IllustrationVEHICLE EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH INCREASE IN SPEED DURING DEACCELERATION, WHILE GOING DOWN A INCLINE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WAS NORMAL. *AK CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. *YH
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
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
111 reportsCRUISE CONTROL PICKS UP SPEED WHEN GOING DOWN HILLS. DEALER & THE CONSUMER BOTH TEST DROVE A 2000 TAURUS & THE VEHICLE ALSO INCREASED IN SPEED. CONSUMER STATED THAT HIS 1994 TAURUS WAS TRADED IN FOR THIS 1998, DIDN'T DO THIS.*AK
VEHICLE ACCELERATES BY ITSELF. IT DOES NOT SLOW WHEN ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, AND TWO VISITS TO THE DEALER PROVIDED NO SOLUTION. DEALER SAID TO BRING IT IN WHEN IT IS HAPPENING, BUT THIS IS UNWORKABLE AS CAR MUST BE SHUT OFF TO STOP HIGH ENGINE SPEED AND THEN THE PROBLEM STOPS UNTIL NEXT OCCURANCE. I FEE…
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VEHICLE ACCELERATES BY ITSELF. IT DOES NOT SLOW WHEN ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, AND TWO VISITS TO THE DEALER PROVIDED NO SOLUTION. DEALER SAID TO BRING IT IN WHEN IT IS HAPPENING, BUT THIS IS UNWORKABLE AS CAR MUST BE SHUT OFF TO STOP HIGH ENGINE SPEED AND THEN THE PROBLEM STOPS UNTIL NEXT OCCURANCE. I FEEL THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS AND THE CAVALIER ATTITUDE OF THE DEALER IS OF NO HELP.*AK
ACCELERATOR HESITATES TO ACCELERATE, JERKS AND STICKS DOWN.*ET
I WAS COMING HOME FROM WORK AT 35 MPH THE LIGHT TURNED RED I HIT THE BRAKES AND THE CAR ACCELERATED AND I PUSHED THE BRAKES AGAIN, BUT IT WOULD'NT STOP .I RAN THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND HIT ANOTHER CAR, CAUSING HIM TO HIT SOMEONE ELSE.IF THE SPEED ZONE HAD BEEN HIGHER SOMEONE COULD HAVE GOT KILLED.*AK
WNEN I LEFT THE DEALER AND PUT THE BRAKES ON A BLOCK AWAY THEY DID NOT WORK AND THE ENGINE ACCELERATED. I TOOK THE CAR RIGHT BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IF THEY COULD NOT MAKE THE CAR 100% I COULD TRADE. WELL THAT NEVER HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME I USED THE CRUISE CONTROL IT MAKE A HORRIBLE NOISE WHEN I ENGAGED IT. WHEN I …
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WNEN I LEFT THE DEALER AND PUT THE BRAKES ON A BLOCK AWAY THEY DID NOT WORK AND THE ENGINE ACCELERATED. I TOOK THE CAR RIGHT BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IF THEY COULD NOT MAKE THE CAR 100% I COULD TRADE. WELL THAT NEVER HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME I USED THE CRUISE CONTROL IT MAKE A HORRIBLE NOISE WHEN I ENGAGED IT. WHEN I PUT MY CAR IN PARK THE ENGINE REVS UP TO BETWEEN 3 AND 4. I HAVE TO TURN IT OFF TO MAKE IT STOP.*AK
WOULD TOUCH BRAKE PEDAL LIGHTLY TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP, AND VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE FOR NO REASON. ACCELERATION PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AT LEAST 3 TIMES & PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK
VEHICLE SPEED DOES NOT DECREASE AFTER RELEASE OF GAS PEDAL. VEHICLE MAINTAINS SPEED! CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT ACTIVATED. NO ENGINE BRAKING OCCURS! THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED. PLACE TRANS IN NUETRAL WHILE IN MOTION AND THE RPM INCREASES AFEW HUNDRED RPM THE MAINTAINS RPM. APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES DECREASES RPM PROPORTIONATLY TO MPH …
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VEHICLE SPEED DOES NOT DECREASE AFTER RELEASE OF GAS PEDAL. VEHICLE MAINTAINS SPEED! CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT ACTIVATED. NO ENGINE BRAKING OCCURS! THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED. PLACE TRANS IN NUETRAL WHILE IN MOTION AND THE RPM INCREASES AFEW HUNDRED RPM THE MAINTAINS RPM. APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES DECREASES RPM PROPORTIONATLY TO MPH WHILE IN NUETRAL..DEALER SAYS " LIKE IT OR NOT THAT IS HOW IT IS". *AK
WHEN CONSUMER TRAVELED ON THE HIGHWAY RPMS REGISTERED AS HIGH AS 4 . THEN, RPMS WENT BACK DOWN TO ZERO WHEN CONSUMER SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. ALSO, CONSUMER NOTICED A LOUD NOISE UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. NOISE SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING WAS GOING TO DROP FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE.*AK THE VEHICLE ACCELERAT…
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WHEN CONSUMER TRAVELED ON THE HIGHWAY RPMS REGISTERED AS HIGH AS 4 . THEN, RPMS WENT BACK DOWN TO ZERO WHEN CONSUMER SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. ALSO, CONSUMER NOTICED A LOUD NOISE UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. NOISE SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING WAS GOING TO DROP FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE.*AK THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AS HIGH AS 4000 RPM'S WHEN IN PARK. IT APPEARS THAT THE TRANSMISSION OR THE ENGINE FALLING OUT. THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT CAN'T BE FIXED. *YH
WHILE CONSUMER WAS TURNING INTO A DAY CARE CENTER VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO A WALL. CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKES AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT. *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.