IllustrationONGOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE NOT DEACCELERATING WHEN FOOT IS REMOVED OFF PEDAL. VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY CONTINUE FOR A FEW SECONDS OR MORE, AND SOMETIMES UP TO A MINUTE, BEFORE VEHICLE WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL SPEED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT CONDITION WAS NORMAL. *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
What owners actually said
545 reportsVEHICLE DOES NOT DECELERATE NORMALLY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED DUE TO A COMPUTER CONTROLLED DESIGN FEATURE OF THE ENGINE. THE DESIGN FLAW RESULTS IN DECELERATION, AND EXCESIVE ACCELERATION IF GOING DOWN HILL. ALSO CAUSES CRUISE CONTROL TO OVERSHOOT THE SET SPEED BY 20-40 MPH
WHILE INSTALLING A CHILD SAFETY SEAT, THE LOCKING CLIP PIERCED THE SEAT BELT. I DON'T THINK THAT A LAP BELT ONLY SHOULD REQUIRE A LOCKING CLIP TO SECURE A CHILD SAFETY SEAT ANYWAY, BUT SINCE THIS ONE DID, I REALLY THINK THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BELT SINCE IT ALLOWED A LOCKING CLIP TO PIERCE IT DURING INSTALLATION.
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH STOPPED FOR SIGN, AND WHILE CROSSING OVER, GOING WEST, THE HOOD BENT, WINDSHIELD BROKE AND FRONT LEFT WHEEL BROKE FROM THE FRAME ,AND THE CONSUMER HIT THE STEERING WHEEL HARD, AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN COLLISION IN WHICH THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, NEITHER THE PASSENGER SIDE / DRIVER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *YC
ACCELERATOR STUCK CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. DRIVING INTO A PARKING GARAGE, PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE BECAUSE PASSED THE KEY PAD THEN FORWARD, AND VEHICLE JUST TOOK OFF AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE DRIFTS OFF TO THE RIGHT ,AND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE SHIMMIES EXCESSIVELY. DEALER SAYS STEERING COLUMN WAS MALFUNCTIONING. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
CAR IDLES 1,000-1,100 RPM. WILL TRAVEL MORE THAN A MILE ON LEVEL HIGHWAY AFTER ACCELERATOR RELEASED. BRAKING IS NEVER ASSISTED BY ENGINE AS SHOULD HAPPEN TO ONE DEGREE OR ANOTHER
WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 25 MPH AND UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES, THEY FAILED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO REAR END THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS. *AK
VEHICLE IS STALLING AND THE RPM VALVES ARE GOING UP. EHICLE KICKS INTO GEAR AND SHIFTS VERY HARD. *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.