IllustrationTHE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL ACCIDENT, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, THE DRIVER WAS INJURED. *JB
1998 Ford Taurus
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Ford Taurus do not stand out strongly from 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
80–25K
1325–50K
3550–75K
3075–100K
39100–150K
16150K+
141 reports with mileage · 404 unknown
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.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 111 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 74 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
61 crash reports14 fire reports38 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
39 reportsWHILE TRAVELING DOWN A HILL TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND WENT INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 35 TO 40 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT, CONSUMER HIT A TELEPHONE POLE AND DRIVERS AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY UNTIL AFTER CONSUMERS HEAD HIT WINDSHIELD.DRIVER WAS INJURED, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK *MJ
THE VEHICLE WAS GOING 35MPH AND REAREND ANOTHE VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. PLEASE ADD MORE INFORMATION.*JB
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. DRIVER WAS HIT IN THE STOMACH AND REQUIRED SURGERY TO CORRECT INTERNAL INJURIES. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE TO DETERMINE REASON FOR UNEXPECTED DEPLOYMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON THEIR OWN. *AK THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSED INJURIES AND BROKE THE WINDSHIELD. IT ALSO DAMAGED THE SUNVISER AND MIRROR. *YH
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 30MPH. UPON IMPACT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *JB
FRONTAL COLLISION AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, BOTH CARS TOTALED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH A 1993 FORD, PROBE. AT AN IMPACT OF 45 MPH, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
ON 01-19-01 SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH WHEN IT STRUCK THE REAR BUMPER OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THOUGH MY VEHICLE SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL FRONT END DAMAGE, NEITHER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE NOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *AK
Official recalls
298V198000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Aug 25, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL SEAT TRACKS. THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ATTACHING STUD MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED. THIS HEAT TREATMENT MAY HAVE RESULTED IN CRACKS DEVELOPING IN THE STUD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE STUD IS CRACKED, IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE MOUNTING BRACKET AND STUD ASSEMBLY.
98V028000 · 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.
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.