IllustrationI HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE YET BUT WE HAVE 121 DOCUMENTED FAILURES AT HTTP://WWW.V8SHO.COM. CAMSHAFT SPROCKET DETACHES FROM CAMSHAFT CAUSING INSTANT ENGINE FAILURE, POSSIBLE ENGINE FIRE AS WELL. FORD WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.*AK
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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
62 reportsWHEN STARTING VEHICLE IT WILL KICK OVER BUT FAIL TO START. AFTER NUMEROUS TRIES VEHICLE WILL START, THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, MECHANIC FOUND NO PROBLEM.*AK
I BOUGHT THE 1998 FORD TAURUS USED BUT IN GOOD SHAPE,AT 70,000 THE COMPLETE EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILED THE DEALER FIXED IT BUT 5 MORE THOUSAND MILES AND IT WOULD HAVE COST OVER 1000.00 DOLLARS.ON JULY 31 2002 THE CAR HAD A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE INCLUDING ALL THE COMPONENTS THAT CONNECT IT TO THE ENGINE.I TAKE VERY GOOD CAR O…
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I BOUGHT THE 1998 FORD TAURUS USED BUT IN GOOD SHAPE,AT 70,000 THE COMPLETE EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILED THE DEALER FIXED IT BUT 5 MORE THOUSAND MILES AND IT WOULD HAVE COST OVER 1000.00 DOLLARS.ON JULY 31 2002 THE CAR HAD A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE INCLUDING ALL THE COMPONENTS THAT CONNECT IT TO THE ENGINE.I TAKE VERY GOOD CAR OF MY CARS BECAUSE I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA WITH THE NEAREST CITY OF ANY SIZE 45 MILES AWAY.THE MILES MIGHT SOUND LIKE ALOT BUT THEY ARE ALL EASY HIGHWAY MILES.I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER BUT THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARANTY AND SAID IT WOULD COST OVER 3500.00 TO FIX,I HAD IT WORKED ON IN A SHOP IN RENO NV AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE DAMAGE WAS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND THEY WORK ON HUNDREDS OF TRANSMISSIONS ON FORD CAR. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IT IS A ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MANY FORD'S WITH THE 3.0L AND 3.8L V-6 ENGINES.IT SEEMS WRONG FOR A RELATIVELY NEW CAR THAT I AM STILL PAYING ON TO HAVE THIS KING OF MAJOR PROBLEM AND FORD NEED'S TO COME CLEAN THAT THIER IS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW. P.S I AM ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2001 FORD WINSTAR'S TRANSMISSION TOO
ROTOR SERVICE ON FRONT END OF VEHICLE ONCE EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TIRES SHAKING, CLUNKING NOISE IN FRONT WHEELS WHEN TURNING, AND SQUEAKING NOISE IN REAR END WHEN BRAKING. THE HEATER AND DEFROSTER MAKE A BUZZING NOISE, THE BR…
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ROTOR SERVICE ON FRONT END OF VEHICLE ONCE EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TIRES SHAKING, CLUNKING NOISE IN FRONT WHEELS WHEN TURNING, AND SQUEAKING NOISE IN REAR END WHEN BRAKING. THE HEATER AND DEFROSTER MAKE A BUZZING NOISE, THE BRAKES PULSATE. THE REAR RIGHT BRAKE AND ROTORS FAILED. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE MAKES A BUZZING NOISE WHEN START. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. THE DRIVER DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO BATTERY FAILURE. *YH
CONSUMER STATES RPM RACES UP TO 4,000 RPMS FOR NO REASON. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *TT
CAR WAS SMOKING FROM UNDER AND WHEN TAKEN TO GARAGE TOLD IT WAS AN OIL PAN GASKET THAT WAS A COMMON FORD PROBLEM AND COULD CATCH FIRE IF DRIVEN TOO LONG CAUSE IT WOULD GET HOT.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL JERK AND THAN STALL OUT.*AK
HEAD GASKET-CAR DIED, WARNING LIGHTS DID NOT LIGHT. *AK
AS DOCUMENTED ON V8SHO.COM SITE. MINE HASN'T FAILED BUT 59 HAVE AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT FORD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IN THE WAY OF REPAIRS. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK
THE BRAKES FAILED AND WAS FIXED BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *YH
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.