Your vehicle report
1997 Ford Taurus
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 770
- Received Nov 1996 to Mar 2021
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Transmission fails or loses power while driving63 complaints · 8.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips56 complaints · 7.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Head gasket leaks coolant into engine43 complaints · 5.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #98V028000Vehicle 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."
- Recall #97V097000Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with AX4S automatic transaxles. The low/intermediate servo cover can separate from the transaxle while the vehicle is being driven. If this occurs, transmission fluid will leak contacting the catalytic converter.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 64 crashes, 12 fires, 50 people injured, 4 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
- Power steering cuts out while driving
- Coil springs break and puncture tires
- Tires blow out or tread separates
1 more problem
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 2 |
| 1997 | 29 |
| 1998 | 63 |
| 1999 | 131 |
| 2000 | 141 |
| 2001 | 121 |
| 2002 | 94 |
| 2003 | 54 |
| 2004 | 49 |
| 2005 | 24 |
| 2006 | 14 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 770 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 63 | 8.2% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 56 | 7.3% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 43 | 5.6% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 34 | 4.4% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 25 | 3.3% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 25 | 3.3% | – | |
| Door ajar light stays on when closed | 24 | 3.1% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 22 | 2.9% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 22 | 2.9% | – | |
| Coil springs break and puncture tires | 21 | 2.7% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 21 | 2.7% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 18 | 2.3% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 17 | 2.2% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 16 | 2.1% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 15 | 1.9% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 13 | 1.7% | – | |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 12 | 1.6% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 11 | 1.4% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 11 | 1.4% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 11 | 1.4% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #98V028000February 10, 1998571,800 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: headlights
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."
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.
NHTSA recall #97V097000June 9, 1997100,000 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with AX4S automatic transaxles. The low/intermediate servo cover Can separate from the transaxle while the vehicle is being driven. If this occurs, transmission fluid will leak contacting the catalytic converter.
The catalytic converter temperature may be hot enough to ignite the transmission fluid and cause a vehicle fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the transmission and replace these servo covers.
NHTSA recall #96V166000September 5, 199640,000 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl)
The park pawl abutment bracket has a sharp edge which Can cause the parking pawl to hang up and not engage the park gear. This would allow the vehicle to move even though the gear shift indicator shows that the vehicle is in park.
Unintended and unexpected vehicle movement Can result in personal injury and property damage.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the park pawl abutment bracket.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1997 Ford Taurus.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN