IllustrationWAS TRAVELING APROXIMATELY 10MPH WHEN FRONT SUSPENSION STARTED SQUEAKING. HAD PART OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM REPLACED PRIOR TO SUSPENSION SQUEAKING. *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 reportsVEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN HIGH RPM AND ACCELERATION ON TWO OCCASIONS, ON SECOND INCIDENT BEFORE STOPPING MOTOR THE RIGHT SIDE DRIVE AXLE BROKE AT CV-JOINT.
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING AND ACCELERATOR. WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING WENT OUT, AND VEHICLE CONSTANTLY DECELERATED AND ACCELERATED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, AND THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYING WHILE DRIVING. *AK
PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL AND BRAKES DID NOT APPLY CAUSING VEHICLE TO STRIKE ONCOMING TRUCK CAUSING DAMAGE TO LEFT FRONT SECTION OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL WHILE BREAKS WERE PRESSED AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. OWNER OF VEHICLE HAS HAD PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH BREAK SYSTEM WHICH HAVE BEEN WORKED ON FOR PREVIOUS OTHER PROBLEMS BY DEALER …
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PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL AND BRAKES DID NOT APPLY CAUSING VEHICLE TO STRIKE ONCOMING TRUCK CAUSING DAMAGE TO LEFT FRONT SECTION OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL WHILE BREAKS WERE PRESSED AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. OWNER OF VEHICLE HAS HAD PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH BREAK SYSTEM WHICH HAVE BEEN WORKED ON FOR PREVIOUS OTHER PROBLEMS BY DEALER WHERE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED.
ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 6,000 MILES. THE 2ND TRANSMISSION MAKES LOUD NOISES. SOUNDS LIKE GRINDING. WAS NOT CHANGING GEARS SMOOTHLY. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED KEEP DRIVING. HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED IN NOVEMBER.
THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS GOING OUT THE PROBLEM STARTED AROUND 35000 MILES I DID NOT TAKE THE CAR IN BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS TAURUS DID THE SAME THING AND I WAS TOLD TO DRIVE IT UNTILL THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ALL THE WAY. I DID NOT KNOW AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS A TORQ CONVERTER PROBLEM OR I WOULD NOT HAVE DRIVEN IT. BUT THE NEW TAUR…
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THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS GOING OUT THE PROBLEM STARTED AROUND 35000 MILES I DID NOT TAKE THE CAR IN BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS TAURUS DID THE SAME THING AND I WAS TOLD TO DRIVE IT UNTILL THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ALL THE WAY. I DID NOT KNOW AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS A TORQ CONVERTER PROBLEM OR I WOULD NOT HAVE DRIVEN IT. BUT THE NEW TAURUS IS DOING THE SAME THING AND I HAVE HAD IT AT A COUPLE OF TRANSMISSION SHOPS AND THEY TELL ME THAT IT IS THE TORQ CONVERTER.
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45-50MPH WHEN HIT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP ACCURATELY. UPON IMPACT OF THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WILL ADD VIN.# ONCE RECEIVED. *AK
RECALL REPAIR WORK ON THE BROWN COOLANT WAS NOT COMPLETED AS STATED BY DEALERSHIP.
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 MPH TURNING THROUGH A WATER PUDDLE, THE VEHICLE LOOSES POWER STEERING WITH NO WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *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.