IllustrationSTEERING GROANS IN THE AM OR AFTER A LONG TRIP. SYSTEM LACKS BOOST. DEALER INSTALLED PS SERVICE KIT. NET RESULT NOISY SYSTEM AND NUMEROUS ADDITIONAL FAILURES. *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
Steering complaints
40 reportsPOWER STEERING SYSTEM NOISY AFTER PREVIOUS REPAIR. REPLACED PUMP TWICE, WITH NO NET GAIN. DEALER INDICATES CONDITION NORMAL. SUBSEQUENT PROBLEMS INDICATE DEALER IN ERROR. *AK
HIGH PRESSURE HOSE RUPTURED WHILE PARKING. NO STEERING BOOST AFTER FAILURE. VEHICLE DRIVEN TO DEALER WITH SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. *AK
HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE RUPTURED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. LOSS OF POWER STEERING BOOST. NO INJURIES. *AK
TURNING CORNER AT APPX 20MPH HEARD LOUD CLONK NOISE UNABLE TO STEER VECH,RACK & PINION SNAPPED, LIFTED HOOD BELT HAD CAME OFF WHEEL WAS ON THE GROUND, FORD MECHANIC TOLD WARRANTY REP THAT IT WAS MY FAULT BECAUSE I RAN LOW ON POWER STEERING FLUID. I DROVE A 24FT TRACTOR AND 53FT TRAILER COMBINATION FOR 6 YEARS ACROSS THE US CANAD…
Read full complaint
TURNING CORNER AT APPX 20MPH HEARD LOUD CLONK NOISE UNABLE TO STEER VECH,RACK & PINION SNAPPED, LIFTED HOOD BELT HAD CAME OFF WHEEL WAS ON THE GROUND, FORD MECHANIC TOLD WARRANTY REP THAT IT WAS MY FAULT BECAUSE I RAN LOW ON POWER STEERING FLUID. I DROVE A 24FT TRACTOR AND 53FT TRAILER COMBINATION FOR 6 YEARS ACROSS THE US CANADA AND MEXICO AND HAD TO DO MY OWN MAINT. AND MINOR REPAIRS TO MY TRUCK DOES THIS SOUND LIKE SOMEONE THAT JUMPS IN AND OUT OF A CAR WITHOUT CHECKING FLUID LEVELS,OR DOING PROPER MAINT ON THEIR VECH?? I ONLY HAD THE VECH FOR 38DAYS BUT ALWAYS KEEP ALL FLUID LEVELS CHECKED, BEFORE THIS HAPPENED I WOULD HEAR A LOW HUMMING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL BUT THE POWERSTEERING FLUID WAS AT THE NORMAL LEVEL.
VEHICLE ACCELERATES TO 3 RPMS WHEN IN PARK. ABS LIGHT STAYS ON SINCE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED 8-9 MONTHS AGO.*AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD HER STEERING RACK AND PINION BROKE. DEALERSHIP FIXED IT THE FIRST TIME. THEN, VEHICLE REPEATED THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 60 MILES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD LOST CONTROL OF WHEEL AND WAS FIGHTING TO STEER THE CAR. THIS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN A MONTH 7/23/99 AND AGAIN8/23/99. THE LORD WAS TRULY WITH ME I COULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BOTH TIMES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN POWER STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT. ALSO, WHEN MAKING A TURN DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL LOCK. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
VIBRATION IN THE ENGINE AREA DUE TO BROKEN TRANSMISSION MOUNT. 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.