IllustrationPOWER WINDOWS LOCK UP. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *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 reportsCONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO GET THE APPROVED AIRBAG DISCONNECT SWITCH INSTALLED BY THE DEALERSHIP. MJS
FOLLOWING IS THE E-MAIL FROM A PERSON ASSIGNED TO THIS TAURUS: IT MIGHT BE ADVISABLE TO ALERT ALL DRIVERS OF NEWER TAURUSES TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS A FUEL PUMP SHUT-OFF SWITCH LOCATED ON THE UPPER INSIDE WALL OF THE TRUNK. THIS IS INERTIA OPERATED, AND AN UNSECURED LOAD HITTING THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRUNK CAN TRIP IT, SHUTTI…
Read full complaint
FOLLOWING IS THE E-MAIL FROM A PERSON ASSIGNED TO THIS TAURUS: IT MIGHT BE ADVISABLE TO ALERT ALL DRIVERS OF NEWER TAURUSES TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS A FUEL PUMP SHUT-OFF SWITCH LOCATED ON THE UPPER INSIDE WALL OF THE TRUNK. THIS IS INERTIA OPERATED, AND AN UNSECURED LOAD HITTING THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRUNK CAN TRIP IT, SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE. I HAD THIS HAPPEN YESTERDAY AS I TURNED OFF THE FREEWAY DOWN JAMES STREET. WITHOUT THE POWER BOOST ON BRAKES AND STEERING, I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THE CAR SLOWED AND INTO THE MUNI GARAGE. IF I HAD LESS STRENGTH IN MY LEGS, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION. ONCE THE SWITCH HAS BEEN ACTUATED, IT CAN BE RESET VIA A BUTTON ON ITS TOP, BUT ACCESSING THE TRUNK IN NECESSARY TO DO THIS.
THERE WAS A FIRE WITHIN THE TRUNK WHEN SLEEPING BAG CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER PUT THE FIRE OUT. HOWEVER, SMOKE CAUSED ALOT OF DAMAGE. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES "SPEED FLAIR", WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED AND BEFORE CONSUMER CAN ENGAGE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE SHOOTS FORWARD, UNABLE TO RECTIFY PROBLEMS, CONSUMER DOES NOT HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OVER VEHICLE WHEN THIS OCCURS. MJS
WHILE DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED IT DISENGAGED WITHOUT MANUAL OPERATION AND WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE & SLID ON PATCH OF ICE & HIT A CURB. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. NO INJURIES. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS DAMAGED. *AK
THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY PULLS TO THE LEFT, CONSUMER WAS TOLD THIS WAS DUE TO TORQUE. NLM
WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE VEHICLE TOOK OFF IN REVERSE, CAUSING DRIVER TO SMASH INTO 3 OTHER CARS. OWNER EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEM ON MARCH 26TH AND APRIL 29TH. THOSE INCIDENTS DID NOT RESULT IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK
LOW SPEED BRUSH WITH RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAUSED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WITH SUCH FORCE THAT RIGHT SIDE WINDSHIELD WAS SHATTERED. PASSENGER FRONT SEAT UNOCCUPIED.
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.