVERHEAT. THE MOTOR OVERHEATED THIS ONE TIME THAT I KNOW OF AND CAUSE ALL THE ALLUMINUM IN THE MOTER TO WARP, BASICLY RUINNING THE MOTOR. THE CAR WAS SHUT DOWN WITH IN 3 MIN I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I PURCHASED …
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THE IGNITION TENSION PULLY FROZE UP AND CAUSED THE BELT TO COME OFF AND THE MOTOR TO OVERHEAT. THE MOTOR OVERHEATED THIS ONE TIME THAT I KNOW OF AND CAUSE ALL THE ALLUMINUM IN THE MOTER TO WARP, BASICLY RUINNING THE MOTOR. THE CAR WAS SHUT DOWN WITH IN 3 MIN I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I PURCHASED FROM THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT COVER THE PARTS DAMAGED DUE TO OVERHEATING, EVENTHOUGH A COVERED PART CAUSED MOTOR TO OVER HEAT. THANK YOU. *AK
WHEN APPYLING BRAKES ON WET OR DRY PAVEMENT THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS LOCK UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID OR SLIDE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A GRACO BOOSTER SEAT FOR MY SON. AFTER STRUGGLING TO INSTALL IT FOR ALMOST AN HOUR, I NOW UNDERSTAND WHY 85% OF CAR SEATS ARE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY..IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND THE MANUFACTURER'S DIRECTIONS, AND PEOPLE GIVE UP! THEY THINK, "NOTHING WILL HAPPEN, I'M A GOOD DRIVER". THIS IS A TERRIBLE ATT…
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I RECENTLY PURCHASED A GRACO BOOSTER SEAT FOR MY SON. AFTER STRUGGLING TO INSTALL IT FOR ALMOST AN HOUR, I NOW UNDERSTAND WHY 85% OF CAR SEATS ARE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY..IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND THE MANUFACTURER'S DIRECTIONS, AND PEOPLE GIVE UP! THEY THINK, "NOTHING WILL HAPPEN, I'M A GOOD DRIVER". THIS IS A TERRIBLE ATTITUDE FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR CHILDREN. ALSO, THEY DON'T MENTION IN THE DIRECTIONS THAT TWO PEOPLE ARE NEEDED TO PROPERLY INSTALL THE BOOSTER SEAT. I ONLY FOUND THIS OUT BY CALLING THE MANUFACTURER FOR HELP. LUCKILY, WITH THE HELP OF A PATIENT CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE, I GOT THE SEAT INSTALLED CORRECTLY.
AUTOMTIC TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR, AND IT IS DIFFICUILT TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. WHENEVER VEHICLE COME TO A STOP IT IS DELAYED BEFORE GETTING INTO GEAR. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. *AK
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.
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED, AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY SHAKED. DEALER REPAIRED THE ROTORS. *A
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.