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

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

62 reports

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97,787 miles · Oct 23, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

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SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT OF VENTS WHEN AIR CONDITIONING WAS TURNED ON. IF I TURNED IT OFF AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES, THE AIR CONDITIONING WOULD WORK AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED EVERY TIME I TRIED TO USE THE AIR CONDITIONING. IN SEPTEMBER, WHEN I TRIED USING THE HEATER, IT DID NOT WORK. I CHANGED THE THERMOSTAT AND HAD ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHED. HOWEVER THIS STILL DID NOT RESOLVE MY PROBLEM. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP,. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 98 TAURUS. THE ENGINE COOLANT FORD MAKES YOU USE CLOGS THE SYSTEM AND TURNS THE COOLANT INTO SLUDGE. THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS TO REPLACE THE HEATER CORE. THEY ALSO STATED THAT ON AVERAGE I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEATER CORE EVERY OTHER YEAR. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10043474

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2003

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

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1998 FORD TAURUS; 78000+ MILES: RECURRING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. OWNERS MANUAL INDICATES THAT THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MAY NOT BE REFERRING TO A MECHANICAL PROBLEM THAT WILL AFFECT PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE. OUR LIGHT CAME ON ONE MONTH AFTER WE PURCHASED THE CAR. IT WOULD GO OFF WHEN WE CHANGED FLUIDS OR BRAND OF GASOLINE. ON JUNE 28TH THERE WAS A NOTICABLE CHANGE IN DRIVABILITY AS THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY AND THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT FROM LOW GEAR. THE ENGINE WOULD REV TO 5000 RPMS TRYING TO SHIFT BUT COULD NOT. I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE TRYING TO MANEUVER IN 55 TO 65 MPH TRAFFIC. AAMCO NOW TELLS ME THAT IT WILL COST 1500 T0 2000 DOLLARS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I RAN A 1993 FORD VAN TO 270,000 MILES BUT I DID NOT KNOW THAT THIS MODEL HAD A 12 YEAR HISTORY OF SEVERE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10030294

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT ENGINE PROBLEMS. ALSO, THAT THE VEHICEL HAS PROBLEMS WITH GASKET LEAKS.MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10027327

Mileage unknown · Jul 8, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

EXHAUST PROBLEMS WITH 1998 FORD TAURUS. NAR 07092003 *MR FORD DEALER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE PART, HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE IT. THE CONSUMER HOPED THAT A NATIONAL RECALL WOULD BE INITIATED TO INSPECT THE POTENTIAL DEADLY CONDITIONS. *CB *JB

NHTSA ODI #10026970

70,000 miles · Jun 6, 2003

Engine And Engine CoolingSteeringStructure

WHEN TURNING RIGHT AT A STREET CORNER IN THE RAIN THE POWER STEERING WILL MOMENTARILY FAIL. THE DRIVE BELT WILL MAKE A SLIGHT SQUEAL WHEN IT RE-ENGAGES. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS INADEQUAGE SPLASH SHIELDING INSIDE THE RIGHT HAND WHEEL WELL SUCH THAT WATER IS THROWN UP ON THE DRIVE BELT AND CRANKSHAFT PULLY BY THE COCKED WHEEL. …

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NHTSA ODI #10021155

Mileage unknown · May 22, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE TECHNICIAN HEARD A TAPING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE CAM SHAFT SPROCKET FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10020435

24,000 miles · Apr 24, 2003

Engine And Engine Cooling

THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10017517

Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

INTERMITTENLY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BECOME INNOPERABLE OBSTRUCTING DRIVERS. REAR BRAKES SQUEALING AND MOANING FAILED CAUSED BY THE ROTORS. ROTOR WHICH WENT BAD CAUSING DAMAGES THE REAR BRAKES AND PADS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ODI #8024083

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2002

Engine And Engine CoolingFire

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND SECONDS LATER THE VEHICLE GOT COMPLETELY ON FIRE.FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. NLM

NHTSA ODI #8019990

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

THE OIL PAN RUSTED. *NLM *SCC

NHTSA ODI #8019585

Official recalls

98V198000 · 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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.